Banana Bread (Second Attempt)

The recipe I used was adapted from:

http://www.figandcherry.com/recipes/breakfast/dense-and-moist-banana-bread-recipe/

Banana bread recipe

• 125g unsalted butter
• 3 super ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste (only use essence if you’re desperate!)
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of cloves
• 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour (I used self-raising flour and no baking powder, that’s why the bread is so flat)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• handful of raw walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

I tried this recipe before and was satisfied with it but wanted to tweak it a little bit more to suit my taste.

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
3. Melt 1 stick + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.
4. Mash 2 super-ripe bananas in a mixing bowl.
5. Add the melter butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1 slightly beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon into the mixing bowl.
6. Sift into the mixing bowl 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
7. Mix until incorporated but do not overmix.
8. Bake for 50 mins to 1 hour.

The banana cake came out really moist and smell and taste really good. Very good for breakfast.

Note: Good recipe.

Honey-Bee Cake / Zebra Cake

The actual name is zebra cake but mine turned out looking more like honey bee so that's what I named it. This is a very simple and light cake. The recipe was from:

http://bakingbites.com/2008/07/zebra-cake/

Zebra Cake
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Mine didn't turn out as good-looking as the zebra but I like the taste. I created too much air bubble while scooping the vanilla and chocolate batter alternately. It's fine, in general. Half of the cake is already gone :)

I followed the recipe except that I eliminated the almond extract (since I do not have it) and increased the cocoa powder from 2 1/2 tablespoon to 4 tablespoon.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Slightly beat 4 large eggs in a bowl.
3. Add 1 cup granulated sugar to the eggs. Beat until light and creamy.
4. Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well.
5. Sift in 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until incorporated.
6. Measure out 2 cups of vanilla batter and sift in 2 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder (I suggest measure out 3-4 cups since my vanilla batter was way more than my chocolate batter. That was why I increased the cocoa powder; I had to scoop out more vanilla batter in the end and added another 1 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder).
7. Scoop one spoonful of vanilla batter into the center of the cake pan (I used a ladle that can hold approximately 3 tablespoons liquid).
8. After the vanilla batter spreads out, scoop one spoonful of chocolate batter into the center of the vanilla batter. Use a ladle that is same in size.
9. Alternately scoop the vanilla and chocolate batter until they are used up.
10. Bake 38-42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

My cake was still moist in the very center. It came out puffed up but sunk during cooling that's why I couldn't detect the moist part when I checked with a toothpick. I actually baked it for 45 minutes but the center was still moist. I will have to look into this problem.

Note: Good recipe, just not sure why the cake was still very moist in the center.

Green Tea Red Bean Muffin

The recipe I got was from:

http://novice-baker.blogspot.com/2008/10/green-tea-muffins.html

Green Tea Muffins
adapted from Epicurious.com

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
2 teaspoon matcha powder
canned sweetened azuki bean, (1/2 teaspoon for each muffins)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter muffin pans. Mix the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, and butter, stirring only enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth. Spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about half full, dropping 1/2 teaspoon of azuki beans into each over and cover with more batter, until the cup is two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes each. Or until the cake tester inserted comes out clean.

I followed the recipe except that I increased the amount of sugar from 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons and increased 1 more tablespoon of melted butter.

No pictures but they turned out great!

Note: Good recipe

Banana Bread

My final baking day. I may do it again in the future, when I have full access to an oven. For now, I'll just have to live with buying stuffs from bakeries.

I utilized my 2 brown bananas to make banana loaf. The recipe is from:

http://www.figandcherry.com/recipes/breakfast/dense-and-moist-banana-bread-recipe/

Banana bread recipe

• 125g unsalted butter
• 3 super ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste (only use essence if you’re desperate!)
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of cloves
• 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour (I used self-raising flour and no baking powder, that’s why the bread is so flat)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• handful of raw walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

I made some slight modifications to accommodate my baking supply at home. I used 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup regular butter instead of 1/2 cup unsalted butter. I didn't sprinkle with nuts on top. Also increased baking powder from 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoon.

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in microwave. Let cool.
3. In another bowl, mash 2 over ripen bananas with fork. Add the melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well.
4. Sift in 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until just combined.
5. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan and pour in the batter.
6. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

The loaf came out smelling fantastic, soft and moist. Sweetness is purely from bananas, which I love! Yum!

Note: Good recipe.

Banana Blueberry Lemon Muffins

I woke up craving banana blueberry muffins so this is what I made:

http://www.thedragonskitchen.com/2008/07/banana-blueberry-lemon-muffins.html

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons sugar

This recipe gives moist muffins and the sweetness is only from the bananas (since I omitted the sugar topping), which is heavenly good. I still love the basic muffin recipe I found earlier but I will use this recipe for making banana blueberry muffins. This recipe yields 6 regular sized muffins.

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Mix 1 1/8 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon lemon rind in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, melt 1/4 cup butter using the microwave then add 1 mashed banana, 1 egg, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon. Mix until combined.
4. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients then mix until combined (do not overmix).
5. Add 1/2 cup frozen blueberries into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Scoop batter into lined muffin tins, dividing them equally.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Awesome recipe.

Banana Cream Pie

I had leftover egg yolks from the financiers that I made so I googled for a recipe that needs only egg yolks and browned bananas and came to this:

http://www.food.com/recipe/marie-callenders-banana-cream-pie-copycat-89973

I made the crust using Betty Crocker Pie Crust Mix and made the banana cream filling according to the recipe. It came out a little too sweet for me but I finished most of it because it is sorta like comfort food. Sorry no pic but I guess you have the general idea how a banana cream pie looks like.

Raspberry Almond Financiers

I decided to try making these and if I succeed I'll know what to bake for Valentine's Day. The recipe I got was from:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/raspberry-almond-financiers?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/cookie-recipes-with-fruit#slide_15

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• Vegetable oil, cooking spray
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 cups sliced blanched almonds (6 1/2 ounces), lightly toasted and finely ground
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen), pureed and strained (1/2 cup)

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
• Step 2
  Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add honey, and whisk until combined. Remove from heat.
• Step 3
  Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine almonds, sugars, flour, and salt on low speed. Raise speed to medium-high, and add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, and add warm butter-honey mixture in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to high, and beat for 45 seconds.
• Step 4
  Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon raspberry puree near one edge of each cup. Draw a skewer or the tip of a paring knife through puree toward opposite edge of cup to form a heart shape.
• Step 5
  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins on wire racks. Using a small offset spatula, carefully unmold financiers, and transfer to rack. Financiers are best served warm or the same day they are baked, but they can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days. If desired, serve or package financiers in decorative paper liners.

I followed the recipe to the dot except that I did not grind the toasted almonds and I split the recipe in half. Shaping of the heart was also a little tricky because only 2 out of 6 came out to be heart-shaped. I did not take any pictures because they were gobbled down as soon as they came out of the oven.

Rum Raisin Shortbread Cookies

I've always wanted to make something that has rum raisin in it because a few people around me loves this combination. The recipe I used was from:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/rum-raisin-shortbread

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1 cup dried currants
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1
  Combine rum and currants; cover, and let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons rum.
• Step 2
  Beat butter, sugar, and orange zest with a mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and reserved rum, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, coconut, and salt, and beat for 3 minutes. Stir in currants by hand.
• Step 3
  Form dough into 2 logs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in parchment, and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• Step 4
  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove parchment. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and space about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

I did not have real rum so I used rum extract to soak the raisins overnight (1/2 cup water + 2 teaspoon rum extract). I also used raisins instead of currants since I have plenty of raisins. I also omitted the coconut since I did not have coconut.

I increased the baking time from 20 minutes to 25 minutes. The cookies came out soft even though they look burned enough on the bottom. They were also out of shape; looked nothing like the picture on website. This recipe did not work out for me.

Note: For every 1/4 cup rum, substitute with 1 teaspoon rum extract in 1/4 cup water.