At 12, when I was old enough to graduate from making jello desserts, banana bread was the first oven prepared dessert I attempted. Since then I have tried dozens of recipes, some cakey, some drier and more bread-like but this one is my favourite. This is also the biggest crowd pleaser on three continents.

I give credit to Martha Stewart for the secret ingredient. The rest I have adapted along the road of discovery.

Ready

• ¼ pound (1 stick) butter, unsalted and at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup organic Sucanat sugar, or brown sugar of choice
• 1 ½ cups organic unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mashed banana, super ripe
• 1 teaspoon Tahitian vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream (SECRET INGREDIENT)

Set

• Electric mixer
• Sieve
• Spatula
• 9x5x3 bread loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack
• Preheat oven to 350°F

Go

1. Sieve together the flour, salt and baking soda then set aside.
2. Cream the butter in the mixer.
3. Once the butter is fluffy, add the sugar and blend the mixture well.
4. Then, add each egg, blending in between.
5. Mix in one third of the dry ingredients and then one third of the banana.
6. Repeat twice.
7. Add the vanilla extract.
8. Blend in the sour cream.
9. Turn the batter into the loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Let batter stand for 15 minutes.
10. Bake for 1 hour. To test if it is done, insert a knife and if it comes out clean, its ready.
11. Turn the finished loaf on to a cooling rack.
12. Serve when you can’t stand to wait any longer.

What you should know

Remember to never over work your batter. It makes a cakey, tougher finish.