Spoil your dad this Father’s Day with a slice of this tasty loaf – the perfect tea time treat.

Ingredients:
200g soft pitted dates
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250ml boiling water; 90g butter
100g light brown sugar
tsp vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
90g walnuts (chopped into small pieces).

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan/gas mark 3).

2. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin.

3. Chop the dates into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and boiling water. Stir then leave to soften for 20 minutes.

4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla then beat in the eggs one at a time.

5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

6. Stir the date mixture into the butter and sugar, then gently fold in the flour mixture and the chopped walnuts.

7. Pour into the tin and level the top.

8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, testing with a skewer in the centre to see if it comes out clean. I covered the top with some foil after about 40 minutes to make sure it didn’t brown too much.

9. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then tip out and pop on a cooling rack until cold.