Desserts Recipes - Orange Pecan Crown Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 75g/3oz butter (softened, plus extra for greasing)

• 100g/4oz caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence  

• 100g/4oz plain flour (sifted)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder                                             

• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda            

• 75ml/3fl oz buttermilk

• Grated zest of 1 large orange

• 75g/3oz finely chopped stoned dates (rolled in 2 tablespoons flour)

• 75g/3oz pecan nuts (finely chopped)

• Icing sugar (sifted)

For the rum syrup:

• 175ml/6fl oz orange juice

• 50 g/2oz sugar

• 2 tablespoons rum

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar thoroughly.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

4. Stir in the orange zest. Mix together the dates and pecans. Add them to the batter and mix well. Turn the batter into a greased deep 20cm/8in cake tin and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.  

5. With a skewer, poke several holes down through the cake to the bottom of the cake tin.

6. Stir together the syrup ingredients, then slowly spoon the syrup over the warm cake, letting it soak in.

7. When cool, cover or wrap tightly and allow the cake to stand for 2 to 3 hours before serving.