Date Cake with caramel sauce

This is one of my favorite cake that my mum used to bake for us when we were young. I just loved the aroma that filled the house when we came back from school. This cake is incredibly light, moist & delicious! The dates gives it a caramel flavor.Im really grateful that mum kept all these recipes, and that I had the chance to bake it for her. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup hot water
1 cup pitted and chopped dates
2 Large eggs
½ cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup oil

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 165 C
2.Butter the baking pan, line with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
3. Place the dates and hot water in a bowl, cover it with cling film and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

 4. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl and set aside.

5. In a large mixing bowl cream the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the powder sugar and continue mixing. Pour in the oil slowly and mix well.
6. Once cool, mash the dates just little bit with a fork and add to the creamed sugar and egg mix. Mix well.
7. Finally add the flour and mix until just combined, about a minute on low speed.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until risen and cooked when tested with a toothpick. Allow to cool in the pan, then carefully unmold.
9. While its cooling, make the caramel sauce (Recipe follows) and pour it over your warm date cake, and sprinkle with some sliced almonds.



Caramel sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/2 cup cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1.Put all ingredients into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil, stirring frequently to avoid it catching on the bottom.
2.Reduce the heat and simmer for around 10 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce has thickened.
3.Don’t taste-test—the sauce will be super hot! Just trust that it will be all kinds of buttery, caramely goodness.
4. Serve hot over warm date cake.