Date and Walnut Loaf Recipe

An easy loaf cake to make, studded with soaked dates to keep it sweet & moist, plus walnuts for crunch. Simply stir the batter together by hand (no need for a mixer!), pour into a loaf tin and bake.

Course Quick Breads (Non-Yeasted) & Scones

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, dates, loaf cake, walnut

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings 2lb loaf cake

Calories 294kcal

Ingredients

250 g (1 cup) pitted, chopped dates (weighed without their pits)
250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
150 g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar
3 medium eggs
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fine table salt
180 g (1 ½ cups) plain white flour (see notes if you want to use self-raising flour)
2 tsp baking powder
150 g (1 scant cup) chopped walnuts (0.5 cup 3 - 6 oz) chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F ) and grease a standard (2lb) loaf pan.
Pour the boiling water over the dates in a small bowl, set aside to soak and cool to lukewarm.
250 g (1 cup) pitted, chopped dates, 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla and salt, stirring until smooth.
150 g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar, 3 medium eggs, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tsps vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp fine table salt
Add the cooled soaked dates (and their soaking liquid) and mix in.
Add the flour, baking powder and walnuts then stir until no floury patches remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin.
180 g (1 ½ cups) plain white flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 150 g (1 scant cup) chopped walnuts
Bake for 50-70 minutes or until very dark brown and when a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean and dry. If the top is browning too much before the loaf is cooked through, cover the top with a piece of foil.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf tin.

Notes

If you want to use self-raising flour: replace the plain flour with an equal weight of self-raising flour. Decrease the baking powder to 1/4 tsp.

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