Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

A while ago I posted this recipe for Banana Cake. It is basically banana bread in a cake pan instead of a bread pan, with frosting. Delicious, but its dense. So when I found this recipe and the first thing she says is 'this is not banana bread with frosting', I had to make it. 

Turns out its a light, airy cake with a yummy banana flavor and not to mention it has chocolate chips and a sweet cream cheese frosting. If you have ripe bananas sitting around, forget the banana bread and make this!

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
Recipe Source: BakersRoyale.com

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups, about 3, Ripe Bananas, mashed
2/3 cup Buttermilk
1 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 - 8 inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and whisk. Set aside.
 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add the eggs in one at time and beat until just combined. Add the bananas and mix until just combined.

3. Add flour mixture and the buttermilk to the mixture. With a wooden spoon stir in the mini chocolate chips. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
 

4. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting. I used this one.

Peanut Butter Bars

The peanut butter desserts continue in our house. My mum hates peanut butter desserts. So when I took these for dessert on Sunday I thought they would be quickly shot down. She works at the high school and she told me she only eats school lunch on the days they have the peanut butter bars. Apparently she loves them and she was thrilled I made them, I had no reason to be nervous I guess. Moral of the story, they are so good even people that hate peanut butter desserts will like them. Sweet, crunchy, peanut buttery, and topped with chocolate. Its just about the perfect dessert. You'll love them.

Peanut Butter Bars
Recipe Source: MandysRecipeBox.blogspot.com

1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Butter, room temp
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
2 1/2 cups Peanut Butter, separated
2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 18x13 jelly roll pan. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, eggs, and 1 cup of peanut butter and mix until well combined.

2. Whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt then add to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Spread onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

3. As soon as the crust comes out of the oven spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups peanut butter on top. Cool to room temp and the peanut butter is solid again.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup Butter, room temp
1/2 cup Milk
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
7 Tablespoons Cocoa
4 cups Powdered Sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread on top of cooled bars.

Chubby Hubby Bars

I've been on a bit of a peanut butter kick this last week. It started with these bars...

The chocolate is sweet and creamy and the peanut butter and the pretzels are salty and crunchy. Its a perfect combination. Plus they look so cute with the pretzel on top!

Chubby Hubby Bars
Recipe Source: ShugarySweets.com

Cookie Crust

3/4 cup Shortening
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Egg
1/4 cup Malted Milk Powder, Original
1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

Chocolate Fudge
1- 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1- 12oz bag Milk Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
60 Pretzels

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, add the shortening, milk and brown sugar and beat until well combined. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the malted milk powder, flour, salt and baking soda. Add into the egg mixture and beat until just combined.

2. Press onto a 15 x 10 inch cookie sheet. Bake for about 18 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. In large sauce pan, heat the sweetened condensed milk and butter until just warm over medium low heat. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until smooth, whisking constantly. Pour onto the cookie crust.

4. In microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter for 30 seconds and drizzle it over the fudge and then press in the pretzels. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

I know its past time of year when I usually like to eat peppermint ALL THE TIME, but its so delicious and I can't stop. So I have one more peppermint recipe for you. The creaminess of the cheesecake with the smooth chocolate and crunchy peppermint that make peppermint bark what it is. 

The flavors are so creamy and delicious, even though I think peppermint season is over, you should make this cheesecake. Today.

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Recipe Source: CountryPleasures.blogspot.com

Crust:
2 1/2 cups Chocolate Teddy Grahams, finely ground
8 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt

Cheesecake:
5- 8 oz pkgs Cream Cheese, room temp
5 Eggs, room temp
2 Egg Yolks, room temp
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar
1/8 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Heavy Cream, room temp
10 oz White Chocolate
1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
Red food coloring

Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, COLD - cut into small cubes
1/4 teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract
Crushed Peppermints, for garnish

Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10" springform pan. Mix teddy graham crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until combined and press into the bottom and about an inch up the sides of your pan. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Take out and turn off the oven, let cool.

Cheesecake:
1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Add in the sugar, flour and heavy cream and blend just until smooth. Do not over-mix.

2. Melt white chocolate in the microwave on 50% power stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Fold into cheesecake batter. Transfer 1/3 of the cheesecake batter into another bowl. Stir in the peppermint extract and as much of the food coloring until the mixture is as red as you want it. About 20 drops.

3. Pour 1/3 of the original batter into the cooled crust. Drop in spoonfuls of the red peppermint mixture on top. Pour the rest of the original batter over it and finally drop in spoonfuls of the rest of the red peppermint mixture and swirl it around with a knife. Place in the oven and then turn it to 400 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 200 degrees. Bake for 3 hours. Then turn the oven off, leave the door open slightly and let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour. Place in the fridge to chill for as close to 24 hours as you can.

Topping:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler on the stove over low heat. Remove from heat and let it cool for 3 minutes. Whisk in powdered sugar then the pieces of butter. Stir in peppermint extract. Let stand for a few seconds to thicken. Spread the chocolate on the cheesecake. Sprinkle with crushed peppermints and gently press into the chocolate. Let set at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Its been forever since I've posted anything I feel like. We have been in the middle of moving and we are finally unpacked and everything, well almost everything, is in its right place so I feel like I can share all of the recipes I have been making! Get ready cause they are all delicious!

Today's recipe is a chocolate cupcake with a sweet peppermint cream filling and a fluffy rich hot chocolate frosting. So sweet and delicious. A perfect winter cupcake.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Recipe Adapated From: EasyBaked.net

Chocolate Cupcakes made this way
1- 8oz tub Cool Whip
4 Tablespoons Peppermint Sprinkles
1 cup Salted Butter, room temp
6 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Hot Chocolate Powder
4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Make cupcakes and let cool completely. Put cool whip in a bowl and fold in the peppermint sprinkles until combined. Cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake to put the peppermint cool whip in. Pipe the cool whip into the center of each cupcake. 

2. For the frosting combine the butter, powdered sugar, hot chocolate powder, heavy cream, and pure vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I think these taste best at room temperature, not cold. Enjoy!