I know Kahlua uses shade-grown Arabica coffee beans, a variety of rums, sugar (I'm guessing Muscovado, Demerara, something of that sort), probably cane syrup, maybe some vodka or grain alcohol and of course vanilla. Oh, and cocoa beans. The wine you mentioned is a surprise. Now I'm going to have to go out to the store and check the label. I thought I had some in the house but I don't. It's been years since I bought any. I've tasted the vodka-based version. I know friends and family members who think it's wonderful, but we don't care for it. I took a bottle of the homemade we'd been given and did a taste-test with some actual Kahlua. They don't compare. I don't believe I've ever tasted rye in anything; that would be new territory. If I were making a coffee liqueur I'd skip the instant coffee and make a super-strong extraction from beans. It might be kind of fun sometime (not just before Thanksgiving, that's for sure!) to play around and see what the result is. It's intriguing to fiddle with copycat recipes. However, I can see in this case it might become a very expensive endeavor, even working in small amounts. One benefit of the existing homemade recipes is they have a tremendous cost advantage over the original. Carol

Was the bread a yeast bread or a quick bread? There are recipes for Yeasted Banana Bread (including some recipes with dried fruit in them - more like a banana-flavored raisin bread - King Arthur has a Sandwich Banana Bread recipe). There are also recipes for Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce. Perhaps with a little more searching you can "marry" two recipes to get a copy-cat recipe. I've made bread pudding using an over-baked loaf of banana bread that was too dry. Too bad I wouldn't have thought about adding the caramel sauce..... :-) My go-to recipe: Palm Sugar Caramel Sauce (2 servings) 1/4 c. palm sugar 1 T. half & half 1/2 T. Lyle's Golden Syrup Cook and stir 2-3 minutes in a small pan (or in a small bowl in the microwave for 1-2 minutes) until smooth and caramel color. Add chopped pecans, if desired. [I pour this over chopped fresh apple bits and top it with granola.] -Grainlady

Rich Fruit Cake There's a lot of ingredients but you basically just mix them all together! Makes 8" round cake or 7" square. (I have also used this recipe to make a 9" round cake with excellent results) 1 lb 5 oz currants 6 oz raisins 11 oz sultanas/golden raisins 6 oz candied citrus peel 5 oz candied cherries, washed and cut into 4 pieces 1 oz sliced almonds 1 oz almond meal/flour 1 1/2 teaspoons very strong coffee 2 level teaspoons spice mix (your own preference but I use cocoa,cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice and nutmeg) Pinch of salt Zest and juice 1 small lemon 10 oz soft dark brown sugar or molasses (I use 1/2 of each) 10 oz butter 12 oz self rising flour 3 fl oz dark rum 6 large eggs Extra 1 fl oz dark rum for brushing over cake Line cake pan sides and base with parchment paper and outside of pan sides and base with brown paper (using natural string to secure) Heat oven to 250F In large bowl add spices, coffee, almonds, salt, lemon zest, and juice to fruit. Mix well then add rum and leave to soak for at least 24 hours or up to 1 week. I stir it once per day. The aroma is wonderful! In a second bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat eggs one at a time and add to butter mix, adding some flour with each egg. Reserve a small amount of flour to coat fruit by stirring it through fruit mixture. Gradually add butter/egg mix to fruit mix and stir until well mixed. Scrape into cake pan making a very slight depression in the center. Cover lightly with circle of parchment paper with small hole cut in center. Bake in pre-heated 250F oven just above center, until an inserted skewer comes out clean, approx 3 hours. (My 9" cakes have taken up to 5 hours!!) When cooked leave in oven for a few minutes with the door open. Remove from oven, brush over 1 fl oz of rum over top of cake. Leave in pan until totally cold, or overnight in a cool room. Remove from pan, wrap completely in parchment paper, then in foil. Store for minimum 4 weeks to mature. I brush with a little extra rum or brandy every 6 weeks if I store the cake for many months. The cake for this Christmas is over one year old.

This is a copy of my mother in laws no bake fruit cake Lucille’s Unbaked Fruit Cake: 1lb. graham crakers(or box of crumbs) 1/2lb. raisins 1/2lb. chopped dates 1 lb. mixed candied fruit 1/2 cup candied orange rind(optional) 1or2 sm.cont.maraschino cherries(if you really like cherries add 2) 2 cups nuts(or more if you have it and no need to chop) 1 tsp.cinnamon 1 tsp.allspice 1 large can evaporated milk 1lb. mini marshmellows(1bag) Crush crackers and add chopped fruits. Heat milk and add marshmellows. Do not allow to melt completely. Pour this over dry ingredients. Mix well and pack firmly into loaf pans. Store in refrigerator a few days before serving. *If you want to flavor with rum or bourbon poke holes in top with toothpick and slowly pour a jigger over top(just one!). These do have to "age" in the fridge so don't rush it. And they freeze well.