Filipino Food for the Gods

Name: Filipino Food for the Gods
Yield: Makes one 9x9-inch cake
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled; 1 cup light or dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup light corn syrup; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 6 ounces (1 generous cup) chopped pitted dates (chill for easy chopping); 1 generous cup walnuts, chopped

Regina Newport @Regeehomekitchen2021

Food for the Gods is a Philippine dessert that is very popular during the Christmas holidays — the cake squares are beautifully wrapped in colorful cellophane wrappers and given away as presents. My research has turned out nothing as to who first coined the name for this delicious, blondie-like cake that is traditionally made with dates and walnuts. Spain colonized the Philippines for over 300 years, and had a strong and far-reaching influence on our cuisine, which leads me to surmise that perhaps this is our adaptation of the Spanish delicacy called “Date Bread with Nuts.” The fact that this confection is so deliciously rich and decadent, and that the two main ingredients (dates and walnuts) are quite expensive back home, are very good reasons to claim that this is, indeed, food that’s fit for the gods.

Regina Newport @Regeehomekitchen2021

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Ingredients

Makes one 9x9-inch cake

3/4 cupbutter, melted and cooled
1 cuplight or dark brown sugar
1/2 cuplight corn syrup
1/2 teaspoonvanilla extract
2eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cupall-purpose flour
1 teaspoonbaking powder
1/4 teaspoonsalt
6 ounces(1 generous cup) chopped pitted dates (chill for easy chopping)
1generous cup walnuts, chopped

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Steps

1

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9x9-inch brownie pan with foil (or spray the bottom and sides with floured baking spray, if preferred). You can also use an 8x8-inch brownie pan, which will yield a thicker cake.
2

In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract and eggs. Mix well with a rubber spatula until you have a thick, cohesive mixture.
3

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the chopped dates and mix with your hands, separating pieces that are stick together, and making sure all the pieces are dredged with flour. Add the walnuts and dredge them in the flour as well.
4

Fold this dry mixture into the wet ingredients using the spatula, until you can no longer see any flour remaining. You will have a very thick batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared brownie pan, evening out the surface as much as possible.
5

Bake for 40-45 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through the baking, until the top is nicely browned and looks crusty, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the baking pan to a rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
6

The cake squares will keep, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days, or for about a week in the refrigerator. Gently reheat in the microwave for about 10 seconds before eating.