It’s been a little while since I made an afternoon loaf cake – and this date, walnut and coffee loaf with espresso buttercream has been a welcome return.
The recipe starts similarly to sticky toffee pudding; soaking the chopped dates in hot liquid with a spoonful of bicarb. In this case, strong black coffee rather than water.
After this initial stage, the recipe reverts to the familiar cake-making method. You cream the butter with sugars, sift together the dry ingredients and finally fold in the fruit and nuts.
The original recipe that I borrowed said that it would make one loaf – the quantity of mixture produced actually allowed me to make one large (using a 1kg/2lb loaf tin) and one smaller loaf. I’ll be giving the little one to Granny Glittens.
Usually, my loaf cakes go well with a cup of tea. However this one, obviously, suits a mug of coffee better!
Super-moist and sweet – a delicious mid-afternon treat!
Save this date, walnut and coffee loaf with espresso buttercream recipe to Pinterest
- 300g/10½oz chopped dates
- 360ml/12½ fl oz hot, strong, black coffee or espresso
- 1½tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 210g/7½oz plain flour
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛tsp grated nutmeg
- ¼tsp fine salt
- 60g/2oz butter
- 150g/5¼oz soft brown sugar
- 100g/3½oz granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2tsp vanilla paste
- 100g/3½oz walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 1tsp very fine ground or ½tsp instant espresso powder
- 225g/8oz icing sugar
- 45g/1½oz melted butter
- 1tsp vanilla paste
- 50g/1¾oz walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 175ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4
- In a large bowl, combine the dates, hot coffee or espresso, and bicarbonate of soda. Set aside
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
- Using a mixer cream the butter and sugars
- Beat in the egg and vanilla
- Strain the date mixture and set the dates aside
- Add the date-soaking liquid, alternating with the flour mixture (about 3 rounds) to the ingredients in the bowl; ending with the liquid
- Fold in the dates and toasted walnuts
- Grease loaf tin(s) with a little butter or baking spray. Insert a tin liner or cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and sides
- Pour the batter into the greased and lined loaf tin(s)
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes away clean
- Cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tin; remove the parchment and put on a wire rack to cool completely
- Combine the hot water with the espresso powder and stir until blended
- In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, melted butter, vanilla and espresso
- Spoon & spread the buttercream evenly over the top and scatter the chopped walnuts
- Slice & serve