Coffee, Date & Pecan Cake

SERVES 8–10

2 tbsp hot milk

3 tbsp instant coffee granules

200g / 1½ cups self-raising (self-rising) flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

180ml / ¾ cup groundnut oil

3 eggs

140g / 7 tbsp date syrup

80g / 3oz pecan halves, half roughly chopped and half saved for the top

140g / 5oz dates, pitted and roughly chopped

COFFEE CREAM

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

2 tbsp hot milk

200ml / ¾ cup double (heavy) cream

Preheat the oven to 170°C / 330°F / gas mark 3½. Line a non-stick 900g / 2lb loaf tin (pan) with parchment paper.

Add the hot milk and coffee granules to a small bowl and mix to dissolve and combine. In a large mixing bowl, put the flour, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), oil, eggs, date syrup and the dissolved coffee mixture and, using an electric hand-whisk, whisk just briefly to combine; you don’t want to overmix.

Once combined, fold through the chopped pecans and the dates, then pour into the prepared loaf tin. Smooth the top slightly and decorate the top with the pecan halves, in any way you like.

Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour, or until risen, browned and cooked through (a skewer or knife inserted into the middle will come out clean). Place the cake in its tin on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then turn the cake out and let cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, mix the coffee granules and hot milk to dissolve, then add the cream and whip to almost stiff peaks. Serve the cake with dollops of coffee cream on the side.