You knew it was coming, right? I couldn’t make pure maple syrup and not share a scrumptuous syrup dessert, could I?
A sumptuous Maple Walnut Cake. And that it was. If you can manage it, it is better to bake with pure maple syrup or honey than refined cane sugar. Also UNrefined Coconut palm sugar is tons better for you than cane sugar. Again, anything processed is going to be a foreign object entering your body. Your body cannot use it’s nutrients as there are none. I search the internet for desserts that are sweetened with better healthy options. And I usually reduce the sweetener by sometimes half.
Maple Walnut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pitted dates
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used Gluten free flour mixture of 1/3 rice flour, 1/3 tapioca flour, and 1/3 Sweet sorghum flour and 1 3/4 of xanthum gum)
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup maple syrup (I tried to knock it back by 1/4 cup. It was very good)
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup gently packed confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons water, if needed (you be the judge based on how thick/thin you want the glaze)
Method
- First, preheat oven to 325°F. Then prepare your 10-inch springform pan by coating with cooking spray.
- Now place dates in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them to soak. Let cool to room temperature. Set aside.
- Put whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup walnuts, baking soda and salt in a food processor (or blender) until the walnuts are completely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl, making a well in the center.
- Now puree the dates and soaking water in the food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add egg, 3/4 cup syrup, oil, butter, 2 teaspoons vinegar and vanilla and blend/process until smooth. With a spatula, scrape the date mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the pan. Then run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake and remove the sides of the pan.
- Now you are ready to glaze – BEST PART! Carefully lift the cake from the pan bottom and place on a cake stand or serving plate and set aside. Meanwhile, whisk maple syrup, vinegar and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary to make a spreadable consistency. (Licking fingers is encouraged). Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake, then decorate with remaining 1/3 cup walnuts.
THIS CAKE WAS FABULOUS
While I am at it. I put together some vegetables that I had on hand for roasting the other night and it turned out to be a super combination.
ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH PESTO SAUCE
-Chopped little bite size potatoes about 8 new potatoes. I used a mixture of lots of different ones. Very colorful. Dark purple included.
-broccolini 1 bunch
-cauliflower 1/2 head
-onions about 1/2 large
-10 sundried tomatoes
-about 1/2 cup of pesto sauce.
Sitr all together and drizzle olive oil over top. Roast in oven 350 degrees for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
The sundried tomatoes and pesto sauce really throw this side into the “excellent” category.
Have yerself a super week.
God bless,
Karen
The Shieling 