A Vegan Date cake to celebrate EID and 3 months in Riyadh

Date & Coffee Cake with Date Caramel - vegan & gf

I arrived in Riyadh at the end of December for a new role programming the InFlavour event here later this year.  Three and a bit months in, it is the eve of Eid and I wanted to make a special cake to celebrate - Eid, the adventure, having (finally) a proper kitchen to bake in. I am still on the steepest learning curve of my life. Thankfully, people are truly welcoming. I have a kumquat tree in my small marbelled garden, the most incredible coffee, and amazing flavours and ingredients calling to me in the supermarket. I have gathered some of the most popular ingredients here to make this cake, with dates as the star attraction.  Of course.  There are so many kinds of dates here and I am not yet an expert (nor even a qualified amateur). But I love them. 

This is plant-based and gluten-free.  I made it in a mini Bundt but it can also be made in a loaf tin.  I made a special flour blend for this with chickpeas but if you have one you prefer that will be fine.  Here's the video.  The ingredients and the very simple method below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

200 grams of pitted and chopped dates

100 grams walnuts

180 ml hot strong coffee

50 grams ground flaxseed

4 tablespoons of water

GF Flour Blend: 100g brown rice flour, 80g chickpea flour, 30g tapioca

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teasoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

100 g brown sugar

100 ml date molasses

125 ml quality pure vegetable oil (I used rapeseed)

Tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Soak the dates and walnuts in the hot coffee.  Prepare your flax "eggs" by combining the ground flaxseeds with water and let them thicken.  In a large bowl combine the GF flour blend, the salt and raising agents.  Create a well and add the molasses, sugar, oil, flax and vanilla, stirring to combine.  Add the date, walnut and coffee mixture and blend.  Place in a greased tin and bake for 50 minutes.  Allow to cool.

For the Caramel

Combine 50g pitted dates, 50 ml date molasses and 50 ml plant-based milk.  Add a pinch of salt. 

You can adjust the thickness by adding more milk or more dates.  Spread on the top of the cooled cake.

Eid Mubarak!!