Date and Pecan Cake

Makes 1 large 25cm cake

 

Ingredients

  • 320ml butter
  • 250ml sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 500ml self raising flour
  • 10ml ground cinnamon
  • 10ml grated nutmeg
  • 125ml full cream milk
  • 125ml fresh orange juice
  • 250ml chopped dates
  • 200ml chopped pecan nuts
  • 50ml cake flour
  • Cream cheese frosting
    • 100ml butter, at room temperature
    • 500ml icing sugar, sifted
    • 250g mascarpone cheese
    • 50ml honey, to drizzle
    • Pecan nuts, to garnish 

Here’s how:

  1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius.
  2. Grease and line a 25cm round cake tin.
  3. Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating the butter until light and fluffy.
  5. Add one egg at a time with a teaspoon of flour and beat well after each addition.
  6. Beat the flour in gradually, alternating with the milk and fresh orange juice.
  7. Mix the chopped dates with pecan nuts and 50ml cake flour.
  8. Gently fold the dates and pecans into the batter.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
  10. Turn the cake out on a wire rack and leave to cool.

To prepare the frosting:

  1. Cream the butter until light in colour.
  2. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and beat on a low setting.
  3. When all the icing sugar has been added, add the mascarpone cheese.
  4. Continue beating until well combined.
  5. Use a palette knife to spread the frosting over the cake.
  6. Drizzle the honey over the cake and garnish with pecans.