I'm going Bananas

I've been on a banana kick lately. I love them for breakfast sliced length wise on my English Muffins with some peanut butter or sliced in circles on some Cheerios. The last bunch of bananas I bought ripened a bit quicker than I could eat them, so I decided to experiment and bake some banana bread. Since I'm addicted to Food Network, I looked up some recipes on their website and chose to try one contributed by Emeril Lagasse back in 2003. It was delish (as Rachel Ray would say!).

Here is the recipe:

Banana Bread (courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 2003)

10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups cake flour (I used whole wheat flour)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts (optional- I didn't add them as I'm not a fan of nuts)

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter. (I used stonewear by Pampered Chef)

2. Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor.

3. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter and mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scarping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

4. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.