Freda Mary Lord's Date And Walnut Loaf

Recipe from MICHAEL SMITH

Adapted by Florence Fabricant

Published December 2, 1986

Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes, plus 1 day's standing
Rating
4(27)
Comments
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—Florence Fabricant

Featured in: HOLIDAY GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN

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Ingredients

Yield:1 large loaf.

  • 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped dates

  • ¾ cup water

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 2 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 5 tablespoons sweet butter, in pieces

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

  • 1 large egg, beaten

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.

  2. Step 2

    Over medium heat slowly bring the dates and water just to a boil. Remove from heat, beat in the baking soda (it will bubble up) and allow to cool.

  3. Step 3

    Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Stir in the sugar and the nuts. Add the date mixture and the egg, and mix thoroughly to form a stiff batter.

  4. Step 4

    Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the lower part of the oven 1 ½ hours until the loaf is firm to the touch and shrinks slightly from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan. Keep at least one day before using. Well-wrapped, the bread will keep at least one week. It can be frozen.

Tip

  • This recipe can be baked in two 7½-by-3¾-by-2¼-inch pans for about 1 hour.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
27 user ratings
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Comments

Jennville

I recommend trying this! The texture is unique and very nice. I have made this twice, reducing the sugar the second time to 3/4 cup. I think my whole wheat flour is WW pastry flour.

dee from New Orleans

This bread is rich,chewy and keeps really well. Excellent recipe to try. It also toasts easily and doesn’t fall apart.

MDelia

2025: I wonder that there are so few comments. Is this too old fashioned and health inspired with all WW flour? I love it: but I want to find out why it does not RISE. Have made it twice following exactly and both times it came out very flat on top. It is naturally going to be lumpy given ingredients, but I'd think with 1TBSP of baking powder + 1 teas soda in the dates - that it might not end up so flat. Delicious BTW

iamvav

Just a thought, but... First, check the dates on your pantry items. Second, go by weights, instead of volumes. I know, the recipe calls for volumes, their mistake. This recipe is much like my mom's recipe. It's not quite there, but I'll keep trying/tweaking.

dee from New Orleans

This bread is rich,chewy and keeps really well. Excellent recipe to try. It also toasts easily and doesn’t fall apart.

Jennville

I recommend trying this! The texture is unique and very nice. I have made this twice, reducing the sugar the second time to 3/4 cup. I think my whole wheat flour is WW pastry flour.

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Credits

FROM "THE AFTERNOON TEA BOOK" BY MICHAEL SMITH.

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