Date and caramel cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 250 g dates,

• 1 tbsp baking soda,

• 1 tbsp baking powder,

• 3 eggs,

• 75 mL milk,

• 185 g soft butter,

• 185 g self-raising flour,

• 1 packet vanilla sugar.

Topping:

• 15 mL milk,

• 30 g butter,

• 90 g icing sugar,

• 90 g walnuts,

• 2 tbsp brown/demerera sugar.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180ºC and grease a baking tray. In a pan, heat the dates with 200 mL water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Check that there is enough water and that the dates are not burning. Add the soda and let cool.

Mix the butter, flour, vanilla, baking powder, eggs and milk thoroughly. Add the dates and whisk rapidly. Pour the batter in the baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. To check it is cooked, plant a knife in the cake, it should come out clean. Let the cake cool.

To make the topping, heat the milk, butter and brown sugar in a saucepan on low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the icing sugar and mix well. Pour over the cake and sprinkle with walnuts.