That Old-Time Sour Cream Walnut Bread

DEAR SOS: Perhaps as many as 15 or 20 years ago, The Times printed a recipe called Rancho Bernardo Inn Walnut Bread. It was absolutely delicious. Can you reprint it?

GINA ZUCCHERO

Thousand Oaks

DEAR GINA: This is a quick bread, meaning baking soda is used as a leavener instead of yeast. If your baking soda is old, buy a new box. Your bread will rise up beautifully. Slice it thin and lightly toast it for breakfast. It’s great.

*

Rancho Bernardo Inn’s Walnut Bread

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, plus more for preparing pans

4 cups flour, plus more for preparing pans

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda and add to the egg mixture. Blend in the vanilla and sour cream. Stir in the nuts.

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake the loaves until golden, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool the bread in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack.

2 loaves, 16 servings. Each serving: 430 calories; 346 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.55 grams fiber.