Date & Carrot Loaf

I started to make this a few years ago when i wanted a healthier cake than my go to chocolate to have for morning tea or after dinner. You can cut the sugar and butter in half and it still tastes great. You can also substitute coconut oil for the butter and add more nuts and seeds. Its a good all rounder and tastes great a few days after baking, though at that point i like to toast it and add a little butter...

It takes just over an hour to prepare but its easy enough to make. This recipe has been adapted from one from Delicious Magazine.

Ingredients

80 g butter

1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1 cup cold water

1/2 tsp all spice

1 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup SR flour

1 large carrot, grated

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C fan forced. Line a 6cm deep, 10cm x 20cm loaf pan with baking paper.

Place butter, sugar, dates, mixed spice and water in a pot and bring to the boil and then simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add bicarb and stir through, smooshing the dates as you stir. Allow this mixture to cool for 15 minutes. (See the first and second pictures for reference)

once cooled, stir in the lightly beaten eggs, nuts, carrot and flour until combined. Pour into tin and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes and then turn out to cool.