Q: I'm hoping The Kitchn's talented readership can help me! My boss is British, born and raised, and although she's been in the States for more than half her life she understandably misses many of the things she grew up with that don't exist here.
Her birthday is coming up and I would love to make her favorite dessert, date and walnut cake. I had never heard of it before meeting her and I have no idea where to begin with recipes. I searched google.co.uk but there are predictably thousands and I would prefer one that can come personally recommended. Can you help a poor Yank out?
Sent by Jessica
Editor: Jessica, we haven't actually made this sort of cake, so we can't recommend a particular recipe (although this one looks good!). Readers, help us out! Got a good recipe to recommend? What makes a good date and walnut cake?
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Hi Jessica
The recipes are indeed multitude and a good date and walnut cake isn't always easy to find! The best are moist without being gungy, hold up on their own as a cake, and allow the flavours of walnut and date to shine out. One of my favourite (and always reliable) go-to writers is Katie Stewart, and this recipe of hers I've made, remade, and once again a couple of weeks ago when a friend gave me a basket full of walnuts from her garden here in Switzerland, and I had more than too many packets of dates left from holiday cooking! (I remember making it for friends when I was a grad student in Chicago and without an electric mixer - it only needs a bowl, a measuring jug, and a wooden spoon.)
Katie was the British food writer before all the celebrities hit the pan, and my copy her 1985 book (Katie Stewart's Cookbook) remains at the front of the shelf.
I am giving the measures in grams - you'll have to convert to cups if necessary !
350g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
50g butter, cut into small pieces
100g brown sugar (unrefined is ok, muscovado will do wonders)
50g walnuts, chopped
100g dates, stoned and chopped
2 eggs
1tbsp black treacle (the British version, a thick molasses will do with this small quantity)
225ml milk
Your oven goes to 350°F / 180°C
Grease and line (with some overlap) a 9x5x3 inch loaf tin
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar, dates and walnuts. In a separate bowl (the measuring jug for your milk?), gently mix together the eggs, treacle and milk. Add the liquid to the flour mix and beat well with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter.
Spoon the batter into your tin, and spread level. Bake for an hour in the centre of your oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to the rack and leave till completely cool.
Serve, sliced and buttered, to a happy boss!
Most of the people I visit, when I'm in England, rely on Delia's recipe though it includes prunes:
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/date-prune-and-walnut-loaf.html
Personally I prefer one that includes apricots but if you're looking for a classic go with dates & walnuts - or - dates & walnuts & prunes. I'm sure she'll be touched by whatever version you choose - very thoughtful of you.
I recommend the BBC recipe website for everything-British recipes (that's the site my British friends always refer me to). Good luck!
bbcgoodfood.com
This might not be the dense, quick-bread loaf style cake you're looking for, but it makes a beautiful, simple & flavorful round cake - Walnut Date Cake
I've been wanting to try this recipe.
Date and Walnut Cake
(Mom's Recipe)
INGREDIENTS
Butter 8 oz
Sugar 8 oz
flour 8 oz
Dates chopped 8 oz
Walnuts chopped 4 oz
Eggs 4
Burnt sugar
Nutmeg 1 tsp grated
Baking pwd. 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence
METHOD
1. Cream butter and sugar, (add burnt sugar) with the baking pwd., nutmeg and vanilla essence
2. Beat in the egg , one at a time
3. Mix dates and walnut in the dry flour, and gradually fold into the cream mixture, adding little milk if necessary.
4. Bake until done
NOTES:
? Burnt sugar is to be added for flavor when creaming butter and sugar
? Omit the nutmeg if u dislike the aroma
___disclaimer- my mom makes this and its great. I took the recipe from her years ago but never made it myself.
When I get home from work I will get my family cookbook out and post up my mums walnut and date loaf recipe. Happy to help with any traditional british cookery questions.
From my mums collection of recipes.
9 oz dates and walnuts (mum used Whitworths brand)
1/4 pint hot water
6 oz margarine
5 oz light muscavado sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
3 eggs
11 oz self raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (all spice works well too)
Preheat oven to 170 degrees c
Grease and line a 8 inch tin
Put walnuts and dates into a basin, pour on hot water. Cool.
Cream margarine and sugar, gradually beat in syrup and eggs.
Sieve flour and spice and fold into mixture, add walnuts and dates & liquid.
Mix lightly.
1 1/2 to 1/3/4 hours in the oven. Cool in the tin.
Here is my recipe for date nut bread.......I make it weekly, and it is the BEST!
http://www.staceysnacksonline.com/2008/10/crazy-for-date-nut-bread.html