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Bran Date Bread

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Submitted by bigears

Moist bran date bread with sourdough starter, buttermilk, and lemon zest baked into a dense, naturally sweet loaf. Spread with cream cheese for something truly special.

YIELD

12 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

60 min

READY

90 min

This is the kind of bread that makes people stop mid-bite and ask “what IS this?"

A generous cup of chopped dates gives it natural caramel-like sweetness, while bran cereal and sourdough starter add depth and a subtle tang that keeps things interesting.

Buttermilk makes the crumb impossibly moist, and a hit of fresh lemon zest brightens every slice with a little zing you won’t see coming.

Slather it with cream cheese or homemade butter and you’ve got a breakfast, a snack, or an after-dinner treat that feels indulgent but is packed with fiber and whole grains.

Pro Tips

  • Dust the chopped dates in a little of the flour mixture before adding them. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
  • Your sourdough starter should be active and bubbly. It’s not doing the heavy leavening here (that’s the baking powder’s job), but it adds a beautiful tangy complexity.
  • Let the bread cool completely before slicing. Cutting it warm will give you a crumbly mess. Patience pays off.
  • This bread actually improves overnight. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate. The flavors meld and the texture firms up into something almost cake-like.

Variations

  • Walnut crunch: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts for a nutty contrast to the soft dates.
  • Orange date: Swap lemon zest for orange zest and add a tablespoon of fresh orange juice to the wet ingredients.
  • Fig and honey: Replace dates with dried figs and swap the brown sugar for honey for a more floral sweetness.

Ingredients

1 ¼ 296
CUPS ML ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
sifted
1 ½ 7.5
TEASPOONS ML BAKING POWDER
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
½ 118
CUP ML SOURDOUGH STARTER
active *
¾ 177
CUP ML BUTTERMILK
or sour milk
1 237
CUP ML DATE
finely chopped pitted
1 237
1 5
TEASPOON ML LEMON ZEST
grated zest only
2 2
LARGE LARGE EGGS
beaten
¼ 59
CUP ML VEGETABLE OIL
¾ 177
CUP ML BROWN SUGAR
firmly packed *

Directions

Sift dry ingredients together.

Dust dates with 1 tablespoon flour mixture, then add to the bowl.

Then add the brown sugar, all bran, and grated lemon peel.

Combine ¾ cu buttermilk, 2 beaten eggs, ¼ cup vegetable oil.

Add all once to flour mixture with the sourdough starter, stirring until well moistened.

Pour into greased or waxpaper lined loaf pan about 9 x 5-inches.

Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 1 hour.

Allow to stand 10 minutes in pan and then remove from pan and cool until cold.

Wrap in plastic wrap or foil and place in Refrigerator.

Use cream cheese or home made butter on this bread for an out of this world taste.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 59g (2.1 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 153 34% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 36mg 12%
Sodium 242mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Sugars g
Protein 7g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 4% Iron 7%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low in Saturated Fat, Trans-fat Free, Good source of fiber
 

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