Pumpkin Nut Bread with Dates

As mentioned in my Eggplant Parmesan post, Williams-Sonoma's website is loaded with incredible recipes.  I probably have 20+ from that site alone in my 'want-to-try' file, but many of them require expensive, gourmet food items and/or specialty cookware that I have not yet collected.  (Hard to imagine after three, yes three, bridal showers and wedding gifts and registry completion discounts and oodles of gift cards, but yes there are cooking gadgets out there that I still don't have.)  This recipe called for nothing I didn't already have (or couldn't justify getting during a typical grocery run), and pumpkin is one of my favorite fall flavors.  Win-win!

 Doesn't that just look glorious?

(Diva Note: While pumpkin itself has numerous health benefits, I wouldn't consider this recipe 'healthy,' and I made no effort to healthify or lighten it.  I am sure there are healthier and lighter recipes for pumpkin bread out there, but sometimes you just have to indulge!)

Recipe:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup nut oil (such as walnut, almond, or sunflower - I used almond)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup coarsely chopped, pitted dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  (If you happen to store a baking sheet or a pizza stone in your oven, you'll want to remove those items before turning on the heat.  Just saying.)  Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, canned pumpkin puree, eggs, and oil until smooth - about 1 minute.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until smooth and well combined - about 2 minutes.  The batter should be thick.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the dates until evenly distributed.  Do not overmix.  Spoon the batter into a prepared pan.

Bake until the top is browned and crusty and develops a long center crack - about 60 - 70 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.  (Diva Note: I don't know if it is my oven, but everything seems to finish at the low end of the suggested time.  Mine was definitely done at 60 minutes and may have needed slightly less time than that.)

Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes before removing bread from pan.  When removed from pan, place loaf on wire rack and allow to cool completely (several hours) before cutting.  Serve at room temperature and slice thick.

Nutritional Information:
This is dessert folks, let's not ask a question to which we'd rather not hear the answer...

Verdict:
There is a reason Williams-Sonoma is Williams-Sonoma.  They clearly know what they are doing in the kitchen.  This was moist, spicy, and sweet with a satisfying cake-like texture.  Thanks to the almond oil, there was a hint of nutty flavor as well.  The dates added some chewy texture and additional sweetness.  I don't recall ever eating dates before, but whoever called them 'nature's candy' first hit the nail on the head.  (Side note: I had a few dates leftover and nibbled on them as a snack the next day.  They are delicious even when not combined in a baked good.)  Alex, who maintains he 'doesn't really like pumpkin pie' also gave this two thumbs up.  Overall a decadent crowd pleaser!