COFFEE-AND-DATE CAKE

Ingredients

• 150g dates, coarsely chopped

• 250ml black coffee

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 220g castor sugar, plus extra for dipping the pastry shapes

• 65g soft butter

• 1 free-range egg, extra large, beaten

• 1 orange zest

• 4 heaped tbsp cake flour, sifted

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 5 g mother-in-law spice mix

• 60 g butter

• 250 ml cold water

• 50 g pecan nuts, broken

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Grease and line a 20cm loaf tin.

3. Soak the dates in the coffee and bicarbonate of soda for 15 minutes.

4. Add the 65g of melted butter butter, 110g of caster sugar along with the egg and orange zest.

5. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice together and add to the wet ingredients.

6. Stir well and pour into the prepared baking tin.

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

8. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

9. Drizzle with the topping.

10. To make the topping:

11. Place the remaining 110g of caster sugar and the 60g of butter in a saucepan over a low heat.

12. Once the sugar has dissolved, stir in the water and nuts and drizzle over the cake.

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