Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
- 200g fresh dates, pitted
- 250ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200g (1 ¼ cups) wholemeal spelt flour
- 70g (1/3 cup) rapadura or brown sugar
- 60g almond meal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 100g (1/3 cup) unsweetened apple puree
- 80ml (1/3 cup) melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 2 eggs
- Natural yoghurt, to serve
Caramel sauce
- 3 Tbsp rapadura sugar or brown sugar
- 160ml (2/3 cup) pouring cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease a round 20cm cake pan. Line with baking paper.
- Place dates in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water. Stir in the bicarb. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften, then use a fork to lightly mash.
- Combine flour, sugar, almond meal, baking powder and spices in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add apple, oil, eggs and date mixture. Stir until combined. Spoon into the prepared pan.
- Line the base of a roasting pan with a tea towel. Place cake in the prepared roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach two-thirds up the side of the cake pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from roasting pan.
- Meanwhile, for the caramel, cook sugar and 125ml (½ cup) water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened and reduced by half. Stir in cream and vanilla. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until smooth.
- Spoon half the sauce over the pudding. Serve with yoghurt and remaining sauce.
Approx. per serve: 1282kJ | fat total 16g | saturated fat 10g | fibre 5g | protein 6g | carbs 33g
