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Jamie Oliver Date And Walnut Cake

Jamie Oliver Date And Walnut Cake
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The Jamie Oliver Date and Walnut Cake is a soft sponge cake made by soaking dates in hot liquid, then folding them into a butter batter with chopped walnuts. The soaked fruit becomes part of the crumb, creating a naturally moist texture.

Ingredients

Scale

(Serves 6–8)

    • 200 g pitted dates (chopped)

    • 200 ml boiling water

    • 1 tsp baking soda

    • 120 g butter (softened)

    • 120 g brown sugar

    • 2 eggs

    • 180 g plain flour

    • 1 tsp baking powder

    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

    • 80 g walnuts (chopped)

    • Pinch salt

    • Optional: vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1: Soften the Dates

    1. Place chopped dates in a bowl.

    1. Pour boiling water over them.

    1. Stir in baking soda.

    1. Rest 10–15 minutes.

They should become soft and jam-like — this prevents dry cake.

Step 2: Prepare the Batter Base

    1. Cream butter and brown sugar until pale.

    1. Add eggs one at a time.

    1. Mix until smooth.

Do not rush this step — air equals light texture.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

    1. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt.

    1. Add to batter gradually.

Step 4: Add Dates and Walnuts

    1. Stir softened date mixture (with liquid) into batter.

    1. Fold in walnuts gently.

The batter will look loose — that’s correct.

Step 5: Bake

    1. Preheat oven to 170°C.

    1. Pour into lined loaf or cake tin.

    1. Bake 40–50 minutes.

A skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Step 6: Rest

Cool in tin 10 minutes, then transfer to rack.
Resting allows structure to set and sweetness to deepen.

Find it online: https://jamieolivereats.uk/date-and-walnut-cake/