Ingredients

ORANGE BLOSSOM SYRUP

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons orange blossom water

CAKE

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk, room termperature

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped

SERVING

Whipped cream, lightly sweetened

3 oranges segmented

Preparation

SYRUP In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stire in orange-blossom water, Let cool.

CAKE

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush bottom and sides of a standard 9x5 loaf pan with butter; coat with flour, tapping out excess.
  2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 - 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla; beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low. add flour mixture in 3 batches., alternating with buttermilk in 2 batches, beating until just combined. Fold in walnuts and dates.
  3. Transfer batter to pan. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted in center comes out clean (40 - 45 minutes). Remove from oven; evenly pierce holes at 1-inch intervals in top of cake (all the way to bottom) with skewer, then pour syrup over cake. Let cool in pan.
  4. Serving: Serve slices of cake with whipped cream dusted with cinnamon and orange segments