Date loaf is one of those cakes that goes so well with afternoon tea that everyone should have a handy go-to recipe. In fact, it’s such a delicious and simple cake that you could pull out this recipe for so many events..
Have someone coming over for an afternoon catch up? Serve date loaf. Need to take something to a morning tea catch up with work mates? Take some date loaf. Feel like a treat for your evening wind down? Indulge in some date loaf.
I think my favourite from that list is the final one. Do you give yourself the time to wind down at the end of your day? Some people find reading enjoyable, tuning out to some music, meditating, baking or relaxing with a cup of tea.. whilst others enjoy more of a physical challenge such as weights or running. Whichever you choose, make sure you do what works best with your body and mind, immersing you in a state of flow and helping you reset. If you’re thinking you don’t have time to wind down, maybe ask yourself if you could schedule that time? When you take the time to take care of yourself, even indulge a little every now and then, everyone around you benefits too.
I enjoy baking in my wind down time when my son has a nap through the day. And I love being able to provide my husband a yummy homemade treat every now and then to pack in his lunch for smoko. This date loaf is perfect to get him through to lunch time and remind him to take a little break and enjoy the view (he’s a gardener, so often works in some incredible places). So, really, this date loaf provides both of us with some wind down time, each in a different way.
For an added bonus, this date loaf recipe is a super quick cake to prepare and doesn’t even use a mixer. One bowl, and a little bit of cutting and dicing, and you’ll have a delicious treat in no time. Anyone can find the time for this one.
This date loaf in particular has maple syrup and golden syrup added through it to give it a bit more of flavour sensation. The combination of these syrups with the dates makes for a wonderful honeycomb flavour. The addition of coconut adds to the depth of this date loaf and also provides a slight bit of texture to contrast the smooth, soft dates throughout.
This is a very versatile treat, but remember that this is a treat! Smear it with some butter and fully enjoy the moment you sit down to eat this one. Some might have more self-control than others 😉 For those looking to avoid the refined sugar, I’m still experimenting with the ratios for a sugar-free version of date loaf so stay tuned in the coming weeks for when I finally nail down a perfect recipe for that one.
Golden Maple Date Loaf
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 1hr
Ingredients
1 cup pitted dates
50g unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbs golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 + 3/4 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
Method
Preheat oven to 180C
Grease and line a 20cm x 10cm loaf tin
Roughly chop the dates and place in to a heatproof mixing bowl along with the sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup, vanilla and ginger.
Cut the butter in to small cubes and add to the same bowl
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the date mixture and stir until the butter melts
Add the bicard soda and stir
Add the coconut and flour and give it a good mix until everything is combined
Pour in to your prepared tin and bake in the oven for 50-60mins until golden on top and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean
Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire cooling rack
Store in an airtight container. Best consumed within 2 days.
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