Pumpkin Date Loaf

This pumpkin date loaf was a great way to use some of the pumpkin purée I found the other day when I defrosted my freezer! It's dense, not too sweet and packed with goodness!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3 tbsps brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice)
1 cup oats
3/4 cup chopped dates

To begin, if you don't have buttermilk add lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes to curdle. Then get a pair of scissors and snip up the dates. I find this way easier than chopping with a knife for dates. Toss the chopped dates with the oats and set aside.

For the batter, cream the butter and brown sugar together then add the eggs and pumpkin.
Mix the dry ingredients together and add the pumpkin mixture to the dry mix alternating with the buttermilk in 2 or 3 additions. Stir in the oats and dates.
Line a 9 X 5" loaf pan. (You'll notice the edges of the paper are already brown because I re-use parchment when I can)
Pour the batter in and sprinkle some oats on top if you like.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 10 or 15 minutes. A cake tester should come out dry. Test at 1 hr 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan then remove from the pan and cool on rack. 

Because it is a dense loaf it could take an hour or two to cool. Wait at least one hour before slicing.

Adapted from: tasteofhome.com