I'm not a big fan of date bread either...but was given a tray of special dates last Christmas and made this one.
The orange really adds a lot and it doesn't call for a lot of nuts.
Linda C

Ingredients:
1 medium orange ( wash skin )
1 cup soft pitted packaged dates
2 tablespoons margarine melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, fork beaten
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Grate the rind from the orange . Squeeze juice into a measure cup adding boiling water to measure 1 cup. Chop dates in a food processor into small bite size pieces. Combine dates, rind and liquid. Stir in melted margarine, vanilla, egg and blend well. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda and beat well into date mixture. Stir in nuts.

Bake in a greased and floured and wax paper lined pan ( 9 x 5 loaf ) and bake 350F 45 minutes or tested done with wooden toothpick. Remove from pan and cool well. Wrap and let sit overnight. Slice the next day.

Not a date bread but even for a date non-lover like me, it's good.
This is really moist & keeps very well. Good with ice cream or whipped cream.

THANKSGIVING RUM-DATE CAKE
3/4 cup buter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 lb dates, pitted & chopped
1 lb pecans, choped
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs, beaten
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rum

In a large bowl, cream teh butter & brown sugar until well blended. Fold in the dates & pecans.
In a small bowl, combine the water & baking soda & pour over the sugar mixture, stirring to blend. Add the eggs, flour & salt & beat until smooth. Add the rum & blend well. Pour into a well-greased 10" Bundt pan & bake in a preheated 300° oven for 1 1/2 hours. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.~~Taste of New England

This is easily halved & the loaves freeze well:
DATE NUT BREAD (4 loaves)
1 1/2 lbs dates, chopped fine
3 cups boiling water
2 TBL salad oil
2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 lb brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBL vanilla
5 cups sifted flour (sift then measure)

Preheat oven to 325°. Cover the dates w/the boiling water & let stand until cool. To this date & water mixture add all remaining ingredients & mix thoroughly. Pour inot non-stick loaf pans or spray regular pans with Pam. When pouring bread mixture into pans, fill only 1/2 to 3/4 full to prevent the bread from going over the sides. Bake 1 hour. Bread will be lightly brown & cracked looking on top.~~Mount Vernon Cookbook

Thank you Ginger and Linda.
Barb

You're most welcome!

Oh....and your welcome from me too....

I was looking for another recipe on the WIlliams-Sonoma web site and found this recipe; since their's are pretty reliable I thought you might be interested.

Pumpkin Bread with Dates

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup nut oil, such as walnut or almond or
 sunflower seed oil
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth, about 1 minute.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. The batter will be thick. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the dates just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the top is browned and crusty and develops a long center crack, 60 to 70 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the loaf onto the rack and let cool completely. Serve at room temperature, cut into thick slices. Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Muffins, by Beth Hensperger (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Thank you Westelle,
That sounds very good also.
Barb

I thought I had posted this earlier..?? Oh well..here it is again...

This recipe is from my GrandmotherÂs Recipe box. I have made this bread for over 30 years now.

Date Nut Bread

Sprinkle 1 tsp baking soda over 2 cups chopped dates. Pour 1 cup boiling water over mixture and let cool.

While cooling, cream ¼ lb butter and ¾ cup brown sugar. Beat in 1 egg. Stir in date mixture.

Add 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ cup chopped nuts (optional).

Pour into lightly greased and floured pans. (I spray the aluminum ones-no flour-3 1lb loaves)

Bake 50-60 minutes at 325º.