Description
This easy date nut bread with orange zest glaze is a sweet, satisfying, and fuss-free bake, packed with natural sweetness, fiber, and delicious texture. It’s ideal for busy families, health-conscious eaters, and anyone craving homemade comfort, perfect for a wholesome snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup buttermilk
- 1.5 cups chopped dates
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- Prep Oven & Pan: Preheat oven to 350(degrees)F (175(degrees)C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan well.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until light and fully combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Wet & Dry: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing just until combined. (If it looks dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more buttermilk. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to tough bread.)
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the chopped dates and walnuts using a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the thick batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Cool & Glaze: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Whisk powdered sugar, orange zest, and 2-3 tablespoons orange juice for the glaze; drizzle over the fully cooled bread.
Notes
For health upgrades, use organic dates and nuts. Swap vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce for lower fat. For a vegan option, use flax eggs, plant-based milk + lemon juice for buttermilk, and coconut oil. For low-carb/diabetic, use erythritol blend, almond flour, and sugar-free dates. To toast walnuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350(degrees)F for 5-7 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx 90 g)
- Calories: 300 calories
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg