Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

Chop the pitted dates into quarter-inch pieces and place them in a medium mixing bowl; pour the boiling water over the dates and let them soak for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, whisking until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined, taking care not to overmix.

Fold the soaked dates and their liquid into the batter until evenly distributed.

Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans until just incorporated, keeping the batter tender.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, tenting with foil if the top browns too quickly.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.