Cake, Date Nut

By Maudie30

Brings back memories from my childhood. Perfect balance of sweetness, moist an very tasty.

Good old fashioned recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 C milk
• 1/2 C chopped dates
• 1/3 C shortening
• 1/3 C brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 C white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, not imitation
• 2 Lg eggs, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 C all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 C chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Warm the milk and chopped dates in a saucepan, stir and break apart the dates in the milk, heat until just warm. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, then stir and separate any dates still clumped together. (dates should not be visible in the cake.

Cream shortening until smooth. Add sugars and continue to cream for 2 minutes.
Add vanilla and one egg, mix until combined scraping bowl as needed.
Add the next eg, mix until completely combined.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mix on low just until combined (15 seconds), scrape the bowl.
Add 1/2 of the milk/date mixture, mix on low just until combined (15 seconds)
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mix on low just until combined (15 seconds)
Add the last of the milk/date mixture, mix on low just until combined (15 seconds)
Add the last of the flour mixture, mix on low just until combined (15 seconds)
By hand, mix in the walnuts, mix just until combined

Pour into prepared pans, smooth out the layers. Place in the center of the oven, bake 45-50 minutes depending on the size of your pans. (see below).

When done, let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out on rack to finish cooling.

This is great with cream cheese frosting!

Cooking times will vary, depending on the size of pans and your oven.
For 2 loaf pans bake 35 - 40 minutes
1 8" (round or square) pan bake 45 - 50 minutes
6" layers bake 20 - 30 minutes