Date and Walnut Loaf.

Julie says ‘my mother used to make this cake for us as children and today it is still a favourite with my grown up sons’.

Date and Walnut Loaf.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 1/2 hours.

Ingredients:

  • 8oz  or 224g Chopped Dates
  • 2oz or 56g Chopped Walnuts
  • 6oz or 170g  Granulated sugar
  • 170ml Tap water
  • 4oz or 112g Baking Margarine
  • 8oz  or 224g Self Raising Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda.

 

 

Method:

  • Line a 1lb loaf tin
  • Heat the oven to Gas Reg 3 or 140c or Fan 120c
  • Place dates, walnuts, sugar, water and margarine in a large saucepan
  • Bring to the boil stirring slowly all the time
  • Simmer for a further 5 minutes
  • Remove from the heat and fold in the sifted Self Raising Flour and Bicarbonate of soda
  • Put the mixture into the lined loaf tin
  • Bake slowly for 1 hour to 11/4 hours until a warmed skewer comes clean out of the centre of the loaf
  • Allow to cool then slice

 

 

This cake is best left to ‘mature’ for a couple of days as it will become more sticky. It also freezes well as a loaf or as individually wrapped slices.