This moist, nicely sweet bread is excellent on its own and even better topped with the chunky cream cheese spread.
Author: Taste of Home Cookbook
Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
2½ cup Dates. Chopped
1½ cup Boiling Water
1¾ cup All-purpose Flour
1½ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1¼ cup Granulated Sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1½ cup Chopped Pecans
Spread
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoon dates, chopped
spread
2 tablespoon Pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Place dates in a bowl, pour boiling water over dates. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with date mixture. Stir in pecans.
Transfer to a greased and floured 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack to cool.
In a small bowl, combine spread ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with bread.
Notes
(1) Be sure and grease and flour the pan well. This bread is a little on the heavy side and will stick to the pan if not prepared well.
(2) Can substitute some of the dates for dried cranberries for a little red coloring for the holidays!
Recipe by Pray Cook Blog at https://praycookblog.com/beautiful-bread-for-holiday-gift-giving-cookbook-giveaway/