In the running for best date cake ever. I’ve assumed you have a mortar and pestle for the cardamom, a bit cheeky I know, but better flavour than pre-ground spice.
200g chopped dates
50g tamarind paste
250g unsalted butter
150g dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
275g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
150g icing sugar
the seeds from 6 – 8 cardamom pods, finely ground
juice of 1/2 lemon
Line the base and sides of an 18cm deep cake tin with non-stick baking paper, and heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4. Put the dates and tamarind paste in a pan with 300ml water and bring to the boil. Boil for a minute then remove from the heat, add the butter and leave 10 minutes to cool. Add the brown sugar, stir well then beat in the eggs until smooth. Beat in the flour and soda then stir in the walnuts. Spoon in the tin and bake for about an hour, or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. When cold mix the icing sugar, cardamom, juice and a little water if needed, to a thick smooth icing and spoon this over the cake so it dribbles down the sides.
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