February 2008 - one of my favourite ways to use up surplus bananas.

Banana, Honey & Apricot Teabread

Makes 8-10 slices

125g (4 1/2oz) no-soak apricots, each cut into 6 pieces

5 tbsp Rowse Pure Caribbean Natural Honey

225g (8oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g (5 1/2oz) light muscovado sugar

85g (3oz) butter, softened

3-4 bananas, about 275g (9 1/2oz) peeled weight, roughly chopped

2 large eggs

Put the apricots and honey in a small sauce pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the apricots begin to turn pale, stirring frequently. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Grease and base line a 900g (2lb) non-stick loaf tin.

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Place all the ingredients except the apricots in a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and stir in the apricots with honey.

Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, covering the top of the loaf with a piece of foil for the last 20 minutes of cooking time. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin then turn out onto a wire rack.

Serve warm or cold in thick slices.