This is banana bread elevated to the Alison level! With a hint of Jamaican rum to give it some extra kick, this recipe, which she learned from her mum, is one of Alison’s all-time favourites.

Serves 8-10

• 100g dried fruit
• 1 tbsp rum
• 1 tbsp sherry
• 150g soft butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Large pinch grated nutmeg
• 2 ripe bananas, peeled – about 150g flesh
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1   Place the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the rum and brandy. Leave for a couple of hours (or overnight if you have time) to soak in.

2   Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Line a 900g loaf tin with non-stick baking paper, trim any excess from the edges.

3   Beat together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time.

4   Stir together the flour, baking powder and nutmeg, sieve into the batter mixture and mix in.

5   Mash together the bananas and vanilla and mix into the batter with the soaked fruit. Now spoon this into the baking tin and bake for about 25 minutes, then carefully cover with foil and continue cooking for a further 20-30 minutes until risen and golden brown.

6   Test the cake is fully cooked by inserting a skewer in the centre – it should come out clean without any raw cake mixture on it.

7   Leave to cool for about 15 minutes before carefully removing from the tin. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice and serve.