Walnut & Date Bread

Ingredients:

1½C. Dates, pitted (coarsely chopped)
½ T. Baking soda
1C. Boiling water
½ C. Walnuts (roasted & chopped)
2C. All – purpose flour
½ C. Brown sugar (little crushed)
1½ T. Baking powder
½ T. Salt
½ T. Ground cinnamon
½ C. Butter, cold & unsalted (diced)
1 Egg, at room temperature
1T. Vanilla extract

Recipe:

Start with combining the chopped dates with the baking soda and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dates, stir, and leave aside to cool for around 30 minutes.

Now take another bowl and place the flour, sugar, baking powder, ¼T salt and ground cinnamon. Mix it well and then add the butter. Continue mixing until done properly.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the vanilla extract.

Add the beaten egg mixture and the cooled dates (along with the water) to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Place the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in a pre heated oven for about 55 to65 minutes at 180 degree C or until the bread is golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out just clean.

Place on a wire rack to cool and serve as u like.

Banana Walnut Cake

Ingredients

4 Bananas, ripe (peeled & chopped)
1.5 C. Whole wheat flour
½ C. Sugar
⅔ C. Vegetable oil
1T. Baking powder
1T. Vanilla extract
½ T. Baking soda
½ C. Walnuts (chopped)
A pinch of salt

Recipe:

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees C. if using a regular oven; heat both the top and bottom elements.

Add the bananas to a bowl and mash them well. Add sugar, oil and vanilla extract to the bananas and stir so that the oil mixes with the banana puree and the sugar dissolves.

Sieve whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt directly in the bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients very well.

Now add the chopped walnuts and mix again.

Pour the batter in a greased or lined loaf pan and gently tap and shake the pan. place the pan in the center rack if using a regular oven.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or till toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

When warm or cooled, slice and serve banana cake with tea or coffee.

Tip: if the top of the cake starts browning then cover the top with an aluminum foil.