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Cake

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Date Nut Bread

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Audrey Ross

FROM AUDREY ROSS, FORMER DANCER, NOW DIRECTOR OF NYC-BASEDAUDREY ROSS PUBLICITY, SPECIALIZING IN DANCE EVENTS

 
Date Nut Bread
“An Hawai’i-centric recipe!”
— Karen Fischer

SERVES:
4-6

PREP TIME:
40 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
1 HR 50 MIN, plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

1 stick butter, plus a little for greasing the pan
1 c. pitted diced dates
3/4 c. dark seedless raisinsr
1/4 c. golden seedless raisins
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
3/4 c. walnuts broken into small pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. butter a standard loaf pan ( 9 1/2 by 5 1/2 by 2 3/4 inches). Line the bottom with wax paper. Butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake out the excess flour.

3 . Put the dates and raisins into a mixing bowl.

4. Dissolve the baking soda with the boiling water and pour over the date mix.

5. Cream together the sugar and stick of butter. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Add the flour and mix well. Add the date mix, including the liquid. Add the walnuts, Please note that this will be a quite liquid batter.

6. Pour mix into pan and smooth over the top. Bake from 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, or until the top of the cake is dark brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool a few minutes and unmold.

It's a bit of work, but so worth it!

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PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

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Karen Fischer Headshot

FROM KARENFISCHER, PRESIDENT, PASIFIKA ARTISTS NETWORK

 
pineapple-upside-down-cake-4959897_1280.jpg
“An Hawai’i-centric recipe!”
— Karen Fischer

SERVES:
8

PREP TIME:
30 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
1 HR 15 MIN

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOPPING

½ fresh pineapple, peeled*
½ to ¾ stick butter
½ to ¾ brown sugar
**use butter and brown sugar amount according to taste, balancing ratio of butter and brown sugar

DIRECTIONS FOR THE TOPPING

  1. Cut pineapple in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 in-3/8 in thick slices; remove core.

  2. Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat till well-combined, about 4 min. Remove from heat and spread mixture evenly over bottom of skillet.

  3. Layer pineapple on top of sugar mixture, overlapping pieces in concentric circles. If you are using thinner slices, use greater overlap.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE BATTER

1½ C all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ stick butter, softened
¾ C granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp dark rum or ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ C pineapple juice or orange juice
Need a 10-inch enameled cast-iron skillet (my preference) or well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CAKE BATTER

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.

  2. Sift together flour, spices, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

  3. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. 

  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

  5. Beat in vanilla and rum or balsamic vinegar.

  6. Gradually add in half the flour mixture, and beat at low speed until just blended.

  7. Beat in juice, then mix in remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended.

  8. Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly. 

  9. Bake until golden and the tester comes out clean, about 45 min.

  10. Let stand in skillet for 5 min. Then invert a plate over the skillet – make sure its diameter is bigger than the skillet diameter – hold skillet and plate together tightly, and invert cake onto the plate. Replace any sugar or pineapple left in the skillet.

  11. Serve at room temperature. Can be served a la mode.

**Preparing fresh pineapple. Slice off top and bottom with a sharp knife. Stand pineapple vertically, and slice off peel (2-3 inch width at a time), turning till completely peeled. For this recipe, slice in half vertically, place flat side down, then slice crosswise to desired thickness. Once each crosswise pineapple slice is cut, remove the semi-circle core with a paring knife.