Baking ~ Foodies Wanted

[WingsOnFire]

Originally Posted by JustJo

Happy to share!
This one isn't health food, but we like it...and it's a great way to use over-ripe bananas. When they are getting too spotty on the counter I toss them (in the peels) into the freezer, where they turn hard and black. When I want to bake a cake, I pull them out and let them thaw a bit on the counter.

Rooster's Favorite Banana Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together:

• 2-1/2 cups flour (the white whole wheat works here too)
• 1-2/3 cups sugar (did I mention this wasn't healthy stuff?)
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Once the dry ingredients are well blended, you'll add:

• 2/3 cup soft shortening (I like butter flavored Crisco....bad, I know)
• 2/3 cup buttermilk (or squeeze a little lemon juice or put a spoonful of vinegar in the fresh milk and let it sit for a minute)
• 3 chopped or mashed over-ripe bananas (without the peels of course *giggle*)
• 2 large eggs

I put this into a bundt pan (cuz we like our cake by the bump, not the slice), but you can use a 9 x 13 rectangle or 2 regular cake pans if you prefer. Whatever you use, either grease and flour your pans, or spray Pam like crazy. Banana cake can grab on.

The bundt pan takes 50 - 55 mins., layers might be done in a half hour...rectangle maybe 40 - 45 minutes.

This is one you'll have to test with a cake tester or broom straw to make sure it comes out clean. The moisture content of bananas (and the size) vary widely....so times aren't exact.

I don't frost it...we like it just the way it comes out of the oven....but I've always thought a caramel frosting would be yummy.

Enjoy!

yummmmm... it is now in the oven..

[Blue_Daddy-O]

Ok... I'm looking for help! I can't seem to get a straight answer yet, so I'm hoping maybe there will be a baking pro somewhere on the ol BP!

My muffins keep caving in the middle after I bring them out of the oven. It's like deflating tires, but faster. LoL. It only takes them 5 seconds to deflate.

I'm thinking they need more flour, but not sure if I should raise it to 1 1/4 cups, 1 1/2 cups, or 2 cups. If anyone has any tips, secrets, suggestions please let me know. I want to perfecto my muffins.

These are the ingredients:

Pumpkin
Spices
Oil
Flour
Salt
Applesauce
Honey
an egg
Oats
Vanilla Extract
Baking Powder
Baking Soda

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

My second try I left the oats out and did a full can of pumpkin instead of 3/4ths. I also tried half a cup of white flour/half a cup of wheat pastry flour. I was doing 1 cup of wheat pastry flour before. I also increased the honey to 1 cup instead of 1/2 a cup.

Thoughts?

[yotlyolqualli]

Im thinking that the more "wet" ingredients, IE honey and pumpkin you put in, and the more dry ingredients you leave out... is going to have the cave in results.

Your flour is what makes the muffins rise... you get too much wet stuff and not enough flour, you're going to have wet and deflated muffins.

Try going with the original recipe, but adding flour a hlaf cup at a time, until you get those suckers to stay fully inflated lol.

Then again, I could be wrong, BUT I make muffins from scratch and mine always turn out.

[cinnamongrrl]

Originally Posted by Blue_Daddy-O

Ok... I'm looking for help! I can't seem to get a straight answer yet, so I'm hoping maybe there will be a baking pro somewhere on the ol BP.

Thoughts?

Im wondering if either your baking soda or baking powder may be old? try getting new ones Fall is a GREAT time to bake...especially pumpkin goodies!!

[Blue_Daddy-O]

Originally Posted by yotlyolqualli

Im thinking that the more "wet" ingredients, IE honey and pumpkin you put in, and the more dry ingredients you leave out... is going to have the cave in results.

Your flour is what makes the muffins rise... you get too much wet stuff and not enough flour, you're going to have wet and deflated muffins.

Try going with the original recipe, but adding flour a hlaf cup at a time, until you get those suckers to stay fully inflated lol.

Then again, I could be wrong, BUT I make muffins from scratch and mine always turn out.

Good suggestion Yotlyolqualli! I will give it a try.

Originally Posted by cinnamongrrl563

Im wondering if either your baking soda or baking powder may be old? try getting new ones Fall is a GREAT time to bake...especially pumpkin goodies!!

Interesting concept, Cinnamongrrl. Baking soda is new. Baking powder, I'm not sure how old it is! It may be a year and a half old. If Yotlyo's suggestion doesn't work, I will buy new Baking Powder.

[lusciouskiwi]

Hi, haven't read all the way through the thread, but if anyone would like a recipe for a diabetic fruit cake, let me know. My mum makes it for dad and it's yummy. But then I like fruit cake (cos I'm a tad fruity ...)

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Blue_Daddy-O

Ok... I'm looking for help! I can't seem to get a straight answer yet, so I'm hoping maybe there will be a baking pro somewhere on the ol BP!

My muffins keep caving in the middle after I bring them out of the oven. It's like deflating tires, but faster. LoL. It only takes them 5 seconds to deflate.

I'm thinking they need more flour, but not sure if I should raise it to 1 1/4 cups, 1 1/2 cups, or 2 cups. If anyone has any tips, secrets, suggestions please let me know. I want to perfecto my muffins.

These are the ingredients:

Pumpkin
Spices
Oil
Flour
Salt
Applesauce
Honey
an egg
Oats
Vanilla Extract
Baking Powder
Baking Soda

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

My second try I left the oats out and did a full can of pumpkin instead of 3/4ths. I also tried half a cup of white flour/half a cup of wheat pastry flour. I was doing 1 cup of wheat pastry flour before. I also increased the honey to 1 cup instead of 1/2 a cup.

Thoughts?

First, Hello Everyone.

Nice thread. Your batter seems a little heavy. Have you tried
grinding up the oats? I would suggest whipped egg whites for air and rise.

Also as Morningstar suggested check dates on the soda and powder.

Pumpkin can be tricky. Maybe a bread or tea cake format would be more
satisfying than a muffin. But try the egg whites ans let me know if that helps.

[Blue_Daddy-O]

Originally Posted by Sun

First, Hello Everyone.

Nice thread. Your batter seems a little heavy. Have you tried
grinding up the oats? I would suggest whipped egg whites for air and rise.

Also as Morningstar suggested check dates on the soda and powder.

Pumpkin can be tricky. Maybe a bread or tea cake format would be more
satisfying than a muffin. But try the egg whites ans let me know if that helps.

Sun, thanks! I will give your suggestions a try too! Just using egg whites does sound lighter and fluffier!