Gluten-free coffee and date cake

This gluten- and dairy-free cake is moist, light and easy to make. Best of all is that you don't have to buy special ingredients. 

1 cup pitted dates

Half cup of strong coffee

2 cups of ground almonds

125ml raw sugar

5 eggs, separated

1tsp vanilla extract

1tsp baking soda

1tsp each ground ginger and cinnamon

Half tsp nutmeg and ground cardoman

Generous pinch of salt

70g walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 150 C and lightly oil a square 20cm cake tin. Line the base of the tin with baking paper. 

Bring the finely chopped dates and coffee to boil in a small saucepan en simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Whisk egg yolks, mix in the almonds, sugar, walnuts, vanilla, salt and spices.

Add the baking soda to the dates and mix into the egg and almond mixture. 

Beat the egg whites till soft peaks form and fold into the almond mixture. 

Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. 

Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the tin.