Banana + oat loaf

I go to the Food Show in Auckland each year - it's a food and wine paradise, last year there were even a couple of whiskey distillers there!  Whilst I was busy samplingthe local fire water, KB had been drawn to a game show-type stand.  Buy a subscription to our magazine and you can spin the lucky wheel!  So we walked away with a 12-month sub for Food, and a copy of some dodgy old dude singing ballads CD. 

 

The latest issue has some real gems in it, so far, and this tasty cake is one of them...

1 + 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp each baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice
125 g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp molasses
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius.  Line loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar, until pale and smooth.  Add eggs and molasses, beating after each addition. 
3. Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in bananas and milk. 
4. Spoon mixture into loaf tin and sprinkle with extra oats, if you want to - I used some slivered almonds here. 
5. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until inserted skewer comes out clean.

Return to Tongariro

Catching up with friends over a morning coffee, I hate to go empty-handed.  So last night I thought, hmmm, perhaps I'll whip up another carrot cake.  This thought was almost immediately discarded as unrealistic for a busy Friday morning.  Perhaps just a good ol' chocolate or vanilla cake?  Nope.  Finn had other plans for our morning, and they included more him eating than me baking.  Okay, plan C.  Chocolate.  Chocolate brownie. 

 

Chocolate brownies are awesome.  They taste wicked, are easy to make and I don't think I've ever some across a single person who doesn't like them.  Really, brownies should be my plan A.  This one is made in the microwave, so takes all of 5 minutes to cook (so about 10 minutes from start to finish).  This is a cheat post, since I've already blogged about this recipe before, but I think it deserves a second airing.  This is perfect for anyone who wants a homemade treat, but for whatever reason just hasn't the time to be faffing in the kitchen with baked goods.  Yum, and leaves you with time to get other stuff done. 

follow that carrot

Almost four weeks ago we had a baby boy.  So I reckon I've a pretty good excuse for my lack of recent blogging.  But now it's time to get back in the proverbial saddle, and what better way than with some tasty home baking?  My partner and I both love carrot cake, so it was a no-brainer place to start.  I almost stuffed it completely, by forgetting it was in the oven, but fortunately got to it just in time - extra golden, but not yet torched!  Cream cheese icing covers the heightened colour nicely.  Kyle had to laugh though - virtually every time I bake I forget something. 

Anyhoo, carrot cake a go-go people, everyone loves it, so treat your office, or your family, or hell, just yourself, and make one.  You get to lick the cream cheese icing spoon. 

3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups carrot, grated
1/2 cup nuts (I used slivered almonds)
1 tsp lemon rind
3/4 cup crushed pineapple

CREAM CHEESE ICING

2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
squeeze lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. 
2. Beat eggs until thick.  Mix in oil, then dry ingredients. 
3. Fold in remaining ingredients. 
4. Pour mixture into lined/greased 22 cm springform tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until inserted skewer comes out clean. 
5. Leave in tin for further 10 minutes following removal from oven, then move to cooling rack. 
6. Ice with cream cheese icing when completely cooled, sprinkle with sunflower seeds if desired.