Date and Apple Cake (Sticky Toffee Apple Cake)

What's not to love about a hot fruity sponge pudding on a winter's day?

100g Dried dates (chopped)

125ml Boiling water

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

45g Dairy and Soya Free Spread

90g Wheat Free Flour (I used gluten free white bread flour rather than plain flour) - as the original recipe was not free-from, you could use self raising flour - and omit the baking powder -  if you don't need it to be wheat free.

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Mixed spice

60g Caster Sugar (or any other sugar you have to hand)

2 tsp Egg replacer mixed into 60ml Oat milk (or other milk substitute)

2 Eating Apples, chopped

Sauce:

2 tbsp Light muscovado sugar (I used 1 of dark muscovado and 1 of caster sugar as that's all I had)

50g Dairy and Soya Free Spread

100ml Oat cream + 100ml Oat Cream (or other dairy free cream)

Heat oven to 180ºC

Put dates in bowl and pour over hot water, leave to soak for about 30mins, or until slightly softened. 

Blend to form a thick paste (or just mash with a fork). Mix in the bicarbonate of soda.

Whisk the dairy free spread and sugar until light and fluffy.

Whisk in the egg replacer mixture.

Whisk in flour, baking powder, and mixed spice.

 Fold in the date mixture and chopped apple.

 Pour into a greased lined tin (I used a 15cm square tin for this quantity).

 Bake for 30-35 minutes, until just firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by slowly dissolving sugar, dairy free spread and 100ml oat cream in a small pan. 

Simmer slowly until thickened.

Add the rest of the oat cream and mix well.

Cut cake into squares/slices, pour on the toffee sauce or serve with oat cream or dairy free ice cream.