Chocolate Almond Orange & Date Cake

Ingredients

¾ cup Cinderella Dates, diced
Zest from ½ orange
¼ cup fresh orange juice
150g butter
¾ cup dark cocoa (gluten free)
4 (No 7) eggs, separated
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups Cinderella Almond Meal
1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
Cocoa powder or icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (conventional bake). Grease and line the base of a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Put the diced Cinderella Dates in a small bowl. Add the orange zest and pour over the orange juice. Set aside.
3. Melt butter and stir in sifted cocoa until smooth. Set aside.
4. Beat egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick. Beat in the cocoa mixture. Add the soaked dates and juice, Cinderella Almond Meal and baking powder and mix well.
5. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks for. Fold 2 spoonfuls into the cake mix to loosen the mixture. Fold in the remaining whisk egg whites, being careful not to overmix.
6. Pour into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake will have pulled away from the sides of the tin, but will still be soft when lightly touched in the centre when cooked. Cool in the tin before transferring to a cooling rack. When cold, dust with cocoa or icing sugar before serving. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream or yoghurt on the side if wished

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