banana Banana Cake

Apparently my creative-genius is activated when I'm mired in essays and assignments. Hence with all grad course work done (!), I present a vegan "banana" Banana Cake.

This was my first crack at an artistically built cake, but it turned out pretty well. I had originally intended to make my mom's delectable banana cake recipe, but I was out of eggs and didn't have any shortening. So, I was able to scrape together enough things for a vegan cake. I think it's just as good as my mom's but don't tell her I said that.

(Hi mom! You're on the internet now!)

Ingredients (stolen from: http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=91)
# 2 cups unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
# 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1 1/8 cups sugar (if your banana's are very ripe just do 1 cup sugar)
# 1/3 cup oil
# 4 ripe bananas
# 1/4 cup water
# 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In one bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and oil together. Beat in bananas then add vanilla and water. Take the dry ingredients and incorporate them in sections into the wet ingredients mixing them well. Place mix into a 9"x9" pan that has either been greased and floured (see Chocolate Zucchini Loaf recipe for instructions on flouring a pan) or that has a piece of wax paper cover the bottom.
Place into a preheated 350F oven for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanly. Let cool for 15mins.

Now, the fun part!
1. Create a detailed diagram of your desired banana shape

Ensure all equations are true providing proper proofs at all stages.

But, you do actually have to think out the best way to cut the cake so as to ensure minimal cake-loss.




I trimmed the edges to give it the actual shape of a banana. Also, I took some of the excess trimming to make sure the cake was smooth and flat where I had to hold the banana sections together.

Vanilla Butter Frosting
1/3 C soft margarine
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 cups icing sugar
About 2 T milk

Blend marg & sugar, stir in vanilla and milk. Beat til smooth and spreading consistency (that’s where the about comes in for the quantity of milk).

Fills and frosts 2 – 8” or 9” cake rounds or a 13” x 9” cake



This made extra icing so it should be reduced for this cake recipe.

So, ice the cake as you please, but if all things go to plan, it should turn out as close to a banana as possible!

Good luck and enjoy!

Brioooooooche

Nasya, I saw this tonight and thought of you!!

* * * * * *

Brioche
1/2 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
1 3/4 Cups Plain Soymilk
1 .6-Ounce Cake Fresh Yeast
4 Cups Bread Flour
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Black Salt
1 Teaspoon Table Salt
1/4 Cup Plain Soy Creamer
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Margarine, Cut into Small Cubes

Place the garbanzo bean flour in a medium saucepan and stir in a small amount of the soymilk to form a paste. Once smooth, add in the rest of the soymilk, and whisk thoroughly. Cook over medium heat for about 5 - 10 minutes, until bubbles begin to break on the surface and the mixture feels significantly thickened. Turn off the heat, and continue to whisk occasionally for the next 10 minutes to help it cool down without forming a skin on top. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the garbanzo mixture, and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, until just barely warm to the touch.

In your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, crumble the cake of yeast into the flour, and mix briefly to incorporate all the pieces. Add in the sugar and salts, and mix once more. Once cooled enough that it won’t kill the yeast, (less than 120 degrees F) scrape the garbanzo and soymilk “pudding” in and begin to mix on low speed. Combine the soy creamer and vinegar together before introducing them to the main mixing bowl as well.

Once you have all of the dry and wet ingredients incorporated but the dough is still weak in structure, begin to add in the margarine, a few cubes at a time. They should get folded in to a point that you can’t see them any more, but be patient because it takes time. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes once it seems smooth.

After it has rested, dump the dough out onto a clean surface. DO NOT use extra flour here, despite how sticky the dough is. Simply use a bench scraper if you can’t get it off the counter. Kneed it briefly by hand, stretching and folding it to strengthen the structure, for about 10 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover it lightly with a towel. Place it in the fridge and let it rise overnight, between 8 and 12 hours.
In the morning, cut the dough in half, and then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball, and then place 3 balls all lined up evenly in a lightly greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with a towel again, and let the loaves rest in a warm place for around 2 1/2 hours, until doubled or tripled in volume. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees as your loaves near the end of their rising time, and lightly brush them with vegan egg wash. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until well-browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the loaves rest in the pans for 5 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 Loaves.

Got it from http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/bread-with-a-heart-of-cake/

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