Nana's Banana Bread

I love the crispy crunch the Demerara Sugar makes on the top of the loaf of sweet breads.

Can't tell you how many recipes I have made for banana bread.  It is like I never see one I don't want to try.  Call me a little nuts in this area!  There are two that I just love and this one may become number 3!

Um-m-m, somebody has been into my banana bread!

littleindiana.com is a terrific blog all about the highways and byways of Indiana and I have gotten to be quite a devote.  Each week she visits one of our small towns and highlights all of the special shops, sights, historic information and eateries of note.  Often she shares a recipe but this is one of her own.  Enough said, I can't resist, have bananas, must bake banana bread. (Confession, this is an adaptation as I did change 2 little things from her recipe.)

HELPFUL HINT:  Over the years I have often frozen bananas.  For my money the best results come from freezing the whole banana, in it's peel inside a zippered freezer bag.  Yes, it will turn black but no worries.  Just thaw or partially thaw and slip them from their skins.  They roll out looking just like a tube of baby food.  They work great for baking and I am all about not wasting.

Ingredients for Nana's Banana Bread:

3 bananas
1 1/2 C sugar
2/3 C. butter
2 eggs
5 T. sour cream
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
2-3 T. Demerara or raw sugar for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Butter and flour generously a loaf pan and set aside.

Lovely brown crunch on this big loaf!

Cream the butter and sugar well with an electric mixer and add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition.  Add the sour cream, soda, salt, and vanilla and mix.  Mash the bananas and add beating until incorporated.  Add the flour and mix well.  Turn into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar then bake for 1 1/2 hour.   Remove from the pan after cooling and serve with soft butter.  Yield 1 loaf.