Photography: David Hahn
Packed full of dates and crunchy walnut pieces, this date and walnut loaf is perfect served warm, spread with butter for an easy morning or afternoon tea treat. For a yeasted bread-style loaf, see the notes below the recipe.
Looking for more loaf cake recipes?
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 21cm x 11cm loaf pan.
Place dates in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water. Cover with a plate. Stand 5 minutes, until dates soften.
Stir in melted butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in vanilla and egg.
Sift together flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and a little salt. Fold into date mixture. Fold through walnuts. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and scatter over extra walnuts.Â
Bake 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool date and walnut loaf in pan for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Slice and serve with extra butter.
Can I freeze the date and walnut loaf?
Yes, the date loaf is suitable to freeze. We recommend freezing individual slices.
Leftover pitted dates?
For more baking recipes using pitted dates, try our sticky date slice or sticky date cheesecake. Also, our date scones.
For another loaf cake, try this banana and date loaf cake, our date, carrot and honey loaf cake recipe, or our date and apricot loaf.
More date and walnut bakes
Can’t get enough of that date and walnut combo? For an old-fashioned twist on the loaf recipe, bake this date and walnut roll. For a more bread-style loaf, try our date, fig and walnut bread.
This classic ingredient pairing is also showcased in our classic date and walnut scone recipe, our delicious date crumble slice, and this nostalgic sherried date and walnut loaf from the archives.
