Banana Coconut Cake

Craving a sweet tooth, but you don’t want to damage your diet?  The banana coconut cake hits the spot without busting your diet plan.  Made with real bananas I added a light whip topping to make it even healthier (for a sweet).

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. For the cake, I substituted a thick Greek yogurt for sour cream which will provide the same consistency with less calories and more protein.
2. Use skim milk instead of whole milk for a better balanced diet.
3. Be sure to use a very ripe banana.  Not only will it cook better, but you can use up those ones you haven’t had time to eat and it mashes easier.
4. Instead of using thick, sugared frosting, I substituted for a light, whipped topping.
5. Between each layer of whipped topping I added
   toasted coconut.
6. The toasted coconut will only take a few minutes (3 at max) to brown in the oven at 350 ˚F.
7. Instead of icing the entire cake, ice the layers and leave the rest exposed.  It will give it a more modern look and
   less calories.
8. The cake itself will be denser since there is banana and thin because of less batter.
9. Lay it on a cooling rack to cool before handling.  This process will allow the cake to firm up and stack easier.
10. Use can use pam to coat the cake pan instead of butter again for less calories and
    no sticking.

Cut the cake into 2 or 4 pieces to share or save for later.  Scoop a mouthful and satisfy that sweet tooth.  The cake is a dense banana cake with a touch of sweetness.  The toasted coconut helps bring that coconut flavor forward and adds a crunch.  In place of coconut, you could use toasted walnuts or another topping of your choice.  There are tons of possibilities to try and indulge your guests in.  You won’t have to break your diet with this cake.

 

Leave a comment with your topping ideas.  Follow my Pinterest for more delicious recipes.  Check back again next Wednesday for more tips and tricks from The Cooking Bug.

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Cauliflower Cake

You may think I’m crazy. Cauliflower and cake in the same sentence seems like an alien recipe–with out-of-this-world flavor! I’ve gone crazy with cauliflower in the past. From cauliflower used as a pizza crust to rice, I have learned the versatility of vegetables. Now, this cauliflower cake falls into the frittata family and packed with a combination of savory flavors.

Cauliflower has 16 percent less carbs and 79 percent fewer calories per half cup serving than potatoes and other starches. Thanks to the abundance of pectin–the stuff that thickens jams and jellies–pureed cooked cauliflower has a velvety texture that adds body to soups, mimics potatoes in a mash or tots and can even form cakes and crusts. Its versatility lends a helping hand to a variety of meals.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. I kept my florets larger, but I suggest making them the size of a bottle
   cap–personal preferences.
2. Use Pam in place of the olive oil if you have consumed your fats for the day.
3. Caraway seed pairs nicely with the dill. It resembles fennel seed.
4. Garbanzo bean flour or another gluten free flour can be used. It will be found in the natural food section of most markets and will need to be refrigerated in an air tight container after being opened.
5. The mix of eggs and cheese help create cohesion between ingredients; the flours create the cake like consistency although the entire dish resembles a frittata.
6. I used a fresh red pepper charred stovetop. You can also broil the pepper being sure to turn it charring all sides.
7. I usually prefer to nix dill from recipes, but it is a necessity in balancing the savory aspects of the dish.
8. I used Pam along the inside of the springform pan rather than parchment paper.

I’ve learned to not judge a recipe by its name. It may sound crazy, but the crazy recipes are the ones that make your taste buds sing. Cauliflower’s timid flavors pair well in various forms. From pizza to cakes, there’s a recipe to expose your family to vegetables in a healthy and flavorful way. Trust me, like the favored cauliflower pizza, you will be begging for more of this bizarre meal.

Leave a comment with your favorite frittata recipes. Follow my Pinterest for more recipes. Check back again next Wednesday for more tips and tricks from The Cooking Bug.

Gingerbread Brownies

Now that Thanksgiving is done and over, we’re moving on to other delicious holiday treats.  Gingerbread is one of the many iconic holiday treats when snow begins to coat the ground.  From cookies, cakes and even coffee, we find gingerbread’s spice-laced flavor a holiday extravaganza.  These gingerbread brownies do not disappoint, but keep that in mind: they are hard to keep out of your hands.

Gingerbread is a versatile ingredient.  It can be incorporate into moist cakes or dense cookies.  Gingerbread is fragrantly flavored from ginger and sweetened with molasses or honey.  It posses a versatile spiciness from the ginger making the dishes a sweet and savory treat.  We see it most commonly used in cookies to form little men­–gingerbread men and women.  Today, gingerbread is used in coffee creamers, cakes, breads, icing, hot chocolate and other desserts.  The spiciness makes my taste buds come back for more.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. I used gingerbread cookies in place of the cake mix.
2. DO NOT use the ingredients listed on the box keep to the recipe linked above.
3. The powdered sugar adds a snow like quality to the brownies.  I added the powdered sugar because it’s necessary for that holiday feeling.
4. You can substitute the cake or cookie mix for a gingerbread recipe passed down from your family; however, you will want to use the dry ingredients only.
5. The dough will be a little sticky and should have a firmer texture than normal brownies.
6. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes.  They were the perfect consistency of ooey,
   gooey deliciousness.
7. The longer the brownies set the firmer they will become.  They should be eaten within a few days of baking.
8. I like to bake my brownies in one big pan rather than using individual slats because it keeps the edges gooey.  The centerpiece is the best!

By the end of this baking adventure, you will have a simple and delicious holiday brownie.  Gingerbread brownies work well as treats for neighbors or holiday parties.  Within 25 minutes, you have a unique treat that will be gobbled up in minutes.  They can be made with only three ingredients and little time.  The recipe is an easy cheat with professional results for those of us with little time or little experience baking goods.

Leave a comment with your favorite gingerbread treats.  Follow my Pinterest for more recipes.  Check back again next Wednesday for more tips and tricks from The Cooking Bug.