If you love a cup of hot tea or coffee and a little sweet treat for a mid-morning or afternoon snack, bake up this spiced date loaf! It combines the warmth of cinnamon (or pumpkin spice mix, if you prefer), with the rich, fudgy texture of dried dates for a unique and delicious quick bread. You can even serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert!
Spiced Date Loaf
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 6 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 53 min | 58 min |
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice or 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Place dates in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with water and microwave until hot, about 3 minutes. Set aside to allow dates to soften and cool.
- In a large bowl, beat together softened butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with a spoon until combined and fluffy. Mix in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Drain dates, and fold into batter until just combined.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely at room-temperature. Serve with a scoop of ice cream (if using).
- Photo and recipe: Dish Works
