Go nuts this holiday season with Dates & Walnut loaf Cake. This cake is super delicious, soft and moist cake that is a perfect tea time snack and is worth a try. The nutty flavor of dates with walnut is just amazing!! We love making healthy recipes using dates. Do check out our other recipes that have dates in them. This vegan cake is super delicious and you cannot just stop at one piece.
Is this cake really a Sugar free / No Refined Sugar cake ?
Yes this cake gets its sweetness from dates. A few weeks ago, when I received a batch of Organic date from Dubai when my mom visited me this year I found myself wondering what to do with them.
These sweet, luscious dates on the vine were perfect for snacking, but how else could I get creative with them? Date nut cake was an obvious choice and what a perfect excuse to redo the images for this Date & Walnut Loaf Cake!!
Date & Walnut cake will be a hit at the holiday table this year. It makes a lovely dessert year-round, but its warming qualities are especially welcome in the winter months during a festive celebration.
I have made this many times and it's always delicious! You can skip the nuts of an allergy in the family and it is still good. Especially with a nice, hot cup of coffee in the morning. Yum ! I have Replaced all purpose flour with Gluten free or whole wheat for a healthier version
The dates provide lots of moisture, which makes this a convenient make-ahead dessert—the cake will not dry out if you make it a day or two before the holiday begins. The walnuts add some nice texture and crunch.
This Date & walnut loaf Cake is amazing. Just what my taste buds wanted. Crust is chewy, cuts beautifully, and so moist. This is my new go to recipe!
Enjoy This No- Egg, No-Butter and No-Refined Sugar Date & Walnut loaf cake.
Date & Walnut Loaf Cake(No-Egg,No-Butter & No Refined Sugar)
Ingredients
- 20-25 dates
- 1 1/2 cup milk/for vegan version add any dairy free milk
- 1 cup whole wheat flour/for gluten -free version use gluten free APF
- 1/2 cup olive oil or 1 cup apple sauce
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup walnut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven on 350*F
- Soak the dates in warm milk for few hours .(Remove the seeds if not using seedless).
- Save few Dates for the batter.
- Blend it into a paste along with the milk in which it is soaked in.
- Add oil in the date and milk mixter and mix well.
- Sieve together flour and baking soda and baking powder. pour in the dates and milk mixture.
- Chop the walnuts and few dates ,coat it with some flour and mix it in the batter.
- Bake the cake in a greased oven dish for 35-40min on 350*F.
Notes
You can substitute the oil with apple sauce
Shirley says
Can I used coconut flour and almond flour instead of wheat flour
Abir says
This is my first time baking a cake at home and I'm not a sugary person , I only wanted to make use of the dates I have but suddenly I found this recipe the easiest and yummiest and 100% guaranteed to get it perfect the same as the recipe said !!! It became my only meal all day !! Very thankful really so happy and appreciated to the super brilliant chef made this
NRM says
Made this recipe twice. First time I used a load pan and could not get the center fully cooked. After scooping out the mushy center, we ate the outside and it was yummy. The second time, I decided to use a muffin pan. It took about 35 minutes of baking but they came out fully cooked and tasted great. I added some pumpkin pie spice which really enhanced the flavor. Will make again.
Eva says
Wasn't fully cooked inside even after almost 1h of cooking. What have i done wrong? The inside is still sticky.
Tiyaa Agrawal says
how many inches baking pan do I use to bake this loaf cake in?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Tiyaa, a loaf pan or a 8 inch square car pan work well with this recipe. It rises perfectly in a long pan. Hope this helps
Randie says
Can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Randie, yes you can use coconut oil too
Lola says
Also meant to ask how much chopped figs would you use instead of dates? Would you think 1/2-3/4 cup is enough?
Lola says
A friend gave me a bag of chopped dried figs. I think they would be a good replacement for the dates. What do you think? Thank you.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Lola, yes you can use dried figs. Soak them in hot water and then give it a ruff chop. You might have to add sugar as they are not as sweet as dates. 1 cup wod ve good amount. Hope this helps
Sameh says
Can't thank you enough, amazing recipe, cake eating guilt free ?
Kids loved it so I did it for them 3 days in a row ?
Upon the request of one of my kids I added raises inside and out and turned out great too ?
Soniya Saluja says
So glad to hear that ,Sameh!
Jane says
Baked today in 9inch square pan. Came out like fudge. Followed recipe exactly cooked 40 minutes toothpick came out clean, but it is not cake like at all. Just like fudge very soft. Any ideas?
Harpreet Kaur says
I baked this fake for my dad since he is diabetic!! Came out really great! Awesome recipe!! He loved it! Thank you so much ??
Shruti says
Tried this cake today n it was so soft n perfect thank you for amazing recipe ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Shruti, so glad to hear that.. hope you try other recipes from our blog xoxo
Shobha says
Hi guys.. Thanks for the amazing recipe. I tried it at home and while it tasted really well the cake was still wet inside while the outer layer for quite crisp. I baked it at 350 for 35 minutes first and then an additional of 10 min at 375. Any idea what else can I do to make it fluffy (and not pasty) from inside?
Kulwant says
I made this cake a couple of day ago and turned out great. I added in a pinch of cinnamon and used gluten free flour too. The flavour is lovely and evolves a little the next day or so-thank you!
Ruchi Gupta says
Looks great..can you please let me know the size of measuring cups used here in ml?
Soniya Saluja says
hi , 1 cup is equal to 200 ml.hope this helps
Stuti Puri says
Hi. I made the cake. But it doesn’t take 35-40 minutes
Took around 20 minutes
Alia H says
Hi, thanks for the recipe, I also love the idea of date cake, but when I made it in a loaf pan I also saw that it didnt rise, it only rose about half way, but it was cooked all the way through. my baking soda and powder are both fresh. Doesn't it need some sort of acid to activate?
deepthi jayaraj says
Hi Anvita and sonia
I tried the recipe and am thrilled it turned out good. we are trying intermittent fasting and would be lovely if you could suggest some protein rich sugar free bake recipes of yours i could try
thanks
Deepthi
Saman says
Hi,
Tried this awesome recipe. It turned out very tasty.
Thank you for this healthy and amazing recipe!!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sanam, Thanks for sharing your experience with us ❤️ hope you try some other recipes from our blog :) hint mango semolina cake ?❤️
deepti says
Hi Soniya,
your date n walnut cake is awesome. I have couple of questions, its mentioned to soak the dates in warm milk for few hours, is warm milk important?
keeping it soaked for few hours on the counter wont spoil it, since its milk.
Let me know
Thanks,
Deepti
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Deepti, glad this recipe interests you. You don't have to wait for few hours.I made this cake few years back and wanted to perfect it . Now all I do is microwave both milk and the dates in a glass bowl for 3 mins and leave it for few minutes before grinding it. Will definitely update the recipe and mention about it. Do share your feedback with us when to make this cake :)
Xoxo
Brindhaa says
Thanks for posting a gluten free cake. I have been looking for one as my lil one has food allergies. I’m going to try to make this for him.
Soni says
Hi Soniya , Can we use only egg whites because I need to avoid yolk.Do I need to replace oil if I use egg whites ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Soni, glad to hear this walnut and date laof cake interests you.. well we have not baked this cake with egg in our kitchen. Frankly just try this cake once without eggs( as mentioned in the recipe). If you want reduce the oil in half and increase the milk and few dates. It comes out so soft and moist and sweet.
Hope this helps ? happy baking ?
Xoxo
Namrata Rawal says
Wondering if I can substitute apple sauce for olive oil? I usually have tried apple sauce to replace oil in my cakes. Wondering if it will help here.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Namrata, yes you can definitely us apple sauce (1/2 cup ) do share your experience with us :) after you bake it
Poornima Baskaran says
I tried the cake and we love it :) The results are mind-blowing, no one can believe that it do not contain sugar/butter/flour.. so healthy :) And my kid loved it! Thank you for the recipe.
Krystal says
How many dates did you save to blend with the milk? Also, did you add eggs into yours?
Soniya Saluja says
Hey Krystal, I add around 20 seedless dates and no eggs. Do taste you dates and make sure they are sweet and juicy and not dry. Happy baking!
Bhaswati B Mazumder says
Tried it. It was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Bhaswati, Glad you liked it:) Thanks for sharing your experience with us ?
Swathi says
Can canola oil be used
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Swathi, Yes Canola oil can be used in this cake recipe.
Krupa says
Hi
Found an amazing recipe and v keen to try it out
PL mention the measure of cup u have used to measure flour as is it 200 ml cup or more?
PL reply as soon as possible
Shivani says
How can I increase the recipie by .5..hope u understand instead of 1cup..I want to increase it to 1.5 cup..what ratio should I use in oil n milk?? And will there be any change in baking powder n soda?? Please help it's urgent..
Shivani says
Is the batter pouring ribbon consistency or is it thick..?? As I've baked it thrice but I generally add milk more as it becomes thick ..but is it ok to add more milk?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Shivani, Thanks for trying this amazing cake:)
It's a thick batter just add few tbsp at a time to get the right consistency!
Hope this helps ..will try to post a video soon :)
Anonymous says
Can we use the same mixture for making muffins?
Soniya Saluja says
Yes.just the time will change muffins will take 20 to 25 mins
Rupa says
Did you use a whisk or a hand mixer to mix? for step 5 and 7
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Rupa, I use a chopper /mixer you can use blender too.. just keep some roughly chopped dates and walnuts to add it to the batter.
Ruchi says
Hi, I am new to baking and want to try this receipe. Is there any alternate for olive oil? Can I use regular refined oil or ghee? Same quantity?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Ruchi, glad to hear that this amazing date and walnut cake interests you:) yes you can use any flavorless oil like sunflower oil or refined oil.. I would suggest don't use ghee . Do share your feedback with us after to bake and try it :)
Pavithra Sivamani says
What is the size of the loaf pan I should use?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Pavithra, I have used the standard loaf pan.. it's 9*5 .Hope this helps!
Deepal says
Hi Sonia .. thanks for the lovely recipe ..
I tried it out but my cake came out a bit dense . Any step where I Might have gone wrong ? Any ways to make it a bit spongy ?
What is the approx gram and ml equivalent for 1 cup ? Thanks
Gracy Machado says
a must try recipe. Pls specify the size of the pan u have used. Thank u
Sindhu says
Can I prepare this in pressure cooker ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sindhu, yes you can make this cake in pressure cooker.
Upasna says
Hi Soniya ,
Thanks a lot for this recipe. It is a no fail cake & I have lost the number of times i have baked it for my family. Everytime it has turned out yumm!!!
Its tough to find an eggless, no maida,no butter & no sugar recipe which tastes good....but this one is a winner!!!! Hope you continue making & sharing such wonderful recipes ?☺️.
Minal Dalal says
I've made it & turned out really good but it's very very moist. When I see your pic it looks more like a cake. Any tips?
Minal Dalal says
Hi Sonia I've tried again & turned out really really moist. Any tips on how to have it more like a cake texture?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Minal, glad you liked the cake recipe..it's difficult to get the cake like texture due to less gluten In the flour. You can use APF if you like and the trxture will be more like sponge cake
Rash says
I made this today ..it was yummy..was finished even before it got cooled ..?..tx a ton fr this easy nd healthy recipe...pl teach banana bread nd carrot cake also like this ..Tia
Suchita Jagiya says
Can we make this cake in pressure cooker?
Rohina says
Hi what is the shelf life of this walnut date cake ? As it requires milk so for how many days it would be fresh? I want to make for my toddler as we are travelling for 2 to 3 days. I feel it would be a healthy dish for him.
Soniya Saluja says
3 to 4 days out in a air tight container ansd 10 days in fridge.
Mystica Shuchitha says
Thank you for the healthy recipe.
I"m new to baking. Please explain the step 5. Add oil and mix.
Should I add the olive oil to the dates+milk paste? And, is this mixture that you are talking about in step6? Kindly pardon the silly question.
Also, when to add the baking powder. I suppose that's not mentioned..
Soniya Saluja says
Hello mystical, glad you liked it... I have updated the recipe that was a error on my end :) do let us know if you have more questions !
Add the oil in the date and milk mixer.
Add baking soda and baking powder together.
The Mad Scientist's Kitchen says
Delicious. Will be loved at home.
Soniya Saluja says
Glad you liked it , The mad Scientist's kitchen !!
Avin S Kohli says
So healthy and easy to make. Lovely share ?
Angie Rose-The Freckled Rose says
This looks delicious, easy to make and healthy! I will definitely try making this sometime soon :)
soniya says
Thank you so much .. hope you like it !
Atzimba Pahua says
Oh my gosh! Yay! I get so happy when I find vegan recipes. I will definitely be giving this a try :)
soniya says
Glad you found one... and i am sure you wont be disappointed !!
Kristen says
yum! I've never made anything with that many dates but it looks great!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Kristen, Hope you give it a try !
soniya says
Thanks .. hope you give this recipe a try :D
Emily Moon says
This looks so yummy! I like that its still a healthier recipe too.
Soniya Saluja says
Glad you liked it ..Thanks !
soniya says
Thank you so much !
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivat says
Your loaf looks so delicious and moist. I can't believe it's got no butter in it!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks .. Glad you liked it!!
soniya says
Yay!! No butter.. No egg.. No apf.. No refined sugar :D
Shannon @ Lady's Little Loves says
Ooo YUM! I love recipes that are healthier, yet still feel indulgent!
soniya says
Glad you liked it :)
Tanu says
Hi. I tried the recipe today. Both with egg and eggless. And yumm cakes. Thanks a lot! My only query is, in eggless, I felt the cake to be too oily. Can I reduce the oil quantity? Or can we replace the oil with some no n fat ingredient? Look forward to hear from you.
Soniya Saluja says
Tanu,
Glad to hear that you found the cakes yummy. You can certainly reduce the amount of oil however replacing oil with another ingredient, I am not sure of how the taste would turn out to be.
Tirumalatha Ramavath says
Hi, how to make this cake using egg?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Tirumalatha, you can add 2 eggs and skip the oil , however we have not made egg version .do share your feedback with us once you make it
Prasanna says
Thanks a ton for the guilt free cake.. Tried it out for Diwali and it tastes awesome :) Happy Diwali to you Soniya
Ashwini says
Thanks for the recipe, I had tried a similar one in the past and it came out really well.
I have some guests coming over the weekend and I want to make a larger loaf size. I got a huge loaf pan but now confused with the quantity.
Can the quantity of ingredients be doubled exactly? If not, do you have an idea of what quantities must be used for double the loaf size?
Soniya Saluja says
Glad you liked it.. Yes the recipe can be doubled .
Garima Gautam says
Hey Sonia..such a beautiful blog you have..loving this recipe and gonna try this soon :)
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Garima,
Sure dont forget to tag us when you do try it.
Kate says
Hi Sonia, I have some frozen bananas, Can i use them in this cake? Also Can I add 3 eggs and omit baking powder, oil and milk? Please suggest.. thank you!!
Soniya Saluja says
Hello ,I would suggest not to use banana in this recipe.. Coz you already have dates for moisture and sweetness.
2.yes you can use 3 egg skip baking powder and oil.. But you will need milk. :)
Jo says
So can we use 3 eggs and skip oil,baking soda and baking powder?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jo, yes you can skip the oil , baking soda and use three eggs or 2 eggs and 1tsp baking powder.
Hope this helps :)
Rashmi says
I have made this cake so many times now! I follow exact same procedure and it has always turned out awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!????????
In few months I'll have to bake this in India and we don't have electric oven there. Can I bake this in a cooker? If yes, how long and at what temperature?
Thanks :)
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Rashmi , Sorry for our delayed reply.
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback !!Yes you can bake it in cooker .. check our Pressure cooker cake recipe and you can follow the steps.. Just the cook time will increase :)
Margarita says
Hi I tried baking the cake with full enthu. .but was disappointed. It was just flat like a thick loaf of bread. When I saw in the middle the batter had risen but morning it was totally flat....where did I go wrong
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Margarita thanks for getting back to us with your experience.. sorry to hear that the cake didnt turn out well. yo have to keep few things in mind while baking.1 : Measurement 2 : check if your baking soda or powder is fresh (ACTIVE) 3 : the temperature of your oven. Do try making it again keeping these thing in mind .
Anu says
Someone asked if we can use multi grain flour. Yes I have used ashirwad multi grain today . Prerna you can make it in micro, the simple one we use for heating foods in 5+2 mins.
Anu says
Super recipe. sharmelee, you have to blend with a spoon . Don't need mixer. By the way I don't have oven as I relocated to Mumbai so tried it in the micro, in normal setting. Kept for 5 mins checked and agin for 2 mins. Super texture. I also added 2 pinch cinnamon powder and 1 tsp flaxseed powder
Richa says
Hi,
This looks great. Can I use butter or ghee instead of the oil? If yes, will the quantity of butter remain same as oil?
Thanks!
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Richa,
Thank you >>> Yes you can use butter or ghee. .. Same measurement as the oil. Melt it before measuring.
Do share your feedback with us after baking it :)
Freda@ ARomatic Essence says
Thanks a ton for sharing this healthy and fabulous recipe, we loved it :)
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks you so much for bake this cake for your 100th post <3
Congrats !!
Glad that you loved it :)
Prerna says
Hi !
Can we make this in a microwave ??
If yes , then what settings ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Prerna,preheat your oven at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F. if using a regular oven, heat both the top and bottom elements. For a microwave convection oven, just preheat the oven.
do share you feed back when you bake it :)
Deborah Davis says
This date walnut loaf looks so delicious. I can't wait to make this for my family. My hubby will love this tasty loaf with his morning tea. I'm pinning and sharing.
Soniya Saluja says
We love it too... Glad you liked it !!
Its so easy to make :) Do share you experience with us when you make it.
Thanks!!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Thanks Deborah,
Let us know if your hubby liked it :)
Sharmila says
Hi I want to surely try this..can I use multgrain atta which I use for roti???I don't have beater...can I use whisk??
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Sharmila, Glad you liked the cake and want to try it.. we have not tired it with multigrain aatta in our kitchen.. But I would say it should work.Do share you experience if you end you making it :)
Sweety says
Hi, what is the difference between baking soda and baking powder? I have only pure baking soda which I use to clean my silver jewellery. Can I use that? If yes, how much?
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Sweety, Glad you liked this cake recipe and want to try it . While baking we should always use whats mentioned to get a great result in the end. I would suggest to get baking powder and then make it
The difference between the 2 you can read in this link i am providing. Hope its helpful.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/the_difference_between_baking_soda_and_baking_powder/
Hutoxi says
My husband's B'day mid of next month. Will definately try. Thks.
Soniya Saluja says
How sweet of you :) Do share you feedback with us when you make it .
Anonymous says
Just baked it...yum yum ????n very healthy too....just a query thecake was very soft couldn't cut slices neatly.. Followed the recipe toT. It would be nice if u could tell why it was so soft?
kaajal says
Hi Sonia great recipie. Can we
1. add egg ,if so what qty
2. Can I bake in cooker
3. Instead of walnuts can I use cashew or almonds
Awaiting reply
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Kaajal, Glad you liked it and what to give it a try.1:Yes you can use Eggs, 3 eggs.2:We have not baked any cake in a pressure cooker so cannot answer that question :) 3: yes you can use almonds , cashews, pecans.
Skip baking powder and oil. Mix all wet ingredients eggs too, then mix in the dry ingredients .Hope this helps :)
Anonymous says
Just baked it...yum yum ????n very healthy too....just a query thecake was very soft couldn't cut slices neatly.. Followed the recipe toT. It would be nice if u could tell why it was so soft?
Soniya Saluja says
Its good that it was soft..you need to wait till it cools down completely before you slice. Around 1 hour :) then only you will get clean cut slices.
Ruchi says
Wonderful recipe! Healthy and super yum!
Shweta says
Can we use gluten free flour ? Thanks
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Shweta, Yes you can use gluten free flour. But we have not tried it in our kitchen.
Deepa says
HI Sonia. Just stumbled on ur blog and want to try some recipes. Can u please tell how much does 1 cup measure for you.
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Deepa, Hope you like our recipe after you try them.. 1 cup of flour - 125 grams .
hope this helps you
Shweta says
Hi, This is a very nice recipe. Does it turn out enough sweet without any sugar? I want to make one and don't want it too mild but not sweet either. Thanks! :)
Soniya Saluja says
H Shweta, Glad you liked it and want to try it.Yes its perfectly sweet,make sure that the dated are fresh and juicy.
D share your feedback when you make it.
Smitha says
I tried this yesterday and it was awesome! The whole family loved it. I had to bake it closer to 45 mins until the center came out clean on a toothpick.
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Smitha, Glad to hear from you that you tried our cake and loved it :) Each oven is different thats why the difference in time .
Keep trying our recipes . Happy Cooking !!
Tejaswi purohit says
Wat a amazing recepies of ur.......thnx a lot to share ur recep wid us......
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
You are welcome Tejaswi, glad you like the recipe.