Mini Date Loaves

I’ve been to my fair share of fetes, bake sales and markets and one of the first things I go for, besides fudge of course, is a date loaf. I don’t normally have dates in my pantry. Occasionally I’ll buy them but they’ll stay in there forever, unused. The trouble also with buying a whole ‘normal’ sized date loaf is that I’m usually the only one that eats it and even though I can cut it into slices and freeze it, it won’t get eaten for such a long time and I’ll forget about it. And also, how much date loaf can a girl really eat on her own? I wanted to contribute to my children’s school fete and decided to make smaller, individual date loaves using my mini loaf pan.

Dates do last a long time in the pantry. They are so sweet and add a nearly caramel-like consistency and taste to baked goods. Some people like them, some people don’t. I do but in saying that I only like them used in sweet baked goods. I don’t like using dried fruit in savoury dishes.

This recipe is very, very easy and it’s probably the one I’d use if I were to make individual Sticky Date Puddings. I’d probably use a Texas muffin sized pan.

Don’t even get me started on the batter. It smells absolutely gorgeous and I have to try hard to resist not eating it all before being baked. This is such an easy recipe and makes a lovely light cake. This recipe deserves a place at any good bake sale as well as in lunch boxes or served for morning or afternoon tea.

 
Don’t forget the butter!

Print

Mini Date Loaves

A smaller version of the Date Loaf, beautifully moist and a lovely light cake. Can be made as a whole loaf or in muffin pans for Sticky Date Pudding.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

Author Anne

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar lightly packed
• 60 g butter
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp vanilla essence

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 170 deg C (375 deg F).
2. Mix chopped dates and sugar in a bowl and then add butter.
3. Pour in boiling water, stirring until butter has melted completely.
4. Add flour and then bicarbonate of soda, mixing well.
5. Add vanilla.
6. Bake in a greased (or lined) mini loaf pan approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Recipe Notes

Suitable to freeze.
Can be made as a whole loaf.
Can be made in a Texas muffin pan and served with Caramel Sauce for a Sticky Date Pudding.

The Best (and Easiest) Homemade Sweets/Candy for Gift Giving

I finally got around to creating my first ever ebook, “The Best (and Easiest) Homemade Sweets Recipes for Gift Giving”. After making copies amounts of coconut ice, chocolate fudge and other things for my children’s school fete a couple weeks ago, it got me thinking just how easy these recipes are. They don’t need any special ingredients. You don’t need to stir and stir and stir over the stove top. In fact, one fudge recipe is made easily in the microwave within a couple minutes! And you don’t need a thermometer to check the temperature like you do in some recipes.

Within the book, you’ll get recipes to some of the most popular homemade sweets plus so many variations for each one. You’ll also get a handy Pantry List and as you can see, nearly everyone who does a little homemade baking will already have these.

Gift Wrapping

Each recipe makes heaps and you’ll only need to wrap it in a pretty vintage tin, a cellophane bag with pretty ribbon or make your own bags like some of these in Happy Money Saver’s round up above using things you’ve already got at home. Homemade sweets make a lovely gift and you could print off a copy of the recipe book to give your friends along with a sample of some of the sweets you’ve made.

The ebook is available for purchase for only AUD$9.99 here. I hope you like it!