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Date and Walnut Coffee Cake
Course: Baking
Author: Adapted from Bake from Scratch
Ingredients
  • FOR THE CRUMBLE
  • 63 gm (1/2cup) flour
  • 55 gm (1/4cup) light brown sugar, packed firmly if using a cup
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons (35 gm) butter
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 57 gm (1/2cup) walnuts chopped
  • FOR THE CAKE
  • 128 gm chopped pitted dates
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
  • 113 gm (1/2 cup) butter, softed
  • 67 gm (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
  • 73 gm (1/3 cup) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 188 gm ( 1 1/2 cups) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup full cream milk
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice , strained.
  • FOR THE GLAZE (optional and this can be halved if you just want a drizzle of glaze)
  • 110 gm (1/2 cup ) light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup whipping cream
  • 57 gm (1/4 cup) butter
  • 3 Tablespoons icing sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 175ºC/350ºF and spray and flour an 8in square baking pan.
  2. FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING
  3. In a bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar , cinnamon and salt. Stir in butter and maple syrup until combined and work with your fingers to form the crumble. Stir in the finely chopped walnuts.
  4. FOR THE CAKE
  5. In a bowl soak the dates in the 1 cup boiling water with the 1/2 tsp baking soda. Leave for 5 minutes until dates are tender and soft and drain off all the water.
  6. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and both sugars at a medium high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time. Stir in maple syrup and orange zest.
  7. In another bowl whisk together sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture mixing alternatively with the milk and orange juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined. This batter is thin.
  8. Fold in finely chopped dates and pour batter into prepared pan.
  9. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.
  10. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserting into the cake. Keep checking the cake and near the end loosely cover the top with foil if necessary to prevent excess browning ) You shouldn't have to do this but some ovens can be hotter than others. Cool cake on a rack.
  11. FOR THE GLAZE
  12. Heat brown sugar, butter and cream over medium heat. Bring to the boil and stir making sure that all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Whisk in icing sugar once the sauce has cooled. Drizzle over cake once the cake has cooled.