Vegan Banana Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Vegan banana cake with chocolate peanut butter frosting-easy to make, fluffy, moist banana cake filled with smooth, creamy peanut butter and chocolate buttercream. The perfect cake for all occasions! 

The buttercream is light and creamy and has a delicious chocolate peanut butter flavour. Obviously both of those ingredients work really well with banana, making this cake incredibly moreish!

Due to the Corona virus situation, working hour has been cut short therefore not taken any fruits to work. The bananas ripen so quickly that we are unable to eat them all before they get too ripe. When the bananas is full with black spots, to me they are excellent for baking! You can decorate the cake with chocolate curls and banana chips. Unfortunately mine is without the banana chips, none in the larder and it is not essential to go out just to get the chips :(

Ingredients:

• 285g plain flour, sifted
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼  tsp salt
• 3 medium very ripe mashed bananas
• 200g light brown sugar
• 135ml sunflower oil
• 90ml unsweetened plant milk, soy or almond
• 1½ white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream:

• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
• 75g dairy free margarine
• 75g vegetable shortening
• 300g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder,sifted
• 75g smooth, creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• a drop of non-dairy milk, if needed

Method:

Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan oven. Grease 2 x20cm/8" cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.

Whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt on low speed until well combined. 

Whisk together the mashed banana, light brown soft sugar, sunflower oil, plant milk, white wine vinegar and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix or the cake can become tough.

Divide the batter evenly between the tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

To make the buttercream: Melt the chocolate, either in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring regularly. Set aside to cool a little.

Place the margarine and vegetable shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar and mix on a low speed until combined then turn the mixer up to a high speed and whisk for a coupe of minutes until fluffy.

Whisk in the cocoa powder and melted chocolate followed by the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. If it is too thick, you can whisk in a drop of non-dairy milk.

Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving platter or cake stand and spread over some of the buttercream. Place the other cake layer on top and cover the top and sides of the cake with buttercream.

Decorate with banana chips and chocolate curls if desired. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days (keep in the fridge if it is hot out)

Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Mousse Pine Cone

Yes, I know it's March. Christmas is over 3 months ago!  Just have chance to browse my food photos & notice I haven't posted this on my blog!

This easy Chocolate Mousse recipe is super simple to make from scratch and deliciously light and fluffy. It is fancy enough for a party and if you have this silicone mould it will be great for Christmas party!

Also Easy enough to make whenever you have a craving for chocolate!. An eggless mousse recipe that is so airy and chocolatey and can be enjoyed by everyonee.

Ingredients:

• 225g semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups double cream, divided
• ¼ cup icing sugar

Method:

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of double cream to a bare simmer. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate, let it sit for 1 minute. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then whisk until smooth. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool.

Beat 1 cup of double cream and icing sugar in a a medium bowl with hand whisk or stand whisk on medium-high speed to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. 

Give the chocolate mixture a whisk then fold it into the remaining whipped cream with a silicone spatula until no streaks remain.

Distribute between the glasses or the silicone pine cone mould if use. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. If using the silicone mould, freeze the mousse for at least 4 hours until frozen. Un-mould the mousse. Sprinkle with some gold dust for the festive feel. If using glass to serve, whisk a cup of double cream to stiff peak & decorate it on top of the mousse before serving.

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

This easy one-pot meatless main gets it's complex flavour from a combination of spices including coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon. The spices marry in a rich, flavourful sauce that has a comforting, belly-warming appeal.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (1tbsp)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 inch cinnamon stick
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into 1½ inch florets (about 4 cups)
• 450g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick rounds ( about 1 cup)
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 1½ cup) 
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 115g baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups)
• 2 tbsp finely lime juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method:

In a heavy duty pan, heat oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned, 5-7 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger, cook, stirring for 1 minute to blend the flavours. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute. Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. raise the heat to medium high and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice and zest, cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes or more. Season to taste with salt. Serve garnished with the coriander.

Vegan Yorkshire Pudding

Perfect vegan Yorkshire puddings-tall, crispy, golden sides, soft and slightly gooey bottoms and a deep hollow just waiting to be filled with tasty gravy! 

Ingredients:

• 75g plain flour
• 75g chickpea flour
• 2¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder, optional
• ½ tsp dijon mustard
• ¾ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 90ml aquafaba
• 360mlcups water
• oil for pan

Method:

Preheat oven to 215°C/195°C for fan assist oven.

In a medium bowl, add all the plain flour, chickpea flour, baking powder and salt  and whisk them together.  In a jug, combine the mustard, apple cider vinegar, aquafaba and water and whisk them together.  Pour the combines liquids into the dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth  and bubbly. Pour into a jug  to make pouring quick and easy, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.

While the batter is resting, prepare the muffin tin. They must be metal pans and not ceramic and they must be muffin pans and not shallow Yorkshire puddings pan. Add enough oil to give a depth of about 3mm, then swirl it around in the pan so it goes up the sides. Put the oiled muffin pan in the oven for 10 minutes. By then they should be absolutely smoking hot. That is what you want. If you don't see smoke rising from the pan if you open the oven door to peek, then leave them for another minute or two longer.

You need to work very quickly now. Make sure your jug of batter is right next to you as soon as you open the oven door. Very quickly, but very carefully, remove the muffin pan from the oven, make sure to close the door to keep the heat in. . In a long, thin stream, pour the batter into the hot oil in each well of the pan. You need to fill them nearly to the top. The oil will rise above the batter ( that is what gives the bowl shape puddings). Stop pouring once the oil is just above level with the rim of the well. You need to do this really quickly because you need to keep the heat in the pan for the puddings to work well. As soon as the wells are all full, put the pan right back into the oven and shut the door quickly. You should get 8 Yorkshire Puddings from the batter.

Cook the puddings for at least 30 minutes, but maybe up to 35 to 40 minutes until really golden and crispy and until the insides have dried out to your liking. Do not open the oven door until you are past 25 minutes of cooking. 

Remove the puddings from the oven and serve immediately.

Chocolate Orange Tiramisu Trifle

This show stopper chocolate orange trifle will really dazzle your guests especially Christmas ! With layer of juicy orange, chocolate mascarpone custard and coffee-soaked sponges, this indulgent dessert will definitely disappear  fast 

Ingredients:

• 3 medium oranges, 1 very thinly sliced, 1 zested
• 60ml marsala
• 75g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2x 250g pots mascarpone
• 500g ready to eat custard, can be bought in supermarket
• 100ml strong coffee
• 200g pack sponge fingers
• 200ml double cream
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 110°C/90°C for fan oven. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the orange slices on the tray in a single layer. Bake for 2-3 hours, turning every 30 minutes to 1 hour so they dry evenly. Set aside to cool completely.

Use a sharp knife to cut away all the peel and pith from the 2 remaining oranges (top and tail, then cut around the orange). Thinly slice, transfer to a bowl, pour over 1 tbsp marsala and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over  (but not touching) a pan of just-simmering water; set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Put the mascarpone in a bowl and whisk to soften a little, then whisk in the custard. Transfer half the mixture to the cooled chocolate bowl and mix 2 tbsp coffee. Add the orange zest to the plain custard mix and whisk in 2 tbsp marsala.

Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm trifle dish or glass bowl with half the marsala orange slices,overlapping slightly. Drain the juice from the remaining orange slices into a bowl and add the remaining coffee and 1 tbsp marsala. Quickly dip one-third of the sponge fingers into the juices, one at a time, then arrange in the trifle dish, loosely filling in the orange slices (it doesn't matter if it's covered completely).

Pour over half the orange zest custard and gently smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Top with another layer of dipped sponge fingers. Pour over half the chocolate custard, smooth the top, then add a final layer of dipped sponge fingers. Top with the remaining orange zest custard, then the chocolate custard. Layer over the remaining fresh orange slices and chill for 1 hour.

Whip the double cream into soft peaks, then spoon over the centre of the trifle, leaving some of the orange slices exposed at the edges. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder and decorate with the dried orange slices