Date and Walnut Cake

Medjool dates are a magical ingredient. Here, they lend natural sweetness, a toffee-like flavor, and create a moist, dense, and rich cake. Because of the texture and sweetness of dates, this recipe needs no eggs nor sweetener. The cake is studded with walnuts, which add nuttiness and a satisfying crunch. It’s a simple 5-ingredient cake, that is wholesome enough to enjoy for breakfast and satisfying enough to call it dessert.

What stands out

You know we're a sucker for straightforward, healthy cake recipes, and this one ticks all the boxes. It’s free of refined sugar, uses only 5 ingredients the batter comes together in about 15 minutes, and it can be made vegan. Medjool dates are softened in warm milk and then blended into a thick paste which gives density, sweetness, and richness to the cake. The date paste is combined with oil and flour, the batter is poured into a pan, and dotted with walnuts. That’s it!

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line a small 7-inch spring form pan with parchment paper.

In a pot on the stove, add the milk and let it come to a simmer. The milk should be hot.

Place the pitted dates into a bowl and pour the milk over the dates. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or until they are soft.

Now, add the softened dates and milk into a blender and blend until you have a thick paste.

Pour this mixture into a bowl, add in the oil and mix until combined. Stir in the flour and mix again until you have a pourable cake batter.

Then pour the batter into the pan and shake gently from side to side to distribute it evenly.

Next, add the walnuts on top of the cake, making sure to cover the whole surface.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes, slice, and enjoy warm!

Kitchen tip

If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can use 1 cup all-purpose flour and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe as well.

Swaps

1. You can certainly make this Date and Walnut Cake dairy-free by using your favorite unsweetened, non-dairy milk instead of whole milk.
2. We haven’t tried this personally, but we believe you would be able to use any 1-1 gluten-free flour to make this Date and Walnut Cake. You will also need to add some baking powder, about 1/2 teaspoon for a cup of flour.
3. We love walnuts here, but you could use chopped pecans or almonds in this cake instead.
4. Feel free to add some chopped nuts to the cake batter as well.

Serve it with

• Serve this Date and Walnut Cake for an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
• Serve this beautiful cake on a dessert platter with a variety of cookies, such as our Honey CookiesPignoli Cookies or 3 Ingredient Almond Honey Cookies.
• Serve after dinner with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
• Serve each warm slice with a scoop of ice cream.

Questions

can we make this Date and Walnut Cake dairy-free?

Yes, you can use non-dairy milk, such as almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk. Just make sure it’s hot when you pour it over the dates.

how can we make this recipe gluten-free?

We haven’t tried this personally, but we believe you would be able to use any 1-1 gluten-free flour that is for baking. You will also need to add some baking powder, about 1/2 teaspoon per 1 cup flour.

can we freeze this cake?

Yes, absolutely! Bake as directed, cool the cake completely, and then wrap it tightly in cling wrap. We also like to place the whole cake in a ziplock bag before freezing for up to a couple of months.

strong Can we use a different size pan?

Yes, but the baking time will vary. For larger pans, the cake will bake faster, and for smaller pans, it may take longer. Keep an eye on it and check for doneness with a toothpick.

strong What if we don’t have a springform pan?

You can use a regular cake pan or even a loaf pan. Make sure to line it with parchment paper or grease it well to prevent sticking. When it comes out of the oven, run a knife along the edge to separate the cake from the pan.

can we use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising?

Yes, you can but be sure to add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe in that case.

Ingredients

Makes 6 slices

• 12 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup milk, any kind, including vegan milks
• ½ cup avocado oil, or any neutral oil
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• walnuts, halves or crushed pieces, for garnish

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Springform Pan (7-inch)
• Parchment Paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C).
2. Line a small 7-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. We like to spray it with oil first so that the parchment paper sticks to it.
3. In a pot on the stove, add the milk and let it come to a simmer. The milk should be hot. (Alternatively, you can warm the milk in a bowl in the microwave.)
4. Place the pitted dates into a bowl and pour the hot milk over the dates. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or until they are very soft.
5. Now, add the softened dates and milk into a blender and blend until you have a thick date paste.
6. Pour this mixture into a bowl, add in the oil, and mix until combined. Stir in the flour and mix again until you have a pourable cake batter.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and shake gently from side to side to distribute the batter evenly.
8. Next, add the walnuts on top of the cake, making sure to cover the whole surface.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice, and enjoy warm!

Kitchen notes

• Dairy-free: You can make this Date and Walnut Cake dairy-free by using your favorite unsweetened, non-dairy milk instead of whole milk.
• Gluten-free: Use any 1-1 gluten-free flour to make this Date and Walnut Cake. You will also need to add some baking powder, about 1/2 teaspoon for a cup of flour.
• Nut alternatives: We love walnuts here, but you could absolutely use chopped pecans or almonds in this cake instead. Feel free to add some chopped nuts to the cake batter as well.