When I rerurn from holidays it takes a few days to get back into the usual swing of things. Un-packing, laundry, house chores and the food shopping! Once all the mundane stuff is out-of-the-way, the home cooking aromas wafting through the house make me feel… truly back home. Craving a bit of old-fashioned baking, I turn to my nut roll baking tins. Cakes baked in these cylindrical tins are lovely and moist, cut well and are delicious when spread with butter… if you don’t mind the extra calories.
I first came across nut roll cakes in an old Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbook some years back and was sold on the novel shape of the cake tin (the cakes looked good too), cylindrical with removable lids at both ends. But finding one of these baking tins… that took time. Eventually a kind student studying in Australia managed to find me one, so thank you Razan 🙂 Over the years I’ve had a few disasters with these baking tins, batter leaking from the bottom, cakes breaking when turning out, not every cake recipe works with these tins.
Looking out for another tin found a pink cylindrical biscuit tin which was exactly the size that I needed and it has worked a treat as my second baking tin. Most nut roll recipes require two nut roll tins. Have since seen them on eBay or you could use cylindrical biscuit tins instead. I always line the inside of the nut roll tin/biscuit tin with non stick baking parchment as it’s easier to remove the cake. As the biscuit tin has no removable lid at the base, line the base with a disc of non stick baking parchment cut to size. Date and walnut cake spiced with fresh and powdred ginger… delicious!
Date and Walnut Cake in a Nut Roll Tin
Recipe adapted from the Australians Women’s Weekly “Cooking for Friends”.
Ingredients:
- 225g soft brown sugar
- 175g of seeded dried dates, coarsely chopped
- 50g butter
- 2 tablespoons of golden syrup
- 6fl oz water
- 300g self-raising powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon finely grated fresh finger
- 1 egg
- 25g walnuts, roughly chopped
How to make: Preheat the oven to 360°F/180ºC/160ºC Fan/Gas 4. Grease the insides and lids of two 8cm x 17cm nut roll tins. Line the insides of the tin with some non stick baking parchment. If using a biscuit tin line the base with a disc of non stick baking parchment. Place the bottom lid on each nut roll tin.
Add the brown sugar, dates, butter, golden syrup and water into a medium saucepan. Over low heat stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into the cooled mixture; add the fresh ginger, egg and walnuts and stir everything together until combined.
With the help of two spoons, spoon the mixture evenly into both tins. Place the top lids on both tins. Stand tins on an oven tray and bake upright in the oven and for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove tins from the oven and leave the loaves to cool (without removing the lids) for about 15 minutes to firm up before trying to remove the cakes. Cool the cakes on a wire cooling rack.
Tip: When the baking time is almost finished and you need to check if the cake is done, remove the cake tin from the oven and remove the top lid. Test the cake with a skewer, if further baking is required, place the lid back on and bake for a further few minutes.
Food and Tools 
This cake looks very enticing and love the shape. Did you use your own home grown dates for this? Might even give this a go sometime soon. Sue P x
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I love the shape of the cake too and it really does taste so delicious. Yes I did use our own dried dates… in about a month or so I will have lots more dried dates to collect from the tree. Sue I do hope you try this recipe sometime. 🙂 🙂
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Love the shape of this – there’s something about round things that’s so satisfying.
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I agree Sally, satisfying and complete, almost like having the whole cake to yourself… well almost. 🙂
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looks lovely will be looking out for the cake tin to try this out.
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A very homely cake, worth giving it a try and hope you find a suitable cake tin. 🙂 🙂
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I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. I live in Australia and have two of these tins, called Willow Nut Loaf Tins, which belonged to my grand mother.
I have also tried various recipes with mixed results. Too little mixture to fill the tin or too much and it over flows. I’ve had the side clips come undone and the bottom lid come off, but I still love the look of a cylindrical cake.
I found your blog looking for tips on wrapping fruit cakes on the outside.
I’ll definitely be back!
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I too have the willow nut loaf tins, handed down. I’ve also used a Golden Circle juice tin of similar shape and tied baking paper and foil over the open end, works fine.
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I have make cakes in biscuits tins of similar shape too 🙂
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Hi, I also live in Australia and my recipe for nut loaf says to lay the tins down, not stand like this recipe says and I never have any problems with the mixture running out etc.
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Thank you for stopping by and yes I did have some difficult with a few cake mixtures… the cylindrical is really appealing. 🙂
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Date and walnut loaf is very Australian. My mum used to make it. I have her two tins and make it when I feel nostalgic
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Glenda how lovely to have your Mum’s nut roll tins. I have always been a fan of the Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks and this is where I first discovered the nut roll tin. Only have one nut roll tin so have to use a biscuit tin, works fine with this recipe. 🙂
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Hi Moya, I came back to check out your recipe again. My sister has come good with my mum’s recipe and I wanted to see if it was this one. Nope…
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Great that you got your recipe sorted… Mum’s the word 🙂
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Grated fresh finger sounds tasty!
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Used your recipe today (April 16, 2017) they turned out beautiful and very nice indead. The ginger is a wonderful touch! Great treat with icecream too 🙂
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Hi David, thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know. I bet it is delicious with ice cream. You can’t beat the good old-fashioned recipes. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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Do you think this cake will be OK in a loaf pan?
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Yes for sure a loaf tin would also work 🙂
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This sounds delicious. I’m looking forward to making it however I’m may omit the addition of the finely grated fresh finger😂😂
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I hope you enjoy the recpes Liz 🙂
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