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Banana cake with mocha frosting and salted candied peanuts



Monday monday... there are times when i just cannot run away fm monday blues... there is some kinda unhappiness that i hv been bottling up for the past couple of days.. arghh..  dont u just love ppl who really know how to get others to do their non business related things! geeeshhh

I told myself that i shud take it easy this year.. am 44 and i dont need to get myself worked up but if that person which u cant stand smses after midnight just to tell hubs to shop for him something.. that really pisses me off.. anyway am not here to vent my frustration.. i just need to get it out of my system .. thats all.. so bare with me huhu


Hubs flew to Jakarta a few hrs ago.. he took the first flight out and will be there for a couple of days.. I am still coughing away and i think i hv tried 101 ways to stop myself fm coughing.. ty to someone who recommended me to buy Ricola .. it soothes my throat a little..

On a lighter note.. a couple of days ago i received a parcel fm a courier service only to find out that KNur whom i met in Paris, had sent me a bday prezzie.. the latest recipe book by David Lebovitz.. i was thrilled and as i flipped thru the book cover.. i noticed that the book has a personalized dedication and his signature on it! i quickly went thru the book and this cake caught my eye instantly! showed it to hubs and his eyes just lit up.. knew i had to bake it for him bef he flew off... bought riped bananas fm the wet market and as soon as we got home fm our Saturday outing.. i began my journey with the famous David Lebovitz hehehe


This cake has three steps that u need to pay attention to.. the banana cake... the mocha frosting and the super delicious salted candied peanuts.. i wud recommend u to prepare the mocha frosting first as it took a little while to get that spreading consistency . next is to prepare the banana cake and as soon as u place ur cake in ur oven.. u can start to preparing the candied peanuts.. pls take note that i toasted all the nuts bef i used em and to get a high cake.. i used two 7" round cake pans.


So ok.. here is the first recipe fm Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz.. ty KNur for the lovely pressie.. happy belated bday to u.... and to Lilly, happy advance bday! hehe


Cake
2 1/2 cups (350g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso
2 large eggs, at room temp
6 tbsp (90ml) buttermilk,yogurt, or sour cream - at room temp
2 cups (500ml) banana puree
1 1/4 cups (125g) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Candied Peanuts
1 cup (150g) raw or unsalted lightly roasted peanuts
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) water
1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Frosting
10 oz (280g) bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate - coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125ml) strong brewed coffee or espresso
10tbsp (140g) unsalted or salted butter, cut into pieces - room temp


Preheat oven to 175C. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9" round cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.

To make the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, the baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy - abt 5 mins. Add the vanilla and instant espresso powder, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until completely incorporated. Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk and banana puree. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then stir in the pecans or walnuts just until combined. Dont overmix.

Divide the batter evenly amonng the 2 prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, abt 40mins. Remove fm the oven and let cool completely.

To prepare the peanuts. in a medium heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, combine the peanuts, sugar and the water. When the sugar begins to liquefy, begin stirring. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sugar crystallizes. Decrease the heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring, letting the crystallized sugar on the bottom melt and brown slightly. Then use a heatproof spatula to scrape up the liquefied sugar and continuously coat the peanuts with it, tilting the pan to help the sugar coat the nuts evenly.

Once the peanuts are a bit glossy and coated with syrup (there will be some sugary crystals on them still, which is normal), sprinkle the sea salt and cinnamon over them. Stir the peanuts a couple of times, then scrape the candied peanuts onto a baking sheet and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the chocolate and coffee in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter until combined. Let cool completely, until thick and spreadable.

To assemble the cake, run a knife around the sides of the cakes to help them loosen fm the pans. Invert one cake onto a serving plate and peel off the parchment. Spread abt 3/4 cup of mocha frosting over the surface of the cake. Invert the second cake layer out of its pan, peel off the parchment and place it over the frosted cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.

Coarsely chop the candied peanuts and sprinkle them over the top of the cake.


Phewww that was a long one! hehehe.. enjoy the recipe.. bake it for ur special one and to hubs.. take it easy eventho u hv full on meetings.. see ya soon and honestly?? i hate being left behind.. yikes!!

13 comments:

Kniedaz said...

Happy monday sis..the cake looks delicious ...thanks for sharing the recipe..dunno when can i make it hehe..

Rima said...

Kniedaz
Happy Monday dear.. It is.. We loved it!

emma marini said...

looks like a crunchy cake....so nice..

CT Delima said...

As'salam Rima

Awesome!..kek ni nampak sangat menarik. kena baca resipi tu betul2 baru boleh cuba hihi

thanks sharing the recipe dear xx

Hesti HH. said...

Salam Kak Rima,

OMG...the cake looks amazing!apalagi dalamnya cake pisang pasti lezaaaatt! selamat untuk hadiah bukunya...

Cilantro said...

Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!!A beautiful decadent cake! That looks like a piece of heaven!

Bakericious said...

I love tall cake, the cake really make me salivating now!

Bakericious said...

I love tall cake, this cake really make me salivating, yum!

Alice said...

i love banana cake and this is indeed a special kind of banana cake
lovely pics, too Rima - as usual :)

Nisa-mom said...

oh wow!! what a present, yihaaaa.. that must cheer you up :) Happy for you Rima.. *just notice, only 2 eggs for this cake, wow..another eggless recipe, I love it

Anonymous said...

Salam Rima...Thank you for baking something from the book just a few days after you received it.And the cake surely looks yummyyy...You are really one dessert queen:-)
Masih batuk kah?Hope you get well soon...2013 ni mesti take things easy ya...
Ok dear,thank you for the birthday wishes..Take good care of yourself and our hugs and kisses to little princess,Sonia.
From:KNur-Trg

Emma Muis said...

Oh my...all d while bn following ur fb posts due to the macaroons as I am a fan of it. Tonite..just got d time to go thru all ur fb posts and stumbled upon ur blog accidently. Awesome blog..awesome cakes..awesome recipes..wish I cld bake like you!!!!

Unknown said...

This was an exceptional cake. Super moist and light in texture, for banana cake. I will definitely make this cake again!

About Me

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Hi.. I am a SAHM to 2 kiddoes..19yr old boy n 2 year old girl.. met my Austrian hubby here in Singapore and hv been living here all my life... my love for baking started when i was 6mths preggie to my daughter, Sonia... my addiction to baking has not stop eversince.. I hope to learn as much as i can abt baking and decorating and then share it with u along the way..