Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin pureé
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound pitted dates (about 3 cups) roughly chopped
1 cup chopped pecans toasted
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Step 2
Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
Step 3
In a second bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla and 1/4 cup water and beat again until combined.
Step 4
In a small bowl toss dates with 1/4 cup of flour mixture until coated well. Gradually add remaining flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating slowly. Stir in dates and pecans then transfer batter to the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
Step 5
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool on a rack, then cut into squares and serve.