more bakings

Just some baking endeavors from the past couple weeks. I'm still thinking about that lemon loaf and how it would be perfect if I had some right now. darnlemonloaf.

1. The gingersnaps with lemon-cream filling





These cookies were incredible. And they come out perfect, so much so that I couldn't contain a squeal every time I pulled a sheet of the perfectly round, golden brown beauties from the oven. I could hardly believe I made them. And the filling, let me tell you, that filling is dangerous. I made these with a friend, and every time we sampled the filling (what else do you do when you're impatiently waiting for some cookies to bake) we had to roll our eyes and comment on how unbelievably good it was. Here is the recipe.

(I should confess that I've been kind of obsessed with that blog lately. Valerie is innovative, talented, funny, and capable of making me want to try almost every single thing she bakes. I can almost guarantee that you'll see more recipes I try from there in the future, even before you get to the end of this post.)


2. The banana cupcakes with nutella-cream-cheese frosting.



These are really good. A little more dense than banana bread, and definitely sweeter and, well, just better. I don't exactly know why I'm comparing these to banana bread. I adapted the recipe from here (well, hardly adapted it at all actually. I just added my own frosting). I think it's safe to say that I'll be trying some other cupcake recipes from that site as well. You'll see why if you check it out.



Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 C. A/P flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 C. mashed ripe bananas
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 stick unsalted butter (6 T.), softened to room temperature
1 C. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 C. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 275.
Prepare a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Mash bananas and combine with lemon juice in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk while mixing, until combined.
Add bananas and mix until well blended.
Bake at 275 for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
After removing from the oven, place cupcakes in freezer for 1/2 hour.

Frosting:
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup nutella
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 C. powdered sugar

Cream together butter, cream cheese, nutella, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add powdered sugar. Add more sugar if desired texture is not achieved.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.


3. The lemon loaf





Ah, the lemon loaf. No one really knows what exactly it is, but it is delicious. Every time I mentioned lemon loaf, I got something like, "So what is that? Is it like meatloaf, or pound cake?" (seriously, I got two questions referring to meatloaf) or, "Why not just call it lemon bread?" I don't know exactly. The word "bread" doesn't do it justice, and it can't really be called cake either. One thing is for sure though: it does NOT, in any way, have anything to do with meatloaf. And it is so perfect with a steaming soy chai latte from Starbucks.
Here is the recipe.