Delicious Date Loaf

Ingredients: 

Ingredients

250 g Dates, roughly chopped
185 ml ( ¾ cup) Boiling Water
5 ml (1 tsp) Bicarbonate of Soda
45 ml (3 tbsp) Margarine
185 ml ( ¾ cup) Huletts SunSweet Brown Sugar
1 Egg
5 ml (1 tsp) Vanilla Essence
60 g Chopped Nuts – Pecan Nuts OR Almonds (optional)
435 ml (1 ¾ cups) Cake Flour
Pinch of Salt
5 ml (1 tsp) Baking Powder
Pouring Sauce (optional – see method point 7)
Method: 

Method

  1. Add the bicarbonate of soda to the water and soak the dates in this mixture
  2. Cream the margarine and the brown sugar. Add the egg and beat well.
  3. Add the vanilla essence and chopped nuts
  4. Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder, alternately with the dates and the liquid in which they were soaked.
  5. Mix well. Spoon the mixture into a greased loaf tin approximately 22 cm x 12 cm.
  6. Bake at 180°C for 1 hour until golden brown.
  7. At this point the cake is ready for eating. However, adding a sauce makes it extra special. Combine 160 ml sugar, 100 ml water, 15 ml butter, 30 ml brandy and 5 ml vanilla essence in a saucepan. Simmer for 4–5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over cooled cake, and serve with whipped cream.