Sweets and Cakes
Egg Free Date and Walnut Cake
Its been a small hiatus from the blogging world. I’ve been busy as a cat on a hot tin roof. Baby A has been on a cold, cough and teething spree that seems endless, have had many a sleepless night and if thats not enough, we’ve had to deal with “Seperation anxiety”.
When Baby A was more of a baby between 6-12 months of age, he was the most social bee in town. Smiling at Uncle Tom weeding his garden, or Aunty Molly sipping tea next door, or crawling behind little Johnny who he just met in a shop, or grabbing little Susie’s hair in church, most happy to leave mommy and play with anyone who would give him a smile……..hmmm…..
Fast forward to the present, at 15 months Baby A will not let mommy out of his sight without breaking into a cry. Be it a short trip to the kitchen to grab him a plate of food or the more urgent calls of nature. Ive got to be in Baby A’s range of surveillance. Some call it “Seperation Anxiety”….I call it “Mommy Entrapment”, should I be enjoying all the attention ?? maybe I should…..who knows??…. come adolescence, it might be me suffering from Seperation Anxiety… hahaha!
Oh well, coming to todays recipe, is a much loved and in demand recipe for an Eggless and Butter free Date cake especially for the health conscious . This cake is not only tasty and easy to make, it is a good vegan option and is filled with dates that are rich in iron, Vitamin A and B. I made this cake for my MIL soon after getting married, she usually doesnt eat much cake but this one she shared with none, she absolutely loved it 🙂 On our trip to the US last year, she asked me to bake it for her again, saying that it was the best she has ever eaten……..hmmm……swelling with pride and joy…..let me share the recipe with you…..
Original Recipe Source: here
My Adapted version:( I found the original recipe a bit too sweet so toned it down to suit me)
Ingredients:
Dates: 18 nos
Dates: 18 nos
Milk: 3/4 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
All purpose flour or maida: 1 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
All purpose flour or maida: 1 cup
Sunflower oil: 1/2 cup
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Walnuts: 5-6 whole chopped. a few to decorate.Method:
1. Soak the whole dates in warm milk overnight in a covered vessel.
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Walnuts: 5-6 whole chopped. a few to decorate.Method:
1. Soak the whole dates in warm milk overnight in a covered vessel.
Remove the seeds. Add sugar and grind them to a smooth paste along with the milk in which it is soaked in. Add oil and mix.
Note: If using seedless dates heat milk and dates for few minutes on a stove top or nuke in a microwave to soften them.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 180C. Lightly dust a 23 cms round baking tin, or line a regular tin with baking paper ( I used lighlty greased foil as I ran out of BP). Keep aside.
3. Sieve together flour and baking soda. Fold in the flour one table spoon at a time into the dates mixture. Lastly add the nuts and gently mix.
4. Pour the cake batter into the baking tin, level the mixture.
5. Place on a rack in the centre of oven and bake at 180C/ 350F for 35-40min (or till a wooden toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, or cake leaves the side of the tin). You will know when the cake is done as the aroma of the baked dates and walnuts will waft through your home and get all those tummies rumbling.
Let the cake cool down completely before slicing. Enjoy on its own or with a scoop of your favourite vanilla icecream . Store the remaining cake in an airtight box. Make sure you double or triple the quantity to share the love……..:)
Enjoy 🙂
