Television personality Martha Stewart has her own way of elevating banana bread, and it involves using an ingredient you may not have previously considered: sour cream.

A blend of fat and acid, sour cream contains at least 18% milkfat, which adds an extra-rich taste and makes banana bread tender and velvety.

The acid in sour cream works to tenderize the gluten strands, resulting in a softer, more tender crumb. It also stops the bread from being overly sweet and adds a tangy taste.

Stewart adds just half a cup of sour cream to the batter. She also adds chopped pecans, walnuts, or a bonus layer of extra sliced fruit to spruce up banana bread.