Martha Stewart's Banana Nut Bread

I have been searching a LONG time and making MANY loaves of banana bread trying to find a light and fluffy (not dense and heavy) bread, and I finally found it! I think the sour cream has a lot to do with it. I have made 3 loaves, 2 of which turned out perfect, 1 of which didn't - I tried to cut back on the sugar and that must have been the problem. From now on I will follow the recipe exactly. I have not made it with the addition of the nuts yet. Don't be alarmed - the outside gets dark, but the inside is very moist. I use a 10" loaf pan and it bakes for exactly 50 minutes. BEWARE: The loaf will quickly disappear!

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, room temp
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  mashed very ripe banana
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream (I use light)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts (optional) or 1⁄2 cup pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter or spray a 9x5x3" loaf pan.
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar very well until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, beating well.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together and combine with the butter mixture; blend well.
5. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; stir well.
6. Stir in the nuts.
7. Pour into pan.
8. Bake 50-60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. Turn out onto a rack to cool.