Date loaf

An older style date loaf that keeps well.

Ingredients

1 cup dates pitted & chopped

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup boiling water (add more if too stiff)

120g butter or margarine

3 cups self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch salt

1 teaspoon mixed spice

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees for fan forced ovens). Grease one large or two smaller loaf tins.

Put dates in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, add butter, baking soda and boiling water and mix. Add flour and salt and mix well. Press into loaf tin/s and bake for 30-40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.