Date loaf

Generously flavoured with sweet dates and spices. This recipe makes 2 small, cake style date loaves. This date loaf recipe is perfect topped with a little bit of butter for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea .

This date loaf is a fool proof, low cost and super simple recipe

3 basic steps

Soak – Nobody wants a hard, dried out and chewy piece of fruit in their date loaf. To avoid this you need to chop and soak your dates in boiling water for 30 minutes. I add in the margarine and brown sugar at this point too. This infuses the dates with a caramelly sweetness that just cannot be beat. As an added bonus, it also makes your mixing process so much easier. Feel free to start this process the night before, soaking the dates overnight and baking your date loaf first thing in the morning ready for breakfast.

Mix – This is where you add in your remaining ingredients and mix until it is all just combined. Simple as that! One bowl and no fuss wins every time.

Bake – I like to bake mine in 2 smaller loaf tin (approx 22 x 11 cm). This ensures a quick bake with a very low risk of any sinking in the middle. The mixture makes the perfect amount for this. If you would prefer to make this in a larger tin with a deeper loaf then you will need to increase the cook time by 10-15 minutes.

Serving date loaf

Allow your date loaf to cool for at least one hour before you begin to slice into it. If you try to cut into it while it is still piping hot, it will just crumble away. It will be a delicious crumble but it will definitely be a bit difficult to spread your butter on top. To slice use a serated knife and cut even, thick chunks of date loaf. I like to serve this date loaf warm with butter and a little drizzle of maple syrup. It is also great toasted.

Storing your date loaf

Store your date loaf at room temperature in an air tight container or wrapped in a piece of cling film.

Want to have one loaf now and one loaf as a back up in the freezer? This date loaf is also a great recipe to freeze. To freeze a loaf make sure that it is completely cooled. You should first wrap it in aluminium foil and then wrap again in cling film.

This will last about 5-7 days at room temperature or about 3 months in the freezer.

Date loaf

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 24 slices

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cup dates
• 1 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 75 grams butter
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Method

 

1. Roughly dice the dates.
2. Add the dates, boiling water, sugar, butter and baking soda to a large bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 170 degrees and prepare 2 regular sized loaf tins by greasing and lining with baking paper.
4. Add the eggs into your prepared date mixture and mix well to combine.
5. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix together until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tins, making sure the mixture is evenly split between them.
7. Bake for 30 minutes before removing covering the loaves in tin foil. Baking for a further 15 minutes (or until fully baked through)
8. Let cool for at least half an hour before slicing with a serrated knife and serving

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my Date loaf recipe I hope you enjoy trying this out for yourself. Please feel free to add any questions or comments below. I am happy to help out wherever possible and I would love to hear how this recipe worked out for you.

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