Ingredients

Method

• 300 g dates
• 190 ml milk
• ½ t bicarbonate of soda
• 250 g butter
• 125 g soft brown sugar
• 115 g treacle sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• 250 g self-raising flour
• 1½ t mixed spice
For the frosting
• 250 g smooth peanut butter
• 125 ml cream
• 50 g icing sugar
• 1 T vanilla extract

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

In a saucepan over a medium to low heat, add the dates and milk and gently bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda, then set aside to cool.

Beat the butter, brown sugar and treacle sugar until creamy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, to incorporate.

Stir in the date mixture, together with the flour and mixed spice.

Pour into a greased 20 cm x 10 cm loaf tin and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

To make the frosting: whip the peanut butter with the cream, adding a little at a time, until smooth and glossy. Sieve in the icing sugar and stir in the vanilla extract.

Once the cake has cooled, spread with a thick layer of the frosting and serve.