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Date and Walnut Loaf

Author: Amy Beth Reid • Updated: 10 September 2026

5 from 52 votes

on Date and Walnut Loaf

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This old-fashioned Date and Walnut Loaf is a simple British loaf cake packed with roughly chopped dates and walnuts, with a dense, moist crumb and a naturally sticky top that gets even better after a day or two. The dates are softened with boiling water before baking, making this an easy cake that’s lovely when served plain or spread with a little butter.

Date and walnut loaf on a wooden cutting board with two slices cut and a knife beside.

Date & Walnut Loaf Recipe Snapshot

  • Also Known As: Date and Walnut Cake, Date and Walnut Loaf Cake.
  • Style: Traditional British loaf cake.
  • Texture: Dense and moist, with pieces of dates and walnuts throughout.
  • Flavour: Sweet dates with rich, nutty walnuts.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Tin: 900g (2lb) loaf tin.
  • Prep: About 15 minutes, plus a short cooling time.
  • Bake: Around 1 hour.
  • Best Served: Plain or spread with butter.
  • Best Tip: Leave it for a day or two before serving – the flavour develops, and the top becomes slightly sticky.

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What Is Date and Walnut Loaf?

Date and Walnut Loaf is a traditional British loaf cake made with roughly chopped dates and walnuts. Despite having the word “loaf” in the name, it’s very much a cake rather than a bread, with a dense, moist crumb and pieces of sweet date and crunchy walnut throughout it.

It’s also commonly known as Date and Walnut Cake or Date and Walnut Loaf Cake. In my recipe, the dates are softened with boiling water, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and margarine/butter before being added to the remaining ingredients. This helps the dates soften and absorb some of the sweetness before it even bakes, while the finished cake continues to develop a slightly sticky top as it sits.

It’s the kind of old-fashioned bake that is lovely with a cup of tea, much like my sticky Gingerbread or Golden Syrup Cake, and can be served simply as it is or spread with a little butter.

My Date and Walnut Loaf Recipe

This is a recipe that has been in my baking repertoire for so long that I can’t even say with complete certainty where the original version came from. However, it was most likely based on something from my Mum’s recipes or one of the old cookbooks in my Granny’s collection, and I suspect the original was written in ounces – the 85g of walnuts works out almost exactly at 3 oz, which would be very typical of the older recipes I grew up with.

I first published this version on Baking with Granny in 2020, and it has remained a firm favourite with home bakers ever since. It’s a really straightforward loaf cake, with no creaming or mixer needed. Instead, the dates, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and margarine/butter are covered with boiling water and left briefly to soften. The bicarbonate helps break down the dates, while they absorb some of the sweetness and fat, before adding them to the egg, walnuts and flour.

The result is a lovely dense and moist cake rather than a light and fluffy cake (think Honey Nut Cake, as opposed to a Victoria Sponge), with plenty of chopped dates and walnuts throughout it. I especially like it after it has been left to mature for a day or two, when the flavour continues to develop, and the top also becomes slightly sticky. Delicious! 😋

Sliced walnut and date loaf on a wooden cutting board with two coffee cups and saucers in the background.

  • WOW! Absolutely lovely.

    I’m rubbish at making cakes but thought I would give this a try. WOW, absolutely lovely. Can’t believe I made it. Stayed true to the recipe and it stayed lovely and moist. Given me confidence to try some more cake recipes now.
    – Joy

Key Ingredients

Dates: I normally use ordinary supermarket whole pitted dates, roughly chopped before soaking. They tend to stay softer and more moist than ready-chopped dates. Ready-chopped dates are convenient, but they’re often tossed in a little rice flour to stop them sticking together, which can make the finished mixture and cake slightly drier. Medjool dates are also a lovely upgrade if you want something a little more indulgent.

Walnuts: Roughly chopped walnuts give the loaf cake plenty of nutty flavour and texture, without overpowering the dates. The slightly unusual-looking 85g quantity comes from the older-style 3 oz measurement this recipe was based on. Check your walnuts before using them too – walnuts can turn rancid surprisingly quickly, and that flavour will come through in the finished cake. And one more tip: store your walnuts in the fridge once opened!

Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda): This is added to the dates before the boiling water. Its main job here is to help soften and break down the dates during soaking; most of the rise in the finished loaf comes from the self-raising flour. You’ll also see me adding bicarbonate of soda to the dates in my Sticky Toffee Pudding for the same reason.

Block Margarine or Butter: I usually use block margarine because it gives consistent results, but unsalted butter works just as well if that’s your preference. Unlike most of my cake recipes, I’d recommend using a block margarine rather than a soft spread, purely because we are melting the margarine, rather than creaming it. To learn more about the differences in types of margarine, take a look at my Margarine Ingredients Guide.

Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar): Caster sugar gives the loaf enough sweetness to balance the dates and walnuts without overwhelming them. It also dissolves easily into the hot date mixture. If you’re baking outside the UK, my Caster Sugar Ingredient Guide explains substitutions and equivalents.

Self-raising Flour: This provides the main lift in the cake, without the need to add any other additional raising agents to the batter (other than the bicarb in the dates mixture). If you’re baking outside the UK or don’t have self-raising flour, my Self-raising Flour Ingredient Guide explains how to make your own self-raising flour at home.

Free-range Egg: There’s only one egg in this loaf cake, which helps bind everything together while also adding a little moisture and richness. I tend to use mixed-weight free-range eggs, which are around a UK medium egg, and roughly the equivalent to a US large egg.

See the recipe card for a full ingredients list, required quantities and cup conversions.

Substitutions & Additions

Light Brown Sugar: Caster sugar (superfine sugar) is what I use in the standard recipe, but several home bakers have successfully made this loaf with light brown sugar instead. It gives a slightly deeper, more caramel-like flavour that works particularly well with the dates and walnuts.

Tea: Some home bakers have also successfully replaced the boiling water with hot tea when soaking the dates with good results. A straightforward black tea works best here if you want to try it, which will add a little extra depth without overpowering the loaf.

Nuts: You can swap the walnuts for another nut if you prefer. Pecans are a particularly good choice if you prefer their sweeter flavour, although at that point it’s technically more of a Date and Pecan Loaf than a Date and Walnut Loaf!

Spices: A little cinnamon or mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice) works very nicely with the dates if you want a warmer flavour, especially during autumn and winter months.

Looking for dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan adaptations? See the Free-from & Vegan section below.

Free-from & Vegan

Amy recommends: If you regularly need to adapt baking recipes for gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan diets, I highly recommend The Elements of Baking by Katarina Cermelj, creator of The Loopy Whisk. It’s a brilliant resource for understanding how substitutions work, rather than simply swapping ingredients and hoping for the best.

Gluten-free Options:

Swap the self-raising flour for a gluten-free self-raising flour on a like-for-like basis. As gluten-free flours can often be a little drier, you may want to add a little extra water if your batter looks overly thick.

Nut-free Adjustments:

You can omit the walnuts from this recipe to make it nut-free, but it will impact the overall flavour and texture, as well as simply being a Date Loaf Cake. In this instance, I would perhaps also consider adding a little ground cinnamon or mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice) to add some more dimension to the overall flavours.

Dairy-free Swaps:

To make this a dairy-free recipe, simply use a dairy-free block margarine in place of the butter/margarine. Avoid soft, spreadable margarine, as its higher water content may affect the loaf’s texture.

Egg-Free Adaptations:

I haven’t tested this recipe egg-free yet, but like many cake recipes, it should work well with a vegan egg replacer, such as Oggs or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.

Vegan Substitutions:

Combine the dairy-free and egg-free suggestions above, using dairy-free block margarine and a suitable vegan egg replacer, such as Oggs or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

Allergy Disclaimer & Resources:

Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely suggestions. Please double-check all packaged ingredients individually, taking extra caution when baking for those with allergies or intolerances.

For official guidance on food allergies, please see Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) | For more info on coeliac disease, please see Coeliac UK (coeliac.org.uk) | For more info on a vegan diet, please see The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com)

Slices of Date and Walnut Cake stacked on a light surface, showing a cross-section of the inside of the cake.

  • The best I’ve made!

    I was pleasantly surprised with the texture of this loaf. One of the best I’ve made. I used the Lulu (UAE) dates, which gave it a lovely caramel taste. Thank you!
    – Linda

How to Make Date and Walnut Loaf

Date and Walnut Loaf is very simple to make, with no creaming or mixer needed. Follow the step-by-step below, or head to the recipe card at the bottom for the full printable recipe.

  1. Soften the dates. Place the chopped dates, bicarbonate of soda, margarine/butter and caster sugar in a large bowl. Pour over the boiling water, stir, then leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
  2. Prepare the tin. Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan, Gas Mark 3 or 325°F).
  3. Make the batter. Add the egg and walnuts to the bowl with the cooled date mixture and mix together. Sift in the self-raising flour and gently mix until smooth.
  4. Bake. Pour into the tin and bake for around 1 hour, until the cake is firm on top, pulling slightly from the sides of the tin, and a skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
  5. Cool. Leave to cool in the tin before removing. It’s lovely once cooled, but even better after a day or two when the top becomes slightly sticky.

Top Tips for Date & Walnut Loaf

  • Let the Date Mixture Cool: About 5 minutes of cooling is fine. You want it just warm (not piping hot) before adding the egg, otheriwse you risk scrambled egg!
  • Don’t Overmix: Once the flour goes in, mix only until everything is combined and you don’t see any dry flour. Overmixing can make the loaf heavier than it needs to be.
  • Use Fresh Walnuts: Walnuts can turn rancid quite quickly, so give them a quick taste or smell before adding them. Old walnuts will spoil the flavour of the whole cake. And bonus tip: store your walnuts in the fridge once opened for maximum freshness.
  • Expect a Dense Loaf: Date and Walnut Loaf should be moist and fairly dense, not light and fluffy. That’s part of its traditional texture.
  • Watch the Top Near the End: The lower oven temperature usually prevents over-browning, but if the top is getting too dark before the middle is baked, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining bake time.
  • Give it a Day (if you can): This loaf cake is lovely fresh once cooled, but I think it’s even better after a day or two, when the flavour deepens, and the top develops that slightly sticky finish.

How to Serve Date and Walnut Loaf

Date and Walnut Loaf is lovely served just as it is, especially once it has had a day or two for the flavour to develop.

I also like it spread with a little butter, particularly with a cup of tea. If you want something sweeter, you could add a simple icing or glaze to the top, but I usually keep this one plain.

Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead

  • Storage: Once completely cool, keep Date and Walnut Loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep it especially well covered once sliced, as the exposed ends will dry out more quickly.
  • Freezing: Date and Walnut Loaf freezes well, either whole or in slices. Wrap it well before freezing, then thaw at room temperature while still wrapped. If freezing individual slices, separate them before wrapping so you can take out only what you need.
  • Make Ahead: This is a great cake to make in advance. I actually think it’s better after a day or two, when the flavour has had time to develop, and the top becomes slightly sticky. If you can, bake it a couple of days before you plan to serve it and leave it well wrapped or in an airtight container to mature.
A hand lifting a slice of Date and Walnut Loaf from a stack of four slices on top of parchment paper.

Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating these photos.

  • Proper, traditional, absolutely delicious!

    Easy to make and absolutely delicious, a proper, traditional date and walnut loaf.
    – Ailsa

Date & Walnut Loaf FAQs

Do you need to soak dates before making Date and Walnut Loaf?

Yes. In my recipe, I cover the roughly chopped dates with boiling water, along with the bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and margarine/butter. This softens the dates and allows them to absorb some of the sweetness and fat before baking. About 5 minutes is enough before continuing with the recipe.

Why is my Date and Walnut Loaf dense?

Date and Walnut Loaf should be fairly dense, rather than light and fluffy like a sponge cake. If yours seems unusually heavy or wet, check that it has baked all the way through – the top should feel firm, the sides should be beginning to pull away from the tin, and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Why is my Date and Walnut Loaf dry?

A dry Date and Walnut Loaf can be caused by too much flour or overbaking, but the dates themselves can make a difference too. Ready-chopped dates are often tossed in a little rice flour before being packed to stop them from sticking together, which can make the mixture slightly drier. Dates that have been stored for a while and have dried out can also absorb more liquid than usual.
If your date mixture looks noticeably dry after soaking, you can add a little extra boiling water. Go gradually, though, as the amount needed will depend on the dates – it can take a little trial and error to get the balance right. The finished batter should be smooth but not runny.

More Classic Loaf Cakes

If you loved this traditional Date and Walnut Loaf Cake, here are some more of my favourite loaf cake recipes for you to try next:

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Date and Walnut Loaf on a wooden chopping board, with a couple of slices cut from the end, showing the fruit and nuts inside.

Date and Walnut Loaf

This traditional British Date and Walnut Loaf has a dense, moist crumb packed with roughly chopped dates and walnuts. Simple to make with no mixer needed, it develops even more flavour and a slightly sticky top after a day or two.
Author: Amy Beth Reid
4.9 from 52 votes
PRINT RECIPE
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: British
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 slices

INGREDIENTS
 
Metric (UK) | Cups (US)

EQUIPMENT

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Place the dates, bicarbonate of soda, margarine and sugar in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water. Mix to break up the margarine, and then set aside until the boiling water has cooled.
  • Meanwhile, line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with greaseproof paper and preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 3 or 325°F).
  • Once the mixture has cooled, add the egg and walnuts, mixing through to combine. Sift in the flour and gently mix to create a batter.
  • Transfer the batter to your pre-lined tin and bake in your preheated oven for about 1 hour. Keep an eye on your cake toward the end of baking, and if you think it's looking done on top, cover with a piece of tin foil – this will stop the top from burning while the inside continues to bake.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion, but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.

RECIPE NOTES:

Dates: Whole pitted dates, roughly chopped, are my preference. Ready-chopped dates are often coated with a little rice flour to stop them from sticking and can make the mixture drier. If your dates are particularly dry, you may need a small splash of extra boiling water.
Egg Size: When it comes to eggs, I always buy mixed-weight free-range eggs. Generally, egg size doesn’t make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean towards the extremes. If you’re unsure which eggs to use, I recommend medium eggs in the UK, which are roughly equivalent to large eggs in the US. That’s what this recipe has been tested with.
Self-raising Flour: Don’t have self-raising flour? For this recipe, simply whisk together 225g (1⅔ cups) plain flour and 3 teaspoons baking powder instead. If you bake regularly, you can also make a larger batch to keep in your baking cupboard. For full instructions, cup conversions and answers to common questions, see my Self-raising Flour Ingredient Guide.
Batter Texture: The finished batter should be smooth but not runny. If it seems unusually stiff after the dates have soaked, add a little extra boiling water before baking.
HIDE NUTRITION INFO:
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is provided as a guide and is based on automatic calculations. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, how the recipe is prepared, and individual portion or serving sizes.

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Originally published in February 2020.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Beth Reid

Amy Beth Reid is an award-winning food blogger, mother, wife and cookbook author. Inspired by her childhood in the kitchen with her Mum – a professional baker and her children’s Granny – Amy now shares her tried-and-tested traditional home baking recipes with bakers of all abilities around the world. She lives in Scotland with her husband, two sons and her small pack of Siberian huskies.

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94 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you for this fabulous recipe. It’s absolutely delicious and hubby actually went back for another slice! I was slightly confused as the recipe said to pour the batter in to a loaf tin. Mine wasn’t pourable, so I added about a tablespoon of milk and it made the mixture the same consistency as a victoria sponge. However it turned out just perfect!

    Reply

  2. My loaf came out extremely dry, I was so disappointed as I’ve made many of the recipes from baking with granny with success, where did I go wrong?

    Reply

  4. 4 stars
    This turned out very well, not at all dry and crumbly as reported in other comments. However, I did tweak the recipe slightly: I used brown sugar and spelt flour (with baking powder), and also reduced the quantity of flour to 200g. I used Earl Grey tea rather than water to soak the dates. I also lowered the oven temperature from 170 to 150 after half an hour.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    I was pleasantly surprised with the texture of this loaf. One of the best I’ve made. I used the Lulu (UAE) dates which gave it a lovely caramel taste. I did add a little soy milk to moisten the batter. Thank you.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Fantastic recipe, thank you! I will be making this again for our Club’s AGM next week!! After reading all the comments, I made a few small changes and got the best tasting cake ever! It’s moist, soft and delicious. I decreased the flour to 120g, substituted the caster sugar with light muscavado and added another 15g nuts on top before baking the cake. Baked it in a loaf tin measuring 4″x10″ (10cm x 25cm) for 20 minutes at 160C, then decreased to 150C and baked for a further 40 minutes. If I knew how, I would have attached a photo! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  10. 120mls of water? That is not enough. Mixture was way too dry.I added 225 mls. I had to in order to get a batter.

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe but insted of cooking it in the oven I’ve put mine in my ninja dual drawer air fryer on 160c it says 50 minutes but I’ve put it in for 30 minutes first as you can always add extra time I also use foil trays the size of 1lb loaf tins and they only took 30 minutes

    Reply

  12. Que gusto encontrar tus recetas, sobre todo este pan de datiles y nueces, se ve que eres una gran experta. Gracias espero que me salga bien y hacerlo mi favorito. Saludos.

    Reply

  14. 4 stars
    The taste was delicious but I think the recipe needs some work. After reading some of the comments I increased the liquid to 160 ml and baked for 50 mins. It was perfectly cooked – not dry at all. The cake didn’t rise much. Unfortunately it fell into crumbs when I cut it. I had taken it to my Craft group so was quite embarassed that we had to eat it with a spoon.

    Reply

    1. An ounce is 28.4 grams. You can usually use 30g as a good approximation, although it will mean you cakes are slightly smaller.

      Similarly 28.4ml is 1 fluid ounce and you can use the same approximation of 30.

      Some examples:

      For 120g use 4 oz.

      For 150ml use 5 fl.oz.

      Reply

  18. 5 stars
    Very tasty cake, I would add a few more walnuts next time. After reading other reviews about dryness I added a teaspoon of oil to mix. Wad definitely not dry.

    Reply

  19. 5 stars
    I cannot make a cake……. until now! So proud of myself. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I can’t wait to try some more.

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    I’m rubbish at making cakes but thought i would give this a try. WOW absolutely lovely. Can’t believe i made it. Stayed true to recipe and it stayed lovely and moist. Given me confidence to try some more cake recipes now.

    Reply

  24. 5 stars
    Great recipe, I read all comments saying it came out dry so I added a little bit of yogurt and one more egg, and also a drop or two of whiskey as someone recommended, it turned out deliciously moist and tasty!

    Reply

  26. 5 stars
    Having read all the comments I too decided to add more water, 160ml rather than 120ml, it did the trick, it came out perfect, not crumbly or dry, fan oven at 150 it took about 40/50 minutes, put foil over it for the last 15 minutes

    Reply

  27. 5 stars
    Great reciipe. Thanks. I liked the idea of soaking the dates first. It made a big difference to the cake.
    I particularly enjoyed the presenation of this recipe, with well written explanations followed by a one-page printable text. I printed it, have filed it with my cake recipes and will definitely use it again.

    Reply

  30. My great aunt used to put treacle in hers but I can’t find the recipe. Saw it the other day must have put it somewhere safe!!!if I find it I’ll let you know. My memory of her cake lingers on. I’m 60 and still remember it vividly.

    Reply

  31. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe! I´ve made it three times now using glass fluted bundt cake pan and it is amazing. The only thing i changed is that i omitted sugar and added couple of spoonfuls home-made vegan nutella to the batter.

    Reply

  32. 5 stars
    I’ve just made this cake for the second time. The first time, instead of water, I used strong Yorkshire tea to soak the ingredients; this time, I’ve used strong instant coffee. On both occasions, the end result has been perfect… the smell, the texture, and the taste. The first cake lasted (two of us) 5 days… the taste got even better but the texture slightly drier. For anyone who doesn’t like it drier, cut a thick chunk and put in the microwave with some custard. I baked in a fan oven for between 50 and 60 minutes at 150c – I would suggest checking after 50 minutes and cover with foil if it needs a bit longer. I think this recipe would make a great alternative to traditional Christmas cake. I am definitely going to try some of the other recipes on this site.

    Reply

  35. Hi, my dad loves date and walnut loaves but he likes beetroot added in to it to make it moist – can you advise how much beetroot I should use please? Thanks! :-)

    Reply

  36. The recipe is fine but the cook time is way to long. After only an hour at 150 conventional not fan mine was burnt. Live and learn.

    Reply

  37. 5 stars
    I have a friend who is a wonderful baker, to professional standards. I have repeatedly used this recipe and he says it’s the best walnut and date loaf recipe. It is also easy to make. We all love it!

    Reply

  38. 4 stars
    Very tasty but mine also dry. Cooked for 75mins in a fan oven as per recipe. Will try shorter next time.

    Reply

    1. 5 stars
      I’ve made it a few times and have one in the oven at the moment. I use a little extra boiling water and about a table spoon of honey, after an hour I put some tin foil on top and cook for exact time. Comes out delicious and moist. My husband’s favourite now.

      Reply

  40. i had a recipe i tried but it wasnt successful , maybe ive missed some of the ingredients , 12 oz plain flour 6 oz butter 6oz sugar 6oz dates and walnuts half pint apple puree 1 tsp cinnamon 1tsp bicarb in 3 tbs milk , wasnt sure if it was sugar or demerara but went for sugar, it did not turn out like the one i tried from the person , i will try yours as it looks good but any help with mine ?, im not really a baker much but any help is appreciated , thanks , dates i used were chopped and didnt look the way i remember

    Reply

  43. The second time this load came out a lot more crumblier. I did it exactly the same as the first time and it was perfect then. Any suggestions please? I only cooked it for 45 minutes as it was done.

    Reply

  44. 5 stars
    2nd time in one of month I made this recipe. I made it with tea first time I made it. Second time, just water. I prepared it differently. Soaked dates in liquid.. I don’t have a stand or hand mixer. Used only fork. Combined self-rising flour and bicarbonate of soda in one bowl, sugar and butter in another. After sugar and butter are well combined, I add it to the bowl with self-rising flour and bicarbonate of soda, give it good mix until well combined. Then I add the beaten egg, the dates soaked in 180ml of liquid, and then the walnuts. Mix well making sure dry and liquid ingredients are well combined. I bake it for the recommended time, maybe even longer, covering the pan with foil towards the end to avoid burning the top of the loaf.

    Reply

  45. 5 stars
    Made this yesterday. Used tea to soak and cooked in a fan oven 150° for just over 40 mins. It’s lovely and not dry and cuts easily. Will make again. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  46. Made this yesterday. Used tea to soak and cooked in a fan oven 150° for just over 40 mins. It’s lovely and not dry and cuts easily. Will make again. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  47. 5 stars
    Made this yesterday. Used tea to soak and cooked in a fan oven 150° for just over 40 mins. It’s lovely and not dry and cuts easily. Will make again. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    1. 5 stars
      I added more boiling water than stated in recipe and in fan assisted oven it only took 35 mins. Very moist and good. Family loved it

      Reply

  48. 5 stars
    Made this date and walnut cake 3 days ago and just tried it. It’s really moist and very nice! Good recipe, I shall be making this again. Thanks

    Reply

  52. 5 stars
    This is my second baking with granny recipe. Both great, I tweek them to make the vegan and a great success.
    Its nice to have cakes we can all enjoy.
    The first recipe was the golden syrup cake, a firm favourite with all the family.

    Reply

  55. 5 stars
    I made this last week for the first time after i overstocked on dates (don’t ask lol) I had to keep an eye on the cooking time as my oven is quite temperamental. Mine was ready after 45-50mins.
    Wow, it was so easy to make and turned out perfect (I also used the loaf tin liners). My hubby is not a huge cake fan but this was delicious buttered with a hot cuppa. Between two of us this lasted a week kept in an airtight container and was still deliciously sticky and moist when finished today. Making another two tomorrow….one for us and one for the MIL.

    Reply

  56. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. I’ve done it several times now & it comes out lovely, which is amazing because I don’t rate myself as a baker although I love doing it & have rekindled that love during lockdown. I’ve used golden caster sugar ( was all I could get during lockdown) but I think it maybe adds to the deliciousness. I’m unsure about how long things keep good though & would find it very helpful if there was a guide to storage ie how to & how long for. Many thanks I’m loving the website.

    Reply

  57. 5 stars
    Hi, I made the date and walnut cake this morning and it is so moreish.
    I have a fan oven so it didn’t take as long as the time stated, I had to cover the cake with tin foil for the last 20 minutes as it would have burnt.
    Deffinatley make again.

    Reply

  59. 5 stars
    Love this recipe, my loaves will dry in the electric oven so stand loaf tin inside roaring pan with boiling water in and looely cover with baking paper or foil stops top burning and keeps moisture in this loaf is always nice with a bit of butter or low fat spread spreader on each slice and with a nice cup of tea

    Reply

    1. 5 stars
      I had some dates and walnuts that needed using so I thought I would give this cake a try.

      I doubled the ingredients and made 2 cakes. I set the timer for the time stated 1hr 15, then after reading the reviews I decreased the cooking time to about 50 minutes.

      I checked with a skewer and it appeared to be cooked, so I set it aside to cool.

      I was curious as to what it was like, so while still warm I cut into it and tried a piece.

      Omg I thought it was delicious, therefore I could not resist eating another piece.

      My family agree this tastes lovely. It was simple to make and turned out very moist.

      Looking forward to making more..

      Reply

    1. Hi Stephen did you bake it for the full time as stated in the recipe?
      I baked this myself yesterday and it looked as though it was browning well after about 50 minutes so I checked it with a skewer and it was done. The cake was beautifully moist. So perhaps try baking it for a shorter time.
      Hope this helps

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    2. 4 stars
      I too found it a bit dry. I’m going to try making it with tea next time. It needs some more liquid. Nice taste though

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  61. 5 stars
    Very simple recipe and easy for a novice cake maker to follow but the cake did turn out quite dry. It has a good taste though and if it’s warmed and served with custard I’m sure it will be lovely.

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  63. 5 stars
    Made this last week, omg it’s amaaaaaazing! Tasty, moist, amd with a lovely crispy outside. Yum! Lasted 3 days. Thanks so much. Im making it again now

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    1. Yes, I have replaced the water with freshly made tea and it works fine and adds a bit more depth of flavour

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  66. The Date and walnut loaf cake I can’t seem to find how long to bake it for and temperature on the recipe thanks Karen?

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  67. I used this recipe instead of a tried and tested one I’ve made many times. There was less liquid in this recipe and the resulting loaf was dry. Rather disappointing.

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    1. I agree. I have made this loaf twice now. Even reducing the cooking time and it still comes out dry and falls apart when cut. Very disappointed. It’s a lovely tasty loaf but just too dry. Should I increase the water??

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    1. Check your cake halfway through cooking. If it looks like the top is cooking too quickly cover loosely with baking foil

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    1. Hi, every time I make a cake with either mixed fruit, cherries etc (even after I’ve chopped in half, washed, dried, rolled in flour) everything always sinks to the bottom?? Please could you help with a remedy?

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      1. if you lightly flour them first before adding to the mixture, this should prevent them from sinking to the bottom. I know it works using place cherries!

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      2. This is normally because your cake batter is too thin and therefore doesn’t hold the fruit suspended. Try increasing the flour a little to make the batter slightly thicker. The size of your eggs can also alter the consistency. If your using large eggs try substituting for medium. Hope this helps

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      3. Its easy! Toss your cherries in flour then instead of mixing them in layer them through by putting a layer of cake mix in the tin then scatter some cherries and repeat. Works perfectly every time!

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      4. Please don,t wash the fruit.
        Are you measuring your ingredients.
        I think your mixture is too wet.
        Good luck!

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    1. If I need to know calories I use an app on my phone. My fitness pal will work but I am sure there are others too. You just put ingredients and weights in the recipe tab and it will work calories per portion too. Hope that helps?

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