My beautiful sister-in-law is getting married in less than 2 weeks. And to say that I am thrilled is an understatement. I got incredibly lucky with both of my sister-in-laws. I’ve known them since they were in highschool (almost 15 years now…whoa) so I’ve literally seen them grow up to be the amazing women they are. They are both genuine, loving, compassionate, and just plain AWESOME people. Having known them for so long makes every milestone even more exciting and it is no different with this wedding.
Each member of our family was also given the honor to play a special part in the wedding (drawing by yours truly).
Me = Bridesmaid; our son = Ring bearer; my husband = Officiant
In anticipation of the BIG day, I pulled out an old family recipe, Matrimony Cakes. This recipe was passed down by my husband’s Great Great Grandmother. According to my mother-in-law, we’re not sure why they’re called matrimony cakes. The cakes were often served after dessert and during tea time. Whatever the reason, they are delicious. Thanks Grandma Mac!
While they are called cakes, they are more like oatmeal, date shortbread bars. They have a brown sugar, buttery, oatmeal crust and a chewy gooey date filling.
I baked these over the weekend for the first time. And I’m so glad I did. The smell in the house as these were baking was so fantastic. It was really tough to wait the 30 minutes for them to complete.
If you make these for an after dinner dessert, I highly recommend serving with a large scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy!
- For the crust
- 1½ cups quick oats
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), cut into cubes
- For the filling
- 1 12oz. package of dates, pitted and chopped (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
- In a small saucepan, combine the dates, granulated sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- While the filling is simmering, combine the dry ingredients. Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt into the large bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or your hands to mix the butter in. I like to use my hands so I can feel the butter being distributed throughout.
- Pack half of the dry ingredients in the bottom of an 9x9x2 inch pan, lined with parchment paper. I like to measure out half to make sure I don't run out for the topping (about 2½ cups for the bottom). Cover with the date mixture. Then top with the remaining oat mixture (another 2½ cups).
- Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Let cool for 10 minutes and then place in the refrigerator to cool for another 30 minutes before cutting.
- Cut into squares and serve!
I've also added a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the filling which adds a lovely floral warmth.