Sarah Butler's date & walnut loaf: Today

Ingredients

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Makes: 1 x 2lb loaf

You will need: 2 lb Loaf Tin

• 200g dates, stones removed and roughly chopped
• ½ tsp bread soda
• 150ml hot water
• 125g butter at room temperature
• 75g caster sugar
• 75g light brown sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 225g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 125g walnuts chopped
• 1 tsp icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 2 lb loaf tin.
2. Place the dates, bread soda and hot water into a deep jug. Stir and leave for 15 minutes.
3. Beat the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl with an electric or handheld mixer until pale in colour. This will take about three minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl halfway through beating for an even mixture.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time while continuing to beat. Add the vanilla essence and combine.
5. The dates should be softened in the water mixture by now. Use a blender or food processor to blitz them while still in the water to create a smooth consistency.
6. Add this to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and combine well.
7. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mixture and add a pinch of salt. Combine to a smooth texture.
8. Finally, add in100g chopped walnuts – keep 25g to sprinkle on top. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Sprinkle the remaining 25g walnuts on top.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170C/150C fan/gas 2 and bake for an additional 40 minutes.
10. I like to cover the top of the loaf with tin foil to prevent it from over-browning about 20 minutes before the end of baking.
11. Cool on a raised wire rack for 30 minutes. Dust with icing sugar before slicing.