This easy date and walnut cake is soft, moist, and full of warm, rich flavor. It’s egg-free, dairy-free, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect with your afternoon tea or coffee, this cozy loaf is a great treat any day of the week.

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Ingredients Needed:

200 g (1 ⅓ cups) pitted dates
150 ml (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) hot coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
100 ml (⅓ cup + 4 teaspoons) olive oil
130 g (⅔ cup) dark muscovado sugar
80 g (⅓ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250 g (2 cups + 2 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
90 g (¾ cup) walnuts

How To Make Date And Walnut Cake Recipe?

Soak the dates: Add chopped dates, baking soda, hot coffee, and oil to a large bowl. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes so the dates soften.
Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 175°C. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving extra paper on the sides to lift the cake later.
Mix the wet ingredients: Add sugar, yogurt, and vanilla to the soaked dates. Whisk everything together until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped walnuts.
Make the batter: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until combined—don’t overmix.
Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Smooth the top and add a few extra walnuts on top if you like.
Bake the cake: Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 45–55 minutes. Check with a toothpick at 45 minutes—it should come out clean with just a few crumbs.
Cool completely: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out and cool fully on a wire rack before slicing.

Recipe Tips:

Soak the dates properly: Let the chopped dates sit in the hot coffee mixture for the full 15 minutes. This softens them and gives the cake a moist texture.
Use the right sugar: Dark muscovado sugar adds a rich, deep flavor and keeps the cake moist. If you swap it, know the taste and texture might change a little.
Don’t overmix the batter: Mix the dry and wet ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft.
Check for doneness early: Start checking the cake at 45 minutes. Every oven is different, and overbaking will dry it out.
Cool before slicing: Wait until the cake is completely cool before cutting. This helps you get clean slices and keeps the cake from falling apart.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover date and walnut cake cool to room temperature. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freeze: Let the cake cool completely, then slice it. Place parchment paper between slices and store them in a sealed container or wrap tightly. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 320 kcal
Total Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 170 mg
Potassium: 240 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 40 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 25 g
Protein: 4 g

Try More Delia Smith Recipes:

Delia Smith Vegetable Soup Recipe
Delia Smith Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

Delia Smith Date And Walnut Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

Ingredients

200 g (1 ⅓ cups) pitted dates
150 ml (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) hot coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
100 ml (⅓ cup + 4 teaspoons) olive oil
130 g (⅔ cup) dark muscovado sugar
80 g (⅓ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250 g (2 cups + 2 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
90 g (¾ cup) walnuts

Directions

Soak the dates: Add chopped dates, baking soda, hot coffee, and oil to a large bowl. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes so the dates soften.
Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 175°C. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving extra paper on the sides to lift the cake later.
Mix the wet ingredients: Add sugar, yogurt, and vanilla to the soaked dates. Whisk everything together until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped walnuts.
Make the batter: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until combined—don’t overmix.
Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Smooth the top and add a few extra walnuts on top if you like.
Bake the cake: Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 45–55 minutes. Check with a toothpick at 45 minutes—it should come out clean with just a few crumbs.
Cool completely: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out and cool fully on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Soak the dates properly: Let the chopped dates sit in the hot coffee mixture for the full 15 minutes. This softens them and gives the cake a moist texture.
Use the right sugar: Dark muscovado sugar adds a rich, deep flavor and keeps the cake moist. If you swap it, know the taste and texture might change a little.
Don’t overmix the batter: Mix the dry and wet ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft.
Check for doneness early: Start checking the cake at 45 minutes. Every oven is different, and overbaking will dry it out.
Cool before slicing: Wait until the cake is completely cool before cutting. This helps you get clean slices and keeps the cake from falling apart.