Ingredients
100g soft prunes, stoned, cut into small pieces
100g raisins (I like jumbo flame raisins Whitworths)
125ml black tea
150g malt extract
50g light muscovado sugar
50g dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsps black treacle
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
100g sultanas

Equipment needed
Large loaf tin (20cm x 9cm)

Method
Preheat the oven to 160c and grease and line your tin.

Put the prunes into a bowl with the raisins and cover with the tea.

Put the malt extract, both sugars and black treacle into a small saucepan and heat on medium until the sugar has dissolved. Try not to stir too much otherwise the sugars will start to crystalise.

Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a large mixing bowl and with a fork, mix. In a small bowl, beat the eggs.

Pour the sugar mixture and fruit/tea mixture into the flour along with the eggs and with a wooden spoon, briefly mix until everything is combined.

Pour the soft mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface. Put into the oven and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the tin.

If you want the surface sticky like the malt loaf you can buy in a shop, brush the surface with a little of the malt extract, turning once and brushing a different side every 15 minutes.  I like it without but the choice is yours.

Eat sliced as is, or with a healthy amount butter.

- Original recipe by Nigel Slater