Preheat the oven
to 180'C/350"F /Gas 4. Line and grease a 28 x
18cm/11
x 7in baking tin.
Sift the
flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a
mixing bowl. Spoon some of the mixture back into
the sieve, add the brown sugar and sift the
mixture back into the bowl.
Make a well in
the centre of the dry ingredients and add the oil,
molasses or treacle, malt extract, eggs, and
orange juice. Mix thoroughly.
Mash the bananas
in a bowl. Add to the gingerbread mixture with the
raisins or sultanas. Mix well.
Scrape the
mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-40
minutes or until the centre springs back when the
surface of the cake is lightly pressed.
Leave the
gingerbread in the tin to cool for 5 minutes, then
turn onto a wire rack, remove the lining paper and
leave to cool completely. Cut into 20 slices to
serve.