Honey soaked Dates and Carrot Cake

One of the first cakes I successfully baked and then kept baking again and again due to popular request was a cake with Dates in it.It was and still continues to be my amma's favourite cake.I also remember having a cake with Dates and carrots in my friends place and to this date I remember how delicious it was.I made a very similar tasting cake some time back and that is a wonderful recipe too.

When I saw this recipe in YouTube,I immediately wrote down the recipe deciding to try it out soon.The catchy part was the soaking of Dates in honey.The combination of Dates,Carrot and Walnut is something irresistible if you ask me :) The cream cheese icing (optional,but highly recommended) takes the simple cake a notch higher and makes it fancy.Do try it out.

Honey soaked Dates and Carrot Cake

Recipe courtesy - Mahima's Cooking Class

Ingredients

Flour/Maida - 150gms

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Cooking oil(I used Rice Bran) - 1/2 cup

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Eggs - 2

Vanilla - 1/2 tsp

Dates - 1/4 cup

Honey - 1/4 cup

Carrot - 1 1/2 cups

Walnut - 1/4 cup

For the Frosting

Butter - 50 gms

Icing sugar - 3/4 cup

Cream cheese - 35 gms

Method

Soak the chopped dates in honey for at least an hour.

Grease and line an 8"round cake tin.Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift together flour,baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon powder and salt.

In a mixing bowl add the brown sugar and oil and beat for a minute.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another two minutes.

Add the soaked dates with honey and grated carrots and beat again.

Now add the flour in batches and beat well till you get a smooth batter.Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap a few times.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely.

Make the Frosting

Beat the butter well for a minute.

Add the icing sugar and beat well.

Now add the cream cheese and beat till combined.

Apply the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and garnish with grated carrots and walnuts.

Step by Step Pictorial

Soak the chopped dates in honey for at least an hour.

Grease and line an 8"round cake tin.Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift together flour,baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon powder and salt.

In a mixing bowl add the brown sugar 

and oil and beat for a minute.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another two minutes.

Add the soaked dates with honey and 

grated carrots and beat again.

Now add the flour in batches and beat well till you get a smooth batter.

Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap a few times.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely.

Make the Frosting

Beat the butter well for a minute.

Add the icing sugar and beat well.

Now add the cream cheese and 

vanilla,

beat till combined.

Apply the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and garnish with grated carrots and walnuts.