Banana Bread

(Yields Two Loaves...Recipe Can be Halved)

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
4 - 5 ripe bananas, mashed
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup nuts (if desired)

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Once creamy, add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice.
3. Add bananas.
4. Sift dry ingredients together and add to banana mixture.
5. Fold in the sour cream and mix thoroughly. (Note: Add nuts now if you so desire.)
6. Separate the batter into two prepared loaf pans (I line mine with parchment paper for easy clean-up).
7. Bake for 90 minutes at 375 F. (Note: If your oven cooks hot, check after 75 minutes. If your fork comes out clean, your bread is done.)
8. Let the loaves sit for 10 minutes or longer before removing them from the pan.

Decadent Chocolate Bundt Cake

• 1 pkg. (18.25 oz/515 g) devil's food cake mix (I have used whatever chocolate cake mix I have on hand.)
• 1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (250 mL)
• ½ cup water (125 mL)
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (250 mL) (I use semi-sweet most of the time since I am too lazy to go to the store.)

Frosting: (Usually, I use whatever ready-made chocolate frosting I have on hand in the pantry.)

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips, melted (150 mL)

1/3 cup sour cream (75 mL)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Cake:

In a large mixer bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream and water. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in prepared bundt pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 25 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then remove cake and cool completely.

Frosting:

Combine melted chocolate chips and sour cream, stirring until smooth. Spread over cake. Cool to let frosting set.

Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

Topping

• 4 tbsp nuts, finely chopped
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a bundt pan.
3. In a small bowl, prepare the topping by combining the nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon.
4. In a 2-cup (500 mL) wet measure, combine the sour cream and baking soda; set aside.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute.
6. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
7. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. Beat in vanilla.
9. In a separate small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
10. Alternately add the dry ingredients and sour cream into the creamed sugar and egg mixture.
11. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
12. Sprinkle with one half of the topping.
13. Add the other half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
14. Sprinkle the remainder of the topping on batter.
15. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean.