Mind-Blowingly Magnificent Banana Bread

For most people, January signifies the start of not only a new year but also a new regime to get fitter, leaner and healthier after some serious indulgence at Christmas. That's all well and good but you still have to treat yourself or it will never last past the 5th! This cake ticks all the boxes as it contains bananas, so is therefore one of your five-a-day, as well as raisins, which provide you with cancer-beating antioxidants as well as helping your digestion - an important thing when trying to lose weight!

I know I might be clutching at straws when it comes to an argument about the health benefits of cake but it has to be said that if you're going to have cake this is probably the best one to have in terms of nutrition. Plus if the diet does eventually stop you might have some over ripe bananas lying round which are perfect for this cake. What's more, the flavour of this banana bread is second to none and it's slight gooeyness paired with the crunch of walnuts throughout make this cake a winner!

Mind-Blowingly Magnificent Banana Bread

Makes around 10 slices

100g sultanas

75ml bourbon or dark rum

175g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

125g unsalted butter, melted

150g sugar

2 large eggs

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

60g chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract

Put the sultanas and rum or bourbon in a smallish saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3/325ºF and get started on the rest. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a medium-sized bowl and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine well.

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Then stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract with your wooden spoon.

Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit. Scrape into a loaf tin (23 x 13 x 7cm / 9 x 5 x 3 inches) and bake in the middle of the oven for 1-1¼ hours. When it's ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out clean-ish. Leave in the tin on a rack to cool, and eat thickly or thinly sliced, as you prefer.