Whole Wheat Banana Cake

Here's an oldie but goodie. This is my go to Christmas giveaway and one of the most requested. This is also one of the very first baking recipes I had tried. The recipe has changed over the years, with the addition of the use of whole wheat flour being the latest. So here it goes. Hope you enjoy this "healthier" version!

*Based on New Banana Cake recipe, Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, 1st ed, 1950.



1-1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cup sugar
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup buttermilk (I use reduced fat buttermilk), if you can't find buttermilk, use milk + white vinegar (1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar)
1-1/4 cup bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg
2. Grease and flour 2 9" layer pans or 1 13x9 pan or 1 9x5 loaf pan
3. Sift together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl
4. Add the softened butter, 1/2 of the buttermilk and bananas
5. Beat at medium speed until until just mixed together
6. Add in remaining buttermilk and the eggs
7. Beat for about 2 minutes at medium speed, but do not overbeat, if the batter is too thick, add more buttermilk, 1 tbs at a time
8. Fold in the nuts
9. Pour batter into the pans
10. Bake for about 30-35 min for the layer pans, 40-45 min if using the 13x9 pan or loaf pan
11. Check cake for doneness
12. Let the pans stand a bit before transferring the cakes onto a wire rack to cool

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Coconut Cookies

A friend who shall not be named recently requested that I send her some cookies, the same ones I sent Christmas from long ago. Unfortunately, neither of us can recall what it was! I decided to just make a different kind. I decided on a variation of these heavenly cookies I always have at Cafe Caturra... Lucky for her, another friend happened to be in DC for a business trip and was able to bring some back to Manila.

Here's the recipe. One batch makes about 3 dozen regular-sized cookies. You can certainly make them as big as your hand!


1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2-1/4 cups Gold Medal Better for Bread flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tbs milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded plain coconut
1/2 cup hazelnuts, loosely chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 deg
2. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside
3. Blend sugars and the melted butter until creamy and smooth
4. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and milk together then add into sugar mixture
5. Mix on medium speed until smooth
6. Slowly add in the flour mixture until well combined
7. Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut, and hazelnuts
8. chill dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour
9. Scoop the chilled dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, about 1-1/2 in apart
10. Bake for about 12-14 min, rotate the trays halfway through to ensure even browning

You can certainly use other nuts like macadamia or even walnuts!