Raisins & Dates In The Sun
Since I'm a baker now, I feel compelled to bake things all of the time. 'Tis the season to bake cakes, cookies, pies, and all things laden with butter & sugar for our friends and family.
I have a few cooking classes and food demonstrations in the upcoming weeks, so I'm combining bags of flour, measuring sugar, & praying I have enough butter to feed the masses.
This is a recipe for a raisin-date cake. It's a simple pound cake recipe that can be turned into a bar or a cobbler topping, depending on the application and the type of pan you bake it in. Dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle with a flat icing and you'll have everyone clamoring for more!
Pouring the batter into a sheet pan covered with a silicon mat or heavy greased foil will make a nice bar that is smaller and a bit more sturdy than the cake below. Adding a stick of melted butter and pouring the batter sans raisins and dates over a heavily spiced fruit compote will make a scrumptious cobbler.
There were a few end pieces that were a little tough, so I am going to cube those up and make single serving bread puddings with those. Little Jack Horner would be happy to know that I will be using plums in this pudding. More on it tomorrow.
Raisin Date Cake serves 12
1 cup Splenda baking blend or 2 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
6 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. A hand mixer works well here. Add the flour and baking powder and beat well. Add the dates and raisins and mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into a greased 9X13 baking dish.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before moving to a rack. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Sift confectioners' sugar over the tops to coat each piece completely. Store in an airtight container up to one week, to keep pieces moist and soft.
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About the author
Nikki Miller-Ka
Ms. Miller-Ka is a classically trained chef with a BA in English from East Carolina University and a Culinary Arts Associate Degree from Le Cordon Bleu-Miami.
Formerly, she’s worked as a researcher, an editorial assistant, reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has also worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker. Presently, she is a food editor, freelance food writer, and a tour guide for Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours.
You have turned into quite the baking wiz :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks good - I have to admit, I'm not really a fan of dates but I might give it a try.
How do you like the Splenda products? I've been thinking about trying those out.
Yeah! Your back with pictures and baking. The hoildays just brings out that urge rot bake.
ReplyDeleteNikki, recipe sounds great. I like that you listed splenda as an alternative to sugar.
ReplyDeleteHey, there we've missed you! This looks like a good take on a fruit cake.
ReplyDeleteAll of it?
ReplyDeleteIs it gone son?
You spent all of it?
I have you 7500 dollars...is it gone?
It took him all his life and you...you...you spend it all up in one day?
LOL - sorry...Raisin in the son is the dopest play of all times!
Looks fabulous and delicious!
ReplyDelete