Maida Heatter's Pumpkin Loaf

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 2 eggs, graded large
• 2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup oil (any tasteless vegetable oil)
• 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 8 ounces pitted dates, cut in large-ish chunks
• 1 cup walnuts, broken into pieces

Recipe

• 1 butter a 10"x5" loaf pan and spritz with baking spray. preheat oven to 350.
• 2 sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. set aside.
• 3 in large bowl, beat eggs just to mix. add sugar and oil and beat lightly just to mix.
• 4 mix in the pumpkin puree and dates.
• 5 add sifted dry ingredients, and mix only until they are smoothly incorporated.
• 6 stir in the walnuts.
• 7 turn into prepared pan and smooth top. bake 1-1/2 hours. (if you use two smaller pans, bake 65-70 minutes.).
• 8 cool in pan for 15 minutes. invert pan and let cake stand until cool. cake is best if prepared the day before serving.