Carrot, date and walnut loaf
Jazz up your morning tea with and make this delicious carrot, date & walnut loaf using our easy, how-to guide.
How to make carrot, date & walnut loaf
Here’s how to make a delicious carrot, date and walnut loaf. First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Use canola oil spray to grease a loaf pan, then line the pan with baking paper.
Place chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, then pour over boiling water and add bicarbonate of soda – this helps soften the dates. Give it a stir and set aside for 10 minutes to soak. Add eggs and oil to the date mixture and stir to combine. In a new bowl, mix together self-raising flour, brown sugar, grated carrot, chopped walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the date mixture until just combined – try not to overmix as this can make your cake tough. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface.
Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through. To test if the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre – it should come out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and leave it for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Use the overhanging baking paper to lift the loaf out onto the wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese icing, place softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Add icing sugar and beat until well combined and the icing is light and fluffy. When the cake is cool, use a palette knife or a round-bladed knife to spread the cream cheese icing over the top of the cake. Decorate with chopped walnuts and dust with cinnamon. Cut into slices to serve.
Serves
12
Prep
45m
Cooking
50m
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) dried dates, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 2 Coles Brand Australian Free Range Eggs
- 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
- 1 cup (220g) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrot (about 3 large carrots)
- 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 50g butter
- 1/2 cup (80g) icing sugar mixture
- Red, yellow & green liquid food colouring
Method
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 10cm x 20cm (base measurement) loaf pan with baking paper, allowing the 2 long sides to overhang.
STEP 2
Combine the date, water and bicarbonate of soda in a medium heatproof bowl. Set aside for 10 mins to soak. Add the eggs and oil and whisk to combine.
STEP 3
Combine the flour, sugar, carrot, walnut, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the date mixture. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 mins to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 4
Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add icing sugar. Beat until well combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the icing. Spread remaining icing over top of cake.
STEP 5
Divide reserved icing between 2 bowls. Add red and yellow colouring to 1 portion to make orange icing. Tint remaining icing portion with green colouring. Place the orange icing in a piping bag fitted with a 2mm nozzle. Pipe 1cm-long carrot shapes on top of cake. Place the green icing in a clean piping bag fitted with a 2mm nozzle. Pipe onto cake to make the carrot tops.
STEP 6
Cut into slices to serve.
Dietary information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
