Festive Sticky Date, Orange & Fruit Mince Cake with Amaretto Butterscotch Sauce and Pecan Praline
An alternative to the traditional Christmas cake, this one packs a delicious punch with the amaretto sauce.
DATE & ORANGE CAKE
200 grams dried dates, roughly chopped
½ cup traditional fruit mince
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
150 grams butter, melted
¾ packed cup brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1¼ cups self-raising flour
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
AMARETTO BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
75 grams butter, diced
¾ packed cup brown sugar
½ cup cream
¼ cup Amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
PECAN PRALINE
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup (70 grams) roasted pecans
pinch flaky sea salt
ASSEMBLY
6 fresh pitted medjool dates, cut into quarters
EQUIPMENT: non-stick 24 cm fluted cake ring tin greased using a pastry brush. Line a small baking tray with baking paper and set aside for the praline.
Preheat the oven to 170°C bake.
DATE & ORANGE CAKE: Put the dates in a medium sized heatproof bowl, along with the fruit mince and orange zest. Pour over the boiling water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. After they have soaked, stir through the baking soda. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk again, until combined. Add the self-raising flour, salt and the soaked dates/fruit mince along with the soaking liquid to the bowl.
Whisk everything together, until just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain (it will be quite a runny batter).
Pour the batter carefully into the prepared ring cake tin. Bake on the lower-middle oven rack
