American Spiced Date Loaf

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup chopped dried dates
• 1 cup water
• 2 ounces butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon maple extract
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 3 teaspoons dried ginger
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) or 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a ceramic or glass bowl, place the sugar, dates and water. microwave until brought to the boil (this will depend on the make of your microwave), but 2-3 minutes is "normal". set this aside to cool. while cooling grease and line your loaf tin and turn on your oven to 180oc.
• 2 beat your egg in a separate bowl (a large one).
• 3 add the cooled mixture and vanilla to the egg then add the sifted flour and spices. add the nuts here if you are using them and mix well.
• 4 place in your prepared loaf tin and bake for 30 -35 minutes (or until cooked when tested with a skewer).
• 5 cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, turn onto a wire rack. best served warm with lashings of butter.