Banana bourbon pound cake

Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup bourbon or whole milk

½ cup sour cream or yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons orange or lemon zest

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

3 ripe bananas, chopped

6 large eggs

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 10-inch tube pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, dust sides and tube with flour, and tap out any excess. Alternately, use two 8-by-8-by-2-inch pans. Smaller pans will take less time to bake. Allow 45 minutes for baking, but check after 30 minutes.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Combine bourbon or milk and sour cream or yogurt and vanilla in a glass measuring cup. Set both aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the sugar and lemon or orange zest on low speed until fragrant. Slowly add the butter and increase the speed to medium-high, creaming until light and fluffy, six to eight minutes. Reduce the speed, add the bananas, and stir until fruit is mashed up and evenly distributed. Next, add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Scrape at the bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute or so until you have an even consistency. On a low speed, alternately add the flour and sour cream mixtures in three or four parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a knife emerges clean from the center. Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

This recipe is from "Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple" (Rizzoli New York, $29.95).