Dates & Nut Bundt Cake

I have a special love for baked goods with Dates.After all,my first bake was this Eggless dates cake which I must have baked like a hundred times.It is one of my amma's fave cakes and I make sure I pack some for her whenever I am going to my hometown.I have been planning to bake a Sticky Dates Pudding Cake with Caramel sauce and that is soon gonna feature here!!

I had some super soft,melt in the mouth Dates in my fridge for a while and the effort I put in to pit the whole batch made me a bit careful of what I did with them.Sometimes,when there's nothing sweet to have after lunch/dinner,I keep a few dates in a MW safe plate and MW for a minute or so.I close my eyes and relish the taste from the first bite to last..YUM!!

After reading Aparna's description about this Dates Cake from the famous bakery in Goa,I felt it was time to take out my Dates box.Since I am in a show off mode,I baked it in my Bundt pan.It takes me a while to photograph and slice the cake coz I am so immersed in enjoying the beauty of the cake when baked in a Bundt pan!!!

I used Almonds instead of Walnuts,but otherwise,did not make any changes.

Dates and Nut Bundt Cake
Minimally adapted from Aparna's blog

Ingredients

Pitted Dates - 1 cup,chopped coarsely
Baking soda - 1 tsp

Boiling-hot water - 1 cup

Granulated sugar - 1 cup,firmly packed

Egg - 1,lightly beaten
Melted butter - 1 tbsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

All Purpose flour - 2 cups

Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Almonds,chopped - 1/2 cup

Method

Put the dates in a slightly big bowl (you'll be mixing the batter in this) and sprinkle the baking soda over the dates. Pour the hot water over this so it covers the dates. Keep aside for about half an hour till the dates soften up and the water cools down.
Stir in the sugar, egg, butter and vanilla into the date mixture. Sift the all purpose flour and the baking powder together and add to the bowl along with the walnuts. Gently mix in this in till everything just combines.
Spoon the batter into a greased and floured (or parchment lined) 7" round cake tin. You may use a loaf tin if you choose.
Bake at 170C for about 50 minutes till cooked or till a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Serve with coffee or tea.  

Sending this to Srivalli for the Tried and Tasted event which features Aparna's blog this month,