WALNUT DATES CAKE

Basically there is not much difference in the proportions of the main ingredients we use for any variety of cakes. This is what I feel. When you add different items like dry fruits and nuts, there is another small step to follow. For example, for this cake, I microwave the dates for just 10 seconds to make it soft. I soak crushed walnuts in two teaspoons of milk, mixing it often, again to make them soft. By doing this, you can cut the cake into neat slices, or else the hard nuts come in the way and crumble the cake. That is why while baking Christmas cakes or fruit cakes, all kinds of nuts and dry fruits are soaked in rum for two days. (Rum gives the cake the special flavor).

So, here is what you need for this cake.

Ingredients:

Maida 1 cup
Sugar 3/4 cup (here I add 3/4 cups instead of 2/3, because, the dates also give sweetness)

Butter 3/4 cup

Eggs 2

Essence (I use pineapple)-1/2 teaspoon

Baking powder 1/4 teaspoon

Walnuts about 100 gm or 1/2 cup- crushed to small pieces, softened with milk

Dates Cut to small pieces, eg. size of a peanut, microwaved for 10 seconds


Procedure:

Preheat oven to 180 F

Sieve maida with baking powder. Powder the sugar.

Break eggs into a bowl and add the essence. Beat well with a hand mixer. Add butter and beat well. Add sugar, mixing it continuously with the mixer. Add maida, mix well. In the end add walnuts and dates and mix lightly till they are equally distributed in the batter.

Pour into greased tray and bake for about 50 minutes. (I love to sprinkle sliced almonds on the top. This is actually optional)

In spite of soaking in milk, you get crisp pieces of walnuts while eating and it is.............. just delicious! Let me see who will try this first........... :)