Old-fashioned Banana Bread is one of several variations I have baked over many years of trying new recipes. This bread is more bread-like than cake-like - if you want Banana Cake - bake a cake and leave the bread in the Bananas if that's what your palate dictates.

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter or vegetable shortening
5-6 tbsp. sour milk or buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
3 sm. black (overly ripened) bananas
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt

Cream together the sugar and butter; add eggs and bananas (which you have smashed with a fork before adding to mix). Add 1 cup of the flour together with the baking soda (if using sour milk, add soda to the milk); add second cup of flour and vanilla and lemon juice. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup flour with the nuts and stir into batter.

Grease and flour large bread pan or two 9 x 5 x 2 1/2 inch foil bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, if you use two smaller pans, it will be less than an hour, test with toothpick for doneness. Cool about 5 minutes and remove from pans to rack.

Bonus: I make up a glaze consisting of one cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a little milk to make a thin frosting - glaze with this while bread is still warm, it makes good bread better. I know you will like this added baker's touch.