Banana, pecan, date

I have not baked for ages it seems, been rather busy of late. So here is rather a feeble post from me but a delicious one I think. I love dates and pecans in cakes so what better than to combine them, especially in a banana loaf recipe. This one is based on the chocolate, walnut and banana loaf in my WI book, I replaced the chocolate and walnuts with dates and pecans. It’s a lovey moist cake, especially with the dates, – it didn’t last long.

115g butter
175g caster sugar
2 large bananas, mashed
2 eggs
80g plain flour
80g wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
% tablespoons boiling water
115g walnut/ pecan pieces, chopped
175g milk choc chips or equivalent chopped dates. I think I used slightly less than 175g so it wasn’t too dense.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, beat in the bananas and the then the eggs (don’t worry if it looks a bit curdled). Fold in the flours, bicarb and cinnamon. Stir in the boiling water, this will produce a soft mixture.
Gently fold in the nuts and dates or whatever you’re using.
Spoon into a greased and lined 2lb loaf tin and smooth the top.
Bake at 160 degrees/ 180 for a fan oven for about 1-1 1/2 hours until dark and golden and well risen.
Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to rack to cool.