Amazingly Delightful Banana Cake w/ Vanilla Bean Frosting

Forget banana bread, this cake is awesome!  It is a fabulous way to use up those last two overly ripe bananas that are laying around.  Slightly tweaked from ButterYum's recipe, this one is a keeper!

Banana Cake (yields 1 8x8 cake):

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. spent grain flour

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

 

1/2 c. sour cream

1 egg

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2 mashed super ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Vanilla Bean Icing (yields approx 1/2 c.):

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2-4 tbsp. milk*

1 vanilla bean**

1 c. powdered sugar*

 

*Add more milk or powdered sugar to adjust the consistency of the icing

**Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds to use in the frosting...discard the shell

 

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Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a glass 8x8 pan.  Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, mix together flours, salt and baking soda. 

 

In a smaller bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and butter. Add mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix well.

 

Add banana sugar mixture to the dry flour mixture.  Mix just until all is moistened.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Cool completely before icing.

 

To make icing:

In a small bowl, cream butter, 2 tbsp. of milk and the seeds of the split vanilla bean.  Add powdered sugar and continue mixing till fully incorporated.  Add more milk or powdered sugar until the icing reaches your desired consistency.

 

Enjoy!

 

Wee Heavy Imperial Irish Red

I'm moving the content of my blog over to my new site.  For details of this recipe, visit http://foodbeerlove.com/Homebrew_Recipes.html#Wee_Heavy_Irish_Red.

 

Glazed Yogurt Lime Quick Bread

I had some limes that needed to be used and I became inspired by this recipe for muffins.  After baking, the bread was missing something... then I realized it needed a glaze.  Viola!  Quite yummy.  The talk of friends at the local brew supply house said that it paired really well with an English Porter!  Anyway... this bread makes a bright citrus-y but sweet breakfast bread... hmm, I bet it would go well with a bacon bloody Mary as well!  ;)

Yogurt Lime Quick Bread (yields 1 loaf)
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. spent grain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. honey
zest of 2 limes
juice of 1 lime
1 egg1 c. yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. canola oil

Lime Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar*
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. milk*

*You may need to add a little bit more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency for the glaze.

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Preheat the oven to 375F.  Prepare a loaf pan by lightly greasing the sides and bottom.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

In a smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Stir just until moistened.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in 375F oven for 38-42 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.  Let bread cool in pan for about 10 minutes.

While bread is cooling in pan, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients and mix well.  Add more milk if glaze is too thick.  Add more powdered sugar if glaze is too thin. 

Remove bread from pan and move to a wire rack to completely cool.  Spread glaze over bread and allow the glaze to set. 

Enjoy!