Date and Walnut Loaf Cake
This delicious Date and Walnut Loaf is so moist and packed full of flavour, the dates make it taste of toffee and it has crunchy walnuts in every mouthful. Top it off with a cream cheese icing, or enjoy it just as it is.
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, cubed and softened, plus extra for the tin
200g soft dates, pitted and roughly chopped
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g light muscovado sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
225g self-raising flour
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp icing sugar
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
100g (0.25 cup) full fat cream cheese
50g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
225g (1.5 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 2lb loaf tin (ours was 22 x 10cm and 6cm deep) and line with baking parchment. Put the butter, dates and bicarbonate of soda (which helps break down the dates) in a large bowl and add 150ml boiling water. Give it a stir so the butter melts, and leave to stand for around 20 mins until the dates have softened.
STEP 2
Whisk in the sugar until smooth, then gradually whisk in the eggs until combined. Beat in the baking powder, flour and a pinch of sea salt until there are no lumps of flour left and it’s smooth. Fold in three-quarters of the walnuts, then pour into the prepared tin. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top.
STEP 3
Bake for 20 mins, then turn the oven down to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and cook for another 45-50 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Lightly dust with the icing sugar and serve in slices. Freeze whole or cut into slices, then place in an airtight container. Can be frozen for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly overnight.
Frosting
To make the cream cheese frosting: Add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
. Step 1 Swap the paddle attachment for the balloon whisk. Add the salt, vanilla and ⅓ of the icing sugar. Whisk on a low speed until the icing sugar has been incorporated then add another ⅓ of icing sugar and repeat. When all the icing sugar has been added, turn the speed up to high and whisk for 2-3 minutes.
. Step 2 When the date and walnut loaf has completely cooled, spoon the cream cheese frosting on top of it and use an offset palette knife or similar to smooth it over the top. For decoration, add a sprinkling of chopped walnuts.
Enjoy! x
