DATE CAKE



DATE CAKE


Us Cornish have always loved dates and this recipe makes the most delicious, gooey, fruity filled cake. Oh my! You will love it. Another old WI recipe, although I did make one or two updates. I used half light muscovado sugar, as that flavour marries so well with dates, plus I added a large splash of sherry to the liquid when soaking the dates.

Butter well and line the base of a 10” spring form cake tin, not too deep. Although I baked this one in a  9” square tin, as I wanted slices. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

8 oz stoned and chopped dates
½ pint boiling water, plus a large glug of sherry or brandy 
a heaped teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
6 oz softened butter
12 oz soft light brown sugar [or half light muscovado]
3 large eggs, beaten
11 oz plain flour
a little demerera [optional]

Dissolve the bicarb in the boiling water and add the dates. Stir well and leave to cool, overnight is good to let the dates absorb the liquids..

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Alternatively add the flour and gooey date mix in about three lots and mix well. Turn into your prepared tin and bake for about 55-60 mins until the top is firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for a short while then transfer to a cooling rack.

Just lovely. The smell and flavour is amazing. Enjoy.

Note: before popping the cake into the oven I lightly dredged with demerera sugar to make a crunchy topping.



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