☽☾ old recipes revisited

it's good to go back to old favourites when baking: 

there's comfort in those tried and tasted:

my first blog post was for banana teabread: 

it never fails!

today I thought I'd lighten it up and add some

extra flavours:

more of a cake this time:

see what you think

banana pecan cake

you will need ....

3 ripe bananas ~ mashed

240g plain flour

150g caster sugar

125g butter ~ softened

100g pecans

2 eggs ~ lightly beaten

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 generous teaspoon vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

a few spoonfuls of desiccated coconut

preheat the oven to 180°c/ 350°f

line and grease a 1kg loaf tin

cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy light

add the eggs very gradually mixing well between

stir in vanilla extract, mashed bananas and pecans

sift in the flour, salt and baking powder

{this is where I realised I should have used a larger bowl!}

dollop into your prepared tin, smoothing the top

then sprinkle with coconut

bake for 1 hour, testing for doneness!

cool on a wire rack

keeps in a tin for days

{if it lasts that long}

❧ a taste of autumn

it's a good thing when you are given

windfall fruits:

time to bake and create:

some of you may remember this recipe ~

pear and chocolate cake:

this is a new and less fiddly version:

it's a winner:

you will need ....

115g butter {slightly softened}

100g caster sugar

60g melted chocolate

60ml milk

3 eggs ~ lightly beaten

125g plain flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 or 2 pears, sliced

preheat your oven to 180°c / gas 4:

line and prepare a 20cm square cake tin

cream together the sugar and butter

either by hand or with a mixer

until light and fluffy:

add the eggs a little at a time

mixing well between:

stir in the melted chocolate & milk:

then sift in the flour, baking and cocoa powders:

try not to over mix at this point:

pour into your prepared tin

and adorn with the slices of pear:

bake for 30~35 minutes until firm to the touch:

cool on a rack:

as you can see, I didn't peel the pears

as the skin is soft and good:

deliciously moist and chocolatey:

proper autumn comfort: