Roasted Banana Streusel Bread

I'm a huge Banana Bread fanatic, so when my boy friend asked me to bake Banana Bread I went on the hunt to find a yummy recipe. I already have many great recipes but I wanted something different. I like trying different types of recipes even if it's on banana bread or chocolate chip cookies. So I found this one from teenagetaste.com. I wanted to try this recipe out because of three things...

1. Instead of just adding the bananas in the microwave and mashing them. This recipe tells you to roast them. When roasting bananas they start to burst with juicy flavors and you do taste a differences. Really delicious. I will be roasting fruits more often for a burst of flavor.

2. The Streusel! Really loving the streusel topping. In this recipe you get to add some streusel into the batter which makes it taste even better! Yum! I love the crispiness on top of this banana bread. It also adds texture to it.

3. I Love Banana Bread!!!

This Banana Bread is super moist and rich! You can see the streusel in and on top of this bread! Really good, wish I had some more but like always it was gone before you knew it! I think this is a really great Banana Bread recipe that I will be making over and over.

Enjoy!

Roasted Banana Streusel Bread

Source: teenagetaste.com

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

Streusel: 

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Bread: 

1 ½ cups sliced ripe banana (about 2 ½ large bananas worth)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup + 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (I used coconut milk)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions: 

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel and work with your hands until large crumbs form and the pieces of butter become pea-sized. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Place the butter in a small bowl and microwave until melted, about 20-30 seconds.

Set the banana slices on the greased baking sheet and brush the tops with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Remove the bananas (and all the juices) from the oven and change the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mash the roasted bananas and stir in the yogurt, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, eggs, sugars, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Fold in the majority of the streusel and pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.  Sprinkle with remaining (about a handful or so) of streusel.

Bake until top is golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was craving for some chocolate chip cookies, but I didn't want to make a big batch of cookies like I usually do. So I got my Kindle, and scrolled down to my Baking Recipe Books. I decided on baking a cookie recipe from Cookie Cravings: 30 All-Time Favorite Recipes. I got the Kindle edition when it was only a dollar. It's great book with tons of great cookie recipes! The author of this book which is Maria Lichty, is from Two Peas and Their Pods. Tons of great recipes on that site!

These cookies are mini and so cute, that I almost didn't want to eat them...almost! But I did and boy there really good! The mini chocolate chips come in handle when baking up a small batches of cookies like these. They almost look like store bought cookies. These cookies are great for any occasion. Be prepared cause they will go quick! I have many cookie monsters at home, I don't mean kids! haha

I'm loving this cookie spatula that I got for a dollar at Rite Aid! I can transfer two mini cookies on it or one big cookie, one at a time. I love getting things for a dollar! ^_^

You can also find this recipe on her site (link here!)

What are your favorite cookies?

Enjoy!

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: Makes about 3 dozen mini cookies / Bake Time: 8 minutes

Source: Cookie Cravings: 30 All-Time Favorite Recipes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.

2. In medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly mix in the flour, until combined. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

5. Roll dough into tiny balls, about 2 teaspoons of dough. Place on baking sheet and slightly flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake for 8 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Bakery-Style Cupcakes

 

 I couldn’t resist, I just couldn’t…I’ve been in the mood to make some delicious Bakery-Style Cupcakes. Found this recipe online at Sweetapolita.com. I noticed I’ve been baking delicious recipes from her site and I’m going to keep them coming! Her blog is just irresistible! I’ve fallen in love with these cupcakes, there just so yummy and so cute cause there PINK! Well the frosting is, if I had it my way I would make the batter pink too!

This recipe is inspired by Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. I live in New York City so I’m familiar with this Bakery. Though I never had one before (I know, I know…) but I’ve always wanted to try one. So I opted for this recipe instead! I’m glad I did cause at least I get the sense of what I’m missing. Now that I’ve had a taste I really want to try out Magnolia’s cupcakes!

The batter itself is very moist and delicious, not overly sweet. Instead of whole milk I used coconut milk. It tasted really good. The reason I used coconut milk is because  my boy friend is lactose intolerance and he seems to handle coconut milk well. The frosting is very sweet, I loved it and so did my family who had some. They especially loved the frosting. My brother and boy friend found it a be a little bit sweet but they still loved it non-the less. These cupcakes are finger licking good!

To achieve pink frosting I used Americolor in Electric Pink. I piped a generous amount of Vanilla Frosting with a Wilton #1A. To finish them off, I added a bunch of different types of sprinkles to the tops of these cupcakes. These cupcakes are super yummy and great for any occasion.

Good Luck!

Bakery-Style Cupcakes 

Yeild: 24 standard cupcakes

Source: Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes from Food Network

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (190 grams/6.5 ounces) self-rising flour (made my own self-rising flour)

1 1/4 cups (160 grams/5.5 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks/227 grams/8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (400 grams/14 ounces) white sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (250 mL) milk (used coconut milk)

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners of your choice (24 total).

In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and bake in middle of oven until tops turn golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out just clean (a few crumbs is okay), about 18 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Frosting

Bakery-Style Vanilla Frosting

Source: Sweetapotila

Ingredients:

3 sticks (340 grams/12 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

5 cups (625 grams/22 ounces) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)

2 tablespoons (30 mL) milk (used coconut milk)

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Method

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 5 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 5 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.

Add touch of gel food color, if desired and mix until blended.

Best used right away.