Date, orange and olive oil cake

This almond meal olive-oil cake is wonderfully moist thanks to the orange, date and lemon syrup drizzled over. A beautiful blend of Mediterranean flavours.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 50 g panko breadcrumbs
• 125 g almond meal
• 220 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ras el hanout
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 250 ml (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

Spiced syrup

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) orange juice
• 55 g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8-10 green cardamom pods, bruised
• 2 star anise
• 1 lemon, zest removed in wide strips, white pith removed
• 1 orange, zest removed in wide strips, white pith removed  
• 6 medjool dates, pitted and halved

Instructions

1. Mix the breadcrumbs, almond meal, sugar, ras el hanout and baking powder together in a bowl.
2. Whisk the eggs and olive oil together, then add to the breadcrumb mixture and whisk until well combined.
3. Line an 11 cm x 21 cm loaf tin with baking paper and pour in the mixture. Place the cake in a cold oven and turn on to 170°C. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer withdraws clean and the top is golden. Remove the cake from the oven and pierce all over with a wooden skewer.
4. Meanwhile, for the spiced syrup, place the juices, sugar and spices in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons water and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the dates and the lemon and orange zest, simmer for a few more minutes, then remove from the heat.
5. Drizzle the hot spiced syrup over the cake and leave for a few minutes to soak up the syrup. Serve warm or cold.   

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.