Banana bread with dates and pecans

Date and pecan banana bread

This date and pecan banana bread is richer in flavour than my basic date loaf due to the addition of banana, pecans and cinnamon. It's a great snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates (chopped)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 bananas ((1 mashed and the other sliced lengthways into thirds))
• 100 grams butter
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup pecans / almonds ((roughly chopped))
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 350F.

2. Mix together dates, sugar, butter and boiling water in a bowl.  Allow dates to soak for five minutes.

3. Add egg, vanilla, mashed banana, salt, pecans, flour, baking soda and cinnamon.  Fold to combine.

4. Transfer date loaf batter into a lined loaf tin.  Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes our clean.  

5. Cool, slice and serve spread with butter.