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.