3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup mashed banana (about 3)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Sugar
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and sugar a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.
Cream sugar and shortening thoroughly; add bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt, and stir to blend. Add blended dry ingredients, dates, and nuts to creamed mixture, stirring just until flour is moistened. Spread batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with maple sugar. Bake 60 minutes, or until loaf tests done.
http://pattietierney.blogspot.com/2016/04/date-nut-tea-bread.html