preheat oven to 350
grease one large and two mini loaf pans
or grease 12 muffin cups

1 cup pitted dates
1 cup fresh cranberries roughly chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup soft, room temperature butter
1/4 cup raw honey
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 navel oranges
1/2 cup whole milk

place dates in a saucepan and add 3/4 cup water
heat for two minutes on medium heat (we are looking for a slight softening of the dates. We do not want them to become mush!)
pour dates into a colander sitting on a bowl and drain liquid into a bowl
on a large cutting board, give dates a rough chop and set aside with cranberries

in a separate bowl put 2 cups flour, baking powder

in bowl of electric mixer
cream 1/3 cup butter and brown sugar
add eggs and mix. clean sides of bowl so mixture blends
add honey, vanilla, salt and baking soda, grated orange zest and juice from the orange

add half of flour and give it a quick mix
add half of milk and mix again
add second half of flour and mix
add rest of milk and mix

remove bowl from mixer and stir in cranberries, walnuts and dates with a large spoon or spatula

put mixture into pans to half full

If you are using small loaf tins, cover a baking sheet with foil and place loaf pans on the baking sheet.
put pan in centre of oven
bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean but slightly moist

while loaves are baking:
melt 1/4 cup butter and add it to the liquid you collected from the dates
add 1/2 cup icing sugar
zest from the second orange
whisk together and set aside

When loaves come out of the oven, poke holes in the top of the loaves with your cake tester. Drizzle glaze mixture over the loaves and then let them cool.
remove from pans after they have sat for 15 minutes.

When they are cool, wrap the loaves in parchment paper and pretty string and give them to your friends. They will stay fresh for five days and if you are going to give them out at a later date, place in freezer bag and freeze until the time is right.