Dates And Walnut Loaf Cake Recipe

Name: Dates And Walnut Loaf Cake Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 225 g Dates (, Pitted and roughly chopped); 1 tsp Baking Soda; 85 g Butter (, softened); 85 g Caster Sugar; 120 ml Boiling Water; 1 Egg; 225 g Self-raising Flour; 85 g Walnuts (, roughly chopped)

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Simple, easy and loaded with dates and nuts. This Dates And Walnut Loaf Cake is an underrated loaf cake recipe that must come back to the pedestal that it once enjoyed.

As you bite into the fluff of the Date Loaf, it gives way to the mildly sweet and rich, moist interior that is the grace of the dates.

Check also my date slice recipe.

Be it a festivity or just a little tea party. A Date Loaf cake is sure to earn your dining table a few extra brownie points from the guests! Alright, alright, enough of this. Let us now move on to the actual recipe that you are here for!

Why Does This Recipe Work?

The mildly sweet flavour of the Date Loaf Cake makes it ideal for consumption whenever you are craving a delight – be it your breakfast in the morning or teatime in the evening.
The recipe is very easy to make and requires few ingredients.
Date has so many benefits and also gives so much energy to the body.

Date Loaf Ingredients

Dates. They are the crux of this recipe. They add a mild sweetness to the cake, acting as a “natural candy.”

Baking Soda. Can something really be baked without baking soda? It acts as a leavening agent and gives the cake a delightful fluff.

Butter. Butter, along with performing the obvious role of adding flavour to the cake, adds tenderness, richness, and structure to it. It also aids in leavening and lengthening the shelf life of the recipe.

Caster Sugar. It is the main contributor to the sweetness of your cake. For a more caramel-y taste, you can opt for Golden Caster Sugar.

Boiling Water. It will be used to soak the Dates. This ensures that the Dates remain soft and do not become too chewy. It also adds moisture to the loaf cake that making it so sumptuous.

Eggs. They are the traditional glue in baking. They will hold the ingredients together and also contribute to the moisture content of the loaf cake.

Self-Raising Flour. Self-Raising Flour, along with the Baking Soda, is required to give your cakr the fluff that we are looking for.

Walnuts. They will add a crunchy nuttiness to your cake. Walnuts and Dates are known to tie along very well, so adding them is definitely not something that you will regret!

How To Make Dates And Walnut Loaf Cake?

butter, and boiling water. Add egg and walnuts.

Preheat the oven to 170 C and line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, add dates, butter, and boiling water. Mix well, and then set aside to cool.

Now, add egg and walnuts, and mix until combined.

Sift in flour, baking soda, and sugar.

Transfer the batter to the loaf tin and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Let it cool, cut, and serve.

Top Tips!

If you use Medjool dates for this recipe, make sure that you chop them in half. Remember to remove the seed before chopping.
You may want to use a metal loaf tin instead of a silicone one for baking your Date Loaf. Silicone loaf tins sometimes lose shape, and the batter spills out as a result.
Make sure that you grease the tin or line with parchment paper before transferring the batter into it to avoid sticking.
Once you have transferred the batter to the loaf tin, gently pat the tin on the sides to remove any air incorporated into the batter.
Make sure that the butter you are using is at room temperature.

Some Variations

Some dried fruits you can add to the loaf cake are sultanas, apricots, cranberries, etc. In fact, you can add any and all the dried fruits that you like, and the Date Loaf will still taste amazing.
You can swap out the butter for any neutral flavoured oil or olive oil if you want to. This will give you a softer texture but will also reduce the flavour.
If you cannot get your hands on self-rising Flour, worry not! You can go for plain Flour as well. Just add a little baking powder to it.
Add some fruits like oranges or berries to the batter for a more nuanced flavour.

Serving Suggestions

Allow the Date Loaf to cool down to room temperature, and then cut into thick slices and serve immediately. It can also be consumed warm if that is what you prefer.
Smear the date cake with butter, and you are in for an absolutely heavenly experience.
You can serve the loaf cake alongside a steaming cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or snacks.
This cake also goes well with freshly squeezed fruit juice to wash it down.

Storage

Make ahead of time: You can simply bake the date cake and store it in a tin to be consumed at any time.

If you would like to have freshly baked loaf cake, though, you can cook the dates several days in advance and put them in the fridge for when you are ready to use them.

To store: This loaf cake must be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It will be good for up to five days.

To freeze: Wrap it in a tin foil or keep it in a freezer-safe container. It is now ready to be chugged into the freezer.

Reheating Instructions: If you would like to gobble down your cake warm, just microwave it directly for about 10 seconds, and you are ready to go.

FAQs

The top of my loaf cake is browning too much. What do I do

Cover it with a piece of foil. This should solve the problem of the top of your cake browning too quickly by preventing it from burning.

How do I tell if my loaf cake is properly baked?

Insert a toothpick into your cake. If it comes out clean, it indicates that your loaf cake has properly cooked through.

Is there a way to make vegan-friendly Date Loaf Cake?

Yes, you can definitely make it in a way which can be consumed as a part of a vegan diet. Just leave out the eggs completely, and it will be just as fine. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, instead of the butter, use any neutral flavoured oil that you want or margarine.

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