These yummy date nut loaves are baked in tin cans making them easily giftable. The batter is quick to whip up and they are perfect for breakfast or tea time.
This quick bread is loaded with chopped dates and walnuts for a delicious combination. You could bake it as a loaf, but it is fun to bake it in emptied tin cans for a retro twist.
You can freeze the extra mini loaves to enjoy at a later date or gift them to family and friends. The round slices are great plane or spread with a little bit of butter or cream cheese.
Origins Of This Date Nut Bread Recipe
It appears that date and walnut breads have some origins in Scotland. Though most of those recipes include some tea much like Tea brack.
This particular recipe comes from my husband’s grandma Ruth. She has delivered a round loaf of date nut bread with the tell tale ribs from a can each Christmas and I look forward to it every year.
It is one of those traditions that I started this blog to help keep alive. I want to be able to pass these cherished recipes to future generations as well.
So I finally asked for the recipe. She not only dropped off the recipe, she also included a special can opener that makes smooth rims on the cans.
That makes cleaning the cans and removing the bread much easier. It took Little Dude and me a second to figure out the crazy equipment, but we were impressed with how it lifted off the lids.
Prepping The Cans
Having the special can opener isn’t required, though it is handy. You want at least 5 emptied 14.5 oz cans.
Remove the lids and the paper wrapper. I threw the cans in the dishwasher to get them extra clean, but you can wash them by hand.
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You can use the same five cans over and over or start fresh each time. Once the are cleaned, you are ready to start baking!
Enjoying and Storing Date Nut Bread
Wrap the cooled loaves in plastic wrap for storage or gifting. I gave extra loaves to my brothers and dad and they were a big hit.
Your round loaves of bread will be good at room temperature for about 4 days. Or freeze them for up to three months.
The bread is best seeved at room temperature or slightly warmed. It has plenty of flavor on its own but is also great with a bit of butter on top.
Grandma Ruth joked that she just knew she’d see this recipe on Facebook if she shared it with me. Of course she was right.
How could I not share it? It’s delicious and the very idea of it puts a smile on my face every time I think of it.
Besides, the recipes grandma has shared with us in the past have been really popular. I hope you love this one just as much!
Grandma’s Date Nut Loaves – Baked in Cans
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour 5 cleaned 15 oz cans. (I used the spray with the flour in it.)
- Place 1 cup chopped dates in large bowl. Add 2 cups boiling water and 2 teaspoons baking soda.
- Stir in the 2 Tablespoons butter until melted. Allow to cool some.
- Mix in the 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract, 1⅓ cups granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 large eggs.
- Add the 4 cups all purpose flour, stirring until just combined.
- Fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts.
- Scoop batter into prepared cans.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the cans for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Video
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I can’t believe I found this. My Nana and Mom made these every year at Christmas. I found the old stained recipe but it left out a few details. They would grease and line the cans with wax paper. I am going to make this very soon. It has been so many years!
Thank you for sharing! We would also butter or use cream cheese on the top. So good!
Yay!! I am so glad I could help fill in some of the holes.
I grew up with my grandmother and mother baking in 1 pd coffee cans but it was pumpkin date bread with chopped nuts baked for 60 mins or till toothpick came out cleaned. Unfortunately no longer can get 1 pd coffee cans so having hard time finding large cans for that size to continue making our bread at the holidays. Mine finally rusted over the years as used them till that finally happened. I will only make my recipe in cans as grew up with it this way and prefer it to this day. Oh the memories. I’m 66 and will try your grandmothers recipe as never had just date nut bread without the pumpkin Lol. Thank you for sharing.
Oh my goodness, we need to find you some cans!
@Joanna Harrington, There is a latin coffee! Cafe Bustelo comes in metal cans!
@Carlee,
Amazon has cans.
It’s snowing like crazy out so I’ve been making breads . Banana nut and datenut.
What a great way to spend a snowy day. And great tip on getting cans from Amazon. I will have to check that out!
I would love to try this recipe, I remember my grandmother making date and nut bread in a can. Unfortunately I don’t have her recipe so I am going to try yours. I just need help on the purchase of the right cans to use. I would really appreciate any help in finding the right brand of the cans to use.
It’s best if you can find an unlined can, unfortunately I don’t have a great brand recommendation for you.
@Linda, see my comment above
Would this recipe work baked in a tall tomato juice can?
I don’t see why not. It would be hard to guess the bake time though. Longer for sure, I’d start checking it after an extra 5-10 minutes and then keep testing it until a skewer comes out clean.
Hi I loved the date roll.Wonder if you would have a apple cinmamon version like a apple slice?
I don’t have a recipe, but that sounds amazing. I have been wanting to do brown bread, but an apple version would be fun too.
I made the jersey brown bread in cans. The method to cook it was in a covered stock pot. The can were placed on a trivet inside the pot. The water came about 2 1/2″ above the trivet the water was brought to a slow boil/simmer. It was then steamed about 35-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread was 200. Let cool 5 minutes, then tap bottom of the can to remove the bread. Cans greased and bottom inside of can with parchment. They came out amazing
I am going to have to try that sometime!
My German grandmother used to make this every year at Christmas. It was delicious. However she had a sauce that she would pour over it after she sliced it and I think that it had whiskey in it. Any idea about this sauce would be greatly appreciated. It was a white sauce and was a little runny. I am making the date nut bread in a can, but I would love to find a recipe for this sauce.
That sounds interesting. I am wondering if it’s not a butter rum sauce like some people use for bread pudding. Here’s a recipe for creamy rum sauce using condensed milk or maybe something like this bread pudding sauce that uses cream and rum.
@Billy Moyer, I think you are referring to “hard sauce” – I’m in my 80s, grew up in Maryland and am German heritage. We used hard sauce on date/nut bread, plum pudding, pumpkin and minced pie. Yummy! It’s kept in fridge, taken out to warm up before use and starts to melt on warm dessert. I think originally made with bourbon but great with either rum or Brandy. Google recipes under “hard sauce” but basically unsalted BUTTER, powdered sugar and liquor whipped together and hardened, covered, in fridge. Ruth Ann
I made them and they are just wonderful!! I have a picture but don’t know how to post on Instagram or Pintrest.
I am so glad you liked them! I appreciate you trying to share a picture, but just knowing you made them and liked them is plenty. Thank you!
Where do you get the cans?
They are just regular cans, like the kind you would get green beans or something in. Just empty them, clean them and they’re ready to use.
@Marty,
When I learned this, we only used cans that were gold-looking on the inside. I haven’t been able to find a reason – it’s just the only cans we used. 🙂
It is definitely best to look for a BPA free can or something similar. Some cans have linings that you wouldn’t want to bake in.
This looks so delicious! I’ve always wanted to try a recipe baked like this.
Do it!!!
Family recipes are the best! Will you refrain from making it until Christmastime?
Probably. Grandma S. is the maker of the bread as long as she wants to be. I just wanted to be able to carry on the tradition when she no longer wants to!