A savory cute little mini-tree cakes with the fluffiest texture and the perfect sweet and salty flavors will be a show stopper at your Christmas dinner party or lunch.
Servings 12piece
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 15 minutesmins
cooling 10 minutesmins
Equipment
1 evergreen cakelet pan Nordic ware
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 ½cupsof white flour 300g.
1tbspbaking powder
¼tspbaking soda
1tspsalt
¼tspcayenne pepper
1 ½tspcardamon powder
¼tspblack pepper
¼tspnutmeg powder
3eggs
¼cupolive oil
1 ½cupyoghurt
1cupparmesan cheese grated100g
1tspdry oregano optional
1cupdry figs diced150g
120gmild yellow cheddar cheesediced to 2cm cubes
Additional ingredients:
Tahini to brush the Bundt pan
Instructions
Preheat your oven on 180 C °
For the cake:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the oregano and the spices to the dry mix and mix a little. Set aside
Then whisk together the eggs. Add the yoghurt and mix. then add the olive oil and mix. Then add the dry mixture into batches and mix until well mixed. Add half the grated parmesan cheese to the mixture and fold.
Gently fold the dates and cheese cubes to the mixture until fully incorporated.
Brush your pan with tahini and pour the cake mixture into the tree’s pan. Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top of each tree.
Bake for 15 minutes in a 180 C° preheated oven, or until the cheese is bubbly and crips. Double-check with a wooden skewer to make sure they are done. Remove from oven and allow the cakes to rest in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping into a cooling rack.
You can enjoy it warm or after it cools down.
Video
Notes
baking tray: in this recipe, I used one of my favorite Nordic ware evergreen cakelet pan linked in the article. but you can use any baking cake pan of any shape you like instead. make sure to increase the baking time for bigger pans like bread loaf pan and reduce it for smaller pans like muffin trays. increase or decrease by 10 minutes at the time and check if it is done with a wooden skewer before adding more time.
cheese combinations: you can mix and match with the cheeses of your choice. I recommend trying camembert cheese or a creamier texture. or fetta cubes for saltier taste. and also, goat cheese combines well with this cake.
Dry Fig ratio: if you like your bread on the sweeter side you can add more figs, or less also works.
herbs: you can skip the oregano I added for the recipe or swap them for zaatar if you have them on hand also taste fabulous!
storing: you can store those mini trees in a closed container at room temperature for up to 4 days for a fresher taste.
making-ahead: you can also make those little cakes ahead of time and freeze them for up to 3 months. and let it defrost overnight in the fridge or 30 min on the countertop before warming it up a little bit before serving.
bread for every occasion: these mini bread trees are perfect not only for Christmas but for breakfast, brunch, or a quick snack with some cheese aside and some tea or coffee. their 1 portion size makes the perfect for defrosting on need.