Monday, March 21, 2011

Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sour cream or plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar*
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. I rub butter along the bottom and the sides. Then I use my fingers to rub the butter into the edges where the cube could not reach.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. (This is the sugar mixture)

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and eggs until smooth. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. 
Spread half of the batter into the 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle a layer of the sugar mixture, then spread the remaining batter and top with the rest of the sugar mixture. Spread the melted butter over the top.
Bake for 1 hour  in the preheated oven, until cake springs back to the touch, or if you insert a tooth pick or chop stick in the exact middle it comes out clean.

Let the cake rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. While the cake is cooling is the perfect time to make a pot of coffee to go with it.

* I didn't have confectioners' sugar so I blended white sugar in a blender until it was powdery.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Banana Bread

When I visit my sister Regina she often says "Sis, I have some old bananas, please make me some banana bread." The bread is the best answer for those last few bananas that are over ripe. Don't throw them away. Make this banana bread or peel them and place them in the freezer until you are ready to make the bread.

Ingredients:
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°f (175°c). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Makes one loaf. You can freeze this bread and reheat it later. It makes a great snack. Sometimes we will eat it for breakfast.