The great thing about banana bread is one can enjoy it at any time, whether as a tasty breakfast treat or a delectable dessert after an evening meal.

The ingredients are easy to come by and may already be on hand in your pantry.   Head to the baking aisle of the store and collect flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon,  canola oil, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

After gathering butter, milk, eggs, three bananas, one lemon and cream, you’re set.

Preparation of the batter only takes 20 minutes before baking the bread in the oven for an hour. The frosting will only take 10 minutes.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease an entire loaf pan, including the corners, with butter. An 8-inch-by-8-inch baking pan will also work. Lightly dust the pan with flour. Again, don’t forget the corners.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil, milk, squeeze of lemon, vanilla, egg and egg yolk.

To separate the egg yolk from the egg white, gently crack the egg over a small bowl. Do not drop the yolk into the bowl. Carefully alternate the yolk from one half of the shell to the other until all of the egg white has fallen into the bowl, leaving only the yolk in the shell.

Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined, careful not to over mix. It’s OK if the batter is slightly lumpy.

Smash the bananas until they’re gooey and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

Pour the preparation into the pan and bake until the bread is golden brown on top. This will take approximately an hour. To ensure it is done, insert a toothpick into the center to see if it comes out clean.  If it does, the bread is done.

To prepare the frosting, turn your electric mixer on medium, and beat together the softened butter and cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon until smooth and creamy.

Slowly add a quarter cup of sugar at a time to the mix.  Repeat until sugar is blended. You can decrease the amount of sugar if a tarter frosting is desired.  Store the frosting in the fridge until the bread is done.

Don’t forget to allow the bread to cool before frosting and slicing.

Banana bread goes great with a spicy chai tea, breakfast coffee or just a glass of milk.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup flour, plus more for dusting pan

3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 dash of cinnamon

1⁄2 cup canola oil

1⁄3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/2 lemon

3 very ripe bananas

FROSTING:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 lemon

1 dash of cinnamon

3/4 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease 8” X 8” pan with butter. Sprinkle entire pan with flour.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt.

4. In another bowl, whisk sugar, oil, milk, vanilla, lemon squeeze, egg and egg yolk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Add bananas.

5. Bake 60–65 minutes. Let cool.

6. Beat frosting ingredients in a bowl and spread over banana bread.