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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Walnut and Date Loaf

    Published: Apr 29, 2022 · Modified: Apr 29, 2022 by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Walnut and Date Loaf, a traditional British sweet bread that goes wonderfully well with a nice cup of tea. The loaf has a dense texture, and a good crunch from the walnuts, while the dates and golden syrup add a delicate sweetness that is hard to beat. A great addition to your afternoon tea party, this cake is sheer pleasure.

    A slice of walnut and date cake on a white plate

    I have been given this recipe by a lovely lady who has baked the walnut and date cake for many many years. Don't you feel privileged when you are trusted with a family recipe that has been passed on for generations? I certainly do, and the fact that it turned out so well is testament to the fact that good recipes are timeless.

    This cake or loaf, whatever you choose to call it, is so easy to make, and bonus point, everything can be mixed in one single bowl. Given that I tend to be so messy in the kitchen, I love it when I only have a little bit to clean after. It has to bake for about an hour, but the wait it so worth it!

    And it's definitely on my to-bake list again, especially now that summer is here, and afternoon tea parties will happen more and more often. And if you like a good cuppa, I can promise you that this yummy cake goes down a treat with it every single time.

    You can also spread some butter over, for a fantastic breakfast or brunch too. Nothing stops us from having it any time of the day. Let's see how to make it!

    Overhead shot of a white rectangle plate with a buttered slice of walnut and date cake and more cake on the plate

    HOW TO MAKE WALNUT AND DATE LOAF

    The original recipe called for margarine instead of butter, but since I don't bake with margarine, the swap was needed. Not sure if there is any difference in texture if you use margarine, I suspect it's indeed a tad lighter, but I am very pleased with the cake, so I can say that butter works really well too.

    • start by rubbing the flour with the cold butter until it resembles breadcrumbs
    • add the sugar, and mix well
    • now you can add the golden syrup, chopped walnuts and dates, beaten egg and milk
    • combine all ingredients to get a thick batter
    • butter and flour a loaf tin, transfer the batter and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for about 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean

    I was a bit nervous about baking the cake, since the the amount of ingredients were written in the old Imperial system, rather than the metric system which my brain works with only. For the life of me, I can't possibly think in anything than grams and litres (and cups), but the conversion was successful, and the loaf a real treat.

    Collection of 4 photos to show how to make walnut and date cake

    WHAT ELSE TO ADD TO THE LOAF

    Now this recipe is absolutely amazing, there is no doubt about that. But the beauty with homemade baking is that you can be so flexible with the ingredients added, and using this cake as a base, you can make it your own by adding anything else you have around.

    No walnuts? Add any other nuts you have: pistachios, peanuts, pecans, you name it. No dates? Raisins, currants, prunes, apricots or any other dried fruit will work a treat too.

    I quite like the sweetness it has, but nothing stops you from making it even more fragrant by adding vanilla, orange, almond or lemon extract, or lemon and orange zest too. Golden syrup can be replaced with honey.

    Chocolate chips anyone? I am sure they works wonderfully well too, so do not feel like the recipe has to be followed exactly as it is. As long as the amount of flour, butter, egg and milk are the same, the rest can be customised the way you like it.

    Close up shot of a sliced walnut and date cake

    If you’ve liked my WALNUT AND DATE LOAF or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    4.34 from 3 votes
    Print
    Walnut and Date Loaf
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    1 hr
    Total Time
    1 hr 5 mins
     

    Walnut and Date Loaf, a traditional British sweet bread that goes wonderfully well with a nice cup of tea. The loaf has a dense texture, and a good crunch from the walnuts, while the dates and golden syrup add a delicate sweetness that is hard to beat. A great addition to your afternoon tea party, this cake is sheer pleasure. It's so easy to make, and everything can be done in one bowl only.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: afternoon tea time treats
    Servings: 1 loaf
    Calories: 2442 kcal
    Author: Daniela Apostol
    Ingredients
    • 225 g self-raising flour
    • 60 g butter
    • 60 g sugar
    • 120 g chopped walnuts
    • 120 g chopped dates
    • 90 ml golden syrup
    • 90 ml milk
    • 1 egg
    Metric - US Customary
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).

    2. Sift the flour and add it to a large bowl.

    3. Cut the cold butter into cubes, and use your fingertips to rub it with the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

    4. Add the sugar and mix well.

    5. Add the chopped walnuts and dates, syrup, milk and the egg beaten well.

    6. Combine everything together to get a thick batter.

    7. Flour and grease a loaf tin, and transfer the batter over.

    8. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    Recipe Notes
    • Click on the US Customary link to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.

    • The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.

    Nutrition Facts
    Walnut and Date Loaf
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 2442 Calories from Fat 891
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 99g152%
    Saturated Fat 38g190%
    Cholesterol 302mg101%
    Sodium 537mg22%
    Potassium 1063mg30%
    Carbohydrates 352g117%
    Fiber 14g56%
    Sugar 176g196%
    Protein 46g92%
    Vitamin A 1883IU38%
    Calcium 257mg26%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Hi, I'm Daniela,the blogger behind My Gorgeous Recipes, welcome to my kitchen! I absolutely love cooking and baking. I love good food that is healthy (and not so healthy), delicious and nutritious.

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