Ring, Ring...Banana Cake!

The only children's CD we have was a gift from my step mother. It's the best 20 years of Raffi. For the Raffi fans out there, the title of this post will hopefully inspire at least a knowing smile. For everyone else: there's a song called 'Banana Phone', which is really catchy and I often have it in my head. As a result, as soon as I uttered the words 'Banana Cake', I could think of nothing else.

This cake cannot call your cat but it's still something to sing about! It's really the peach upside down cake with bananas instead of peaches. It's a nice alternative when peach season is no more. I made this on NYE and it was pretty tasty, although I hands down prefer the peach. Banana lovers would disagree I'm sure, but the beauty of this upside down cake is that there's a version for everyone. Pineapple, peach, banana, pear, apple...I would go on if I could think of something else! The point is that it's a really good base recipe that is very versatile.

January Baker's Challenge: Scones

Bakers Challenge blog checking lines: Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Scones are one of those things that I've made without really thinking about them. The January Baker's Challenge changed that. Scones are complex little creatures with distinct personalities. Did I want a tender scone? Would my scone have layers? These are but a few of the questions I never thought to ask. Lord only knows what kinds of scones I was technically producing before, and I can only hope that the recipients were just as clueless as I was!

In the end I chose a tender scone because that's what Charlie said he wanted. I knew, as maybe he did too, that he had no idea what that really meant. Happy to have some direction, I forged ahead with the instructions for the tender variety.

My mother in law mentioned that she liked scones, and since she was coming over for an infant/child CPR class at our house (not hosted by me thankfully for those attending!), it seemed like a good time to make scones.

I served my decidedly tender scones with devon cream and strawberry rhubarb jam. The crowd was pleased with them, but I held back on declaring a real victory. They weren't burnt, they looked good, they were fairly moist, but I really felt that for something with such few ingredients they would have to be out of this world for me to think I had actually mastered them. Maybe my version of a mastered scone will be slightly different than someone else's but I still don't think I'm there. Next time I will try making a flaky scone. Stay tuned!

The Only Chocolate Cake

From now on I will know no other chocolate cake. This is that good. It's probably due in large part to the quality of chocolate. The recipe recommends the best chocolate you can get and it's worth it because the chocolate flavour comes through a lot.

There is a chocolate shop in the Distillery District in Toronto, called SOMA and that's where I picked up the chocolate for this cake. I made this for my sister's birthday and it was a HUGE hit!! The icing I chose was a cream cheese frosting and I probably wouldn't do it again, as I think it would have suited a milk chocolate frosting better. The recipe actually called for a dark ganache but I thought it would be a bit too intense - maybe not, but I didn't try it in any case. This recipe was taken from http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/bestof/toprecipes/bestcakerecipes/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Layer-Cake-101275

For cake layers

• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting

• 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment

• two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

Leftover Brown Rice Muffins: A Pleasant Surprise

In the spirit of frugality we have been trying to waste less food. Last night I made a brown rice nut loaf and had a cup and a half of brown rice left. Generally, we find that brown rice doesn't keep well on it's own because it gets sort of dry and hard and - for me anyway - it's totally uninspiring. As a challenge, Charlie suggested I try baking something with the leftover rice.

In an attempt to lazily rise to the challenge, I just looked up a leftover brown rice muffin recipe. After reading the ingredients and tasting the batter i was completely sure that they would be totally gross. Surprise! They were really quite tasty and I'm planning to make them again.

Here is the recipe:

Note: I baked them for 17 minutes at 350 and used all purpose gluten free flour

1 1/4 c Whole wheat flour 2 tb Brown sugar 2 ts Baking powder 2 Eggs 2/3 c Skim milk 1/4 c Vegetable oil 1/4 ts Almond extract 1 c Cooked brown rice Credit: BOYD NARON LEFTOVER RICE MUFFINS Stir first three ingredients together. Beat remaining ingredients, stirring rice in last. Combine two mixtures just until moistened. Spoon into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 440 degrees for 20 minutes. 127 calories per serving.