Every now and then, I get invited to an 'American Supper'. You can tell the people doing the inviting are a bit posher than I am: 'Supper, indeed, very Nigel/Nigella. For those not in the know, an American Supper, is where everyone brings something to eat. I've been to a few now and it always just seems to work. One time there was something of a pork pie mountain, but in general and as if magic a pretty decent and varied buffet seems to miraculously appear each time.
Enough pre-amble. Down to business, I decided to take a Banana cake, my main motivations being:
- Redemption - at the last of these events I was running late and Tesco's was closed due to flooding, so I had to stop at the garage and the best I could do was some on their sell by date Sausage Rolls. Poor show fo' real.
- I had three bananas that were on the turn. Waste not want not and all that.
I've made Banana Cake
before, which is a jolly decent cake. At least I like it. However, I was concerned the discerning palates might find banana on its own a bit bland, so I decided to jazz it up a bit with choccy chips. Just for fun, I decided to try a new recipe (
Here from - allrecipes.co.uk), (which I adapted slightly, of course).
Ingredients:
- 250gs Banana's. Which was 2 1/2 narnis
- 200gs plain flour
- 125gs Caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 120gs unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 80gs milk and plain chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Method, oh how I love the easy stuff:
- Mash banana's and mix with everything else
- Line a baking tin with greaseproof, greasing the paper too, just to make sure
- In to the oven @170c for 40-45 minutes OR until a knife comes out clean (my oven seems to cook pretty slow, taking quite a bit longer than allrecipes said)
Drum roll.......
Because this was still warm when I set off, I transported it in a oh so glamorous carrier bag. The smell from it though was lush. It was still had a nice just-baked-warmth by the time we'd got to the puddings.
Word quickly got round that in an amongst the Cadbury Chocolate rolls and the like there was warm home made cake and it was gone so quickly I only just managed to get a piece myself.
Should have put more Choccy chips in. But other than that a definate success.
Lovely Choclette - this may be my first ever recipe with Chocolate in, I can't think of any others! Quick, quick - can you start a competition that allows bananas based baked chocolate products?
Brilliant - I was immediately struck by the choccy title and rushed over to see if it was really true. Most impressed, completely delighted in fact. Just wish I was there to taste some. Love those sort of bring along banquets, though I've never heard of them being called American suppers before.
ReplyDeleteNow you could, if you were really keen, bring your cake along to the We Should Cocoa 1st birthday party. E-mail it to: weshouldcocoa@yahoo.co.uk - only you'd need to stick a link to us too.
You of the light hidden under the bushel! Always moaning to me that you can't cook cakes. I will listen no more to these complaints as they are complete twaddle. American supper? That certainly is very posh, we call it a bring and share around here (although when we suggested we should have one at a friends house the other day she misheard and said she had plenty of chairs.) More cakes please Mr VBB.
ReplyDeleteAs ever, grateful thanks ladies.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a squat little cake; despite being generally pleased with how it came out. I'm still a long way off mastering a Victoria Sponge. Plenty of chairs is funny.
Where's the party? - I suspect it's a long way from me. But what's the linky to put up? - don't mind doing that, if it helps any.
Oops sorry, a bit late in responding and too late for the party :( It was We Should Cocoa's 1st virtual party and everyone had to bring along something fitting. If you'd headed over to my site you'd have seen the link at the top of the page. Oh well, maybe this will have inspired you to make another chocolate cake.
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of your "American Supper" shennanigans, nobody ever does that around my neck of the woods *huff*. Banana & choccy chip - a winning combination, I bet it was delish!
ReplyDeleteChoc, I had nipped over - honest! Must've had my special dozy head on though, never noticed the header.
ReplyDeleteCatherine: don't be too jealous.... I neglected to mention all this took place in the back room of a working men's club. Very swit-swoo. Not.