Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf cake
Move over, 1970s. This sweet quick bread is like the old recipes that mothers baked in coffee cans. Back in the day, those quick breads had the slight aroma of coffee, particularly if the can wasn’t cleaned perfectly. This recipe puts the coffee right in the batter to make a weekend treat or a fast dessert for company. Do as they did back then: Serve the quick bread with cream cheese.
1 cup warm tap water
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional for greasing the pan
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon instant coffee or instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups packed whole soft pitted dates (about 8 ounces)
1 cup walnut pieces (about 4 ounces)
1. Position the rack in the middle of the oven; heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the inside of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, preferably a metal pan.
2. Put the water, brown sugar, flour, butter, egg, espresso powder, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in that order in a food processor bowl, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed and are not just dumped in piles.
3. Cover and process until smooth, stopping the machine once or twice to scrape down the inside of the bowl. Add the dates and nuts. Pulse several times to chop and combine.
4. Spread the thick batter into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed, cracked, and firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf without hitting a date comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.
5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf onto the rack and continue cooling for at least 10 minutes longer or to room temperature before serving.