Thursday, November 5, 2009

Banana cake with passionfruit icing

Banana cake with passionfruit icing
Preparation Time - 20 minutes
Cooking Time - 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

  • Melted butter, to grease
  • 125g butter, softened
  • 155g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
  • 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 160ml (2/3 cup) buttermilk
  • 2 large overripe bananas, mashed

Passionfruit icing

  • 25g (1/3 cup) shredded coconut
  • 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 80g (1/2 cup) icing sugar mixture
  • 2 tbs unstrained passionfruit pulp

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and 2 opposite long sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.
  • Use an electric beater to beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until just combined.
  • Stir in half the combined flours, and half the cinnamon and ginger until just combined. Stir in buttermilk, remaining combined flours, cinnamon and ginger, and banana until combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the surface.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack for 30 minutes or until cooled completely.
  • Meanwhile, to make the passionfruit icing, heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the coconut and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat. Use an electric beater to beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
  • Place the cake on a serving platter. Use a round-bladed knife to spread the icing over the cake. Sprinkle with coconut and cut into slices to serve.

Notes & tips

  • This cake will keep in an airtight container out of direct sunlight for up to 3 days.
  • You'll need 2 passionfruit for this recipe.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Corned Beef Fritters

Ingredients
  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • Diced corned beef
  • Oil

Method
  • Sift flour into bowl and make a well
  • Slowly pour in milk and mix
  • Beat egg - add and mix
  • Mix until smooth - all lumps removed
  • Add beef
  • Add oil to frypan
  • Pour batter into frypan (pikelet size)

  • When bubbles have popped, flip over

  • Cook for 2-3 mins more

  • Remove from frypan and drain on paper towel
  • Serve warm


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

What's in season - November

From blueberries to zucchini, find out which fruit and vegetables are at their very best and cheapest in November:
Carambola
Fruit
Bananas
Blueberries
Carambola/starfruit
Cherries
Grapefruit
Honeydew melons
Lychees
Mangoes
Rockmelon/cantaloupe
Watermelon
Oranges
Red papaya
Passionfruit
Pineapple
Strawberries

Silver beet
Vegetables
Artichokes
Asparagus
Chinese greens
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
Green beans
Cucumber
Chillies
Hass avocado
Lettuce
Spring onions/green shallots
Peas
Potatoes
Silverbeet
Snow peas
Spinach
Sugar snap peas
Sweet corn
Zucchini


Source - Taste.com.au

Friday, October 30, 2009

Prawns, Scallops, Cream

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Prawns, shelled and deveined
  • 4 oz. Scallops, cleaned
  • 2 oz. Butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp. Corn starch
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. Chopped parsley
  • 3 shallots
  • salt and pepper

Directions
  1. Melt butter in pan, add crushed garlic and cook 1minute.
  2. Add wine and cream and bring to boil, boil rapidly 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Combine water and corn starch, pour into cream mixture, stir until mixture boils.
  4. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  5. Add seafood to sauce and cook 2 minutes, stir in parsley and chopped shallots.

I intend to make this very soon (and ask a friend to enjoy it with me). Will post photos when I have them :)

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Cupcakes


I love them!

So easy to make and great for birthdays.

More hygenic to eat than a big cake so makes it great to take to kindy and share with other kids.

Just a basic recipe with one majorly requested ingredient .....

Yellow Colouring!

Yep, they all had to be yellow with chocolate icing and sprinkles.

Gotta love a boy who knows what he wants!

They tasted great too :D

Thursday, July 30, 2009

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Method
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world ?

Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Banana Cake

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 medium bananas
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
2 tablespoons milk

Method

Cream butter and sugar.
Add beaten eggs. Beat well.
Peel and mash bananas. Add to creamed mixture and mix well
Sift flour, salt and soda together.
Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk to form a soft dough.
Spoon mixture evenly into two greased and lined 18 cm sandwich tins.
Bake in a moderate oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool on a rack.

When cold, sprinkle top with icing sugar.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Basketti

I'm so glad my boys like my cooking.

Tonight was supposed to be Shepherd's Pie but it turned into Spaghetti or as my boys call it -
"Basketti".

Such a quick and easy meal and they all ask for 2nds and 3rds.

I'm told that it is even better than the canned stuff hahahaha

It would want to be.


Monday, July 27, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - Toni - 27 July 2009



Monday - Alfredo Pasta & Sausages (Cook sausages, chop small, add to finished pasta)


Tuesday Steak, mashed potato, carrot, corn, beans

Wednesday - Shepherd's Pie

Thursday - Savoury Steak

Friday - Homemade Mini Pizzas

Saturday - Rump Roast & Vegies

Sunday - Bacon & Eggs on Toast, Muffins

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Leftovers

I love having leftovers in the fridge!

Don't you?

It makes it so much easier especially for busy weekends if you don't have to arrange cooking a meal.

The males of my family have had a great weekend eating leftover chicken curry and spiral pasta lasagna (as they call it).