All things bananas !

Today I made an oatmeal banana muffin and oh so healthy! All things bananas because last week I baked a banana bread, plus I was trying to finish up some of my baking ingredients from 2012. Well, today I used up some left over bananas and the rest of the gluten free flour.

At first, I was going to bake a chocolate banana cake or cupcakes, but then I found a more healthy recipe and went for it. The oatmeal banana recipe was pretty easy and fast to make, plus the muffins smell oh so delicious !!

Find the original oatmeal banana muffin recipe here http://www.simplyrealmoms.com/posts/oatmeal-banana-muffins .

I replaced the wheat flour and regular flour by using 2 3/4 cups of Bobs Red Mill gluten free flour and the unsweetened apple sauce with sweetened cinnamon apple sauce. Also, I didn't have the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips so I used bitter-sweet chocolate. Finally, I added 2 tbs each of flaxseed and wheatgerm, the muffin recipe turned out just fine and deliciously moist !

End of the Year Baking Cleaning Spree

So, its the end of the year again! Gosh, another year went by super fast and I decided to clean up my baking stash and bake some goodies for the holidays with what I have. Well, one of my cleaning spree baking  ingredients, the wheat flour, was taken away by my clumsy and lovable dog Rudy; yup, that's him below.
I would make the homemade wheat bread; but, thanks to Rudy, there was a change of plans there.

Rudy got in my baking supplies the other night and had some fun with the wheat flour bag. He woke up during the night and decided he was bored; so, he went straight to my baking ingredients. I woke up to a room full of flour all over the navy blue carpet; thanks Rudy for the "woof" morning mommy! But, I still love him, look at that face!!

So, getting back to my baking cleaning spree for the end of the year. As I am writing this blog I also have a banana bread baking in the oven; which is making my kitchen smell delicious! I decided to bake the banana bread to finish up the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free all purpose flour I had and use some more of the Xanthan Gum as well. The banana bread is a recipe from the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour bag. When I want to use up an  ingredient and I don't know what to do, I just look at the package and see what's the recipe suggested; it's a great way to use up left over ingredients. 

This is the banana bread in the oven. I can't wait until it's done :-)

The banana bread recipe also let me use some more baking ingredients, such as walnuts, which I finished the bag, raisins that I also had in my cabinet and other usual baking ingredients.

For Christmas dinner, I am making Tiramisu for dessert which will allow me to use the bag of ladyfingers that has been in my cabinet for a few months now. In addition, I will use some of the brandy I also have for a while and cocoa powder. I still have a few chocolate cake mixes that I also want to use, but those will have to wait until next year; it's enough sweets for now.

So, just take a look in your kitchen cabinets and check the baking ingredients you have there; make sure you check the expiration dates and start by using the ones that will expire first. This is my end of the year baking cleaning spree suggestions... from my kitchen to yours :-)

Happy Holidays and a an even better New Year!!

Final product ... the delicious banana bread!

Chocolate Cake for a Rainy Day

Rain was pouring down for a couple of hours this afternoon; and, I have been craving a piece of chocolate cake. So, no better time to bake a chocolate cake than on a rainy afternoon.

Ok, so first let's get the chocolate cake batter going, I love my Kitchen Aid :-)

Second, someone has to lick the cake batter .... LOL! Not me, not this time ;-)

Oh yeah, the dogs are in the kitchen too... probably thinking I am going to drop some chocolate cake batter and they will get same of it. Nope, not this time. But, they also took a nap while waiting.

So, I also made some chocolate ganache to smear over the cake along with some fresh raspberries and homemade whipped cream... Yummy!!! Voila! The cake is done ... it's a very rustic looking cake, nothing fancy but it's delicious ;-)

And finally, I had my piece of chocolate cake... with fresh made Nespresso coffee!

Kai Lan Cake

Kai Lan theme cake for Mackenzie's 2nd birthday. It's a Kai Lan chocolate cake with purple buttercream icing. The Kai Lan cake was decorated with fondant; fondant flowers, sun, and birthday sign. The Kai Lan dragon boat is a plastic toy.

Birthday girl and me

Baking Party Rocks is Born!

I am very excited to announce my new business Baking Party Rocks! Baking parties are deliciously fun for kids and adults of any age. Baking Party Rocks will come to your kids baking party and entertain the crowd with some yummy baking. Baking Party Rocks also offers newlywed baking party, mom and daughter baking parties and more. We'll show everyone how to bake delicious cakes and cupcakes; decorate and have fun! Party members will help with the baking and decorating of all the baked goods. Visit Baking Party Rocks for more information.

Birthday Cupcake Rose Vase

I made this cupcake vase for a birthday celebration. These are low-fat Chocolate cupcakes with not so low-fat butter cream icing! For the chocolate cupcakes, I used low-fat milk and unsweetened apple sauce. When you use apple sauce to replace the butter the cake comes out very moist and dense. So, keep that in mind. If you don't like a more dense moist cake, you might want to stick to the more conventional ingredients.

I got the metal vase at a local craft store. It looks very cute! Great presentation for the most delicious roses you will ever get!

View a similar post about a cupcake planter I made.

Baking with Kids!

Last weekend was super busy, with personal chores and some fun baking party, with kids of So, last Saturday I went to my girl-friend’s place, btw right on the beach! Can’t have a better view! So, I went there to help her bake some cupcakes and a cake with her grandchildren, for their Easter Sunday.

I was all equipped with my cake decoration tool box, a cupcake pan, and design cookie cutters for the fondant just in case; yes, I brought some colored fondant too, but we ended up not using. The kids had plenty of other decorations to finish up the cupcakes and cake. I even wore my fun and fancy cupcake baking apron that lights up – I was in style LOL!






We first made some vanilla cupcakes, from scratch but Val, my g/f only had salted butter- so, that’s what we used. It tasted good, but the icing was little different for my taste – but who cares? The kids loved all the way! When the cupcakes were in the oven, we made the green color vanilla icing, which was used to pipe the grass on top of the cupcakes and then topped with peeps, jelly beans, marshmallow eggs, and some M&Ms! Can you imagine the sugar rush!

Then, we made two other small cakes, a vanilla and a chocolate one. Baked the cakes, stacked them with the vanilla on the bottom. We made cream cheese icing with the salted butter LOL! And again they loved! We added blue color to the cream cheese icing.

It all turned out great and they were able to celebrate their Easter with some fun Easter decorated cakes and cupcakes. And, I even got a cute thank you card from the kids because they had so much fun. Their parents said I need to open a business for kids parties; baking with kids. They said parents are always looking for what to do for their kid’s parties, theme etc. So, I am considering as a side job.

"The children enjoyed this soooo much! Thank you." Val Palermo