Mini Banana Breads

I don't think I'm the only one out there that is happy to see over ripe bananas on the counter because I know they are perfect for making banana bread.  Thing is, in my house they usually don't make it to that point.  We go through a lot of bananas around here.  So the other day when I woke up and saw 5 brown bananas just sitting there begging to be made into bread I was pretty darn excited.  Plus I have these cute mini bread pans that I hardly ever get to use.

Mini Banana Breads (some with chocolate chips, others with walnuts)
adapted from Mom's Big Book of Baking

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat the inside of a loaf pan (or the mini loaf pans) with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Combine the butter and sugars in a large bowl.  With an electric mixer, on medium-high speed, cream them together until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla and beat until smooth.  With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined.  This is where I divide the batter in half, mix half with the walnuts and the other half with the mini chocolate chips.  You could combine it all together and make walnut, chocolate chip banana bread, or leave out one and double the other.  Its really up to you.
4.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake the loaf until it is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.  Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, inver it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on the rack to cool completely.

Nutmeg Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Let me just tell you a story about my experiences with Swiss Meringue Buttercream (otherwise known as SMC).  When I first started really concentrating on baking I knew I needed to find a new frosting for my cakes and cupcakes.  I am not a big fan of the really sweet American Buttercream (lots of powdered sugar).  After doing some research on the internet I found that SMB was my best option.  I had never really had a SMB before and so I had no idea what it should look or taste like.  My first batch actually came out perfectly but I didn't know that at the time.  I was expecting it to a lot like American Buttercream, really sweet, not what it actually was, buttery and silky.  I LOVED it!  I could eat it by the spoonfuls.  But, because I was thinking it would be more like the American Buttercream I was confused as to why it didn't have powdered sugar in it, so I added a little bit, and then a little bit more, and then some more.  I have probably crossed some SMB honor code by adding powdered sugar to mine.  The thing was...I loved it even more after adding the powdered sugar, so now, all my SMB has powdered sugar in it.

Nutmeg Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
adapted from Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 sticks butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. Add nutmeg, cinnamon and powdered sugar at this point and mix on medium speed until incorporated.
5. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Eggnog Cupcakes

Growing up we never had eggnog in our house, maybe my parents didn't grow up with it or maybe they just didn't like it, but whatever the reason I had never tried it until I was in my twenties.  Even after trying it I wasn't crazy about it.  It's funny, I have read so many blogs and people say that you either love it or hate it. For me I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either, it was just ok.  My husband, however, likes it so he bought a carton of it the other day and then left for North Dakota without drinking any of it.  So I have a carton of eggnog, which I won't drink and had to figure something to use it for.  What better way to use it then to make CUPCAKES!  Yum!  And to make them even better....top them with Swiss Meringue Buttercream!

Eggnog Cupcakes

slightly adapted from  Martha Stewart's Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons sugar
3 wholes
1 egg yolk
1 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon bourbon
Nutmeg Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  In a large measuring cup, add eggnog, vanilla and bourbon.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to medium.  Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of  bowl as needed.  Add yolk and beat until thoroughly combined.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of eggnog mixture, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes, turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Butternut Squash Cake

I have amazing in-laws...what makes them so amazing you ask?  Well lots of different things but one of those things is their devotion to gardening every Spring and Summer.  Starting in about June I am supplied with fresh veggies until about the end of October.  Last year my hubby told his dad that butternut squash was his favorite of all the squashes they grow so this year my father-in-law planted almost three times as much as he did the year before.  The end of October my father-in-law stops by with two big boxes full of butternut squash.  My first thought..."what in the world am I going to do with all of this???"  Honestly, most of it is still sitting in my garage.  The good thing about squash is that most of them have such thick skins that you can keep them in a cool, dark area and they will stay good for a couple of months.  A week before Thanksgiving I was searching the internet for new recipes that might be interesting for Thanksgiving day.  I'm a recipe junkie, I love recipes, I always print out a ton of them and end up making one or two of them.  My husband loves this about me...NOT! LOL.  While searching through the Betty Crocker website I stumbled onto a recipe that used butternut squash...a CAKE recipe.  I'd never heard of a butternut squash cake before so of course I printed it out.  I honestly figured it would end up in my stack of printed-but-not-yet-tried recipes but lucky for me it didn't.  Some how it ended up on my kitchen counter.  My hubby probably brought it down off the printer and left it there.  So the day before Thanksgiving I was looking through my recipes and there it was, the butternut squash cake.  I looked over the ingredients and I had everything I needed right there in my pantry so I had to make it.  And what I'm telling you right now is...you HAVE to make this cake.  Its moist and delicious!

Butternut Squash Cake
Adapted from: Betty Crocker

Ingredients
Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 buttermilk (I make my own buttermilk, I put 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk.  Let it sit for 2-3 minutes and....tada buttermilk)
2 cups shredded peeled butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
3oz cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons maple flavor
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Cake
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bottom of 13X9 inch pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs until fluffy.  Beat in baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add flour alternately with buttermilk, scraping side of bowl.  Beat 1 minute.  Stir in squash and 1/2 cup walnuts.  Spread in pan.
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Frosting
In a medium bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and the maple flavor.  Beat until smooth and creamy, adding additional milk if needed.

Frost cake.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup walnuts. Cover and refrigerate.

Pecan-Caramel topped Pumpkin Pie

Happy Thanksgiving.  This post might be a little late for you to make it tomorrow for your Thanksgiving table but if you are like me you think Pumpkin Pie is good whenever, no need to only eat it on Thanksgiving!  One of these days I'll get better at taking pictures of my food, for now I hope you can just trust that these recipes are YUMMY! even if they don't look that great in the pictures.  The pumpkin pie I made is directly from the Libby's pumpkin can, I've just added the topping.

Pecan-Caramel topped Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
from Libby's Pumpkin can

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell

Directions
1. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
2. Pour into pie shells.
3. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Note:  I've made these pumpkin pies several times and for some reason it always takes mine about 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook all the way through...but the can says 40-50 minutes so make sure you watch the pies closely when it gets to that amount of time being cooked!

Pecan-Caramel topping

Ingredients
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
1 cup pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a large saucepan combine brown sugar, heavy cream, light corn syrup, butter and vinegar.  Bring to a boil of high heat stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat, stir in pecans and vanilla.
2. Pour hot mixture over cooled pie.  Mixture will harden as it cools.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Happy Thanksgiving!