Tuck into sweet treats

Date Cake 
Ingredients
For the cake
Eggs................................................... 5              
Sugar ................................................ 1                cup
Clarified butter ............................... ¼                cup
Corn oil ............................................ ¼cup
Flour .................................................. 4                cups
Baking powder ................................ 1                tbsp
Salt ................................................... ¼                cup
Milk .................................................... 1cup
Date molasses ................................ 1                cup
Dates, pitted and chopped ............ 1                cup
Nuts, coarsely ground (optional) 1 cup
For the date glaze
Date molasses ................................ 2                tbsp
Powdered sugar       3          cups
Method 
For the cake:
.Preheat oven to 180o Celsius.
.Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan, shaking off any excess flour.
.Beat eggs on medium speed using a Kenwood machine and whisk for 5 minutes.
.Add sugar, clarified butter and oil, beating constantly until well combined.
.In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
.Gradually add flour mixture to the egg mixture. Alternatively, add milk and date molasses, continue beating until well combined.
.In another bowl, dust the dates and nuts with some flour. Fold into the cake batter using a spatula.
.Pour into the prepared cake pan.
.Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
.Let it cool slightly, then invert on a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the date glaze:
.In a bowl, mix date molasses with powdered sugar until homogenous.
.Place cake on a serving plate.
.Drizzle the glaze over the date cake and serve. 

Kahk (Sugar Cookies)
Kahk essence is a powdered spice of anise, fennel and Mahlab. 
Ingredients
Clarified butter ..... 1cup
Warm milk ........... ½            cup
Flour ................... 2½            cup
Baking powder .... 1tsp
Kahk essence ..... ½            tsp
Sesame seeds .... 1tsp
Salt ........................ ¼            tsp
Icing sugar, for garnish 
Method
.Preheat oven to 180o Celsius.
.Mix clarified butter and milk in Kenwood bowl, using the K beater on medium speed until combined.
.Sift flour, baking powder and Kahk essence into another bowl, and add sesame seeds.
.Stir flour mixture into butter mixture and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and combined.
.Shape dough into walnut-sized balls and slightly press into discs.
.Using a serrated pastry crimper, press a sun-ray pattern into the top of each ball.
.Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
.Let it cool. Dust with generous amount of icing sugar before serving. 
- Recipes: Courtesy Kenwood

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