If you’ve been around for a moment, you’ve likely heard about our founder Nancy’s passion for baking. It’s an undeniable talent that leaves mouths watering every time she bakes a new treat for her loved ones.
It’s a gift that was passed down by her late mother, who always had a freshly baked something to display on her cake tray. One such dessert whose warm aroma frequently radiated through their childhood home was her famous Date Nut Bread.
Despite its name, these moist, not-too-sweet breads don’t taste like dates. Instead, the dates — along with a combination of walnuts and mini chocolate chips (Nancy’s favorites are Valrhona) — add a flavorful bite to its otherwise traditional sweet bread texture. Baked in gold-lined cans, they’re simultaneously simple yet one-of-a-kind. If you’re thinking, “Gold-lined cans? Huh?,” we get it. They’re a bit old-fashioned, but they’re a must for perfecting the bread’s shape, which is a huge part of each loaf’s charm.
What makes Nancy’s particular version all the more special, though? She uses the very gold-lined Teeny Weeny Pea cans in which her mom used to bake her Date Nut Bread. Since chances are you probably don’t have similar cans on hand, your local grocery store should do the trick. Try gold Margaret Holmes vegetable cans if you’re stumped.
Handwritten Date Nut Bread recipe from Shelly Schnoll sprinkled with lots of love and Nancy’s notes jotted on top.
Ingredients
Yields: 5-6 breads, depending on size of can
- 1 cup pitted dates, chopped
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Blend dates, baking soda, and boiling water in a small sauce pan and let cool. While cooling, cream brown sugar and butter. Combine it with cooled dates mixture and vanilla.
- Beat well. Then mix in flour and eggs alternately, followed by chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Grease or spray 6 gold-lined cans and fill with mixture until ¾ full.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool, then slide breads out of the cans and onto their sides. Cut into slices of desired thickness, about ¼ to ½”.
PRO TIP: Don’t forget to remove any labels from your gold-lined cans before baking.
