Ingredients
- For the muffins:
- 1 C. chopped dates or whole raisins (dark or golden)
- 2 C. all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 C. sugar
- 1 C. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. ground allspice
- 2 C. peeled apple chunks (from about
- 3 apples)
- 1 C. chopped walnuts
- For Glaze:
- 1/2 C. maple syrup
- 1 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar
Preparation
Step 1
1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Place dates or raisins in a bowl and toss them with 2 T. of the flour until lightly coated (this will prevent them from sinking in the cake batter during baking).
3. Beat eggs and sugar in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) until fluffy. With mixer running, slowly pour in the oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Mix into the egg mixture. Mix in the apples and nuts, then stir in the dates or raisins by hand, distributing them evenly in the batter.
4. Spoon into the muffin tins and bake about 35 minutes, until springy and dry in center. Let cakes cool in tins on a wire rack, then turn out.
5. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Stir maple syrup and confectioners' sugar together in a bowl. Glaze the cooled cakes by spooning the glaze around tops of cakes and letting it drip down the sides.