Grandma's Date-Nut Bread

Ingredients

• ½ cup raisins
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 2 teaspoons butter, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped pitted dates
• 7 pitted prunes, chopped
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, well-beaten
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Put raisins in a bowl.
   Pour boiling water over raisins;
   soak until raisins have flavored water, about 20 minutes.
   Drain raisins, reserving water. Discard raisins
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   Grease a loaf pan with butter.
   
3. Bring reserved water to a boil in a small saucepan.
   Measure 3/4 cup boiling water into a bowl.
   Stir baking soda into water.
4. Put dates and prunes in a large bowl.
   Pour baking soda-water over dates and prunes;
   add unsalted butter and stir until melted.
   Stir sugar and vanilla extract into fruit mixture;
   let cool to room temperature.
5. Stir egg into fruit mixture to evenly coat.
   Mix flour and salt together in a small bowl;
   add to fruit mixture and stir.
   Fold walnuts into mixture and pour into the prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until
   a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean,
   50 to 65 minutes.
   Cool in the pans for 10 minutes
   before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.