Long before it was a healthful trend, Gram Burns used fat-free buttermilk to replace sour cream in many of her recipes. Rich, moist banana bread continues to be a family favorite.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 1 large or 2 small loaf pans. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, VANILLA EXTRACT, and BAKING SPICE. Beat well. Blend in buttermilk, then add mashed bananas and flour mixture, stirring just until batter is smooth. Stir in nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips by hand. Pour into loaf pan. Cook on center rack in preheated oven until done–1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. When done, the loaf will have risen, be golden brown, and no gooiness will be visible inside the cracks on the top of the loaf. If using small loaf pans, bake at 375° for 40-50 minutes.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: about 1 hour
Yield: 1 large or 2 small loaves