This has made it onto my “Top 10 Favorites lists. If you eat it warm the day you make it and top it with a warm caramel sauce, you’ll have Sticky Toffee Pudding . BUT if you wrap it in foil and refrigerate over night you will have a lovely dense breakfast loaf that you cannot top! Except with cream cheese of course!!

Preheat oven 180c/350f

8 oz. pitted dates

1  1/4 cup boiling water

1  1/2 firmly packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1 egg beaten

2 1/4 cups sifted flour

1  1/2 tsp baking soda

1  1/2 tsp salt

Cut dates into small pieces. Place into a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir in sugar and butter. Cool and stir in beaten egg.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Stir into date mixture until blended. Pour into greased loaf pan and let stand for 15 minutes.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.Test for doneness at 1 hour.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack. Cool.

Wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight.