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.