Date and walnut loaf

Name: Date and walnut loaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT50-60M
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Makes 1kg loaf
Ingredients: 55g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease; 255g pitted dates, chopped; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 110g dark soft brown sugar; 225ml boiling water; 1 medium free-range egg, beaten; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 85g walnuts, roughly chopped; 225g self-raising flour; ½ tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground mixed spice; 1 tsp ground allspice; You’ll also need; 1kg loaf tin

By: Cherie Denham

Published: 15 Jan 24
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

This classic date and walnut loaf recipe comes from Irish food writer Cherie Denham. We defy you to resist it warm from the oven spread with plenty of butter.

Cherie says: “This recipe has no yeast, so it’s one of those loaves you can mix and fling into the oven straightaway. It will stay fresh for a few days if wrapped in baking paper and kept in an airtight tin. It’s so good eaten in myriad ways: on its own, toasted, buttered or with a wedge of cheese.”

Recipe taken from The Irish Bakery (Montgomery Press £27) and tested by delicious. For another baking classic, try our coffee and walnut cake.

Makes 1kg loaf
Hands-on time 15 min, plus cooling. Oven time 50-60 min

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Ingredients

55g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
255g pitted dates, chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
110g dark soft brown sugar
225ml boiling water
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
85g walnuts, roughly chopped
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground allspice

You’ll also need

1kg loaf tin

Method

Heat the oven to 140°C fan/gas 3. Grease the loaf tin with butter and line with baking paper, ensuring some paper overhangs for when the dough rises.
Put the dates, bicarbonate of soda, butter and sugar in a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Set aside to cool.
Once cooled, add the egg, vanilla and walnuts, stirring well to combine. Sift the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, the mixed spice and allspice into the mixture and stir, making sure all the flour is incorporated evenly. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes. The loaf is ready when a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
Put the tin on a wire rack to cool. Once cool, remove the loaf from the tin, slice and eat it straightaway.

Recipe from January 2024 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 297kcals
Fat: 11g (3.8g saturated)
Protein: 5.2g
Carbohydrates: 42g (26g sugars)
Fibre: 3.2g
Salt: 0.1g

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