Banana date loaf

SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME)

½ cup (55g) coarsely chopped mixed nuts ½ cup (45g) rolled oats

1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus 1/3 cup (80ml) extra (see swap-ins)

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons demerara sugar

3 small overripe bananas (390g), mashed, skins reserved (see In the Kitchen page 147) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1¼ cups (310ml) buttermilk (see swap-ins) 200g medjool dates, pitted, chopped coarsely (see swap-ins)

2 cups (300g) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1½ teaspoons baking powder labne (thick yoghurt) and honey, to serve (optional)

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 10cm x 20cm loaf pan.

2 Combine nuts, oats, oil and honey in a bowl. Place half the nut mixture on a lined oven tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.

3 Meanwhile, combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.

4 Blend or process banana, vanilla, buttermilk and half the dates until smooth.

5 Sift flour, bicarb and baking powder into a large bowl, then add banana mixture, remaining dates, extra oil and roasted nut mixture; fold until just combined. Spoon banana mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface; sprinkle over remaining nut mixture and the cinnamon sugar.

6 Bake loaf for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7 Serve loaf sliced, topped with labne and honey, if you like.

Suitable to freeze.