Ingredients
- 1¼ cup (185 g) pitted dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- â…“ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups wholemeal self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ¾ cup (80 g) walnuts, coarsely chopped
Method
Step 1
Grease a medium 12 cm x 22 cm loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
Step 2
Place dates in a large heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with soda. Pour over 1 cup boiling water. Stand 40 minutes, or until cool. Stir in sugar, eggs and oil until combined.
Step 3
Sift flour over mixture, returning any husks remaining in sieve to bowl. Add spice and ½ cup of the walnuts. Stir until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
Setp 4
Bake in a 160 °C oven (fan-forced) for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Serve sliced.
Tips
- Replace olive oil with canola oil or sunflower oil, if preferred.
- Loaf will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
