banana crumble snack cake

banana crumble snack cake from my muffin thursdays blog:

ingredients: 1/2c butter, softened 3/4c brown sugar (packed) 2 eggs 2 large, ripe bananas 1 tsp vanilla heaping 1/4tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 3/4c flour 1 1/4c old-fashioned oats (not quick)

for the topping: 3/4c old-fashioned oats 1/3c brown sugar (packed) 1 tbsp flour 4 tbsp butter, softened

directions: cream butter and brown sugar for the cake. mash bananas, and add to creamed mixture. add eggs, one at a time, beating till fluffy after each addition. sift together salt, baking soda, and flour into the cake. stir in oats and mix till just combined.

pour into a sprayed 9" cake pan or springform. mix up the topping by whisking together the oats, brown sugar, and flour. cut in the butter until a crumbly mixture forms. sprinkle over cake.

bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. run knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the sides as it cools.

enjoy!

Banana-Pumpkin Bran-Flax Muffins (Chef Matt Post)

I'd never made bran muffins before (my overall muffin-making experience is quite low), and wanted to give it a go. I found a recipe that looked pretty good, but I had made so many changes to it that it really became its own thing. For one thing, I wanted extra, so I doubled the recipe. Since I had only two bananas and needed four, a can of pumpkin made up the shortfall. I also had no whole-wheat flour, so I subbed in some oats. I also prefer brown sugar in baked goods, usually. I also didn't trust a recipe without any added fat, so I threw a few tablespoons of oil in there. And last, but not least, I'd already begun when I realized I had no eggs. I remember reading that you can use flax seed and water as a substitute. I was skeptical, but it worked out just fine.

• 2 c all-bran cereal
  
• 1 c rolled oats
  
• 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  
• 4 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 c milk
  
• 1 c brown sugar
  
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed whisked with 6 tbsp of water
  
• 2 tbsp water
  
• 1c mashed banana (approx 2 bananas)
  
• 1 can (the normal-sized one) pumpkin

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and add the flax mixture, water, milk, banana, and pumpkin.

Mix until well combined.

Grease the muffin tins, paying extra attention to the bottom. Fill tins 2/3 of the way, and bake for about 30-50 minutes.

I used both small and large muffin tins, with and without paper cupcake wrappers, so there was considerable variation in doneness. Use a toothpick to test. If it comes out clean, you're good to go. If it doesn't, put them back in for another 3-5 minutes and test again.

You want to get muffins out of the tin right when you take them out of the oven, so they don't get soggy and stuck, so pop 'em out after you take them out. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

mom's banana bread, with the addition of chocolate chunks.

1 cup sugar

1.5 cup butter

2 eggs

3 large bananas

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda dissolved in ¼ cup water

½ tsp salt

semi-sweet chocolate, smashed into chunks

heat oven to 350°. cream the butter and the sugar until creamy. add the 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each one. mash bananas, then blend with rest. add flour and salt alternately w/water soda mixture. add chocolate chunks and blend until smooth batter. 70-80 minutes in greased loaf pan.

a nice twist on the original. ;)