What makes this Date Nut Bread healthier, is that there is no added sugar. The sweetness comes from dates! This quick bread tastes especially good with a thin schmear of Neufchatel Cheese (lower-fat than regular cream cheese). It’s a nice treat with a cup of coffee or tea.
I admit that I do miss baking my layer cakes and pies. With my small family scattered around Oregon, we are about as empty-nester as one can get! I’m slowly weaning myself off my sugar addiction, and this Date Nut Bread was the antidote to my cravings.
I love dates! They are naturally sweet and make perfect appetizers– like my “Devils on Horseback“.
I spotted this Date Nut Bread on Eating Well. I was intrigued at replacing white sugar with dates for sweetness. The first step was to chop the dates and then soak them in boiling water.
For the dry ingredients, both whole wheat and all-purpose flour arenused. For leaveners, baking soda and baking powder is added. A little bit of salt. I decided to add cinnamon and nutmeg to the dry ingredients. (Ginger is also a possibility.)
I scratched my head, as the original recipe didn’t say whether to use the date liquid. How would I incorporate it into the batter?
I set up my food processor to combine the dates AND the water. That seemed right! To that, I added an egg and vanilla. You’ll want to use a loaf pan. Any chance I have to use a Nordic Ware pan (from my collection, I’ll jump at. I prepared the pan with non-stick baking spray.
Pour the date mixture into the dry ingredients and add some toasted sliced almonds. (Pecans or walnuts would also be a good substitute.) Fold everything together. The batter will be a bit thick. Using an off-set spatula, I was able to evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. NOTE: The original recipe said to bake between 50-55 minutes. My bread was baked at 45 minutes.
Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap and store overnight before slicing.
I decided to forgo the suggestion of brushing corn syrup and adding coarse sugar. Instead, I used a light dusting of powdered sugar.
I cut the bread into 16 slices. Cream cheese? Yes, this bread deserved a bit of cream cheese. I opted for Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese (with 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese Bricks).
TASTING NOTES: Well, I’ll be! The bread really had a slight sweetness to it. I almost detected a “molasses” flavor. Combining 100% whole wheat flour with AP Flour was a perfect balance. The bread didn’t feel “grainy”. The cream cheese definitely amped up the flavor of the bread. Best of all, as a diabetic, this recipe didn’t disappoint. I got my baking “fix”, and I didn’t miss regular sugar one bit. I plan to freeze slices, individually, so that when that sweet tooth of mine starts tempting me– I’ll know what to reach for.
Healthy Date Nut Bread
Equipment
- 1 8×4-inch loaf pan
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package pitted whole dates chopped
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sliced almonds toasted and coarsely chopped (or walnuts or pecans)
Optional:
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place dates in a medium bowl. Pour the boiling water over the dates. Let stand for about 20 minutes or until the dates are softened and the mixture has cooled slightly.
- Beat the egg and vanilla in a small bowl with a fork; add into the cooled date mixture. Process in with the dates and water until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 8×4-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Dry ingredients:
- Stir together both flours, the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the date mixture and almonds to the flour mixture; stir until well mixed (the mixture will be thick).
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the pan. Cool completely on the wire rack.
- Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap and store overnight before slicing. If desired, brush the loaf with corn syrup and sprinkle with coarse sugar before slicing. (I skipped this step.)
Notes
Nutrition
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