Sticky Date Mini Bundt
Not long after my first daughter was born, I went to the grocery store determined to buy healthy foods and whip my body back in to shape. Of the many meals and snacks I carefully planned for the following week, a cake certainly was not on the list. But you see, I am an incurable sweet tooth and the dates I had originally purchased for my morning smoothies were calling my name. It was only a matter of days until I found something much more sensible to do with them. This is one of my most treasured recipes and I am so excited to share it with you.
Makes 15 mini bundt cakes
Cake ingredients:
400g pitted dates finely chopped (use a food processor for this step)
1.5 cups boiling water
1.5 teaspoons bicarb soda
190g grass fed butter at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 1/4 cups plain flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt flakes
For Molten Caramel icing
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
50g room temperature grass fed butter
2 tablespoons double cream
120g icing sugar
Method
Butter and flour your Williams Sonoma Nordic Ware Brilliance Cake pan making sure to get in all the crevices. Pan preparation is so important for any bundt style cake. If you don’t grease and flour your tin properly the cake will not turn out with it’s intricate pattern detailing.
Preheat your oven to 140 degrees Celcius.
In a saucepan over a low-medium heat combine the dates with boiling water, bicarb soda and butter and gently stir to combine and break up the dates. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Add your eggs, vanilla and sugar to the cooled mixture and whisk to combine well.
In your largest Williams Sonoma Melamine mixing bowl combine sifted plain flour, baking powder and ginger and whisk to combine well. Add 1/3 of your date mixture to the bowl and gently fold in until incorporated. Repeat this process two more times until your wet ingredients are combined with your dry ingredients. By incorporating the two mixes in stages, you reduce the risk of lumps forming in your batter.
Pour 1/3 of your mixture in to a piping bag. Snip the tip of the bag and fill your tin 2/3rds of the way to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cake springs back to touch and is lightly golden. An inserted skewer should come out clean.
Allow mini cakes to cool on a wire rack. Repeat until all batter has been baked.
To make the molten caramel icing simply melt the room temperature butter, sugar and cream over a medium heat. Once the sugar has melted and the sauce is smooth sift in your icing sugar. Gently combine and then while still hot pour or spoon the molten mixture over your bundt cakes.
Decorate with flower petals or your favourite edible toppers.
