This lightly spiced tea bread is low in refined sugar instead getting its sweetness from the dates and bananas which also contain plenty of fibre, very handy in pregnancy! A perfect pick me up snack, it also freezes beautifully, so if you have a spare tin, make double and freeze a loaf.
Suitable for 3rd trimester pregnancy and from 1 year | Makes 1 loaf | Allergens: contains gluten & dairy | Preparation: 20 minutes | Cooking: 45 minutes
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10 Portions
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60 mins
prep time -
10 mins
Cook time -
suitable for freezing
Ingredients
- 250g self-raising flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 150ml vegetable oil
- 200g dates, pitted
- 2 ripe bananas (about 250g when peeled)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 75g chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar
- Make this baby friendly: this afternoon loaf becomes baby friendly if you remove the walnut pieces and do not sprinkle the sugar on top. Just as delicious for you as for baby.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4 and grease and line a loaf tin.
- Place the dates in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water, heat on a low temperature for 5 minutes until the dates have softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, and spices into a large mixing bowl or food processor.
- In another bowl add the bananas and mash to a puree, remove the dates from the water and mash in with the bananas. Add the egg and oil and mix. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mix.
- Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and a dropping consistency, add the walnuts to the mix if using. If the mixture is a little too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the water used to cook the dates in, to loosen.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. Bake for about 45 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The loaf keeps well for 5 days in an airtight container or freezes beautifully.
