Banana Bars

Banana Bars

1  2/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened 

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups mashed banana

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour  10 1/2 by 15 inch pan. 

Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add in eggs and vanilla.

 Add flour, baking soda and salt to butter mixture.

Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk at low-speed. 

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until when gently pressed in the center it springs back.

Cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 & 1/2 sticks  butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium until combined.  Add sugar and mix until smooth.

Salted Caramel Apple Bars

Salted Caramel Apple Bars

 2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 sticks butter

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 10-by-15-inch cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter and water heating until butter melts. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add in the flour mixture. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the apples.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for about 25 minutes.

Glaze

1 stick butter

1/4 cup milk

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup salted caramel sauce (recipe at bottom of page)

Meanwhile, combine the butter and milk in a large heat-proof bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla and caramel until combined. Pour evenly over mostly cooled cake. Let set for about 15 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel (optional)

In a medium dry saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat until the sugar melts. Turn off heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Whisking constantly, gradually add the cream. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. You will have leftovers of this caramel sauce and it will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. It is delicious with apples dipped in it or over ice cream!

Coconut Sheet Cake

This mildly flavored coconut cake and frosting are heavenly. In fact, I suggest you have a get together of some sort just so you can make it! I recently took this to a family function and it was a BIG hit; even the little kids loved it! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 18 by 13-inch cookie sheet.

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 c. canned coconut milk at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp coconut extract 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

Whip butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. In another mixing bowl whisk together coconut milk, sour cream, coconut and vanilla extracts until blended. In yet another bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/egg mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, then add in 1/2 of the coconut milk mixture and mix just until combined, repeat with flour and coconut milk mixtures once more  ending by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture mixing just until combined. Pour batter into prepared cookie sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

1/2 c. butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 tsp coconut extract

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter until smooth. Add in cream cheese and mix until smooth. Mix in coconut extract and powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy, about 1 - 2 minutes. Spread evenly over cooled cake then top with shredded coconut and raspberries if desired. Cut into squares.