Date and walnut cake
Date and walnut cake is a British-style loaf cake, naturally sweetened by dates soaked in boiling water and rich and nutty from toasted walnuts. Baking soda in the soaking water softens the dates completely, giving the crumb a beautiful brown color and a moist, almost pudding-like texture. It isn't too sweet, so it's perfect for breakfast or with a cup of coffee.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Rising or chilling
- 1 hr
- Total time
- 2 hr 20 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Soaked dates
Cake batter
Instructions
Step 1
Chop 200 g pitted dates and put them in a bowl, sprinkle 5 g baking soda over them, then pour in 240 g boiling water, stir gently and leave for about 20 minutes. Baking soda softens the date skins very quickly and gives the cake its deep brown color. The dates are ready when they are very soft and mash easily under a spoon.
Step 2
While the dates soak, preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line an 11 x 22 cm loaf pan with parchment paper. This cake has lots of sugar and fruit, so the lining keeps it from sticking and makes it easy to lift out. The pan is ready when the paper covers the bottom and sides completely.
Step 3
Toast 100 g walnuts in a dry pan over low heat for about five minutes, then let them cool and cut them into medium pieces. Toasting makes the walnuts crunchier and more fragrant and tames the bitterness of their papery skins. The walnuts are ready when they are a deeper golden color and smell distinctly nutty.
Step 4
Beat 85 g softened unsalted butter with 150 g brown sugar until light and fluffy, then add 100 g eggs one at a time along with 5 g vanilla extract and beat until combined. Creamed butter provides the air bubbles that let this fruit-heavy loaf still rise. The mixture is ready when it is smooth, pale and not curdled.
Step 5
Sift 250 g all-purpose flour with 5 g baking powder and 2 g salt into the butter mixture, stir briefly, then add the dates with their soaking liquid and the walnuts and fold until just combined. The date soaking liquid is what keeps the cake moist, so don't drain it off. The batter is ready when it is fairly runny, evenly brown and the pieces of date and walnut are spread throughout.
Step 6
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake at 170 degrees Celsius for about 55 to 65 minutes, laying a sheet of foil over the top if it darkens too soon. The sugar from the dates makes the top prone to burning before the inside is cooked. The cake is done when the top is deep brown and slightly cracked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out free of wet batter.
Step 7
Let the loaf rest in the pan for fifteen minutes, then lift it onto a rack and let it cool for about another 60 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. While still hot, the crumb is very soft and sticky, and cutting too soon will make it fall apart. The cake is ready when it slices cleanly and the cut surface is moist without sticking to the blade.
Equipment
- Oven
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Sieve
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- Medjool dates are softer and sweeter, but ordinary dried dates still give excellent results thanks to the boiling-water soak.
- Spread a little butter on a slice when serving, the traditional way to enjoy it in Britain.
- Swap the walnuts for pecans if you prefer a sweeter, nuttier flavor with less bitterness.
Storage
Wrap the loaf tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to five days; it becomes even moister and more flavorful on the second day. You can also freeze it in slices for up to three months.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The center of the cake is wet and gummy.
- The cake wasn't baked long enough, since the loaf is thick and very moist. Bake it longer with foil over the top to prevent burning, and test with a skewer right in the center.
- The cake tastes slightly soapy.
- There was too much baking soda for the amount of dates. Weigh the baking soda precisely and keep the amount of dates exactly as in the recipe.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
