Name: Banana malt loaf
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Slices into 12
Ingredients: 100ml hot strong black tea; 100g pitted dates chopped; 100g sultanas; 150g malt extract plus extra for brushing; 50g soft dark brown sugar; 250g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 ripe bananas mashed

100ml hot strong black tea
100g pitted dates
chopped
100g sultanas
150g malt extract
plus extra for brushing
50g soft dark brown sugar
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 ripe bananas
mashed

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with a strip of baking paper, leaving the edges overhanging.
step 2
Brew the tea then drop in the dates and sultanas while still hot. Gently heat the malt extract and sugar in a small pan, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Cool until just-warm.
step 3
Put the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix in the melted sugar, bananas, fruit and tea. Tip the batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour.
step 4
Brush the top of the cake with more malt extract, then leave to cool in the tin completely. Wrap in baking paper then foil and keep for 2-3 days to mature and develop maximum stickiness before serving. Eat within a week.