200g7 ounces chopped dates (Madjool or a combination of several varieties)
50g1.7 ounces or 1/4 cup tamarind paste
300ml1-1/4 cup water
250g1/2lb or 2 sticks unsalted butter
150g5 ounces or 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2large eggs
275g9.7 ounces or 2-3/4 cups plain flour
2teaspoonsbicarbonate of sodabaking soda
1/2teaspoonground cardamom
1teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoonground clove
Zest of 1 large orange
175g6 ounces or 1-1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
Line the base and sides of a deep, 18cm (7 inch) cake tin with nonstick baking paper, and heat the oven to 180C/350F (160C/325F convection). Put the dates, tamarind paste and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for a minute, remove from the heat, add the butter, and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
Place the date mixture in a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar, stir, then beat in the eggs until smooth. Ina separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, spices and orange zest together and add to the date mixture until combined. Then, stir in the walnuts.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for about an hour, or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pan, and completely cool on a cake rack.