Banana Cake Recipe -- Booyah!

I've been asked about the banana cake recipe I've been using for years, so here is it.

1 teaspoon bi carb soda
2 & 1/4 cups self rising flour
1 & 1/3 cups custer sugar
2 cups ripe banana (mashed)
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil

Cooking time: 1 & 1/2 hour (slow cook at 160 c). My mum has a very strong electric oven, so I usually find that 1 hour is more than enough to bake it. Best to check it after the first hour.

This is the one recipe I've been using, people seem to like it. Hope you do too.

Let the baking begin

Every year I bake cookies and cakes for friends and family as gifts. I have always wanted to make something for them, but I suck at handcraft or painting, so baking Xmas-y stuff seem to be the way to go in recent years.

So, my baking commenced today with some shortbread. I am happy with the way they turn out. They are yummy.

This is a perfect photo opportunity, don't you think?

Enough about me... My sister is a brilliant cook, she baked a mango sponge cake for Mama Tiny for her birthday. This is THE BEST cake I've ever tasted in my life! And it's without butter! Like.. seriously, THE BEST! The taste, the texture everything about it was awesome. It was light and fluffy, it was just THE BEST! She even made the white chocolate herself.

I hope my Swiss Roll Xmas Cottage won't fail.. we'll see! I am borrowing something from Not Quite Nigella.

Food edition - hot dogs, pasta, coffee, pizza & apple pies

Happy Sunday.

I enjoyed cooking.. sometimes.. I have improved from cooking instant noodles to something rather riveting and tastier. Inspired by Masterchef much? I think so, I guess at the end of the day, I want to eat good quality stuff. I like chips, but I want quality potatos cooked with good fat. I like chocolate, but I want good quality chocolate. You know what I mean?

So, here are a few blog-worthy stuff from the past two or so. If you're visiting Sydney, I strongly recommend the Strand Expresso at the Strand Arcade and Maisy's in Neutral Bay. They have Sydney's BEST coffees. Coffee is like a simple thing to make, but not every coffee shop produces good coffee and it's frustrating when they don't make good coffee!

The coffee from Maisy's in Neutral Bay is consistence week in week out.
They have some of Sydney's best baristas.

 Smoked salmon linguini with semi-dried tomatoes and light cream sauce

Strand Expresso at the Strand Arcade 

They have great coffee too. I also had THE BEST affogato the other day. Life-saving stuff!

Top dog -- Weiss Wurst; bottom dog -- American Classic. With Tasmanian Russet Potatoes chips & mayolive* from Snag Stand at Sydney Westfield.

If you are eating chips, may as well have the good stuff! 

*Mayolive is blended with mayo with olive. Very yummy!

I was experiencing with prosciutto and pear last week. It tasted great. Next time, I'll make my own dough.

Prosciutto, Pear & Rocket pizza

My sister has been baking all day today. Inspired by Dean's apple pie life much? They are yummy.

Apple crumbles and straight pies

 

 With home made custard