Tea with Mom - Dates & Nuts Spice Cake

I was thinking about what to make for High Tea, the October Monthly Mingle event hosted by Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey and Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen. Then I read this post by one of my favorite bloggers Deeba, who aside from being a fabulous baker is a full time mom with two adolescent kids.


The post made me laugh and also brought back memories of my own teenage years. Honestly, and I am sure my mom will concur, they were anything but turbulent but I did have my rebellious moments! My chosen mode of attack was the hunger strike. Frankly, my stomach was the only instrument in my control, but, inadvertently (scout's honor!), I think I chose THE most effective weapon I could have. I don't think my mother would have succumbed as much to tirades and tantrums as my stubborn refusal of nutrition.

Perhaps, if I had made a rational argument for my cause, I could have avoided much heart burn (mine from a growling stomach and hers from my strike), but, that somehow never seemed an option at all. On the flip side how rational an argument can you make when you are stuck between being a child and wanting to be a grown-up?! :).

Anyway, despite all those teething pains, I think my mom is proud of who I am now and what I became and all that would not have been possible without her support and her discipline :). So,I thought it would be fitting to dedicate this post to my mother and every other mom out there with a teenage child going through the transition into maturity.

My mom is not very fond of sweets but I am. And, in the fashion of true compromise, I decided to make something sweet but not too sweet. For as long as I remember, mom would buy Lion dates packet for me (because I was low on hemoglobin). So, I made a date cake with lots of nuts and raisins and a hint of spice. It's best eaten warm with a cup of flavorful tea and a lot of gossip and catching up! :)

Here is to my mom and every other in the world. Because, no one will ever love us like our mothers!! :))

Dates & Nuts Spice Cake

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3-1/2 T butter
3/4 cup date paste or chopped pitted dates
3 T roasted chopped cashew nuts
handful of raisins
1 tsp five spice
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 T brown sugar (if you like it sweeter, you can add a couple more)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup + 1 T water

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, spice, baking soda together. Toss in the chopped nuts and set aside. In a small pan, combine water, butter, sugar and date paste. Over low heat, cook the mixture until the butter has melted, sugar dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Fold in the raisins. Remove from and cool for 10 minutes.

Add the date mixture and the yolk to the flour mixture and combine well. Pour into a greased 4 inch spring form pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until cake is springy to touch.

Let the cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and serve warm with butter.