Bernice’s Streusel Cake

Ingredients for the Cake

4½ oz self raising flour
½ tsp salt
2 oz margarine
4 oz sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
2½ oz milk
1 – 2 tsp coffee essence
2 oz raisins

Ingredients for the Topping

2 tbsp plain flour
3 oz brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
2 oz butter
2 oz nuts, chopped

Instructions

Cream the margarine and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the vanilla and coffee essence. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir the flour into the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix well. Stir in the raisins. Turn the batter into a well greased square pan (approx 8 in x 8 in) or a rectangular pan (approx. 9 x 7 in).

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts. Spring the top mixture over the cake batter.

Bake 45 – 50 mins at No. 5 (375ºC)

Bernice’s Date and Walnut Loaf

Ingredients

6 oz plain flour
½ tsp salt
8 oz sugar 
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla 
1½ oz margarine
2 eggs 
6 oz boiling water
8 oz dates
4 oz walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Stone and chop the dates. Lightly stir dates, walnuts, salt, bicarbonate of soda and margarine in a large bowl;  the margarine does not need to be blended into the other ingredients at this stage. Pour over boiling water and leave for 20 min. Meanwhile, beat the eggs until they are very light. Add the sugar and mix well. Stir in the flour and vanilla. Combine with the dates and walnuts but do not mix more than necessary to just blend.

Turn into a well greased loaf pan. Bake 1 hour and 5 mins at No. 4 (350ºC). Cool in the pan for 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to allow the air to circulate. When the cake is completely cooled, wrap in tin foil for storing.