Date Nut Bread with Raisins

By Lanai317

A dark and moist quick bread with and old-fashioned taste. Slices better when made a day ahead. Great for making sandwiches with cream cheese. Serve as a snack, cut into triangles for tea time, or add to fall picnic baskets.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped dates (fresh)
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. mace or nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (325 F if using a dark pan)

In a medium bowl, pour water over the dates, raisins and butter. Stir and let the mixture sit until lukewarm
Puree 1/3 of the mixture in a food processor or blender to make a paste,
then stir it back into the date mixture.
Add the brown sugar, molasses, eggs, vanilla and orange zest. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add mace.
Make a well in the center and pour in the date mixture. Mix until all the ingredients are combined.
Pour the batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes; loaf is done when the top has risen and a cake tester inserted in the center will have some dates clinging to it but no batter.
Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan to finish cooling.