Ingredients:
Dates – 1 cup, chopped
Boiling water – 1 cup
Flour – 1 3/4 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1/4 tsp
Butter – 1/2 cup
Fine sugar – 3/4 cup
Vanilla essence – 1/2 tsp
Eggs – 1
Walnuts – 1/2 cup, diced
Walnuts – chopped, to garnish
Method:
1. Soak the dates in boiling water then allow them to cool at room temperature.
2. Sift the flour, salt and cinnamon together.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg and beat well.
4. Fold the sifted flour into the creamed butter, alternating with the dates. Stir in the walnuts.
5. Spoon the cake batter into a greased and lined baking tin, garnish with walnuts and bake on the middle shelf of a preheated oven at 160C/325F for about 1 hour or until the top is brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning it out.
Preparation time: 25 minutes.
Baking time: 50 to 60 minutes.
