Give popular banana muffins extra zest with dates and a nut on top.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup bran flakes
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup golden syrup
• 125 grams butter, melted, cooled
• 1 cup chopped dates (fresh or dried)
• 12 walnuts or pecans

Method

1. Sift the flour, baking soda and powder, brown sugar and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Mix together the milk, egg, vanilla essence, mashed banana and golden syrup. Fold though the dry ingredients with the melted butter and dates.
3. Divide evenly between 12 well-greased muffin tins. Place a pecan or walnut half on top of each muffin.
4. Bake at 220°C for 20 minutes.