Rich and Retro Date Nut Bread

Описание: Did you ever have Date Nut Bread that was sold in a can? My mom would buy it, open the can and slice the bread, then slather on soft cream cheese. Such a treat! Well, this is that bread only baked in a loaf rather than a can. Dense, rich and delicious. Full of sweet dates and crunchy walnuts. Bring back some memories and make a loaf! #dates #quickbread #walnuts #retro #creamcheese

DATE NUT BREAD
2 cups pitted and chopped dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
Soft cream cheese for serving

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside.
Put the chopped dates in a bowl. Add the baking soda to ¾ cups boiling water. Pour the water/baking soda mixture over the dates and set aside.
Mix the butter and both the brown and the white sugar with a mixer on medium high speed until they are creamed together. Add the egg and vanilla.
Mix the flour into the batter until well combined. Then add the dates and nuts as well as the liquid that the dates were softening in. Make sure the ingredients are all well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. (the batter will be quite stiff) and smooth it out. Bake the bread for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. (If the top appears to get to dark before the inside of the loaf is done, cover with a piece of foil).
Cool the bread on a wire rack for a few minutes. Remove it from the pan and let the loaf cook completely on the wire rack before slicing it.
Spread with soft cream cheese and enjoy!