Date & Walnut Cake
This old fashioned date & walnut cake is a perfect replacement for your usual fruit cake for Christmas or a slightly fancy cake for your teatime!
Servings 12 slices
Ingredients
- 175-200 gms pitted dates finely chopped * see notes
- 100 gms (1 cup) walnuts roughly chopped
- 100 gms (2/3rd cup) soft brown sugar (I used dark muscovado)
- 100 gms (3/4th cup+1 tbsp) all purpose flour (maida)
- 100 gms (1/2 cup) butter softened at room temperature
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder *see notes
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp honey optional
Instructions
- Prepare an 8"x4"x2" loaf pan - grease the insides and line with parchment/butter paper. Keep aside. Preheat the oven at 160°C / 320°F (for 15mins if you are using an OTG without the pre-heat option).
- Place the chopped dates in a bowl and pour boiling water to cover them. Keep aside for 10-15minutes. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg powders together a couple of times and keep aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat well till incorporated. Add the honey and mix well.
- Sift in the flour in 3 parts, mixing each part with a spatula till incorporated. Add the nuts and the dates (drained) and fold.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack/mesh to cool for 15mins. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before cutting. Sift some powdered sugar over the surface to decorate (optional)
- Serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Notes
I used Omani dates that were just ripe and were not overly sweet. You may use the variety of your choice. Mushier & darker (in colour) dates will yield a sweeter taste and darker colour. The original recipe asked for 200gm, but I reduced it to 1 cup (approx 165gm) that yielded a mildly sweet cake.
Instead of cinnamon & nutmeg powder you may use mixed spice powder that is generally used for Christmas cakes. Two pinches of dried orange peel powder will also add to the taste and aroma.
Instead of cinnamon & nutmeg powder you may use mixed spice powder that is generally used for Christmas cakes. Two pinches of dried orange peel powder will also add to the taste and aroma.