I got this amazing recipe for date loaf from my Grandma and it is actually a 6th generation recipe! But I know what you’re thinking – Date Nut Loaf doesn’t sound or look particularly enticing. I agree. For me, it has always had an association with funerals- something you could expect to be served at a wake. And some may even consider it to be the ugly sister of Carrot Bread. You know, the loaf you’d grudgingly make if you were out of carrots, had to make a loaf and only had dates on hand. But trust me, it just has a bad rap that is completely unwarranted. You’ll want to take this loaf to the party!
I finally tried making this loaf because my grandma was always telling me how great it was and I kept thinking, ” but it’s date loaf, how could it be?” It has since changed every notion I ever had about date loaf. Although, I have to admit that I’ve tweaked the recipe ever so slightly because, well, I just can’t help myself.
So simple, but beyond delicious…testimony to the fact that it has lived on for 6 generations! And you don’t even have to love dates to love this light and fluffy loaf.
Date Nut Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped and pitted dates
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans (you can subsitute walnuts)
- 3 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
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Combine dates, butter and boiling water. Cool.
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Sift flour and baking soda together
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Add sugar, egg and nuts to the date mixture
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Add vanilla, then flour mixture.
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Add lemon juice last and stir until combined
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Pour into a prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 50- 60 minutes in preheated oven (or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean and loaf is lightly browned on the outside) . Cool on a cooling rack.
I LOVE the title of this post Terri. As creative as the recipe. 🙂
Thanks Sue- haha.. I guess that’s just how I have thought of it all these yrs!
Date load is very nostalgic for me, it conjures up the memory of all the delicious comfort food that my grandmother baked. MMmmmmm I think I’ll pick up some dates the next time at Co-op !
Glad that it brings up such good memories for you, Nowel! Enjoy…