serves
8
prep
10 minutes
cook
40 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
8
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
40
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
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
- Mix the breadcrumbs, almond meal, sugar, ras el hanout and baking powder together in a bowl.
- Whisk the eggs and olive oil together, then add to the breadcrumb mixture and whisk until well combined.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
