I am so excited for this blog entry! Whoops I am so excited I skipped the usual Hey Guys! How you doing? I am just excited about this blog entry because we have a banana cake! And come on, let's be real who doesn't not like banana cake? Tell me?
This cake is a chocolate chip banana cake, with swiss meringue buttercream, and almond praline, decorated with a white chocolate sail and macarons. I love how simple this cake is but looks super effective with the gold pebbles on the sail, and the scattered praline down the cake.
This is myself with the cake, I think this shows you a scale on how big the cake is. This became my standard sizing for my cakes once I had developed a style I liked. It is small but my cakes were made with the best ingredients and also had lots of fillings and mousses so they always had something to please somebody.
The one thing that I loved about my family is that every night we always had a sit down dinner with everyone. It was only 30 minutes a day and we would all talk and share what happened in our day. I think it was good to have in a big family because sometimes you wouldn't see each other for a couple days. I think it is so good to eat dinner with your family as well instead in front of the TV. You can bond, share stories, share memories, laugh at the good old times. Since now I haven't had them for 3 years I really am craving some good food and good family banter. I hope one day we all can met up somewhere in the world and sit down at the dinning table like the good old times. Here is a photo after our sit down dinner everyone tucking into dessert I had made.
Banana cake is one of my brothers favourite. Every time Mum made the flavour banana chocolate chip muffins he always had them in his lunchbox and never saved any for us. I remember when I made this cake and I was trimming the cakes he asked for the leftover pieces of the cake. He mentioned the cake was super moist and he loved it.
One thing I got into while I was living in Sydney is banana bread! Omg so delicious! I worked at a little local cafe at Maroubra Beach called Chalk. When all the businessmen would come in to get their coffees they would always get banana bread. Yum, toasted with butter. It is so delicious and I can't wait once I move into my apartment I will have to make some for a treat for myself.
It is such a big thing in Sydney I find, I don't think you would find a cafe in Sydney that didn't stock banana bread for you to grab with your coffee. I think it is because people don't want to be super unhealthy and have a chocolate muffin but still want something sweet to have with their coffee.
Ohhh talking about coffee and banana brad is making me crave it so so much! Even though it is 4.45pm here in Canada I wouldn't mind a nicely made piccolo coffee with freshly roasted beans and a nicely toasted piece of banana bread. That or a freshly baked pan au chocolat, those two are a big weakness for me. Especially the pan au chocolat. They kill me, they are so delicious to have in the morning, heat it up a little bit in the microwave.
If you want to know the recipe for this delectable banana chocolate chip cake keep scrolling ....
Recipe:
Banana Caramel White Chocolate Cake
Macarons
linzxvi.wixsite.com/linz/single-post/2018/05/03/French-Macarons-Tutorial-French-Method
Chocolate Sail
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Praline
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 Tablespoons water
Crushed banana chips
Method
Line a rectangle baking tray with baking paper.
Have a bowl of cold water and a pastry brush next to the stove.
Combine the sugar and water over low heat and cook on low heat, continually stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Raise the heat to high, bring the mixture to a boil. Boil the mixture without stirring until it turns golden brown. Brushing down the sides with a damp pastry brush to stop sugar crystals from climbing up the sides of the pot.
Remove from heat once praline is a nice caramel colour. Mix in crushed banana chips. Pour onto a prepared tray and allow it to set.
Chocolate Banana Cake
1 1/2 cups over ripened banana mashed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
170 g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate 60%
Method:
Preheat oven to 135 degrees. Grease and line 3 cake tins 11cm. In a small bowl mix together mashed bananas and lemon juice. Set aside.
In a seperate bowl sift together, flour, baking soda, salt and set aside.
In a large bowl cream softened butter and sugar until really light and fluffy.
Beat eggs in the creamed mixture one at a time. Beat in vanilla paste. Beat till well combined.
Beat in flour and buttermilk, alternating. This prevents lumps forming in the mixture.
Stir in banana mixture. Stir in chopped Chocolate.
Pour the batter evenly between the three cakes tins. Place in preheated oven.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, checking by inserting a skewer into the cake, once the skewer comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and turn the cake out on a plate. Immediately put the cake into the freezer, this will keep the cake very moist.
Assembly:
Cut cakes tops off and make sure they are levelled. Begin stacking the cakes. Place a layer on the cake board. Add some white chocolate buttercream, and sprinkle some praline over the top before sealing the top with another layer.
Repeat this process until you have crumbed coat and allowing the cake to set in the fridge.
Begin your final layer of frosting and ensure it is a smooth finish.
Set in the fridge until the icing is firm.
Place the white chocolate sail, towards the back of the cake.
Crush up the praline and scatter it across the cake.
Serve the cake at room temperature!
Enjoy xxx
