This is one of those many tea cakes that I like with low sweet taste, but definitely able to satisfy the sweet tooth.  Some would argue that is is healthy, but more than that it provides a warm comforting taste reminiscent of the holidays.  Goes with everything and a cinch to make.  Looks more complicated than it is, which is ideal for the last minute guests coming over for a quick visit.

Time:

1 hour

Serves:

8

Good For:

• Low sweet, but satisfying dessert
• Quick mashup of ingredients
• Not the lowest on calories but healthier than most sweets

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of pitted dates
• ¼ cup of milk
• ¼ cup of oil
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ cup of mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts or any other mix)

Kitchen things you’ll need:

• Large mixing bowl
• Loaf pan or bundt cake pan (the donut shaped one)
• Mixer or hand mixer

Making it:

• Soak the pitted dates in water for about 15 to 20min
• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F)
• Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) into a large bowl and mix.
• Add the wet ingredients (oil and milk) and the 2 eggs one at a time and mix, then add the soaked dates.
• Adjust the amount of nuts to preference, and you can either process them into small bits or keep them chunky and add them as is into the mix.
• Grease up the baking pan and pour the entire mix in, ensure that the inside is fully cooked after about 35min with a toothpick down the centre.
• When done either top with powdered sugar, cinnamon or both.

Tips:

• You can add a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, and/or cardamom to the pix to give it more spice and warmth; even saffron for a more luxurious flavour.
• As an alternative you can top with a little bit of diluted tahini sauce (with water) or honey and add more nuts on top. 
• You can also serve this well as a hot cake with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.