Date and Walnut Cake

Finally, yup finally I baked a cake.  Since I wasn't able to put up festive goodies for Ganesh chaturthi and Diwali I wanted to put up quite a few Christmas goodies and with Christmas drawing to a close I wanted to bake a yummy fruit cake or a plum cake.  The only problem being I hadn't prepped up for the cakes.  Then I thought I could still keep the "Christmas cake" fever going by baking a cake which is as yummy as fruit or plum cake.  So while I wondered what I should bake, this one crossed my mind. 

We have taken a sudden liking for dates nowadays.  Not that we didn't like it earlier, but never really got to including it in our daily diet.  Also there are so many other desserts & cakes, I have in mind to be made & baked.  Just that I need to do it well and with a whole lotta time on hand.  Due to time constraint and travelling, desserts and cakes have taken a back seat.  Making a promise to myself, I have decided to make or bake something sweet more often.  So you all will get to see a whole lot of desserts and cakes coming your way.  A nice tea-time cake or just something sweet to pack for your kiddos lunch box.  Kids or adults a cake you will love.  A cake that can be made in a jiffy.  A cake packed with the goodness of dates and walnuts.  Both of which are good for health.  Though I have added milkmaid. I have compensated here and there.  I had this recipe in my hand written cook book, so tweaking the recipe that I had written, I made it like this.  Hmm, if I keep yapping, when will I get you all to note down the recipe.  So this is how I made this yum and delicious cake.

INGREDIENTS:

Dates	15 pieces
Milk	1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp
Curds	1/2 cup
Oil	1/2 cup  minus 1 tbsp
Milkmaid	200 gms
Sooji/ rawa/semolina	1/2 cup
All purpose flour	1/2 cup
Walnuts	2 tbsp
Salt	A pinch
Baking powder	1 tsp
Baking soda	1/4 tsp

METHOD:

1.       Chop the dates and keep aside.  Heat the milk and add the chopped dates and keep aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2.       While the dates and milk cool. Sieve the flour with baking powder and baking soda and keep aside.

3.       Pre-heat the oven at 190⁰ C

4.       Blend the dates and milk to a puree with a blender.  If you do have a few chunks of dates it's absolutely alright. 

5.       Add in the oil and blend again.  Once the oil blends well with the date and milk mixture add in the curds and milkmaid.  Blend well again.

6.       Transfer this mixture to a bowl.  Add the flour and semolina to the wet mixture and fold in gently. 

7.       Pour the batter in a well greased loaf tin.

8.       Bake the cake at 190⁰ C for 25 minutes or till the skewer comes out clean when inserted.

9.       Cool the cake on a wire rack and cut them as desired.

10.   Enjoy the cake at tea-time with a warm cup of tea or coffee, (if you are a coffee lover).

 NOTES:

1.       You could use a full cup of all purpose flour too.

2.       I am already in process of making another version of this lovely goodness, which I will be putting up soon.

Hey guys, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and do keep the love flowing and don’t forget to leave a comment if you like the cake.  And believe me you will love the cake, so do try it..