Honey cake with apples and dates

Honey cake with apples and dates is a wonderfully moist and comforting bake — perfect for autumn, or even winter. A touch of mixed spice gives it a gentle warmth, though not quite enough to call it gingerbread. The cake is soft, aromatic and beautifully fragrant with orange and honey. It keeps fresh for days… although that’s probably not very useful information, as I’m quite sure it will disappear much sooner ;).

Ingredients for the honey cake with apples and dates:

• 75 g dried dates
• 350 g apples
• finely grated zest of 1 orange + 5 tablespoons orange juice
• 125 ml olive oil + 1 extra tablespoon
• 150 g runny honey + 3 tablespoons for glazing
• 80 g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• 200 g plain flour
• 50 g ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt
• 100 g walnuts, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 1½ teaspoons hot water

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Finely chop the dates and set aside. Peel, core and dice the apples into small pieces.

Place the apples in a saucepan with the orange zest, 3 tablespoons of orange juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the chopped dates and 1 more tablespoon of orange juice, then cook for a further 3 minutes, until the mixture can be mashed into a purée. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, honey, muscovado sugar, eggs and orange blossom water. Mix with a whisk just until combined (do not whip). Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then add the ground almonds, salt and chopped walnuts. Add the cooled apple purée and gently mix until just combined. In a small bowl, mix the bicarbonate of soda with the hot water (it will foam), then immediately fold it into the batter.

Line a 20 cm round tin with baking parchment. Pour in the batter and level the surface.

Bake at 180°C for about 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, brush with the remaining honey mixed with 1 tablespoon of orange juice. Leave to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: nigella.com