Date and Walnut Cake
This was one of the first cakes I ever made in a thermal cooker and I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the cake tin. I had been told that you could make cakes in the cooker but I didn't really believe that they would look like cakes.
Since then I have cooked this cake many time and it is easy to prepare and a favourite for most of the family
Ingredients:
• 1 cup of chopped dates
• 1 tsp bicarb. of soda
• ¾ of a cup of boiling water
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of self raising flour
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
Simmering time on the stove top: 25 minutes Thermal cooking time: 2 hours minimum
Method
1. Prepare a loaf tin that fits into your thermal cooker by greasing the tin and lining the base with baking paper.
2. Sprinkle the soda bicarb over the chopped dates and pour on the boiling water.
3. Add the butter and Sugar and beat well.
4. Add a well beaten egg, and then stir in the flour.
5. Lastly add in the vanilla essence and nuts.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and cover with a sheet of baking paper.
7. Finally cover with a sheet of recycled aluminium foil or the lid.
8. Place on a suitable height trivet (if required) and pour in enough hot water to come 2/3 the way up the sides of the loaf tin.
9. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
10. Place the inner pot into the outer vacuum insulated container, closed the lid and leave for at least 2 hours to thermal cook without power.
NOTE: As thermal cooked cakes do not dry out you can prepare these in the evening and leave them to thermal cook over night.
NOTE: This recipe is supplied by Chef Dave Knowles from the UK and is described for a 4.5 litre inner saucepan so you will need to adjust quantities if you are using something else.