St.Martin’s Cake
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For St Martins Day Malta has the tradition to give a sewn cotton bag, filled with shelled nuts, fruit and a bun to children.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz Self-Raising Flour
- 100g/3.5oz Castor Sugar
- 200g/7oz Dates (CHOPPED)
- 100g/3.5oz Walnuts (roughly chopped)
- 100g /3.5oz Roasted Hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¾ Tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- Zest of 1 Mandarin
- Juice of 2 Mandarins (75ml)
- 2 Tbsp Amaretto ((optional))
- 3 Beaten Eggs
- 50ml Vegetable Oil
- 150ml Warm Water
Method
Cover the chopped dates with warm water and leave to soak for 1 hour.
In a large bowl sift all dry ingredients and mix together. Add the chopped nuts, figs, rind, oil and eggs.
To the date mixture add the mandarin juice and Amaretto then pour into dry ingredients and fold in until well combined.
Butter grease a 23cm/9-inch springform cake tin then dust with flour and cocoa powder.
Pour in cake mixture, decorate with a few cherries and pecans on top (optional) and bake in oven 180C/350F for 35 minutes or until a skewer stick is inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Enjoy