This very moreish cake is always received well when friends pop over for coffee.
Date and coffee cake with walnuts and espresso glaze
6-8
Serves
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Prep Time
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Cook Time
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2½ cups chopped dates
- 1½ cups hot coffee
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1¾ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 115g butter — softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup walnuts — toasted then roughly chopped
For the espresso glaze
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 45g butter — melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A little hot water, if needed
Method
For the date and coffee cake with walnuts and espresso glaze
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake). Line a 22cm-diameter round cake tin with baking paper.
- Combine the dates, hot coffee and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Strain the date mixture, reserving the liquid. Mix the strained liquid into the butter mixture alternately with the flour mixture.
- Fold in the dates and 1 cup of the walnuts, reserving the rest for garnish.
- Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 55–65 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.
- To make the Espresso Glaze, combine the hot water with the instant coffee in a small bowl.
- Add the icing sugar, melted butter and vanilla and whisk to combine. If it needs to be thinner, add 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake and scatter the reserved ½ cup walnuts over the top.