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Prep time
1 hour 15 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Serves
8-10
Author Notes
Mmm, I can still taste the tender and velvety layers of this full bodied cake swirling over my taste buds. I am not a cake person, but there is just something so addictive and yet oddly calming about a chilled slice with your hot afternoon cup of tea. Perhaps, it is because this is a zero guilt recipe, I mean it is a high protein cake, low in unhealthy fats and sugars. If you are in a hurry you can, opt out of layering this cake and bake it, instead, in a 20 centimetre (eight inch) baking pan and use the date filling as an icing, then drizzle it all with a generous layer of dark chocolate! —Lifeaftergluten
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Ingredients
- Date Filling
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300
Milk or dairy-free coffee creamer
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200
Pitted dates
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5
Instant coffee
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1 drop
Almond extract
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1 drop
Pure vanilla extract
- Walnut cake
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5 pieces
Large eggs
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150 grams
Walnuts, ground
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170 grams
Medjool dates
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5 grams
Pure vanilla extract
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2.5 grams
Baking soda
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1 pinch
Cinnamon, ground
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1 pinch
Cloves, ground
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1 piece
Lemon, zest and juice
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150 grams
Dark chocolate, melted
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150 grams
Toasted walnut, halves
Directions
- Date Filling
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Combine, in a small saucepan the milk, dates, coffee, almond extract and vanilla extract. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour into a blender or food processor. Blend until perfectly smooth and fluffy. Let cool.
- Walnut cake
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Line a small sheetpan with parchment paper. Preheat an oven to 177°C (350°F).
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Whip the five egg whites to medium-stiff peak. Fold in the lemon juice.
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In a food processor, blend the five egg yolks, 170 grams of dates and lemon zest until smooth light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and pulse for a second. Add one third of the ground walnuts (50 grams), along with the baking soda and spices. Blend for five seconds. Add one third of the whipped egg whites. Blend for five seconds. Repeat alternating adding one third ground walnuts and egg whites, blending between each addition.
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Gentle spread the caking batter evenly into the prepare pan. Bake for six to eight minutes. Let cool completely.
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To assemble: Trim the cake into four strips that will fit snugly in a loaf pan. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. Place one of the strips of cake in the bottom of the pan. Coat with a very thin layer of melted chocolate. The chocolate is delicious but it as also functional. Here the chocolate is preventing the cake from being soaked by the date filling. If you make your chocolate too thick (more than a millimtre) it will be hard to eat your cake with a fork because it will be like someone stuffed a chocolate bar between every layer! Chill the cake in the freezer for five minutes or until the chocolate is set. Spread one third of the date filling over the chocolate layer. Cover with another strip of cake. Lightly coat with melted chocolate and allow the cake to chill for ten to fifteen minutes.
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Crush half of the toasted walnuts into coarse pieces. Spread half of the remaining date filling over the second chocolate layer. Sprinkle wit the crushed walnut pieces. Place another layer of cake on top. Thinly coat with chocolate and once again allow the cake to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
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Cover with the remaining date filling and the last strip of cake. Coat with the remaining chocolate and sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the cake. Allow the cake to freezer for at least one hour before serving. Wrap well and store the cake in the freezer, it will not freeze solid.
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