Date and Orange Cake
Geoff Jansz shows us how to whip up a sensational date and orange cake. This dessert is simple to make, tastes wonderful and would be perfect to serve at your next dinner party.
Ingredients
- 150g fresh dates, pitted
- Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
- 2 level teaspoons baking powder
- 125g butter, melted and cooled
- juice of three oranges (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup castor sugar, extra
Method
Preheat oven to180°C and line a 23cm cake tin with silicon baking paper. Grease the sides of the pan and sprinkle flour evenly across the bottom and up the sides.
Pit the dates, slice finely lengthways into about 2mm widths, and then chop to an even dice. Combine the orange peel and orange rind in a bowl and add the dates. Soak for one hour prior to making the cake. Strain the dates, reserving the juice and rind, and squeeze them to remove excess moisture.
Pour the castor sugar over the egg yolks and beat until thick and pale. Add the baking powder to the flour and sift into the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Fold through.
Fold through the melted butter and reserved orange juice and rind.
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the extra sugar. Continue to whisk until stiff peaks form and the sugar is dissolved. Add to the cake mixture and fold through.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40 minutes. The cake is cooked if a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake and allow to cool while you combine the orange juice and the remainder of the extra sugar. Stir briskly until the sugar has dissolved. Spoon the sweet syrup over the still warm cake. Serve with cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
Healthy yoghurt topping
- 100mls natural yoghurt
- 1 1/2 tbs honey
- 4 mint leaves, finely chopped
- Mix all the ingredients together and serve with the cake.
