DATE-NUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan, dust it with flour, and tap out any excess.
• In a small bowl, use your fingers to toss together the dates, walnuts, and 1 tablespoon of the flour, breaking up the sticky date pieces.
• In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, the baking powder, and salt. Crush the aniseed in a mortar and pestle or seal them inside a sturdy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add the crushed seeds to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, orange juice, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then the date-nut mixture just until combined.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until the top is light golden brown and the cake feels just barely firm in the center, about 40 minutes.
• Heavily dust the warm or room-temperature cake with powdered sugar. Cut into squares right in the cake pan.
• Storage
• The cake will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.