Celebrate International Cake Day with exclusive recipes from Dubai

Dubai, Nov 27 (IANS) 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.

1. 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:

2. In a pot, roast the flour until it becomes golden in color, and sieve it with a fine siever.
3. In another pot, caramelize the sugar until golden, add water, rose water, and mix ingredients well.
4. Add the roasted flour slowly, mix well with wooden spoon, and add cardamom powder.
5. Add ghee and corn oil slowly, and finish with Saffron
6. Cover the mixture for 20 minutes.
7. Serve warm with raisins, roasted Kunafa dough and date syrup, topped with pistachio julienne.