In addition to the Halloween standby recipes, I made these cupcakes since I had bananas on hand and realized I had never made anything banana-flavored to bring to work even though it is one of the most basic and easy to do.

The odd part with them this time was when a colleague asked me how I managed to get the banana flavor… from a mix? A powder? An extract? I simply replied, “Um… from bananas.” I don’t know what he was thinking — but overripe bananas provide a pretty strong flavor and scent. I thought everyone knew that.

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Grease and flour only the bottom of a 9×5 inch loaf pan (or line cupcake pans with paper liners, if you want to make cupcakes, as I did).

In one bowl, peel and mash bananas and set aside. In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt).

Beat sugar and oil together. Add eggs, then mashed. bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Blend well. Add the bowl of dry ingredients until just moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan.

If baking loaves, bake for 50 to 60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If making cupcakes, check on them after about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool.