Date & Fig Torte

Brush a 20cm/8inch cake tin with butter and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks and sugar until thick and light. Mix the breadcrumbs with the cinnamon, fruit, nuts, cornflour, baking powder and the orange and lemon rinds. Stir into the yolks, mixing well. Beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks and fold through a third at a time. Tip the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top. Bake in a moderate oven (180C) for about 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 160C and bake until firm to touch. It will take bout a further 15 to 20 minutes. Note: As the fruit is quite heavy and the mixture is very light, be sure to cut the dates and figs into very small pieces or you will find that they sink to the bottom of the cake.