Dates are the main cultivated plant in Gulf countries. In Oman 75% of cultivation area dedicated to this date palm cultivation. This fruit is traditionally served with coffee when welcoming guests or served as a dessert. Dates are rich in fibre and contains 20 essential vitamins and minerals.

       Dates does not elevate the blood sugar level due to their low glycemic index. You wont feel hungry soon after having this wonderful fruit. About this recipe i have adapted this recipe given in Y magazine. They adapted from BBC good food's recipe and I have referred both recipes and modified according to my taste and needs.

       Once i go through the recipe in magazine they have added dates paste and banana puree so i thought it must be slightly fudgy cake. So adding eggs is not essential for this cake. And bananas are the good re placer for eggs. I am planning to make this cake for my kids snack box. So i have to make the cake much tastier, healthier as much i can. So i replaced eggs with yogurt and butter with oil. After making this cake i have to say a perfect cake can be made for Christmas.

Dates Banana Cake with Walnuts

INGREDIENTS:
Yogurt-1 cup (or) Eggs- 2 if you are making with eggs.
Butter/ Oil- 1/2 cup (100 grams)
All purpose Flour- 1 cup
Baking powder- 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda- 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar, powdered- 3/4 cup
Date paste- 3 tablespoons
Cinnamon- 1 teaspoon
Dates, Chopped- 10 nos
Bananas-2 big
Walnuts- 1/4 cup

For the Date Glaze:

Butter- 2 tablespoons
Dates paste- 2 tablespoons
Honey- 2 tablespoons
Walnuts- 1/4 cup

Dates banana Cake


PROCEDURE:
  • Preheat the oven to 160 degrees for 10 minutes as it is a heavy cake.
  • Grease the 20 cm pan or fancy cake pan like this with butter and dust with a tablespoon of flour and tap the pan to cover and stick to all over the pan; set aside.
  • First we have to make dates paste for this recipe. Take 25 number of dates, deseed them and make a paste by adding little water using a blender. 
  • Mash the bananas using fork and mix 3 tablespoons of the date paste prepared earlier; set aside.
  • Remove the seeds and chop the dates. Roast the walnuts in a pan till crunchy by constant tossing for about 5 minutes; set aside.
  • In a bowl add the yogurt and beat well using a electric mixer or whisk. Mix in oil or butter and again beat well. Now add the powdered sugar and beat well.
  • Add the honey and cinnamon powder and beat well. Now add the banana dates puree and mix well till uniformly combined. 
  • Sift/ sieve together all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda (to get a uniform mixture); Add half cup at a time and mix well without lumps.
  • Add the chopped dates and the roughly broken half of the roasted walnuts and fold inside the batter.
  • Transfer the cake batter inside the greased cake pan and level the surface.
  • Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes till the skewer inserted at the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool down for 5-10 minutes and remove from the cake pan.
For Date Glaze:
  • Add butter, dates paste, honey together and bring it to boil and allow to bubble for about a minute until it thickens. Do not allow much time it turns to jam like consistency.
  • Stir the walnuts with this galze and remove from heat and allow to sit for minute.
  • Pour over the glaze on top of the cake.

Notes:
  • You could use Self raising Flour for this cake. If you use SRF do not add baking powder and baking soda.
  • You can replace yogurt with 2 number of  Eggs if you are making with eggs.



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