Eggless Date Cake

1 . Stage

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 . Stage

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

3 . Stage

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 . Stage

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 . Stage

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