Strawberry Banana Muffins

There are cupcakes and there are muffins. They are totally different creatures. Not exchangeable or replaceable. But there have been a lot of cupcakes masquerading as muffins in bakeries and shops! You can tell the difference between them from the texture. Muffin is a type of quick bread, with a texture somewhat of a cross between a cake and bread. The way I would describe it would be light, fluffy, and full of flavour, and a wonderful aroma. A muffin would be suitable for a light breakfast or afternoon tea and accompanied by a pick-me-up skinny Flat White.

I was on a muffin making spree recently having picked up the correct technique of making muffins. (They are now light and fluffy, vs. heavy and dense…yay!). I made orange muffins, banana muffins, banana and strawberry muffins and banana and white chocolate chip muffins. Here is the recipe for the banana and strawberry muffin. I believe in the goodness of home-made foods and hope you enjoy the process of making it, and the result of your muffin. Take heart, even if it turns out dense at your first try, the taste of the muffin will still be delicious! Don’t give up; you can always drop me a note if you need help.

Strawberry Banana Muffin (Adapted from Joy of Baking)
Makes 12 regular muffins

Ingredients
113g unsalted butter, melted
160g light brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
240 ml fresh or frozen strawberries (cut into small pieces)
315g plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1tsp (4 grams) ground cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt

Method
Preheat oven to 175°C.
In a small saucepan melt the butter. Set aside to cool.
Whisk manually together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and mashed banana. Add the melted butter to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries, making sure they are coated with flour. This helps to prevent the berries from sinking during baking. Do not over mix.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.
Fill each muffin cup about two thirds full of batter.
Bake at 175°C for 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Cordon Rose Banana Cake

I guess anything that indulges our senses, smell, sight, taste can bring us back to a a memory, be it a happy or sad one. I have always liked banana cake. I think it has something to do with the smell. The sweet scent that reminds me of family, comfort and it does tug at your heartstrings.

Having read very good reviews on this banana cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible", I decided to purchase the book and this recipe was the first one that I would try. I had some bananas which were grown organically in my mother's garden, and gave it a go.

I used the Nordic Ware Bouquet Pan, which gives me two roses, two daises and two sunflowers. The little cakes rose in the oven and erupted in the center! I had to adjust the baking time as the time in the recipe was for a normal sized cake. After they were cooked, I flipped the pan over and placed it on a wire rack for about 3 minutes, placing some pressure on the pan so the erupted dome would retreat and I would get a somewhat flat bottom. It worked and here's a photo of my rose.

Cordon Rose Banana Cake (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible)
Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas, at room temperature
120g sour cream
2 large eggs (about 60g with shell), at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
200g sifted cake flour
170g caster sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
142g unsalted butter, softened
Icing Sugar for Dusting

Method
Preheat oven to 175C.
Using a food processor, process bananas and sour cream till well combined. Add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla in. Process till smooth and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar using an electric mixer for about half a minute. Add butter and half of banana mixture in, beating batter on low speed till just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for about a minute and a half. Add remaining banana mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds on low speed after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared Nordicware Pan, filling each mould till about three quarters full. Bake for about 22- 25 minutes or till skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then from pan and let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle Icing Sugar before serving.