Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Mix together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons water
Cover loosely, and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, to hydrate the dates. Stir and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together and set aside:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices (or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste)
Pinch of salt
In a medium-sized bowl, add:
3 overripe bananas, sliced
1 stick (8 ounces) of melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
2 tablespoons molasses
1/3 cup yogurt (or buttermilk)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix together very well. An immersion blender works beautifully here.
Add the dates to the banana mixture and stir well. Stir this into the dry ingredients until just mixed. Spoon batter into the prepared baking pan and gently smooth the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour and ten minutes, until nicely golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan if necessary to loosen, and remove the loaf to a cooling rack. Try to resist slicing until cool. Keep fresh and moist by wrapping completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate if desired, but bring to room temperature before serving. Serve within a few days.
Mix together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons water
Cover loosely, and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, to hydrate the dates. Stir and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together and set aside:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices (or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste)
Pinch of salt
In a medium-sized bowl, add:
3 overripe bananas, sliced
1 stick (8 ounces) of melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
2 tablespoons molasses
1/3 cup yogurt (or buttermilk)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix together very well. An immersion blender works beautifully here.
Add the dates to the banana mixture and stir well. Stir this into the dry ingredients until just mixed. Spoon batter into the prepared baking pan and gently smooth the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour and ten minutes, until nicely golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan if necessary to loosen, and remove the loaf to a cooling rack. Try to resist slicing until cool. Keep fresh and moist by wrapping completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate if desired, but bring to room temperature before serving. Serve within a few days.