Banana Bread should have a texture that is more like a Date Loaf rather than a rich sweet cake texture. I took my Mum's old Date Loaf recipe and went to work altering and amending and this result is juts delicious, especially when toasted and slathered with butter.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raisins or sultanas
• about 1 cup strong, freshly brewed tea
• 2 large bananas
• 50 grams butter, softened
• 1 large or 2 small eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup bran flakes
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1/4 teaspon baking soda

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°. Grease the base and sides or a 21cm x 9cm loaf tin and line the base with baking paper .
2. Place the raisins or sultanas in a 1 cup-capacity cup o jug and fill to the top with the hot tea; set aside to cool. In a large bowl mash the bananas and mix with the butter egg(s), brown sugar and bran flakes and leave to one side while the tea and sultanas cool.
3. Once cool, pour the tea and sultanas into the bran mixture and stir in the flour and baking soda and beat quickly only until well mixed. Transfer to the prepared loaf tin.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until cooked. Insert a skewer into the centre of the loaf and if it comes out dry and clean, then the loaf is cooked. If still moist cook a further 5 minutes and test again. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to cool.
5. Serve sliced and buttered. Great toasted and served with butter and marmalade. Enjoy!