banana bread cupcakes

I was at a friend's apartment when she told me she had recently come down with a case of the too-ripe bananas. She showed me the patient and I confirmed the diagnosis, immediately writing her a prescription for banana bread cupcakes. Needless to say, we filled that prescription right away. (Corny, I know. But I had to.)


I got the recipe from recipe zaar and I've used it multiple times already. It's titled "best ever banana cake ever" and it really is. I also added walnuts to the recipie which it doesn't call for, but I think was a pretty good addition.


You would think that the baking temperature of 275 degrees is abnormally low, but it works. That and putting them in the freezer as soon as they come out of the oven must do something to make these insanely moist and delicious. I'll look into the chemistry of it all later..

The recipie is for a 9 x 13 cake but I kept everything the same just putting them in cupcake pans. I believe the cook time was even the same (a lot slower than normal because of the low temperature). I would still do the toothpick check once in a while to make sure you don't overcook. If you want to do pretty piping with the icing let the cupcakes cool and put the cream cheese frosting in the fridge for a little. Or you can just spread it right on like I did, couldn't really wait. Just as delicious and garnished with a walnut, I think pretty too.


Great taste, great texture, saved some bananas from living their last moments out in a landfill... I'd say overall it was a pretty sucessful day.

Eat two and call me in the morning.
-your pre-med chef

pain doré

That's french toast in...well, French of course! French toast is a classic, it's easy to make, and it's perfect for a lazy Sunday morning (morning being 12:30 in the afternoon).

It's hard to go wrong with french toast but there are two things that I think are essential to get the most out of your toast.
1) Challah makes the best french toast, hands down.
2) Real maple syrup is 100x better than that fake stuff (sorry Auntie J.)

All that you need is:

• sliced raisin challah (or plain, or chocolate chip, or other bread if you must)
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• a pinch of salt

1. Beat eggs in a large bowl
2. Add milk to the eggs, mix together
   
3. Add sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to the mixture
4. Butter a large pan and set stove to high
5. Dip the bread in the egg mixture, covering both sides, and place in pan
6. Once pan is heated (you should hear the sizzling) lower the heat to medium-low
7. Cook toast until browned on both sides
8. As you take the toast off the pan, place the slices on plate in oven or somewhere it will stay warm until ready to be served
9. When you've toasted your heart content, top with some fresh fruit, powdered sugar, or just some pure maple syrup, mmm...

you know the deal, eat two and call me in the a.m.

Red White and Blue...Velvet!

While Red Velvet has recently been quite the craze, I was never lured in. I figured it was just chocolate with red food coloring, and to be quite honest, I didn't get it. So until now I've passed. Until now. Then came the Fourth of July, a perfect excuse to not only bake, but to bake something, well...red. Let me say, I'm glad I did. I don't think there is a better way to celebrate the country that gave us corndogs and turducken than making something 233 times more appetizing. I now understand the fuss over this red velvet thing. I don't know how to explain it, or why it tastes different than an ordinary chocolate cupcake, but it's very different, and very mmm...

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red gel paste food color
  
• 1 cup buttermilk (or my milk + lemon trick)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

If you can't find gel paste you can use the normal supermarket liquid variety, but you'll have to use a lot more. I bought a one ounce bottle of red liquid food coloring and used about 3/4, you can use as much as you want to achieve your desired red.


Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 12 oz cream cheese
• 1 lb (4 cups) confectioners sugar
  
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Since I clearly didn't know the first thing about red velvet, I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's new cupcake book which is just glorious, thanks Marthy!

1. Preheat your oven to 350
2. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt
3. In a separate bowl, whisk oil and sugar together until combined
4. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, whisking after each.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.
6. Mix in food color and vanilla
7. Stir together baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, it will foam (apparently this does something with the cocoa to bring out the red?)
8. Add mixture to batter and stir for 10 seconds
9. Put in your baking cups and cook for 20 minutes, rotating the trays once half way through.

While those are baking is a good time to make your frosting:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy
   
2. Add confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition
   
3. Add vanilla, and whisk some more until smooth and combined.

Once they are cooled you can frost them. I went a little crazy and got some blue cake dust and white sugar pearls to decorate them with. Then they were sent on their way to a 4th of July party (a few staying home with me, naturally). Everybody loved the cupcakes, turning me from a red velvet skeptic into a red velvet enthusiast, who knew? Happy Birthday America!


Eat two and call me in the morning.
-your pre-med chef