TWD: Lots of Ways Banana Cake

Totally Delicious. I made this cake with dried cranberries, toasted coconut, yogurt, and my mom's chocolate yogurt frosting, which puddles around the edge of the cake.

Chocolate Yogurt Icing

6 tbsp butter

1/4 c. cocoa

1/3 c. plain yogurt

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa, and yogurt in saucepan and bring to rapid boil. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm cake.

TWD: I've been baking, but not blogging

Here is my orange version of the vanilla cake. I took it to a tennis match, but the leftovers were better, griddled in butter.

The Brrrownies were minty. They travelled well too. But we had so much fun on our trip that we forgot to eat them. So they travelled well home.

DB: Chocolate Pavlovas

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

You're in withdrawal, I know

I know you miss me. All 3 of you regular readers miss me. But I've been busy. I mean someone has to go to the pool. And do the laundry that results from the clothing changes brought on by the pool. I've been cooking too.

A few notable recents:

Strawberry Lime Jam (one of this year's entries for the Downtown Home & Garden Jam Contest)

Strawberry Rhubarb curd

Strawberry Mango Sorbet from David Leibowitz

Pineapple Mint (that's an herb, not a fruit herb combination) Ice Cream

Some serious chocolate dipped coconut macaroons

and chocolate meringues with more leftover eggwhites.

Parsley Salad -- miss 'ya, Alton. I miss you, too blue coat lady.

When I've put chives on everything I can, put the rest in the freezer.

Garlic Scape Pesto (it's just like it sounds, and soooo tasty)

TWD: Dressiest Chocolate Loaf Cakes

I'd rather have almost any brownie from Baking...

Dressed up with black raspberry jam, vanilla ice cream and fresh wild raspberries

TWD: Tender Shortcakes

Loved these shortcakes. I added the powdered and candied ginger for extra oomph. But I went tried and true with the berries and the whipped cream, partially mashing some of the berries with the sugar. For the whipped cream, I used an old Gourmet recipe and whipped heavy cream with some sour cream and powdered sugar.

DB: Piece Montee

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

Piece Montee with coffee and vanilla pastry cream fillings, dipped in chocolate and topped with sugar.