For a fun and refreshing take on the classic Christmas cake, try this adaptation for a perfect summer celebration dish.
Serves: 6 — 8
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Ingredients: 200g dates, chopped, 200g (1 cups) flour, 150g butter, melted, 60ml (4 tbsp) cocoa powder, 4 jumbo eggs, 260g brown sugar, 10ml (2 tsp) mixed spice, 10ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon, 5ml (1 tsp) ground ginger, 5ml (1 tsp) ground nutmeg, 100g roasted almonds, chopped, 100g dried cranberries Filling: 750ml (3 cups) good-quality vanilla ice cream, slightly thawed 240g fresh raspberries
Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 27cm x 20cm Le Creuset non-stick rectangular baking sheets and line the bases with baking paper. In a food processor, blend dates and flour until the dates are finely chopped. Melt butter and add cocoa powder, mix until well combined. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs until thick, slowly adding the sugar. Add the spices, date and flour mixture and cooled cocoa and beat to mix.
Divide the mixture between the two baking sheets and spread evenly. Sprinkle over the almonds and cranberries. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Cool. Line the bottom of a Le Creuset 26cm rectangular dish with baking paper.
Cut one of the layers of cake to fit in the bottom of the dish snugly, press in to secure. Mix the ice cream to soften and spread over the cake. Sprinkle the raspberries over the ice-cream. Top with another layer of Christmas cake. Press in to secure before freezing overnight. Slice with a hot knife to serve.
Tip: To speed up and simplify the process, use a ready-made rectangular or square Christmas cake and slice horizontally to fit the dish.