Healthy date loaf

I have been trying new foods for Elnathan as his appetite is increasing! I have found that he especially needs a good snack in the afternoon. Lately he has been eating an entire banana after his nap! Last week I tried a date cake recipe from Laraine Toms' Cooking for Your Baby: Fresh, health and enjoyable food for babies and children. I like this book because it presents lots of foods that are suitable for the whole family, including the baby. I amended the date cake recipe somewhat, and it turned out more like a sweet bread. It is sugar free and full of great fiber!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
3/4 cup wheatgerm (I used oatgerm)
1 1/2 cups chopped dates (I ran out of dates so used 3/4 cup and added a fresh pear)
1/2 cup sultanas
1 1/2 cups milk

This was the original recipe, but it seemed to me that you couldn't really have a cake without egg or butter! Here are my additions:

1 egg
Small amount of butter rubbed into the flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven.

2. Mix together flour and germ, rub in the butter, and mix through the dates (or dates and pear).

3. Place sultanas and milk in the blender and whiz until most sultanas are part of the liquid. I thought this was a wonderfully unique way to add sweetness to the bread! Add the egg and combine.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry and place in a greased loaf tin. Bake for 1/2 an hour - 45 mins or until cooked through.

I wanted to share this recipe as it is one of the few I have tried that are both healthy and very yummy. One friend who visited loves cake and she also gave this recipe a good report! Elnathan loves it, and ate about two slices on the day it was made. Now it is in the freezer and I can pull some out when needed.