Flourless Walnut-Date Cake

By Katecooks

Ingredients

• For the Cake
• Cooking Spray
• 3 cups walnut halves
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
• For the Glaze
• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp honey
• Chopped toasted walnuts, for topping

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9 in round pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Put the walnuts, cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor; pulse until finely ground but not powdery. Whisk the egg yolks, orange zest and vanilla in a small bowl.

2. Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on med-high speed. until foamy. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbs at a time, until soft peaks form, about 8 min. Fold in the yolk mixture and dates, then fold in the ground walnut mixture. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 23 -to 25 min. Let cool in the pan on a rack, then run a knife along the sides and invert the cake onto a platter.

3. Make the glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and honey in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the butter melts, about 2 min. Whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, the pour over cake. Top with walnuts.