Baking With Katie

When you need a birthday cake that's a fruit cake...you ask Mommy (Ena); any other cake, that Jeannie.

Well, in January my brother-in-law and my niece celebrated birthdays. I would get the usual phone call saying, "Auntie Jeannie, I would like a Barbie cake for my birthday with..." and so on. Now this January 2007, I felt like an actress waiting for my agent to call me with a part in a big movie, because I never got the call! I am always happy to bake and decorate my niece and nephews birthday cakes. It's a wonderful way to practice my cake decorating skills. I though maybe Katie forgot to call Auntie Jeannie. Oh well! Life goes on...

I therefore asked my sister what's my niece plan for her cake, she did not know either until I had an occasion to be at my sister's home (Jacquie) along with my mom and other sister, Carolyn, and the subject of birthday cake came up. I shall try to dialog the conversation I had with Katie as best as I possibly can because I have never felt soooo...I don't know, but here it is:

I asked, "Katherine, what kind of cake do you want me to make you for your birthday?"

She replied, "Didn't my mom told you I got an Easy Bake oven for Christmas?"

"No." I said while in the back of my mind I was wondering 'what is an Easy Bake oven?!?'. I guess my this time you know I was not born in the USA, because most girls my age, at that time, would have wanted an Easy Bake oven when they were popular.

Katherine further said with such pride in a voice and I was totally not prepared for what came next, "Didn't my mom told you I bake my daddy's birthday cake and he loved it?"

"Noooo." I replied feeling a tad hurt because I thought I was the only real baker in the family. How dare her! I thought. My little six year old niece trying to take good business from me. Now she hit me with the bomb when she said,

"Oh Auntie Jeannie, you don't have to bake my birthday cake this year. I will make my own cake in my Easy Bake oven. Do you want to order a cake from me? The Oreo cake I know you will love it is $2.75!"

Even before I could catch the word leaking out of my mouth like invisible drool, with excitement an Easy Bake catalog was placed in my hand and a little girl, whose finger was pointing to the 'Oreo Cake' asked me, "Can you take me to the store to get supplies?"

"Huh?!?", was my reply. What else could I say? Her brother Michael shouted from the living room, "Auntie Jeannie you can buy cookies from me too...seven cookies for $12!!"

Banana Coffee Cake

Late last year I wanted so much to bake a banana cake when I remembered a recipe used years ago when I lived in Jamaica. It was a Banana Coffee Cake - a banana cake flavored with coffee. I increased the amount of coffee, however, using decaffeinated coffee. Well, it didn't matter much if it was decaf-coffee, it has intense coffee flavor and the sweetness of the banana made this cake a winner.

I gave a piece to a friend and her fiance, they like it enough to request the recipe. Dahlia, as I promised, here is the recipe. Post your results here when you have tried it.

Banana Coffee Cake
3 teaspoons instant coffee (I used 5 tsp)
1 cup butter (butter makes everything better)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup ripe banana (about 3)
3 tbsp hot water
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Coffee Icing
2 tbsp softened butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
2 tsp instant coffee
2 tbsp hot water

1. Pre-heat oven 350 F. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.
2. Sift flour and add baking powder. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, the mashed ripe bananas.
5. Dissolve coffee with hot water and add to batter.
6. Gently fold in flour mixture and one cups nuts until well combined.
7. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.
8. Leave in baking pan to cool for 5 minutes. Completely cool on a wire rack.
9. Ice cool cake with coffee icing and sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts.

Enjoy!

Bridal Expo - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

This weekend I am planning on going to the Bridal Expo at the Broward Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The main reason, I am looking to see the new trends and to get inspiration for wedding cake decoration. Lately I have been drawing designs of cakes for patterns on china, flowers and dresses. I'll try to post a photo of one sketch I have do with the accompanying cake.

Have you ever attended a bridal show? This will be my first show. Let me hear from you.

This is the link for the bridal expo: http://www.greatbridalexpo.com/

Chocolate for Valentine's

With Valentine's Day just around the corner you maybe wondering what to give your honey. Most would be buying a piece of fine jewelry, or planning a quiet romantic dinner for two. Well, I am going with plan B, i.e. bake my husband, Jack, a scrumptious chocolate cake and brownies. He is not just my sweetheart, but he loves sweet with a little of his heart.

I came across a chocolate brownie recipe on Martha Stewart's website and tried it. It was absolutely delicious! Here is the recipe - it's very simple...

Fudgy Brownies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for foil
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped (I used dark chocolate)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) (I used pecans and chopped white chocolate)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil; butter foil. Set aside.


2. Place butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water; stir frequently, until almost melted. Remove from heat; stir until completely melted.


3. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth; whisk in eggs. Gently whisk in flour just until smooth (do not over mix). Fold in nuts, if using.


4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (they should form a ball when rolled between your fingers), 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan.


5. Use foil to lift from pan; peel off and discard. Cut into 16 squares.

Note: Instead of dipping the dry measuring cup into the flour, spoon flour into the cup; then level flour with the straight edge of a knife. When lining the pan, press the foil neatly into the corners, and smooth the bottom and sides. If necessary, brush sides of pan with butter to help foil stay in place.

Make 16; Prep time: 25 minutes; Total time : 3 hours