Jerusalem Spiced Date Loaf

Serves 10

100 gram dates, stones removed, halved
100 gram pitted prunes, halved
1 teaspoon baking soda
240 ml boiling water
140 gram muscovado sugar
2 eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
280 gram all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
a pich of salt
125 gram walnuts, roughly chopped
butter for greasing (I used vegetable oil)

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 900 gram loaf tin with butter, then line it with baking parchment and grease again.
Place the dates and prunes in a bowl with the baking soda and boiling water. Set aside to cool.
Beat the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl, then add the orange zest and date and prune mixture and stir to combine.
In a second bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add this to the prune mixture and fold through, adding the walnuts for the last few stirs. Pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the cake is deep brown and springy when you press on it gently. A skewer inserted into the center should come out free of wet cake mixture(through there should still be a bit of sticky fruit). leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool to room temperature. This cake keeps well for a few days if wrapped in foil.

Recipe come from "Sesame and Spice" by Anne Shooter