Rock cakes (Gluten and dairy free)

It has been a while since I’ve made a post. I graduated last year and moved down to Sydney. I’ve been trying to juggle with work, yoga and baking. Thank goodness I’m more or less settled now so I can start on sharing my recipes again.

Rock cakes… honestly, I had no idea what they were until Mr XX requested for them. His mom used to make it for the children and it was his favourite snack growing up. Apparently its an English dessert. The method is similar to making scones – rub the butter and flour together until it resembles bread crumbs. As Mr XX is gluten and dairy sensitive, I had to adapt the original recipe so that it is friendly for his gut. I love how these rock cakes turn out, it’s like half cookie, half cake like texture. He loves it so much that I make them at least once a fortnight. You may also substitute the Nuttelex with butter and gluten-free flour for normal plain flour. Hope that you’ll enjoy it!

Ingredients

250g gluten-free flour
150g chilled Nuttelex (I used the buttery Nuttelex)
80g caster sugar
Zest 1 orange
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2 eggs (beaten)
100g pitted dates (chopped up)

Directions

Preparation time: 20min
Baking time: 30min or when the rock cakes turn slightly brown

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
Mix the gluten-free flour and chilled Nuttelex together and rub the mixture with your fingers until it resembles fine bread crumbs
Stir in the sugar, orange zest, baking powder, cinnamon powder and mixed spice
Add in the beaten eggs and mix well until a smooth, thick texture is formed
Add in the chopped up pitted dates
Prepare a cookie tray and line it with baking paper
Using a tablespoon, scoop up one heaped tablespoon of batter and place it onto the baking paper (make sure to leave a wide gap between each scoop as the batter will spread in the oven)
Place it into the oven to bake for 30-40min or when the rock cakes turn slightly brown
Leave it out to cool

There you have it! Gluten-free and dairy free rock cakes!