Dark Date Bread Mini Loaves started out as a way to use up some Medjool dates that had been hanging out in the refrigerator. I liked the little quick breads so much I went out and bought more dates! This is not an unusual occurrence. Anyhow, if you try the recipe you'll understand why. It's makes 4 dark, not overly sweet quick bread loaves loaded with dates and pecans with a hint of vanilla and bourbon flavor.
Jump to RecipePour Over or Retro Date Bread Recipe
The technique used for this date bread is the one where you put the dates, butter, sugar, vanilla and baking soda in a bowl and pour in a cup of boiling hot coffee. This softens the dates and infuses them with more flavor. It's similar to the Murray Jaffee date bread recipe, but without the buttermilk and spices. And then of course this one is baked in the mini loaf pans. I used the little ceramic ones they sell at Dollar Tree aka Poundland for all of you in the UK. I just recently learned that Poundland is the UK equivalent of Dollar Tree. That's all I'll say.
Gluten-Free Dark Date Bread Mini Loaves
The first time I made these I used King Arthur's Measure for Measure gluten-free blend. The recipe works with gluten-free flour, but the loaves are very soft. They are best with regular all-purpose, but I wouldn't hesitate to make them again with the gluten-free if I had to. Here's the recipe!
Recipe
Dark Date Nut Bread Mini Loaves
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 2 cups Medjool dates, chopped (238 grams)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar or Muscovado sugar (150 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon salt (reduce to ½ if using salted butter)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup black coffee, hot
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon bourbon, rum, vodka or brandy
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210 grams)
Instructions
- Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees F for about 7 minutes. Let cool, and then chop.
- Reduce the heat of the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour four ceramic or metal mini (2 cups capacity) loaf pans.
- Put the dates, brown sugar, salt and butter in a mixing bowl. Pour hot coffee over, and stir in baking soda. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
- Once mixture has cooled down a little, stir in the egg, vanilla, bourbon (or other liquor). Mix together the flour and baking powder, then add that. Mix well, then add the nuts.
- Divide between four greased and floured ceramic loaf pans.
- Bake on center rack of oven at 325 F for 45-50 minutes or until cakes register about 210 degrees with a meat thermometer and have some cracks on the top.
Darlene says
Thank you!
Anna says
Hey Darlene! I forgot to mention that I did bake one of the loaves in a metal pan and the time was the same. Maybe check it as early as 35 minutes just in case there are oven differences and such, but the metal pans are fine.
Darlene says
Hi, Anna! I'm trying to limit new bakeware purchases and wonder what adjustments to temperature and time I should make if baking these in regular steel mini loaf pans (about 3x6 inches). I love to gift mini loaves of bread wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in clear or colored cellophane with each end tied with ribbon like candy. These would be perfect for that!