I’m still trying to use up open packets of things in the kitchen before having to put everything away into boxes for three weeks. I had in mind that I wanted to make a loaf cake but couldn’t find a recipe that would use up what I had on hand. So I asked Claude to make me a Zoe-friendly loaf cake featuring dates and walnuts. The only changes I made to its original offering were converting from cups to metric and adjusting for a fan oven. It worked well. It’s a more robust loaf than some, more dense, nicely flavoured, and elicited an “ooh, that’s the best tasting loaf cake I’ve had in a while.” I’ll take that.

And so that I can find it again, here’s what the recipe looks like:

Ingredients:

  • 200g almond flour
  • 100g chopped walnuts (80g for the batter, 20g for topping)
  • 150g soft Medjool dates, pitted and chopped into 1cm pieces
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (I used honey)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Instructions:

  1. Preheat fan oven to 155°C and line a loaf pan with parchment paper
  2. If dates are firm, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well
  3. Mix almond flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in one bowl
  4. Whisk eggs, olive oil, honey, and vanilla in another bowl
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients
  6. Gently fold in the chopped dates and 80g of walnuts (medium-sized pieces, 0.5-1cm)
  7. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining walnuts on top
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness
  9. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil
  10. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack


This loaf is best enjoyed after it’s completely cooled, as the flavors will have time to develop. It keeps well for several days in an airtight container at room temperature, or you can refrigerate it for up to a week.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​