Banana, Date & Walnut Loaf Cake

This is a recipe I originally found in a Sainsbury cook book years ago. With a couple of slight tweaks it has remained a staple in our home ever since and is especially good for using up overripe bananas. Tastes so delicious warm with a cup of tea or even after a couple of days when the flavour of the cake is more enhanced.

Makes one 2lb loaf cake or two 1lb loaf cakes.

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 150g light brown soft sugar
• 2 medium beaten eggs
• 3 large ripe or 4 small smashed bananas
• 250g plain flour
• 2 -3 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 100g chopped dates
• 50g chopped walnuts with extra for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180 degrees.

Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (or 2 1lb tins).

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy.

Slowly beat in the eggs.

Then beat the mashed bananas into the egg mixture.

Add in the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, dates and walnuts and fold into the banana mixture. Keep a few walnuts to sprinkle on top of cake.

Pour the prepared batter into the lined loaf tin.

Make a dip in the middle, sprinkle with a few more chopped walnuts and bake in oven for 50-60 minutes until it is nicely browned and risen.

Once cooled, cut into slices and serve.