Wholewheat Eggless Date, Fig and Walnut Coffee Cake

I could have easily called this a Dry Fruits Cake. But no, I am a post graduate in History, and in my 5 years of association with the subject I have mastered the art of stretching 2 words to 20. Hence the name. This is not, however, to intimidate you. This is to assert that a baked product made out of wholewheat and without eggs and butter can actually taste good!

As you know, I'm not much into eggless baking. The only instances that I leave the eggs out of the ingredient list are when my pishai (paternal aunt) visits us. And this was a long-due visit. Poor pishai had been under house arrest for the last couple of months as her place is getting painted. So when she came over last Monday, I was frantically looking for eggless cake recipes to bake for her. The dry fruits that we hoarded from Kashmir are still giving us company very strongly. Also, Pishai has lived a chunk of her life in Beirut, Lebanon, so her love for fruits and nuts is unparalleled. And you know what the best thing about this cake is? It is healthy. Don't smirk, it really is. I mean, it's not healthy like say, cucumbers. But it's healthier than desserts are supposed to be. It has wholewheat, olive oil, very little added sugar and a whole lot of nutritive value from the fruits and nuts. As some noodles company would say, "Taste bhi, Health bhi."
Goodness, before I start getting too cheesy, I should starightaway whisk you to the recipe.
Also, I think you should bake it in a round cake pan and not in a square one, like mine. Would look prettier then. I would, the next time.

Recipe slightly adapted from Veg Recipes of India

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour: 125 gm
All purpose flour: 75 gm
Olive oil: 75 ml
Brown sugar: 100 gm (adjust according to the amount and sweetness of dry fruits used)
Milk: 1/2 cup (or more if required)
Boiling water: 1/2 cup (or more if required)
Dates, roughly chopped: 10-12
Dried Fig, roughly chopped: 8-10
Walnuts: 1/4 cup (that is because I'm not much of a walnut fan. You can obviously add
more) + for garnish
Instant coffee powder: 2 tsp
Amaretto: 1.5 tbsp (optional. You can substitute it with 1 tsp vanilla)
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 3/4 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Heat milk but do not bring to boil. Switch off the flame. Add the coffee powder to it and stir till mixed. Add the dates and fig and allow them to soak in the milk for 20-30 minutes.

2. Sift both the flours with salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.

3. In a blender, put the oil and sugar and blend till smooth and creamy.

4. Tumble this mixture the bowl containing the sifted flour. With a rubber spatula, gradually fold the flour in. The mixture will be dry-ish and crumbly at this stage.

5. Now add to it the dry fruits along with the milk and continue folding till the mixture comes to batter-like consistency.

6. Now add the water gradually to the batter and keep folding in as you do so.

7. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C and pour the cake batter into a cake pan lined with baking parchment at the bottom and buttered/oiled on the sides.

8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool on wire rack before unmoulding.

9. Plonk a few pieces of walnut as garnish and serve with tea or coffee.