Sourdough Date Loaf

½ cup starter

1 ½ cups unsifted flour

1 cup undiluted evaporated milk

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup butter

¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped walnuts

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon each soda and salt

 

The night before, combine starter, flour, undiluted evaporated milk, and sugar; partially cover and leave at room temperature overnight. The next day, cream butter and brown sugar. Add dates and nuts; set aside. Combine eggs, rolled oats, baking powder, soda, and salt; stir into the sourdough mixture with date mixture. Turn into a greased loaf pan (5”x9”) and let rise about 1 hour. Bake in moderately hot oven (375˚) for 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm or cool.

Makes 1 loaf.

 

Recipe by: The Sunset Cook Book of Breads 1963

 

It says in the cookbook, “that it is a moist date loaf, the subtle tang of sourdough blends with the sweetness of sugar dates.”

*Glenda’s notes: I felt it was a little dry but tastes good with the cream cheese, pineapple spread. I liked this recipe because I wanted to try a date bread with the oats and canned milk. Here is a picture of the two types of date bread with the cream cheese pineapple spread. Simple to make: just use 8 ounces of cream cheese to 1/2 a can of crushed pineapple (8 ounce size), mix in a food processor, add a little of juice from pineapple if not thin enough for you and spread on bread.