Rum and date cake

I came across this rum and date cake recipe in the waiting room of a clinic one afternoon, and was able to take a hurried snap just moments before I got called. Admittedly, I am partial to liqueur in cakes, and also to recipes that stipulate that cake batter should be cooked in a bundt tin. This one I am pleased to say, has both.

Ingredients

210g (1 1/2 cups) dates, chopped
90g (1/2 cup) prunes
75g  (1/2 cup) raisins
180ml (3/4 cup) boiling water
125ml (1/2 cup) rum
1 1/2 tsp baking soda, sifted
225g (1 1/2 cups) self raising flour, sifted
235g (1 1/3 cups) brown sugar
225g butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs

Caramel sauce

100g butter
135g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
175g (1/2 cup) golden syrup
250ml (1 cup) single cream
60ml (1/4 cup) rum

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the dates, prunes, raisins, boiling water, rum and baking soda in the food processor (I used the Thermomix) and set aside for 10 minutes. Then process the date mixture until smooth and set aside.

Place the flour and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter, vanilla, eggs and date mixture and mix well to combine. (If you’re using the Thermomix, then just add all the ingredients in and mix)

Spoon into a well-greased 3.5 litre-capacity Bundt tin and bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the caramel sauce, place the butter, sugar, golden syrup, cream and rum in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-12 minutes or until thickened. Allow sauce to cool for 10 minutes before pouring over the cake to serve, or set aside in a jug for guests to help themselves to. Also good served with an extra sneaky side of vanilla ice-cream.