Cake mix: Place the dates, water and coconut oil into a saucepan, gently bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for a minute and then remove from the heat. The dates should have started to break down into a paste – if not, heat for another minute or two. Then leave to cool.
Preheat your oven to 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4.
Line a 900g / 2lb loaf pan with baking parchment.
Mash 2 bananas, add the maple syrup and then add it to the date mixture.
In a separate bowl, beat the 2 eggs until well aerated and pale, approximately 1 minute. Stir in the date mixture.
Now sift the flour and baking powder and add to the wet egg mixture, add any additional options if you are using them and gently fold in to combine.
Pour into your lined loaf tin. It is quite a liquid mixture so will level out easily by itself.
Cut the third banana in half and lay on top of the mixture in the loaf pan.
Baking: Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick or skewer, inserted into the centre, comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and if you would like the top to be a little glossy you could pour over some extra maple syrup.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then remove from the pan and leave to cool or slice it into 10 slices and enjoy it warm.