Chocolate Date tea cake

A tea cake is just what its name suggest - perfect accompaniment to a cuppa. The rich fruit cakes / date cakes are a bit too heavy while the traditional chocolate loaves are a tab too ordinary. I was experimenting with the perfect proportion of dates and cocoa and struck gold with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour

3 tablespoon (flat) cocoa powder

2 tablespoons (flat) dried date powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4th cup pureed dates (if these are not available, add 1/4th cup brown sugar)

2 eggs

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy

2. In a mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cocoa, dried dates powder.

3. Add 1/4th of the dry mix to the creamed butter and fold in

4. Add one egg and gently beat in

5. Repeat with both eggs, alternating with dry mix

6. Add pureed dates, finish off with dry mix and fold in. Do not over beat.

7. Pour in a lined loaf tin and bake for 25 mins in a preheated oven at 180 degrees