Mocha Glazed Banana Cakes w. Peanut Brittle

I love bananas. They're the easiest and creamiest fruit to bake into a cake, and the smell is just simply divine. This recipe is my TO GO dessert party contribution OR edible bribes for students to behave - the oatmeal cakes are fluffy clouds, glazed with a rich mocha ganache. And because peanuts and bananas are a NO BRAINER- D'UHH, it's finished off with a salted peanut brittle. Just don't ask me how to make them, because my family actually buys them by the truckload from Penang! 

Banana Oatmeal Cake with Mocha Glaze

Makes one 9-inch cake, 12 to 16 servings (Slightly adapted from David Lebovitz’s Ready for Dessert)

Banana Cake

• 2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces/230 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) sour cream
• 2 cups (500 ml) banana puree (3 to 4 large bananas)
• 1 cup oats

1.       Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).  Line your muffin tins with liners.

2.     Mix bananas, sour cream and oats till mushy. Leave for 30 minutes to allow oats to soften.

3.      Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium-sized bowl.  Using a large whisk, whisk to combine.

4.      In a stand mixer with with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the vanilla extract and espresso powder (or coffee powder) and beat to just combine.

5.      Add the eggs one-at-a-time, beating well until completely incorporated.

6.      Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the banana mixture.

7.      Reduce speed to stir, stir in the remaining flour mixture. Do not over mix.

8.      Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Mocha Glaze

·      210g dark chocolate (chopped)

·      200g unsalted butter

·      2 tablespoons light corn syrup

·      1 tablespoon Kahlua liqeur

·      1 tablespoon espresso powder.

1. Melt butter and chocolate in microwave, stirring at 30 second intervals. Stir in corn syrup, Kahlua and espresso powder until smooth and combined.

             

            
           

Baker’s Notes

1.     Using ripe bananas and sour cream makes for a really moist cake. If you’re looking for a lighter version, substitute with greek yoghurt or buttermilk.

2.  I love the addition of coffee and spices into the cake, it marries beautifully with the banana flavor!

3.  You can substitute the oats with chocolate chips or nuts - whatever floats your banana boat :D

Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Chunkies

This is for saying goodbye. 

These batch of cookies are for my Primary 6 students, a parting gift of sorts, for our last lesson together. I'm not a fan of peanut butter (actually LOATHE the stuff), but I know my kids love them. Oats, chocolate and peanut butter make for a fantastic, kid friendly, protein rich snack for them. Crispy on the outside, chewy inside, perfect to wash down with a glass of milk! 

The older my students get, the snarkier their comments can get. But ultimately, this is my way of thanking them for being so hardworking, thoughtful and driven. For being my inspiration and motivation for coming to work to teach, for teaching me how to listen, for showing me what it's like to look through the world through another pair of eyes. 

At times, the best part of the job is learning from them as much as they do from me. 

Chunky PB & Chocolate Chip Cookies (Adapted from Baking, from my home to yours)

Wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they’ll be good for 2 months. Makes 20 big cookies 

·        1.5 cups old-fashioned oats

·        1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·        1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·        1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·        Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

·        ¼ teaspoon salt

·        4 ounces (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

·        ½ cup (125g) peanut butter (not natural)

·        1/2 cup white sugar

·        1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

·        1 large eggs

·        1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·        130g chopped bittersweet chocolate

1.) Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2.) Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

3.) Using a hand mixer, in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips.

4.) If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about ½ inch thick.

5.) Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula—they’ll firm as they cool.

6.) Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Baker's Notes

1.) Do use supermarket peanut butter, the natural stuff isn't sweet enough!

2.) I like to chill my dough for a minimum of 6 hours, this allows for a richer taste