International Cake Day: Check Authentic Recipes to Bake One

In their oldest forms, cakes were generally modifications of breads but they now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate and which share features with other desserts such as pastries, meringues, custards and pies. So immense is the popularity of cakes now that November 28 is celebrated as the International Cake Day every year.

Bassel Ibrahim, Executive Chef at The Seven Sands, a leading restaurant in Dubai, shares two of his own personal, and (so far) secret favorite recipes for you to whip up in your kitchen this Cake Day.

Date Pudding:

Preparation time:

45 minutes

Serves:

10 people

Ingredients:

Flour: 250g

Brown Sugar: 112g

Salt: 2.5g

Corn oil: 150ml

Whole eggs: 5

Dates: 250g

Bicarbonate of soda: 10g

Butter: 125g

Brown sugar: 250g

Cream: 500ml

Directions to prepare:

1. Cook the dates and bicarbonate soda to a paste. Let cool.

2. Use a dough machine to mix the eggs with the brown sugar for 5 minutes. Add the cooked dates, flour, and corn oil. Mix them all for 5 minutes.

3. Place the mixture in a cake tray, and let it bake for 25 minutes at 160 degrees C.

4. To prepare the toffee sauce, in a saucepan, combine the cooking cream, brown sugar, butter, and bring to a boil, cook for5 minutes.

5. Cut the date cake into small cubes, top with the toffee sauce and a sprinkle of some almond flakes.

2. Khabeesa

Preparation time:

30 minutes

Serves:

10 people

Ingredients:

Flour: 1000g

Sugar: 250g

Saffron: 2g

Cardamom powder: 75g

Alia Ghee: 100g

Rose water: 150ml

Pistachio julienne: 20g

Corn oil: 200ml

Sultana raisins: 20g

Kunafa dough: 75g

Water: 500ml

Date syrup: 400g

Directions to prepare:

1. In a pot, roast the flour until it becomes golden in color, and sieve it with a fine siever.

2. In another pot, caramelize the sugar until golden, add water, rose water, and mix ingredients well.

3. Add the roasted flour slowly, mix well with wooden spoon, and add cardamom powder.

4. Add ghee and corn oil slowly, and finish with Saffron

5. Cover the mixture for 20 minutes.

6. Serve warm with raisins, roasted Kunafa dough and date syrup, topped with pistachio julienne.