Banana Nut Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs, separated
1 scant cup ripe mashed banana
4 Tbsp. sour milk or buttermilk * see below
1 tsp. Vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbps. warm water
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 1/2" loaf pan.

In mixing bowl beat sugar and shortening until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg yolks and banana. Combine sour milk or buttermilk (* I add 1 1/4 tsp vinegar to 4 Tbsp. regular, slightly heated, milk) (also add the amount of vinegar called for.) Stir into banana mixture. Dissolve baking soda in the water. Stir into batter. Stir in nuts, flour, vanilla & salt. In separate container, beat egg whites untill stiff --- but not dry. Fold into batter. (ALWAYS use clean dry beaters to whip egg whites!)

Bake in pre-heated oven 1 hour 10 min.

Mine usually takes a little longer. The texture of this so delicate and moist, it is the best I have ever eaten. The beaten egg whites give the crust a pretty gloss.

A scant cup is a little less than 1 cup, the opposite of heaping cup.