Date Cake with Orange-Blossom Syrup

INGREDIENTS: (Makes 6 servings)

Orange-Blossom Syrup:

⁃   1/2 cup sugar

⁃   1/4 cup water

⁃   2 teaspoons orange-blossom water

Cake:

⁃   1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

⁃   1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 

⁃   1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

⁃   1 teaspoon baking soda

⁃   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving

⁃   1/2 cup sugar

⁃   3 large eggs, room temperature

⁃   1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⁃   1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

⁃   1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

⁃   1 cup dates, pitted and chopped

To Serve:

⁃   Whipped cream, lightly sweetened

⁃   3 oranges (such as navel and Cara Cara), segmented

METHOD:

1.  Syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in orange-blossom water. Let cool.

2.  Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush bottom and sides of a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter; coat with flour, tapping out excess.

3.  Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla; beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk in 2 batches, beating until just combined. Fold in walnuts and dates.

4.  Transfer batter to pan. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; evenly pierce holes at 1-inch intervals in top of cake (all the way to bottom) with skewer, then pour syrup over cake. Let cool in pan.

5.  Serving: Serve slices of cake with whipped cream dusted with cinnamon, and orange segments.

Sahtain!