The best part of making this loaf is it does not require any mixer, and only 2 bowls. One for soaking the dates and the other to combine all the remaining ingredients. The most important step is actually choosing the right kind of dates, and soaking them until mushy. This step will ensure the cake is moist, with uniform distribution of dates and not clumpy.
I highly recommend Medjool dates, as they are sweet and soft. If you don’t have Medjool then choose dates which are soft, and darker in colour as they tend to be sweeter.
How long to soak the dates for? Roughly it should only takes 30 minutes for soft dates to be mushy, but eye ball the mixture for shorter or longer if needed. You can add bicarbonate soda on the date mixture, but I personally prefer adding that to the flour and sift both together. 
As this cake really takes around half an hour of preparation, do preheat the oven as you begin your preparation. Most oven generally requires around 20 minutes to reach to ideal temperature. Do try out this loaf, versatile enough to be made into mini loaves, perfect for homemade gifts or for Eid celebration parties.
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Date and Walnut Loaf
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
It is important to use the correct dates, dark and soft like Medjool, to keep this loaf moist.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pitted medjool dates
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour
- 4 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tspbaking pwoder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Soak the dates in boiling water for 30 minutes until mushy.
- Preheat oven to 170 C.
- In a bowl combined flour with oats, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and sugar.
- Add dates followed by walnuts.
- Mix well and pour into greased loaf pan ( 7x 3 in) or 5 mini loaves disposables.
- Bake for 40 minutes (20 for mini loaves) until skewer comes out clean.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Baking
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the dates need to soak in boiling water, and how long is long enough?
Soaking softens the dates to the point of being mushy, which ensures they distribute evenly through the batter rather than clumping. Roughly 30 minutes for soft dates like Medjool. If the dates are older or firmer, give them up to 45 minutes and check that they yield easily when pressed.
Can I use a different variety of dates if I can’t find Medjool?
Yes, but choose dates that are soft and dark-coloured, as these are sweeter and break down more easily during soaking. Drier, lighter varieties will not become sufficiently mushy in 30 minutes and will produce a denser, less moist loaf.
Can I substitute the walnuts or leave them out?
Walnuts can be replaced with pecans or roughly chopped hazelnuts at the same 1 cup quantity. Leaving them out entirely is fine — the loaf will be slightly less textured but still moist from the dates.
How do I know when the loaf is done, and can I make mini loaves?
A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. The full loaf bakes at 170C for 40 minutes; mini loaves in disposable pans take about 20 minutes at the same temperature. Start checking mini loaves at 18 minutes as pan sizes vary.
Incorporate the dates into the batter by folding gently to avoid mashing them further. This helps keep the consistency just right.
Looks like nobody proofread this recipe. I would be hesitant to try a recipe with spelling errors. Check the baking powder ingredient line item…..
No too shabby to be honest,
Does it work without bicarbonate of soda. I cannot find ithere in France
Look for “levure chimique”…
See line item 3, in the Instructions section.