Healthy Date Walnut cake

Who doesn't love sweets? who doesn't crave for a sweet treat? From young kids upto old aged people, everyone loves a sweet treat. But as parents we are always cautious of what our kids eat. We always try so hard to ensure that our kids eat only the healthiest and the best of things. 

I myself can relate to this feeling very much as this was the primary reason I started my baking journey ~ my li'l one and her good health. Although there are numerous brands providing snacks, cookies, biscuits and cakes these days, the moment I check the ingredient list I feel something important missing - "Quality ingredients"

This void gave me the push to start Baking. Although I bake both maida and non maida items, it still is much better that the food options available in the market. The reason behind this is the quality of  ingredients used. 

Taking this a step further, I felt the need to share this benefit with all those looking for the best products for their kids and families, just like me. So sharing here one of the finest recipes today, a magical recipe indeed 😅 because this is made with whole wheat flour and uses only dates as the sweetener. A guilt free snack right? The moment you and your family takes a bite of this cake, I'm sure it will become your new favourite. So without any further delay let us dive into the detailed recipe for this Healthy Dates Walnut cake. 

This Dates Walnut Cake is so soft and moist that nobody would believe it is made with wheat flour. This cake is also very easy and quick to make and uses only minimal ingredients. 

Let's take a look at the ingredients and then dive into the detailed recipe with step-by-step instructions.

INGREDIENTS:

- Dates - 215grams with seeds or 200grams without seeds

- Hot Milk - 377ml

- Oil - 110ml

- Vanilla - 1 tsp

- Wheat Flour - 130grams

- Baking Soda - 1 tsp

- Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

- Salt - 1/4 Tsp

- Walnuts - 20 grams

DATES: Dates is the main ingredient in this recipe. It is the sweetener used for this cake. Make sure to use the finest quality dates as it defines the taste and quality of the cake.

HOT MILK: We will be using boiled hot milk for this recipe. Hot milk helps to soften the dates thereby making it easier to make a puree. 

OIL: Oil is the fat used in this recipe. It helps in achieving a moist and soft cake.

VANILLA: Vanilla is the flavouring agent used in this recipe. It gives a mild yet rich flavour to the cake.

WHEAT FLOUR: I have used regular wheat flour (sharbati atta) for this recipe. Make sure to sift in the dry ingredients as sifted wheat flour helps with a spongy texture for the cake. 

BAKING SODA & BAKING POWDER: Baking soda and baking powder are the leavening agents used in this recipe. It helps the cake to rise properly and gives a soft and fluffy cake.

SALT: Salt helps to balance the sweetness in the cake. 

WALNUTS: Walnuts are used as a garnish in this recipe. It gives that extra crunchy and adds a rich flavour to the cake. 

I personally love the taste of Walnuts and I never miss an opportunity to add them in a baked good wherever possible 😁

Now, let me share the steps involved in getting this cake done. Read it thoroughly and follow the steps to get the same results.

STEP-BY-STEP PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION:

1. Into a bowl add dates and start to deseed them. Just squeeze it slightly and remove the seed.

2. Once all the seeds are removed add hot boiling milk to the dates. Mix them well and set it aside for 15 to 20 minutes until the dates turn soft.

3. Into another bowl add 1 cup of Whole Wheat flour, 1 tsp of Baking soda, 1/2 tsp of Baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. Mix it and set it aside.

4. Measure 110ml of neutral oil and keep it aside. Make sure to use a neutral oil without any odour or flavour as it will have an influence on the cake. 

5. Now grind the dates and milk mixture in a blender and make a fine puree. Transfer it into a bowl. Add oil and Vanilla to this mixture and mix vigorously to blend them together. This will be the wet mix. 

6. Place a sieve over the wet mix bowl and slowly sift the dry ingredients that was set aside earlier.

7. Once the dry mix is sifted, combine dry and wet mix to make a batter. Combine them gently using cut and fold method. DONOT OVERMIX THE BATTER. 

8. Transfer the batter into a loaf pan that is greased and lined with parchment paper. Garnish it with chopped walnuts.

9. Preheat the oven to 180°C for 10 minutes. Once the oven is preheated transfer the tin into the oven and bake at 180°C for 45 to 50 minutes. I BAKED MINE FOR 48 MINUTES.

Check the doneness of the cake by inserting a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean it means that the cake is baked perfectly. If not, pop it back into the oven and bake for few more minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Let the baked cake sit in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Once it is slightly cooled, slide a palette knife to release the cake from the tin. Transfer it onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely. 

Once the cake is completely cooled, slice it into smaller pieces. Store it in an airtight container and it will be good to consume within 3 to 4 days. 

This could be a perfect evening tea time snack for the adults and a tasty after school snacks for the kids. 

It checks all the criteria for a healthy snack that an adult looks for and at the same time a tasty one too for the kids. 

Tip : Just top it off with some Chocochips along with the walnuts and kids will go crazy for this cake 😁😅

RECIPE CARD:

Easy Dates Walnut Cake Description: Soft, fluffy, spongy cake filled with the goodness of dates and topped with Walnuts. This is made with whole wheat flour and without any added sugars. Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 - 50 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Makes:  750 gms sponge Serves : 15 slices Ingredients : *Dates - 215grams with seeds or 200grams without seeds - Hot Milk - 377ml - Oil - 110ml - Vanilla - 1 tsp - Wheat Flour - 130grams - Baking Soda - 1 tsp - Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp - Salt - 1/4 Tsp - Walnuts - 20 grams INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Into a bowl add dates and start to de-seed them. Just squeeze it slightly and remove the seed. 2. Once all the seeds are removed add hot boiling milk to the dates. Mix them well and set it aside for 15 to 20 minutes until the dates turn soft. 3. Into another bowl add 1 cup of Whole Wheat flour, 1 tsp of Baking soda, 1/2 tsp of Baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. Mix it and set it aside. 4. Measure 110ml of neutral oil and keep it aside. Make sure to use a neutral oil without any odour or flavour as it will have an influence on the cake.  5. Now grind the dates and milk mixture in a blender and make a fine puree. Transfer it into a bowl. Add oil and Vanilla to this mixture and mix vigorously to blend them together. This will be the wet mix.  6. Place a sieve on the wet mix bowl and slowly sift the dry ingredients* that was set aside earlier. 7. Once the dry mix is sifted, combine dry and wet mix to make a batter. Combine them gently using cut and fold method*. DONOT OVERMIX THE BATTER.  8. Transfer the batter into a loaf pan that is greased and lined with parchment paper. Garnish it with chopped walnuts. 9. Preheat the oven to 180°C for 10 minutes. Once the oven is preheated transfer the tin into the oven and bake at 180°C for 45 to 50 minutes. I BAKED MINE FOR 48 MINUTES. Check the doneness of the cake by inserting a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean it means that the cake is baked perfectly. If not, pop it back into the oven and bake for few more minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean.  Let the baked cake sit in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Once it is slightly cooled, slide a palette knife to release the cake from the tin. Transfer it onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Then slice them into smaller pieces. Enjoy this with a hot cup of coffee or tea and serve these to kids as an evening snack. NOTES: (*) 1. Sifting of dry ingredients:  In any recipe, it is important to sift the dry ingredients before incorporating the wet ingredients. Sifting of flour aerates it, making sure you get a spongy, fluffy cake. 2. Cut and fold method - Cut and fold method is a simple way to mix the dry ingredients along with the wet ingredients. Using this method ensures that the batter is mixed only until well combined. This method ensures that the batter is not over mixed. 3. Baking time: Remember that the baking time will vary from oven to oven. For me it took 48 minutes to get this baked completely. But keep an eye from 42 minutes as it could take more or less time than mine. 4. Tsp - means TEASPOON and TBSP - means TABLESPOON 5. 1 CUP = 240ML