Blueberry Banana Brandy Bars (B4s)

The brandy give these "brown bag" bars a little kick and depth of flavor often missing from some banana cakes.  And, I knew that blueberry and brandy would be a great pairing.  Super easy and a great way to use up those ripe banana sitting on your counter! 

So, funnily, I was watching ~briefly~ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory last night, and just so happened to stumble into the part of the movie where Violet Beauregarde eats the complete dinner gum, replete with blueberry pie.  Before Willie could convince Violet not to sample and even spit out the gum before dessert, she enjoyed her meal only to find as she started "chewing" on dessert that she was becoming a blueberry!  Remember Violet (from the original movie)? 

Violet sure learned her lesson...This is the part when the Umpa Lumpas show up to roll her away.  I never liked Violet...Just too bossy!  And, I will admit, I turned off this Johnny Depp version of the movie almost immediately after the start of the Umpa Lumpa disco scene...I mean, really? 

OK, back to my B4 bars...I found this recipe in my King Arthur baking book, under "Brown Bag Banana Bars."  The name does not do these "cake" bars justice.  Packed with poppy seeds and with a texture that has a nice "crunch" from the cornmeal.  I added blueberries, which were in the fridge, for a fresh and bright addition.

Easy to make, moist and full of banana and blueberry flavors: one of my favorite combinations.  And, the brandy gives them a nice smooth flavor...

Delish!

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Rummy Hummingbird Cake

Today, I made a birthday cake for all the September Babies in my life!  My version of an old Southern favorite the Hummingbird Cake.  If you've never had this cake, you really should try it.  It's easy to make, real comfort food and super delish.  This cake really holds up to frosting and the cake is moist (bananas and pineapple) and full of flavor (cinnamon and rum). 

I think of this cake as:

(Carrot cake - carrots) + bananas = YUM!

Best parts, though, IMO are the rum and that it has THREE layers!  I also added rum to the cream cheese frosting to give it just that right amount of mellow rum kick.  :) 

Happy Birthday!

This recipe is adapted from a cookbook by Art Smith, who was Oprah's chef...As we all know, I'm not a fan of Oprah (that would take a few blogs to explain...), but hey, regardless this-guy-can-cook! 

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Orange Banana Bourbon Loaf

I think if you love bananas and you love to bake, you're always plagued coming up with over ripe bananas and trying to figure out what to do with them.  This time around, my inspiration came from an orange nut bread that my mom used to make.   For some reason, I just couldn't locate the recipe, so I looked around at all my cookbooks for some inspiration...

And, this time, though, I wanted to combine orange and banana.  And, sure, we all know there would have to be booze involved.  I personally love bourbon with both orange and banana, so I figured I had the potential for a double "win" here!

This loaf cake is super easy to make and amazingly moist.  I was surprised how much it rose in the pan, yet was not overly dense.  I like loaf cakes, but I especially like moist and dense loaf cakes. 

This recipe is adapted from a cookbook, Ida's in the Kitchen, which I was gifted about 3 years ago when my father and I drove to Utah and Colorado.  We visited some of his former work colleagues when he as stationed at Dugway Proving Grounds.  I was lucky enough to get my pick of over 100 cookbooks from his friend, Vera, who had just lost her husband, the avid cook in their home.  Ida's in the Kitchen is one of those books...Filled with old-fashioned baking and simple and easy recipes.

No copyright date...Ida has a few books out there...Hand-written corrections...Love it!

We stayed at his friends' house just outside of Salt Lake City.  Dorothy and Roy Keeling are some of the best folks I've even had the pleasure to me.  The greatest gift was watching Dorothy cook!  She is a "Southern" cook, replete with making biscuits by hand.  I was in heaven helping around her kitchen as she imparted cooking wisdom to me.  I came away with SO many of her recipes, I fell quite honored.  And, inspired!!

I hope you try this loaf cake.  It's easy to pull together, nothing fancy or complicated.  And the end result has lots and lots of WOW factor!!

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Banana Rum Toffee Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Whim Baking...Are you familiar with the concept?  You see a recipe: make note.  You have, yet again, too many ripe bananas: an idea.  And, a thus: a whim.  I found this recipe via CrazyForCrust's facebook post with a link to InsideBruCrewLife's blog.  Kinda like, telephone or some sort of blogger 3rd cousin.  I don't know.  Anywho, two very cool bloggers, two very cool bakers. 

I heavily modified BCL's recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Honey Peanut Butter Frosting.  Well, if that didn't sound superwonderfulfabulous, I don't know what could.   The honey, oh honey...And, the peanutsssss

I will be honest, here among friends...I'm not a superfan of the chocolate banana thing...Just tried the chocolate pumpkin thing (great bread, Melanie!).  And, fruit and chocolate, well, just aren't my thing.  I never liked the See's Candy with the fruit centers.  I STILL don't. 

I'm a caramel kinda gal.  Love the peanut and chocolate thing.  I mean, who HASN'T broken up their chocolate Easter bunny and dipped it in Jif?  No?  Okay, you need to live a bit more...

And, a Snicker Bar has been know to rock my world from time-to-time...Not to mention the copious number of peanut butter and banana sandwiches consumed in my college days.

So, a little secret of mine is that these little Heath Toffee Bits are soooo good.  In the past, as I could rarely find them, I had only used these bits of toffee heaven in my Christmas cookies.  The great news is that Walmart has them every single time I go!  And, I had been hoarding them for so long that I had TWO bags!  Toffee Bit Jackpot!!!

Bananas, Toffee Bits, EASY yellow cake mix, Myers Rum and Peanut Butter Frosting...

OH, MG!

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Blackberry-Banana Coffee Cake with Cassis

Ever found yourself with this baking dilemma?  Fruit in your refrigerator or on your counter that you just HAVE to eat or it will go bad, wasting valuable and luscious food for which you paid good money?  I was up against this use-it-or-pitch-it situation a few weeks ago with blackberries AND bananas.  To be honest, I get TIRED and WEARY of banana bread, banana muffins, banana cake, blah, blah, blah...And, to add beautiful deep purpley-black, plump and juicy blackberries to this baking dilemma was, well, daunting...See my dilemma?

I found this recipe at Betty Crocker and it sounded and looked wonderful.  I modified the recipe a lot bit by eliminating HALF of the butter (am I insane CRAZY?!!) and adding bananas instead.  It turned at wonderful, moist and full of flavor.  Not your typical and boring banana this or that, NO WAY!

And, I also think it showcases the blackberries beautifully, don't you think so, too?

It's a layered coffee cake, which I think makes it extra special fancy and one with real WOW Factor.  And, it really is EASY...WOW and EASY!!

Best to grab a fork NOW!!

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Banana Rum Upside Down Cake

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you are all enjoying your day with good food, great company and much love.  How many of you started cooking yesterday?  The day before?  This past weekend?  Over achievers, huh?  Well, you're in good company, cuz I started cooking yesterday.  And, today, I wished I'd cooked more...Only cooking for 3 this year and I wonder what I'd do if that was 20!  :)

I spent last week with my dad and my aunt, two people I love more than words can say.  I found this recipe going through those little bits of note paper that are filled with yummy, old-fashioned recipe goodness from my Aunt Barbara.  She's so wonderful and has the happiest heart of anyone on this planet.  I think her secret is that she drinks coffee all day.  I take a page from her book every time we get to spend some quality time together.

This cake is yummy, inviting, great warmed up, and just plain delicious.  I hope you give it a try!

Bananas Foster Cupcakes (with Rum)

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic these days: my 30th high school reunion in July, a 25 year Unitrans reunion of bus drivers last weekend, and a trip to Ohio to see people who loved me even when they didn't have to love me.  I was feeling like making something warm and comforting.  I found these cupcakes in Intoxicated Cupcakes by Kate Legere. 

Warm cinnamon caramel, sweet bananas and what else: RUM!  

 

Oowey, gooey cinnamony goodness.


I wasn't going to make anything for the blog for a while...Guess that was a pipe dream!  Seriously, I have to STOP myself from baking more.  I'm pretty swamped now and leave tomorrow on a week-long vacation to visit very dear old friends.  Mr. and Mrs. F. are really like my parents, if the true be told.  I am grateful beyond words for their support and love all these years.