Eggless Dates Cake (No eggs no butter cake)

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When few of blogger friends asked to post any sweet for the good news of mittu clearing the interview(these days even prekg admissions are like getting a seat in college), I readily agreed to give a cake treat as I had that already in my drafts :) Here is a visual treat to share my happiness with all of you !! And thanks to all who had wished her good luck!

When I entered the blogging world and saw so many baking recipes, dates cake was the first that I baked even before I owned an oven. Yes I baked it in ammas stove top oven. After I got my oven, dates cake was one of the first few cakes that I baked. So dates cake has always a special place in my baking experience.I baked this cake few months ago to share it with my office collegues and with no doubt I was back with appreciations and a request to bring it again :)

Eggless Dates Cake Recipe - Ingredients
Recipe Source : Aayis Recipes

• Maida - 1 cup (135 gms)
• Dates - 18 (I used brown dates, black dates can also be used)
• Milk - 3/4 cup (185 ml)
• Granulated Sugar - 3/4 cup (165 gms)
• Oil - 1/2 cup (125 ml)
• Baking Soda - 1 tsp
• Nuts - 1 tbsp chopped (I used walnuts)

NOTE : I halved the recipe and baked it in a 4X4 inch cake pan

Method:

1. Soak dates with little milk and set aside to make it soft(If its black dates no need to soak).In a mixing bowl, add sugar, milk and oil, stir until sugar completey dissolves. Keep aside. .Sieve maida with baking soda twice so that baking soda is evenly distributed and keep aside.

2. Grind the dates to a fine paste. Add the dates paste to milk sugar mixture and mix well. Now add maida and mix well so the flour blends well with the dates mixture.

3. Add the chopped walnuts and give a quick stir. Preheat oven at 350 F(176 deg C) for 10mins. Meanwhile grease the pan with oil and little flour then add the prepared batter.

4. Bake the cake at 176 deg C for 35-40mins(Check after 30mins then proceed accordingly). Check by inserting a knife or fork at the center of the cake, if it comes out clean then your cake is done. Cool down the cake completely on a wirerack and then cut into slices. Enjoy the cake!!

The cake is slightly moist , very soft and yummy. The dates flavour in cakes is the best I would say. Hubby who doesnt like dates love this cake too. Have I tempted you enough to try this cake? ;)

Pressure cooker method given by Poonkuzhali(a reader of Shamis Passions):

1. Take a 7.5 litre pressure cooker and fill about 1 1/2 inch with sand.
2. Place the cooker plate above the sand. Remove the gasket and close the cooker and heat it in high flame for 10 mins
3. Pour the prepared batter in the greased and floured cooker container and gently place it over the plate inside the cooker.
4. Close the lid and dont put the whistle.First keep the flame in high for 5 mins.
5. After that simmer the flame to lowest possible and check after 40 mins.It took exactly 45 mins for me.

My Notes:

• Brown dates are little harder so soaking them is a must, but black dates need no soaking. Grinding the dates paste coarse is also ok - it depends on how you like your dates in your cake).
• If you want a low fat version then add only 1/4 cup oil and add 2 tbsp extra milk.
• The color of the cake purely depends on the dates used. I have used brown dates here if you use balck dates the cake will be on a darker side.
• If the recipe calls for baking soda or baking powder , sieve it atleast twice with the flour so that the distribution is even.
• This time I didnt lay a butter paper just greased it with little oil and flour. The cake came out clean.