Banana cake with dates, pecans and maple syrup

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 100 g date(s), chopped
• 75 ml rum, or possibly orange juice
• 175 g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp, leveled baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 125 g butter
• 90 g sugar
• 60 g maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 4 m.-large banana(s), ripe
• 60 g nuts (pecans or Brazil nuts), chopped
• 1 tsp powder, (maple extract), optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

Energy-rich, maple-sweet banana bread, ideal for breakfast or a break

Place the date pieces and rum in a small saucepan and bring to a boil briefly. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and let stand for about an hour. After this hour, drain the date pieces into a sieve and let them drain. Discard the excess rum syrup or reuse it for another purpose (perhaps to soak a cake or sponge?). Preheat the oven (electric oven approx. 180°C, fan oven approx. 165°C). Grease a king cake or loaf pan or line it with baking paper. Mash the bananas finely with a fork. Melt the butter in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and maple syrup. Then, whisk the cooled, melted butter into the sugar mixture until it thickens slightly and becomes a little lighter in color. Then, beat the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly into the butter mixture. First stir in the banana puree and maple extract, then fold in the nuts and date pieces. Finally, gradually fold in the flour mixture with a spoon (just don’t stir too vigorously or for too long, or the batter will become tough). Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 50-60 minutes. If necessary, cover with aluminum foil after 3/4 of the cooking time if the cake is getting too dark, and perhaps pierce the center of the cake with a wooden skewer. The cake is done when there is no more wet batter sticking to the skewer and the skewer is fairly clean and dry except for any banana puree. When it’s done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out to cool completely. The cake is easier to slice and tastes better the more cool and firm it is. However, it will also fall apart a little because it’s so moist. Notes: Unfortunately, maple extract isn’t available for purchase here, but it can be purchased from online baking supply stores. For me, it’s a worthwhile investment, as I love the maple flavor and the extract works great not only in cake batter, but also in pancake batter, cake creams, cupcake icing, biscuits, and cookies. If children are eating with you, the rum can also be replaced with orange juice.