Yields 10-12 servings

Ingredients:

225 gm All-Purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup castor sugar
250 gm fresh, soft black dates; frozen, (thawed, peeled, pitted, halved)
2 large cooking apples (peeled, cored, coarsely grated)
4 large eggs (beaten)
2 tsp vanilla extract
225 gm butter (softened)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg
 
Salted Toffee Sauce:
100 gm castor sugar
50 gm salted butter (cubed)
100 ml pouring cream

Method:
Lightly grease and dust the base and sides of a 20 x 30 centimetre rectangular cake tin or baking tray.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Purée the dates in an electric blender.  In a large mixing bowl, place the butter, eggs, vanilla, sugars and sift over; the combined flour, salt, baking powder and spices.  Beat everything together with an electric hand double whisker on high; for two to three minutes; to thoroughly blend.  Gently fold in puréed dates and grated apples.  Spoon mixture into the baking tin.  Level top with a flat spatula and bake in the middle of a preheated oven; for approximately 45-60 minutes; or when top is firm to the tip of a finger touch.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool off in tin.  Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce:  In a small saucepan, put the sugar and three tablespoonfuls of water, over medium-low heat, until sugar dissolves.  

Increase heat to medium-high and boil for a couple minutes, without stirring, until syrup turns into deep golden caramel colour.  Only swirl saucepan occasionally to prevent any formation of crystals around the inside edge.  Remove pan away from heat.  Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then stir in the butter to melt.  Gradually whisk in the cream to make a glossy caramel sauce.  Remove cake out of its tin.  Slice and serve with the hot toffee sauce on top and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream aside (optional); or heavy cream instead; or serve plain.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 9 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly