Date & Walnut Loaf

Ingredients

• 200 g butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) golden syrup
• 1 cup dates, chopped into chunks
• 1 cup (250 ml) hot water
• 2 eggs
• 2 & 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp icing sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 170˚C.

2. 2

   Place the dates, hot water and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and give it one stir, set aside.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla essence and golden syrup. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the soaked dates, half of the chopped walnuts and all the liquid.

4. 4

   Spoon into a greased loaf pan and sprinkle over the remaining chopped walnuts. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

6. 6

   Sift with a little icing sugar before serving.