Duchy Originals Date and Walnut Cake

A community recipe by pistachio

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

A yummy cake from the Duchy Originals Cookbook and apparently a favourite of the Queen Mother. Lots of nuts, dates, maple syrup, and the addition of tamarind ... how could it not be a favourite!

Ingredients

Serves: 0

Metric Cups

100 grams whole natural almonds
100 grams pecan nuts
100 millilitres maple syrup
50 grams tamarind paste
200 grams unsalted butter (at room temperature)
150 grams soft dark brown sugar
50 grams caster sugar
2 large eggs
100 grams walnut pieces
200 grams dates (unstoned and chopped)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
150 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

4 ounces whole natural almonds
4 ounces pecan nuts
3½ fluid ounces maple syrup
2 ounces tamarind paste
7 ounces unsalted butter (at room temperature)
5 ounces soft dark brown sugar
2 ounces superfine sugar
2 large eggs
4 ounces walnut pieces
7 ounces dates (unstoned and chopped)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
5 ounces all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Method

Duchy Originals Date and Walnut Cake is a community recipe submitted by pistachio and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 180ÂºC/350ÂºF/gas mark 4.

Bake the almonds and pecans in the oven for 6 minutes, remove, then turn the heat down to 160ÂºC/325ÂºF/just under gas mark 3, pending the arrival of the prepared cake.

Blend the almonds and pecans to the consistency of rough flour and place them in a little bowl.

Heat the maple syrup in a saucepan with the tamarind pulp. As soon as the contents come to the boil, remove the heat and mash them with a fork to release the tamarind pulp from the fibres and seeds. Push the resulting liquid through a sieve with a spoon and discard the fibrous mass left behind.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. You can use a whisk, mixer or food processor.

Lightly whip the eggs and gradually incorporate them into the butter and sugar mix, whipping constantly. Add the tamarind, ground almonds, pecans, walnut pieces, dates, cinnamon and nutmeg, and sift in the baking powder and flour. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin (13 x 22cm) and bake for 1 hour. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave it to cool. It will keep for at least a week in an airtight container.

Preheat the oven to 180ÂºC/350ÂºF/gas mark 4.

Bake the almonds and pecans in the oven for 6 minutes, remove, then turn the heat down to 160ÂºC/325ÂºF/just under gas mark 3, pending the arrival of the prepared cake.

Blend the almonds and pecans to the consistency of rough flour and place them in a little bowl.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and superfine sugar until pale and fluffy. You can use a whisk, mixer or food processor.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin (13 x 22cm) and bake for 1 hour. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave it to cool. It will keep for at least a week in an airtight container.