Jazzing Up The Humble Banana Loaf

I was contacted a few weeks ago by a fruit box company to see if I'd be interested in trying a fruit box and developing a recipe (or two) for their blog.  I jumped at the chance...fruit delivered to my door...why not!? 

When we lived in Essex, David and I were part of a veg box scheme.  I loved receiving our fortnightly box and thinking up meals around whatever mystery vegetables arrived.  

This is slightly different.  Fruitdrop caters to businesses (their fruit boxes start at 50 pieces of fruit) and aren't really promoting locally sourced fruit.  They aim to inspire companies to provide healthy snacks for employees, thereby making those employees more happy, healthy, motivated and productive.  

I think it is a fabulous idea and if I worked for a private company I would totally be suggesting trialling these boxes.  You all know I am a sucker for a piece (ok hunk) of cake, but if a platter of fruit was sitting waiting in the staff room I would be equally as happy tucking into an orange.  

Our box was filled to the brim with satsumas, grapes, strawberries, plums, nectarines, apples, pears and bananas.  The soft fruit was eaten quickly...as expected and a glut of bananas was left.  I had already thought about experimenting with a banana loaf recipe since most people have left over bananas and while banana loaf is the go to solution for them, it is sometimes nice to try something a little different.  

This upside down-ish banana loaf has a super sweet and sticky top (bottom?) and is very very easy to eat.  

Jazzy Banana Loaf 

Ingredients: 

For the base: 

1 perfectly ripe banana 

2 Tbsp dark brown sugar 

1 Tbsp butter

For the cake: 

350g plain flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp bicarb of soda

2 largish overripe bananas

155g white sugar

160ml flavourless oil (vegetable or sunflower) 

2 eggs 

Method: 

Pre-Heat oven to 160 C 

Grease a 2lb loaf tin 

Slice perfectly ripe banana into long slices, about 1/4 cm and arrange over the base of the loaf tin.  Sprinkle the dark brown sugar over the banana slices and dot with bits of butter.  Set aside. 

In a large bowl mash overripe bananas with a fork, add sugar and oil and mix until well combined. 

Add eggs one at a time and mix. 

In a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and salt.  Add to banana mixture and stir until just combined.  

Pour over bananas in loaf tin. 

Bake 50-60 mins until golden and tester comes out clean.  

If you can force yourself to wait until the loaf is completely cooled it will slice better...if not enjoy it a little bit sloppy! 

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A Granola Breakfast Tart...that's right...Tart for Breakfast!

A few weekends ago some girlfriends from down south came up to visit.  It was an excuse to celebrate an upcoming wedding and also the arrival of my little monster.  The weather was horrible, but we made the most of it.  Luckily they had all been up before so I didn't feel the need to show them all the main touristy things...this visit was more relaxed and it basically revolved around food.  

Sunday morning I made them a lazy light breakfast, which centred around this gorgeous breakfast tart from The View From The Great Island.  A crunchy granola base topped with thick greek yoghurt and loads of fruit, it really is an excellent centre piece for a late, lazy breakfast. I made the granola base on Friday night and put the toppings on just before serving.  I wasn't as artistic or generous with the fruit as Sue was in her original post...but it was tasty nonetheless.  

There was a bit leftover, which I covered and ate the next day for breakfast.  Even though the granola was soft from the yoghurt it still tasted great! 

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Anniversary Cake

A colleague of David's hosted a little party for his parents' anniversary and asked if I would bake a cake.  Nothing fancy, just a sandwich sponge...something simple...was the info I was given.  I hummed and hawed over it for a while, and ended up making a lemon sponge filled with lemon curd and a lemony buttercream.  Topped with a ring of blueberries who could complain? 

The feedback was lovely...I just wish I had been able to have a bite myself!

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A Bundt for Charity

Did you know that if you eat cake for a good cause it is calorie free? Well it is...or so say those awesome peeps formerly known as the Edinburgh Cake Ladies and now known as the Edinburgh Bakers.  That's right...cake eaten for charity can only do you GOOD.  

This past week I joined a whole slew of keen bakers and eaters at the lovely Cafe Musa to raise a fork and some money for a local children's charity It's Good 2 Give.  Check out the official blog over at the Edinburgh Bakers website...drool over the pictures and congratulate them for a really fantastic event.  

Over 20 people pledged to bake a cake for the event and even more people pledged to eat those cakes (really hard promise to keep...)! When I pledged to bake ages ago I wasn't too sure what to make...it still felt like the middle of winter and I wasn't sure if I would even feel up to baking what with the dinosaur growing in my tummy.  In the end I decided that I would bake an old family favourite, a Lemon Blueberry Cake.  

I love this cake.  It reminds me of summer and picking blueberries.  It is light and fresh and tastes great even after being in the fridge.  My mum makes this cake in a spring form ring pan...I don't have one of those.  I borrowed a bundt tin from a friend...made sure I greased it well and hoped and prayed for the best! 

Even though it had a few minor cracks a thick layer of lemony glaze rounded it off nicely.  You really can't go wrong with lemons and blueberries.  

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Baby Shower

I've been awake since 5:45 this morning...I don't know if it is baby related or the fact that the sun is shining through my rather thick curtains...either way...I'm up. Yesterday some friends threw me a lovely afternoon tea baby shower.  It was gorgeous...along the lines of the one we had before Christmas at my house...everyone brought something and we sat and chatted, ate, drank tea and whiled away the afternoon.  

The Spread, including my savoury platter with gougeres and artichoke bites

tomato and bacon tart 

cheese scones 

pea and asparagus flan 

the infamous MTB

banana cream pie

fruit scones with all the fixings

pear and ginger cake

mini cheesecakes with an Oreo and pretzel base

A truly lovely afternoon with some fantastic ladies and one of the cutest little men (3 month old Alfie) in all of Edinburgh.  

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Marshmallow Salad

This is one of those desserts that reminds me of long weekends in May and summer holidays...it is one of my Grandma's signature dishes...and a firm family favourite.  A total doddle to throw together, it is more of an open packets and mix together kind of recipe than anything else.  

I call it Marshmallow Salad, I've heard it referred to as White Trash Salad...its proper name is Ambrosia  and hails from the Southern United States (apparently) so who knows how it came to be in my Grandma's repertoire.  All I know is it is comforting and ridiculously easy to eat.  

Basically the recipe goes something like this...drain a couple cans of fruit salad (preferably with extra cherries) and maybe a tin of mandarine oranges and some extra pineapple chunks.  Cover with a decent amount of sour cream, or in this case Creme Fraiche, sprinkle with sweetened coconut and 3 handfuls of mini marshmallows (or more).  Mix it all together and refrigerate until time to devour.  

Deliciously Trashy

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Cheddar Cheese English Muffins

I can't stay away, and the purchase of a new camera (for baby snaps) means that I have been taking pictures of food again...which also means I have something new to share.  

On Friday a friend of mine told me that she was going to make some English Muffins over the weekend and even though I had just baked a batch of gooey cinnamon-y cream cheesy brownies I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to make some too.  So, when I woke up Saturday morning I got down to the business of bread making.  

I've make English Muffins before using Dan Lepard's cider and yoghurt muffin recipe, which involves making a ferment the night before, and then bringing that to room temperature before making the dough and then proving, proving, proving...don't get me wrong, the muffins were excellent...but I just don't have the time for that. Instead, I turned to Delia's basic recipe and adapted it slightly.  

I used a combination of white and wholemeal bread flours (300g white to 150g wholemeal) and added a sprinkle more yeast and a couple extra Tbsps of milk to help the wholemeal along.  I also added a handful of grated extra mature cheddar to make these muffins a touch more savoury. 

I use my shallow cast iron casserole to cook my muffins...and I use the lid...it helps to keep the heat and moisture in the cooking area and I think it makes the muffins rise highhhher.  Like any homemade bread these muffins do take time, and patience...but well worth the wait! 

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