Flour' bakery's famous banana bread

Monday blues and craving for banana walnut bread. Found this recipe and it was relatively easy to put together. Soon enough, the kitchen smells of bananas, a touch of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. The bread was soft and flavorful as promised. Heavenly! Flour’s Famous Banana Bread adapted from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang | makes one 9×5-inch loaf 1 2/3 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt / seasalt 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (230 grams) sugar 2 eggs (120g) 1/2 cup (100 grams) canola or other flavourless oil 3 1/2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 1 1/2 cups or 340 grams mashed bananas) 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2/3 to 3/4 cup (75g) walnuts, toasted and chopped* 1. Position the rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Either line the pan bottom and sides with patchment or Butter and flour the pan. 2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. 3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, or a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 10 minutes for the stand mixer, until light and fluffy. 4. With the machine on low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Do not pour the oil in all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn’t deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Adding the oil should take about 1 minute. 5. Add the bananas, creme fraiche/sour cream, and vanilla, then continue to mix on low speed just until combined. 6. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and nuts just until thoroughly combined. No flour streaks should be visible and the nuts should be evenly distributed. 7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. 8. Bake for 45-60mins for a 9×5-inch loaf or until golden brown on top and the cake springs back when you press it. If your finger sinks when you poke the bread, it needs to bake a little longer.** 9. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, and the pop it out of the pan to finish cooling. Storage: The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or it can be well-wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Make sure to thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.

Deep dark chocolate cupcake with peanut butter mousse

Yields 12 Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F/175C  or 325F/162C for non-stick pan

Deep dark chocolate cupcakes: 
 8 tablespoons (113g)unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces 
2 ounces (56g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
 ½ cup (42g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder 
¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour 
½ teaspoon baking soda 
¾ teaspoon baking powder 
2 eggs 
¾ cup (148g) granulated sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
½ teaspoon table salt 
½ cup sour cream 

 1. Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water.  Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch. (alt: microwave)
 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine. 
3. Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
 4. Fill cupcake line 2/3 full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. 
5. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. 
**if using smaller cupcake liner (90x45mm), use 1scoop & bake for 15mins

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated 

 Peanut Butter Mousse Frosting: 
3/4 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
 1 cup (240g)creamy peanut butter 
5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract 
¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
100ml heavy cream 

 1. Place all ingredients except heavy cream in a bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until creamy. 
2. Add in the cream and continue beating at medium speed till light and creamy.

 Yummy! But I'll probably cut down the sugar to the frosting further