diff --git a/src/onegov/core/layout.py b/src/onegov/core/layout.py
index 6c367adb42..040a069e5a 100644
--- a/src/onegov/core/layout.py
+++ b/src/onegov/core/layout.py
@@ -1,21 +1,18 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 
-import arrow
-import babel.dates
-import babel.numbers
 import isodate
 import numbers
 import sedate
 
 from datetime import datetime
 from functools import cached_property
-from functools import lru_cache
 from onegov.core import utils
 from onegov.core.templates import PageTemplate
 from pytz import timezone
 
 from typing import overload, Any, TypeVar, TYPE_CHECKING
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from chameleon import PageTemplateFile
     from collections.abc import Callable, Collection, Iterable, Iterator
@@ -154,40 +151,8 @@ def csrf_protected_url(self, url: str) -> str:
         return self.request.csrf_protected_url(url)
 
     def format_date(self, dt: datetime | date | None, format: str) -> str:
-        """ Takes a datetime and formats it according to local timezone and
-        the given format.
-
-        """
-        if dt is None:
-            return ''
-
-        if getattr(dt, 'tzinfo', None) is not None:
-            dt = self.timezone.normalize(
-                dt.astimezone(self.timezone)  # type:ignore[attr-defined]
-            )
-
-        locale = self.request.locale
-        assert locale is not None, 'Cannot format date without a locale'
-        if format == 'relative':
-            adt = arrow.get(dt)
-
-            try:
-                return adt.humanize(locale=locale)
-            except ValueError:
-                return adt.humanize(locale=locale.split('_')[0])
-
-        fmt = getattr(self, format + '_format')
-        if fmt.startswith('skeleton:'):
-            return babel.dates.format_skeleton(
-                fmt.replace('skeleton:', ''),
-                datetime=dt,
-                fuzzy=False,
-                locale=locale
-            )
-        elif hasattr(dt, 'hour'):
-            return babel.dates.format_datetime(dt, format=fmt, locale=locale)
-        else:
-            return babel.dates.format_date(dt, format=fmt, locale=locale)
+        fmt = getattr(self, f'{format}_format', format)
+        return self.request.format_date(dt, fmt)
 
     def isodate(self, date: datetime) -> str:
         """ Returns the given date in the ISO 8601 format. """
@@ -197,43 +162,13 @@ def parse_isodate(self, string: str) -> datetime:
         """ Returns the given ISO 8601 string as datetime. """
         return isodate.parse_datetime(string)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    @lru_cache(maxsize=8)
-    def number_symbols(locale: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
-        """ Returns the locale specific number symbols. """
-
-        return (
-            babel.numbers.get_decimal_symbol(locale),
-            babel.numbers.get_group_symbol(locale)
-        )
-
     def format_number(
         self,
         number: numbers.Number | Decimal | float | str | None,
         decimal_places: int | None = None,
         padding: str = ''
     ) -> str:
-        """ Takes the given numer and formats it according to locale.
-
-        If the number is an integer, the default decimal places are 0,
-        otherwise 2.
-
-        """
-        if isinstance(number, str):
-            return number
-
-        if number is None:
-            return ''
-
-        if decimal_places is None:
-            if isinstance(number, numbers.Integral):
-                decimal_places = 0
-            else:
-                decimal_places = 2
-
-        decimal, group = self.number_symbols(self.request.locale)
-        result = '{{:{},.{}f}}'.format(padding, decimal_places).format(number)
-        return result.translate({ord(','): group, ord('.'): decimal})
+        return self.request.format_number(number, decimal_places, padding)
 
     @property
     def view_name(self) -> str | None:
diff --git a/src/onegov/core/request.py b/src/onegov/core/request.py
index 4f4eaa79fd..083882a6f3 100644
--- a/src/onegov/core/request.py
+++ b/src/onegov/core/request.py
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import arrow
+import babel.dates
+import babel.numbers
 import morepath
+import numbers
+
+import pytz
 import ua_parser
 
-from datetime import timedelta
-from functools import cached_property
+from datetime import timedelta, datetime, date
+from functools import cached_property, lru_cache
 from onegov.core.cache import instance_lru_cache
 from onegov.core.custom import msgpack
 from onegov.core.utils import append_query_param
@@ -29,6 +35,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from _typeshed import SupportsItems
     from collections.abc import Callable, Iterable, Iterator, Sequence
+    from decimal import Decimal
     from dectate import Sentinel
     from gettext import GNUTranslations
     from markupsafe import Markup
@@ -874,3 +881,79 @@ def template_loader(self) -> TemplateLoader:
         """ Returns the chameleon template loader. """
         registry = self.app.config.template_engine_registry
         return registry._template_loaders['.pt']
+
+    def format_date(
+        self,
+        dt: datetime | date | None,
+        fmt: str,
+        timezone: pytz.BaseTzInfo | None = None
+    ) -> str:
+        """ Takes a datetime and formats it according to local timezone and
+        the given format.
+        """
+        if dt is None:
+            return ''
+
+        if getattr(dt, 'tzinfo', None) is not None:
+            timezone = timezone or pytz.timezone('Europe/Zurich')
+            dt = timezone.normalize(
+                dt.astimezone(timezone)  # type:ignore[attr-defined]
+            )
+
+        locale = self.locale
+        assert locale is not None, 'Cannot format date without a locale'
+        if fmt == 'relative':
+            adt = arrow.get(dt)
+
+            try:
+                return adt.humanize(locale=locale)
+            except ValueError:
+                return adt.humanize(locale=locale.split('_')[0])
+
+        if fmt.startswith('skeleton:'):
+            return babel.dates.format_skeleton(
+                fmt.replace('skeleton:', ''),
+                datetime=dt,
+                fuzzy=False,
+                locale=locale
+            )
+        elif hasattr(dt, 'hour'):
+            return babel.dates.format_datetime(dt, format=fmt, locale=locale)
+        else:
+            return babel.dates.format_date(dt, format=fmt, locale=locale)
+
+    def format_number(
+        self,
+        number: numbers.Number | Decimal | float | str | None,
+        decimal_places: int | None = None,
+        padding: str = ''
+    ) -> str:
+        """ Takes the given numer and formats it according to locale.
+        If the number is an integer, the default decimal places are 0,
+        otherwise 2.
+        """
+        if isinstance(number, str):
+            return number
+
+        if number is None:
+            return ''
+
+        if decimal_places is None:
+            if isinstance(number, numbers.Integral):
+                decimal_places = 0
+            else:
+                decimal_places = 2
+
+        decimal, group = self.number_symbols(self.locale)
+        result = '{{:{},.{}f}}'.format(padding, decimal_places).format(number)
+        return result.translate({ord(','): group, ord('.'): decimal})
+
+    @staticmethod
+    @lru_cache(maxsize=8)
+    def number_symbols(locale: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
+        """ Returns the locale specific number symbols. """
+
+        return (
+            babel.numbers.get_decimal_symbol(locale),
+            babel.numbers.get_group_symbol(locale)
+        )
diff --git a/src/onegov/org/forms/newsletter.py b/src/onegov/org/forms/newsletter.py
index 6ab2d5d657..569e90fa8e 100644
--- a/src/onegov/org/forms/newsletter.py
+++ b/src/onegov/org/forms/newsletter.py
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 from onegov.core.csv import convert_excel_to_csv, CSVFile
 from onegov.form.fields import UploadField
 from onegov.org.forms.fields import HtmlField
+from onegov.org.utils import extract_categories_and_subcategories
 from onegov.form.validators import FileSizeLimit
 from onegov.form.validators import WhitelistedMimeType
 from wtforms.fields import BooleanField
-from onegov.core.layout import Layout
 from onegov.file.utils import name_without_extension
 from onegov.form import Form
 from onegov.form.fields import ChosenSelectField
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 
 from typing import Any, TYPE_CHECKING
 
-from onegov.org.utils import extract_categories_and_subcategories
-
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterable, Callable
     from onegov.core.csv import DefaultRow
@@ -85,10 +83,6 @@ def with_news(
         news: Iterable[News]
     ) -> type[Self]:
 
-        # FIXME: using a layout just for format_date seems bad, we should
-        #        probably extract these functions into util modules
-        layout = Layout(None, request)
-
         choices = tuple(
             (
                 str(item.id),
@@ -97,7 +91,7 @@ def with_news(
                     '<div class="date">{}</div>'
                 ).format(
                     item.title,
-                    layout.format_date(item.created, 'relative')
+                    request.format_date(item.created, 'relative'),
                 )
             )
             for item in news
@@ -149,9 +143,6 @@ def with_occurrences(
         occurrences: Iterable[Occurrence]
     ) -> type[Self]:
 
-        # FIXME: another use of layout for format_date
-        layout = Layout(None, request)
-
         choices = tuple(
             (
                 str(item.id),
@@ -160,7 +151,8 @@ def with_occurrences(
                     '<div class="date">{}</div>'
                 ).format(
                     item.title,
-                    layout.format_date(item.localized_start, 'datetime')
+                    request.format_date(
+                        item.localized_start, 'dd.MM.yyyy HH:mm')
                 )
             )
             for item in occurrences
@@ -201,9 +193,6 @@ def with_publications(
         publications: Iterable[File]
     ) -> type[Self]:
 
-        # FIXME: another use of layout for format_date
-        layout = Layout(None, request)
-
         choices = tuple(
             (
                 str(item.id),
@@ -212,7 +201,7 @@ def with_publications(
                     '<div class="date">{}</div>'
                 ).format(
                     name_without_extension(item.name),
-                    layout.format_date(item.created, 'date')
+                    request.format_date(item.created, 'dd.MM.yyyy')
                 )
             )
             for item in publications
diff --git a/src/onegov/swissvotes/layouts/default.py b/src/onegov/swissvotes/layouts/default.py
index 8dcb87ba8f..f0934bd628 100644
--- a/src/onegov/swissvotes/layouts/default.py
+++ b/src/onegov/swissvotes/layouts/default.py
@@ -211,6 +211,6 @@ def format_number(
         # Fixes using "," for french locale instead of "." as for german
         if locale == 'fr_CH':
             locale = 'de_CH'
-        decimal, group = self.number_symbols(locale)
+        decimal, group = self.request.number_symbols(locale)
         result = '{{:{},.{}f}}'.format(padding, decimal_places).format(number)
         return result.translate({ord(','): group, ord('.'): decimal})
diff --git a/tests/onegov/core/conftest.py b/tests/onegov/core/conftest.py
index 880b924cc4..69b4c224e5 100644
--- a/tests/onegov/core/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/onegov/core/conftest.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import transaction
 import yaml
 
+from tests.onegov.org.conftest import create_org_app
 from tests.shared import Client
 from tests.shared.utils import create_app
 from onegov.core.cli import command_group
@@ -174,3 +175,18 @@ def maildir_smtp_app(temporary_directory, maildir, smtp):
     app.smtp = smtp
 
     return app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
+def org_app(request):
+    yield create_org_app(request, use_elasticsearch=False)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
+def core_request(org_app):
+    yield org_app.request_class(environ={
+        'PATH_INFO': '/',
+        'SERVER_NAME': '',
+        'SERVER_PORT': '',
+        'SERVER_PROTOCOL': 'https'
+    }, app=org_app)
diff --git a/tests/onegov/core/test_layout.py b/tests/onegov/core/test_layout.py
index ef4aa2f5ba..6dc340ba37 100644
--- a/tests/onegov/core/test_layout.py
+++ b/tests/onegov/core/test_layout.py
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ def test_batched():
     ]
 
 
-def test_format_date():
+def test_format_date(core_request):
     layout = Layout(
         model=object(),
-        request=Bunch(app=Bunch(version='1.0', sentry_dsn=None))
+        request=core_request
     )
 
     dt = replace_timezone(datetime(2015, 6, 17, 15, 0), 'Europe/Zurich')
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ def test_format_date():
     assert layout.format_date(dt, 'day_long') == '17. Juni'
 
 
-def test_format_number():
+def test_format_number(core_request):
     layout = Layout(
         model=object(),
-        request=Bunch(app=Bunch(version='1.0', sentry_dsn=None))
+        request=core_request
     )
 
     layout.request.locale = 'de_CH'
@@ -78,10 +78,16 @@ def test_format_number():
     assert layout.format_number(None) == ""
 
 
-def test_relative_date():
+def test_relative_date(core_request):
     layout = Layout(
         model=object(),
-        request=Bunch(locale='en', app=Bunch(version='1.0', sentry_dsn=None))
+        request=core_request
     )
+
+    # default locale is de_CH
+    text = layout.format_date(utcnow() - timedelta(seconds=60 * 5), 'relative')
+    assert text == 'vor 5 Minuten'
+
+    core_request.locale = 'en_US'
     text = layout.format_date(utcnow() - timedelta(seconds=60 * 5), 'relative')
     assert text == '5 minutes ago'