Date nut bread is a deliciously soft, sweet and moist quick bread filled with dates, warming spices and nut. This spiced date bread is quick and easy to make using simple ingredients. Enjoy this sticky date and nut bread plain or topped with your favorite glaze.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I have recently become obsessed with date recipes. The sweet, sticky and caramel flavor date brings incredible flavor to any baked or no bake recipe. My Date Cake, Date Cookies, Chocolate Covered Dates, Date Snickers and No Bake Brownies are some of my favorite date recipes on the blog. If you’re a fan of simple quick breads, this sticky date loaf cake is for you.
- Layers of flavor and textures. Two things I adore about this date bread is the depth of flavor. The bread is flavored with warming spices which complement the sweet and sticky dates and coffee.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This sticky date bread with nuts tastes like spice bread with pockets of sticky dates. Simply soak the dates in coffee, mix the ingredients together, bake, cool and enjoy.
Ingredients
This date nut bread requires just a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather dates, coffee, butter, light brown sugar, an egg, vanilla extract and walnuts.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions to make this easy sticky bread with dates if you need them.
- Dates: Feel free to use your preferred dates. I love using pitted medjool dates from Trader Joes.
- Coffee and Baking Soda: I prefer the flavor that comes from using coffee, but an equal amount of boiling water can also be used. The baking soda helps to break down the dates and should not be substituted.
- All Purpose Flour: Make this date filled bread gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off the weight of the flour (180 g) versus cup for cup.
- Baking Powder: Make sure the baking powder is fresh and in date.
- Ground Spiced: Feel free to use apple pie, chai or pumpkin spice in place of the individual spices.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make this nut bread with dates refined sugar free.
- Egg: This recipe has not been tested without an egg. Make sure the egg is room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Variations
- Other Pan Sizes: Prepare the date bread recipe as written in the recipe. Pour the cake batter into a 8 inch (20 cm) cake pan or 8 x 8 cake pan. Bake the date bread cake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few sticky crumbs.
- Mix-Ins: Feel free to add ¾ - 1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips into the cake batter right after the dry ingredients. Zest 1 large orange into the sugar right before creaming the butter and sugar together.
How To Make
Learn how to make date nut bread in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 8.5 x 4.5 (preferrably) or 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides.Move the center rack to the rung right below in the lower third of the oven. Place pitted and chopped dates into a medium bowl. Top the dates with baking soda. Gently toss the dates to cover with baking soda. Pour boiling coffee or water over the dates, cover with a tea towel and allow the dates to soak for about 15- 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cloves and salt together until well combined. Set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the cooled melted butter, light brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract together until smooth and well combined. Pour all of the chopped date mixture, including the coffee into the wet ingredients. Gently stir to mix until just combined. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir in the walnuts or your nut of choice.
4. Evenly pour the date bread batter into the prepared pan. Bake the date loaf cake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the date loaf bread in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes. Using the parchment overhang, gently remove the bread from the pan to fully cool on a cooling rack.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Place the date and nut bread in an airtight container to store at room temperature for up to 5 days. After 5 days transfer the loaf cake to the fridge for up to 2 more days.
- Freeze: Make sure the baked date loaf cake is completely cooled to room temperature. Do not topped with any toppings. Wrap the slices of loaf cake in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag or other airtight, freezer proof container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Once thawed, this sticky cake can be enjoyed with your preferred toppings.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the bread with sticky dates is to thaw the cake at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
- Serve: The best way to enjoy this sticky date loaf cake is plain or warm and topped with whipped honey butter or maple butter. If you prefer to make this more suitable for a sweet, decadent dessert, I recommend serving slices of date loaf cake with toffee or caramel sauce and ice cream.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use boiling coffee instead of water to soak the dates. Both liquids work well to break down the dates, but coffee brings another level of flavor to the date quick bread.
- Chop the dates before soaking in the boiling coffee or water. Leaving the dates whole or halved allows larger chunks to remain even after mixing the dates into the batter.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender bread with dates.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- If you prefer, skip the nuts. This cake is adaptable and will taste amazing with other types of nuts such as pecans or even chocolate chips if you prefer to skip the nuts.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the cake becomes very fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking the date loaf cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs or clean. The top should be golden brown and the top of the cake should quickly bounce back when lightly pressed.
- Serve the date bread the way you like. I enjoy this date nut bread plain or topped with whipped honey butter or maple butter. If you prefer to make this more suitable for a sweet, decadent dessert, I recommend serving sliced with toffee or caramel sauce and ice cream.
FAQs
What is date nut bread?
Date bread is made with a quick bread made with warming spices and soaked dates.
How long should the dates soak for date quick bread?
Dates should soak in boiling milk or water for around 15 minutes.
Why do I need to soak dates in baking soda?
The baking soda helps to break down the dates so they break down more easily. Baking soda can also neutralize any potential bitterness from the tannins naturally found in dates.
What does sticky date bread with nuts like?
This quick bread with dates is dense, moist, soft and tender with strong notes of caramel and warming spices. If you are a fan of spiced bread with nuts, you will absolutely love the textures and flavors of this date bread with nuts.
Other Spiced Bread Recipes to Try
If you try this Date Nut Bread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Date Nut Bread Recipe
Date nut bread is a deliciously soft, sweet and moist quick bread filled with dates, warming spices and nut. This spiced date bread is quick and easy to make using simple ingredients. Enjoy this sticky date and nut bread plain or topped with your favorite glaze.
Equipment
- 1 8.5 x 4.5 or 9 x 5 (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 heat safe bowl
- 2 large mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 2 cups (230 g) Medjool dates, pitted about 16 dates
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (240 ml) very hot water or coffee
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cloves
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ - 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 8.5 x 4.5 (preferrably) or 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides.Move the center rack to the rung right below in the lower third of the oven.
- Place pitted and chopped dates into a medium bowl. Top the dates with baking soda. Gently toss the dates to cover with baking soda. Pour boiling coffee or water over the dates, cover with a tea towel and allow the dates to soak for about 15- 20 minutes.2 cups (230 g) Medjool dates, pitted, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup (240 ml) very hot water or coffee
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cloves and salt together until well combined. Set aside for now.1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cloves
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the cooled melted butter, light brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract together until smooth and well combined. Pour all of the chopped date mixture, including the coffee into the wet ingredients. Gently stir to mix until just combined. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir in the walnuts or your nut of choice.4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ - 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- Evenly pour the date bread batter into the prepared pan. Bake the date loaf cake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the date loaf bread in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes. Using the parchment overhang, gently remove the bread from the pan to fully cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
Store: Place the date and nut bread in an airtight container to store at room temperature for up to 5 days. After 5 days transfer the loaf cake to the fridge for up to 2 more days.
Serve: I enjoy this date nut bread plain or topped with whipped honey butter or maple butter. If you prefer to make this more suitable for a sweet, decadent dessert, I recommend serving slices with toffee or caramel sauce and ice cream.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
Jyothi Prakash says
Fantastic
Megan says
Thank you!