There were four things my mother always made around Christmas...Date Pinwheel Cookies, Divinity, Fruitcake Cookies, and her Date Loaf Cake.
I planned to make these this year, but so far I have only made the Date Loaf Cake.
I don't know where she got the recipe. A couple of years before we moved to KC, I decided I was going to make the Date Loaf Cake, but I couldn't find my recipe. I looked in some of my cookbooks, but couldn't find it. I contacted my "Auntie" thinking that she would have it. She looked in her cookbooks and sent me a couple of different recipes. BUT none of them were Mother's recipe. I eventually found my recipe card and made it.
I like to think of it as my "work-out cake", because by the time I am finished mixing it up, my arms are tired. I'm not in great shape and all I have to do is take one bite, and I don't regret the work at all. I hope I haven't scared you off from trying the recipe. You won't be sorry. The recipe makes one large loaf. I have never made it in mini-loaf pans.
DATE LOAF CAKE
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb. dates, chopped
2 cups nuts (chopped)
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease large loaf pan. (9 x 4-inch)
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.
Chop dates. (I cut date down the center lengthwise and then in about 1/4 wide pieces. The finer the better, I think)
Flour dates in a small bowl with about 1/4 cup of the flour to prevent them from sticking together. (You don't want the dates to all clunk together when the cake bakes.)
Add more flour if necessary as you add more chopped dates.
Chop the nuts and add them to enough of the flour to prevent them from sticking.
Add sugar to the egg yokes in a large bowl and combine.
Add the vanilla and the rest of the flour. Stir. Then add the nuts.
I don't know where she got the recipe. A couple of years before we moved to KC, I decided I was going to make the Date Loaf Cake, but I couldn't find my recipe. I looked in some of my cookbooks, but couldn't find it. I contacted my "Auntie" thinking that she would have it. She looked in her cookbooks and sent me a couple of different recipes. BUT none of them were Mother's recipe. I eventually found my recipe card and made it.
I like to think of it as my "work-out cake", because by the time I am finished mixing it up, my arms are tired. I'm not in great shape and all I have to do is take one bite, and I don't regret the work at all. I hope I haven't scared you off from trying the recipe. You won't be sorry. The recipe makes one large loaf. I have never made it in mini-loaf pans.
DATE LOAF CAKE
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb. dates, chopped
2 cups nuts (chopped)
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease large loaf pan. (9 x 4-inch)
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.
Chop dates. (I cut date down the center lengthwise and then in about 1/4 wide pieces. The finer the better, I think)
Chop the nuts and add them to enough of the flour to prevent them from sticking.
Add the dates a little at a time. You want to spread the egg mixture evenly with the dates.
With the egg white in a mixing bowl, whip until the egg whites are stiff.
Dump beaten egg whites into mixture.
and start folding egg whites into mixture.
Keep working...
until egg whites and mixture are completely combined. Then spoon and spread evenly in the loaf pan.
Bake for about one hour. Cool on wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes.
Slice when cooled.
Keep the loaf wrapped in foil. It will be even more moist the next day.
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