GOLDEN SYRUP AND DATE SEMOLINA CAKE

Preparation time 20 mins Cooking time 40 mins Serves 10-12

Butter, to grease

Plain flour, for dusting 200g pitted dates,

roughly chopped

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ cup golden syrup Finely grated zest and

juice of 2 oranges ½ tsp bitters 2 cups fine semolina 2 tsp baking powder 1 cup caster sugar 125g unsalted butter, melted 3 free-range eggs

1¼ cups Greek yoghurt 1 Granny Smith apple,

peeled, coarsely grated Spiced oranges and yoghurt,

to serve (see Cook’s tip) STEP 1 Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced (190°C conventional). Grease a 24cm bundt tin with butter, and dust with flour, making sure all the pattern in your tin is coated to ensure the cake doesn’t stick. Combine dates, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and mix well. Add ¼ cup boiling water, stir, then set aside to cool.

STEP 2 Put golden syrup, orange juice and bitters in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

STEP 3 Put semolina, baking powder, caster sugar, butter, eggs, yoghurt, apple and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Fold in date mixture. Spoon evenly into prepared tin, smoothing the surface.

STEP 4 Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer can be inserted and removed cleanly. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate.

STEP 5 Spoon golden syrup mixture over cake while still warm, and serve with spiced oranges and yoghurt.

Golden syrup semolina cake