Date and walnut loaf is a really easy, low fat and delicious traditional Scottish teatime cake. It’s a perfect bake for holidays and quick to whip up when you’ve got guests coming round!
Welcome to February Folks!
Don’t you think that January was such a long month? Well it certainly felt that way to Lady Lynne and myself and we’re both glad to have got past it and moved a little further forwards towards the warmer part of the year. The extra bonus with February too is that it’s a shorter month!
We’re both extremely glad that the January “watching what you eat after the Christmas indulgence” is over and we both feel that its most definitely time for some cake.
Not just any cake though. Nope, a tasty fruity comforting date and walnut loaf classic bake well suited to these winter months and well within your healthy eating limits at only 179 calories per slice, if you happen to be still watching that waistline after Christmas!
Although I’ve not used the traditional recipe requirement of treacle within the ingredients for this date and walnut loaf, in doing that I’ve managed to reduce the overall fat and calorie content. I don’t think it’s necessary in hindsight anyway as its just as delicious without it!
The texture can only be described as deliciously moist. Sweetened by the dates and walnuts. There’s a satisfying “crunch” to each bite. If you’ve a sweet tooth, then this recipe is sure to satisfy.
I’ve made this data and walnut loaf many times over the years and it’s never failed to come out right. Although it does last for up to 3 days stored in an air tight container, it is best fresh. If you’re feeling a little bit naughty then spread a little butter on your slice. If not butter, then low fat spread is perfectly adequate too.
It’s perfectly possible to enjoy a slice of a lower calorie cake when you bake it yourself.
Most shop bought / coffee shop baked goods (even the ones that look healthy made with nuts and seeds) are overly packed with refined flour and sugar. They contain very little in the way of any goodness and they come in enormous portion sizes. They’re often loaded with additives and colouring too.
I’m not against the odd treat because as you know that’s what the 80/20 rule for eating is all about. However, I do recommend and encourage home baking so that you can save yourself unnecessary calories and sugar by the right kind of healthier bake over another.
- 175 g chopped dates
- 75 g chopped walnuts
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter cubed
- 150 ml boiling water
- 1 large egg beaten
- 225 g self raising flour
- Preheat oven to 180C fan and grease a 20cm x 12.5cm / 8” x 5” loaf tin.
- Place the dates, walnuts, sugar and butter in a bowl and gradually stir in the boiling water until the butter has melted.
- Stir in the beaten egg and fold in the flour.
- Pour all of the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes. Use a wooden skewer to insert into the cake which should come out clean if the cake is cooked through.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly in the tin before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Then slice into 14 slices and store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition label values are per slice.
Right, looking forward to next time, I may have gone a wee bit sweet potato daft in that the two recipes I’m bringing you next week both involve that ingredient, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Still, they are two great recipes, Tuesday is a Chickpea and Sweet Potato Filo Parcel dinner recipe and Thursday is a new Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup recipe. So in effect you could buy a 1kg bag of sweet potatoes and make both dishes. Nothing left to waste and all that!
Well, that’s all for now. Hope you can join me next week for those recipes and I hope you have a great weekend!
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David @ Spiced
Wow, this bread looks fantastic, Neil! I’ve always been a huge fan of quick breads like this one, and the flavors sound excellent. I’ve baked with dates a couple of times, but I should do it more often! I love cutting a slice of bread like this, tossing it in the toaster oven to lightly toast it and then sitting back with a cup of coffee. I used to do that and watch the news. Now I do that and watch Mickey Mouse cartoons. Hah! Thanks for sharing this one! Looking forward to next week’s sweet potato recipes, too!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Ha ha, thanks David. I reckon Mickey Mouse cartoons are much more entertaining and cheerier than the news anyway, so I’m with you on that front!:-)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect little soft and sweet bite for some bunching 😀
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
A tasty satisfying delight! Thanks Rebecca, hope you are well! 🙂
Sheila
This is very timely. I have received some dates and walnuts from a friend was actually looking for recipes and see possibilities for this healthy snack. A loaf would actually be perfect. I am making this on Saturday. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
That’s excellent Sheila! Glad you found my recipe. It’s such a tasty bake. Just great for easing you into a relaxing weekend.
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
I like dates so much, that I’m trying not to keep them at home. Otherwise I might end up eating the whole package (been there!) Also, I’ve just realized that I don’t recall any baked goods I made with dates…or maybe I made it once and immediately experienced a blackout (while eating the whole thing) 😉 Anyway, I happen to like the date/walnut combo too, so this loaf sounds delicious to me!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Ha ha! Sorry to hear that you can’t resist eating all the dates when you have them in your home Ben! I’ll maybe just have to send you a slice of this as it doesn’t sound like you’ll be able to resist the temptation of eating it all once baked! 😉
Shashi at SavorySpin
Neil, you made this for me – right?! THIS is so my kinda cake-loaf! So so love the date and nut combo! Once when I was a teenager, I ate so many dates I ended up in the hospital throwing up uncontrollably – I think I avoided dates for like a week after that and I was back to feasting…err… enjoying them again and I couldn’t be able to hold back from at least 2 pieces of this!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Absolutely Shashi, I most definitely made this for you! 😉
Although after your story about eating so many dates once, and ending up in hospital I think I should take charge of the dishing out of this Date and Walnut Loaf to you, if that’s OK! 😆