Eggless Date Cake

Ingredients

• 0.75 cups milk
• 18 dates , pitted and left whole
• 0.5 cups brown sugar
• 0.5 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , Optional
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , Optional
• 0.25 cups chopped walnuts , Optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat milk in a saucepan until almost boiling and stir in dates; let soak for several hours, refrigerated. For best flavor, refrigerate dates and milk overnight.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a medium loaf pan.

3. 3

   Transfer milk and dates to food processor, add brown sugar, and process into a smooth paste. Mix in vegetable oil and vanilla extract with a few pulses.

4. 4

   Whisk flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Pulse flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, into the date paste until batter is smooth; do not overmix. Stir walnuts into batter with a fork and transfer to the prepared loaf pan.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.