Am I allowed to make a Tron cake if I’ve never seen Tron?

Well, I did anyway. I’m still not entirely sure what these bikes are supposed to actually look like, but after lots of time staring at Google Images and grilling my husband, who hasn’t seen the new Tron, but knows everything about the original . . .

I think I came close.

Just, don’t compare it too closely with any photographs. It’s a chocolate cake, for crying out loud, not an actual bike.

Moral of the story: Just make it shiny.

I didn’t eat very well in college, but I’m entirely confidant that I’m surrounded by other people who also didn’t eat very well in college, so, no judgments here.

Mom, if you’re reading this . . . I had lettuce and tomato on my whole grain sandwich today for lunch.

A typical day in my college career went something like this:

• Race out the door in the morning with a bagel or banana. (With a quickly-thrown-together peanut butter sandwich for later.)
• Sit in classes. Feel starved.
• Eat my peanut butter sandwich between classes.
• Practice the piano. Feel starved. Why didn’t I pack more than a sandwich?
• Consider going to the food court to buy something healthy, like fruit. Dismiss idea because it’s 65 cents for a puny little bruised apple, and I don’t want to leave the Fine Arts building because it’s cold outside, and someone might steal my practice room.
• Go to the vending machine down the hall and buy a 2-pack of big chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, because they’re the most filling and least unhealthy thing available, for the least amount of money – 50 cents!
• Practice the piano some more until I’m feeling starved again and can’t justify buying any more vending machine stuff.
• Go home and whip up something quick and cheap and atrocious for dinner.
• Give in to the urge to bake brownies at 11 pm with my roommates.

That was the life. Those oatmeal raisin cookies in the purple package are a big part of my college nostalgia. I can’t remember all the words to our college fight song (Go BYU), but pressing F4 on the vending machine in the basement of the HFAC will never leave my memory.

I’ve searched far and wide to find an oatmeal cookie recipe yielding a similar texture to the vending machine variety: soft and chewy, rather than thin and crispy. And (why am I not surprised?) King Arthur had the answer for me.

The trick with this cookie is to not let it bake too long. That’s how the trouble with crispy cookies happens. Also, I wrapped these up and let them sit overnight, and they melted in my mouth the next day. Perfect.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

adapted from KAF Baker’s Companion

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (trans fat-free)

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/4 cups brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

3 cups rolled oats

1-1/2 cups raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, oil, and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla and coconut extract.

Stir in the flour mixture, in three additions. Stir in the oats and raisins.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined (or mat-lined) baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes. Bake for 13-15 minutes. They should still be light tan; don’t let them brown, or they’ll be crisp instead of chewy. Let them cool on the sheet for 5-6 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack; they’ll be delicate when warm, then chewy as they cool.  Store in an airtight container. Makes about 4 dozen.

Birthdays may not be a big deal to some people.

But when the man I love sticks with me for another ride around the sun, I feel pretty lucky.

Even when he goes and requests a complicated birthday cake.

Happy birthday to my sweet husband.

It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally I hear from a disgruntled reader saying something like, “I tried your recipe for whatever, and it was just awful and it didn’t turn out at all, and it burnt a hole in the ozone, and my kid ran away from home. . . ”

I’m really sorry. Rest assured I don’t post recipes here unless I’ve had complete success with them. There are lots of “not-bad-but-not-fabulous” recipes that I just don’t bother taking the time to photograph and do a write-up. And, of course, everybody’s taste is different. That isn’t the poor recipe’s fault.

The thing is, there are several factors that can influence how your baked goods turn out:

• Altitude
• Weather outside
• Type of baking pans
• Type of ingredients
• Temperature of ingredients
• Measuring methods
• Mixing methods

. . . we’ll keep it to that for now.

So we’re going to take those first three on the list and talk troubleshooting today. I’ll tackle the others in another post. I’ll also try not to get carried away, but the truth is, I could go on and on about this stuff. It’s SO COOL.

One more thing: I’ve done a crazy amount of reading and hands-on research, and can feel confident sharing what I’ve learned. But if you see something here that you think is completely false? Let me know! If you’re very polite, I’ll listen.

Let’s dig in.

Altitude

This is a big one. My home here in Utah sits at roughly 4,500 feet. That’s . . . pretty high up. The higher you get, the lower the air pressure. Remember Chem 101 back in college? Pressure plays a big part in chemical reactions, especially where heat is involved.

Altitude will have the biggest impact on foods with a delicate crumb. So, mostly cakes. But also muffins, quick breads, and some cookies. At high altitude (over 3,000 feet), the gases produced by the leavening expand more quickly, and cause the cake to “fall” before the heat has had time to set the cake’s structure. The liquids in your batter will also evaporate faster and at a lower temperature than they will at sea level. So your cakes and cookies can dry out more.

Yikes. You still with me?

The simplest adjustment to make is to raise the oven temperature by 15-25 degrees (F) and decrease baking time however much you need. That will allow the structure of your cake to set faster. For a lot of your non-cake baked goods, it might be the only adjustment you’ll need to make.

Sometimes you have to actually play with the proportions:

• You can try decreasing the baking powder and baking soda by 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, so your cake won’t rise too quickly.
• You can decrease the sugar by 1-2 tablespoons per cup. Too much sugar can weaken the structure of the cake. But be careful with that, because too little sugar will make your batter too dry. It’s a fine line to walk.
• You can increase the liquid by 1-3 tablespoons per cup. Sometimes you can do this by adding an extra egg, depending on the recipe.

The moral of the altitude story is: there are no hard and fast rules for adjusting for altitude, because every recipe is different, and every baker is different.

The key is to experiment around and see what works best for that particular recipe. In your kitchen.

Climate

Have you ever tried to make Divinity on an humid day? Neither have I, but that’s because I hear it’s a disaster — it’s just one of those foods that turns into a mess if the humidity is off.

Cookies baked on a rainy day will end up a little differently than cookies baked on a dry day. Utah’s air is pretty dry, as any disillusioned BYU freshman from out of state will tell you. (Also, barometric pressure from day to day will influence the outcome.) In this way, some of your problems are going to be similar to your altitude issues, especially when it comes to flour. Flour is like a sponge. In a humid climate, it won’t absorb as much liquid. And that affects your dough. Of course.

Baking Pans

It’s a good idea to use the size of pan the recipe calls for. The pan size will affect how much batter you should put in, and what temperature you should bake it at, and how long it should bake. If you use the right size of pan, then you aren’t throwing off all these other details.

The material of your pan also makes a difference:

• Pans with a darker finish will cook more quickly, and can brown your goodies too much. You might need to adjust the baking time, and possibly cover with foil to prevent overbrowning. Depending on the recipe.
• Glass pans (such as Pyrex) conduct heat better than metal. For some foods, that’s good, and for others it’s not. Ceramic/stoneware doesn’t conduct heat as quickly as metal, but that’s not an issue for some foods, such as puddings and casseroles, where a precise temperature isn’t as critical.
• Silicone is great for it’s nonstick properties and bending-it-to-get-the-stuff-out properties, but remember that baked goods low in sugar or fat may not brown well enough in silicone.
• Aluminum with a dull finish is generally going to be your best bet with baking. It’s a great conductor, and it won’t over-brown your baked goods.
• Stainless steel is also pretty good, and easy to clean, although it doesn’t conduct as well as aluminum. Sometimes you’ll see a combination of the two, which is fantastic.

One more note: Cookie sheets with a thick base will bake and brown more evenly than those with a thin base. Cookies baked on a thin cookie sheet are more likely to be darker on the bottom, and the danger of overbaking or uneven baking is greater. As a side note to this note: A silicone baking mat (I am in love with my Silpats) also helps to prevent overbrowning.

Is that enough for one day? Yes. But stay tuned for Part 2!

I’m mildly ashamed for not bringing you cheesecake until now. This would be the time to admit that I’ve been known to prefer cheesecake over regular cake. A good cheesecake is, for me, like I imagine a glass of fine wine is for most people. And now I’m nervous because I’m a non-alcoholic girl in unfamiliar territory, so maybe I should stop while I’m ahead and just let that metaphor go.

So, red velvet — it’s sort of chocolate, but not quite. It’s just lots of red, and sort of chocolate. As a cake flavor, I’ve never been impressed. But in cheesecake form, it’s divine. Maybe because this recipe calls for melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder? Chocolate flavor win.

I couldn’t resist this cheesecake. It was far, far too pretty and rich and creamy, and I had to make myself send it away before I cleaned the whole thing off. This, my friends, is a queen among desserts.

Did I mention cheesecake is a simple thing to put together? All you need is a springform pan and some stuff. I’ll show you.

Three cheesecake tips:

1. Your cream cheese needs to be at room temperature. You can’t cheat with this step or you’ll get a lumpy cheesecake. And the microwave isn’t a good way to cheat, either, in case you’re tempted.

2. Before adding the eggs, you can whip the batter to within an inch of its life to make it as smooth as possible. But once the eggs go in? Beat just until it’s all mixed together, and then stop. The air you whip into the batter at that point will stay in the batter, because that’s what eggs do. That incorporated air will make the cheesecake puff up while baking, then fall and crack as it cools. (But hey, if it cracks, throw some toppings on!)

3. Some people use a water bath when they bake cheesecake, but I’ve found that I can get good results without one, if I use a lower temperature (like with this recipe). To tell when your cheesecake is done, gently tap the side of the pan with your oven mitt. A bit of jiggling is all right, but if the center still acts liquidy, it needs a little more time in the oven.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. Love you all.

Red Velvet Swirl Cheesecake

adapted from Lion House Bakery

Crust:

1-1/2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 9 graham crackers)

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

1 ounce bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 tablespoon butter

3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 teaspoons red food coloring, depending on how “red” you want it.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Prepare crust: In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly onto bottom (and up the sides, if you want) of a greased 8-inch springform pan; set aside while preparing filling.

Filling: Partially melt the chopped chocolate and butter together in the microwave on LOW (or in a double boiler on the stove). Stir until completely melted. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; add sugar and vanilla, and beat until completely incorporated and all lumps are gone from the mixture, scraping the sides frequently. Add the eggs all at once and beat just until the eggs are incorporated, no more than about 10 seconds.

Remove about 1/2 cup of the batter into a small mixing bowl, and fold in the melted chocolate mixture and the red food coloring, until completely incorporated.

Pour the white batter into the springform pan, and spoon the red batter in a few dollops over the top. Using a knife, gently make a few swirled patterns in the batter. If you swirl too much, you’ll lose the patterns you’ve created.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until the center no longer looks liquidy when the pan is gently moved (checking it too early can cause your cheesecake to crack).

Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, gently run a knife around the side of the pan to help release the crust. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for one hour. Do not release the springform pan yet. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. When you’re ready to serve, release the springform pan and slice with a warm knife.

I realize this is months after the fact, but I’ve had a lot of requests for an Eiffel Tower tutorial. And hey, Valentine’s Day is coming up. Aaand, I’m sure the Eiffel Tower and Valentine’s Day have something in common.

I actually hadn’t planned on doing a tutorial, so I didn’t get a great photo of every step of the process. And most of the photos I have were taken at night. But I’ll do my best to walk you through it.

Oh, and before we begin, know that this involves lots of waiting for stuff to dry. So, patience. I made this from start to finish just short of 48 hours.

Step One

You need a pattern to follow. I pulled up Google Images, and looked around for a basic, proportionally-correct line drawing of the Eiffel Tower from a straight-on view. This is the drawing I settled on. Print it off, whatever size you’d like.

Next I divided the drawing into four sections vertically. Like this:

Here’s what you have to remember: Yes, the edges of the Eiffel tower curve upward. But don’t pipe them that way — your four sides won’t fit together. If you divide the tower into smaller sections vertically and pipe all the outer edges as straight lines, it will still give the illusion of a curve, but the edges will fit together when you go to assemble it. Does that make any sense?

Step Two

Take some wax paper and a pencil, and very, very carefully trace each individual section, five or six or eight times. Plan on some of the pieces shattering. They will. On the outward edges of each piece, use a straightedge to get a straight edge (heh). The outer edges of some of the sections will curve slightly, but ignore that. Make it straight.

For construction purposes, you want all the outer lines as straight and uniform as you can conceivably make them.

Step Three

You need royal icing. This recipe from Wilton works for me. A single batch will be plenty. Color the icing gray. Or bright green. Or whatever you want. White could be kind of cool.

Step Four

Very carefully pipe your royal icing directly onto the wax paper, following your pencil lines as closely as possible.

Here’s the order I piped in, and the tip sizes:

1. The outline – round tip #3.

2. Any major vertical or horizontal inside lines – tip #3.

3. All the other, shorter vertical or horizontal lines – tip #2.

4. The diagonals (x’s) – round tip #1 or #2.

By the time you’re piping step 3, the shorter vertical and horizontal lines probably won’t even touch the wax paper. And the x’s will just be laying on top of the rest of the lines. That’s okay. It will look better if you focus on getting straight lines, than if you try to get all the lines to sit in the same plane as the first ones you piped.

Step Five

Get away from the kitchen and relax those hands. These pieces will need to dry for at least 6-8 hours, or overnight.

Step Six

Once all the icing is completely dry, you have to remove each of these ridiculously fragile panels from the wax paper. Without breaking them. I’m not sure what to say to you, other than . . . good luck. I hope you made extras.

Actually, I can offer a bit of advice. Here’s the way I do it: Lay the wax paper flat on a countertop or table. Bring the wax paper to the edge of the surface, slowly pulling the paper downward over the edge, while carefully holding on to the royal icing piece. The royal icing pieces should release from the wax paper in one piece. Theoretically. If you do it too quickly, your pieces will shatter. And sometimes you have to approach a piece from a few different angles.

If that method doesn’t work for you, you can try leaving the wax paper on a flat surface and gently running a very thin knife under each piece to release it. I end up with a lot of broken pieces that way, but it works for some people, so it’s worth a try.

And here’s one last tip: If a piece does break, but it’s only broken into two pieces, you can always try gluing it back together. Put a dot of icing on the break points, very gently put the pieces back together, and let it sit on some wax paper for at least an hour.

Step Seven

Now you get to start gluing the panels together! (Glue = more royal icing). This was the trickiest step for me, where I broke the most pieces. That’s probably not what you wanted to hear after all you’ve been through. Sorry. But remember that part about these pieces being super fragile? Still applies.

I worked one section at a time, “gluing” two pieces to each other, then the other two pieces to each other, making two halves of each section. Did that make any sense? Basically, you don’t glue all four sides of a section together at the same time. Glue sides one and two to each other, and sides three and four to each other, and then let them dry (standing up) for 4-5 hours, then glue those two pieces together and let that dry for another 4-5 hours.

As you can see from the photo, I let them dry on a towel rather than a smooth surface. This just added some friction so my half-dried panels would “stick” to the surface they were drying on.

When you’re gluing your panels together, make sure the top lines always form a 90-degree angle. When all four pieces of a single layer are glued together, you want them to form as perfect a square as you can manage. And let it all dry standing up. Like in the picture.

Step Eight

Yay! Time to stack them!

Take your Section 2, and pipe your royal icing along the bottom edge. Very gently settle Section 2 onto Section 1, checking from all angles, including the top, to make sure it’s straight and that the corner seams line up. Let that dry for about 1 hour, then grab Section 3 and repeat. Continue until all four levels are glued together, then let the whole thing dry for 4-5 hours.

Step Nine

Look at what you just did! You made a 3D tower out of sugar! All that’s left is the finishing touches. Pipe horizontal lines (tip #2) around the seams between each level, and then a vertical line the entire length of the tower, on each of the corners. This helps to hide some unsightly icing seams, and gives a bit more visual continuity to the whole structure.

Using a larger round tip (#8 or 9), pipe a small mound, or dome, that’s about as big around as the top of your tower. And then pipe a tiny line (tip #2) for the rod on top. Actually, these can be done back in Step 4 so they have plenty of time to dry. Use a dot of icing to glue your dried rod to the dried dome, then glue the dome to the top of your tower. Allow this to dry.

Step Ten

There has to be a step ten. This is the part where you put your creation on your cake and wow your friends and family, and take lots of pictures. This step makes the other nine totally worth it.

Are you gonna do it? I want you to send me pictures. Promise me.

I used to be a Girl Scout. I used to be 8-year-old LaChelle, with thick glasses and outrageous bangs, all decked out in my Brownie uniform, going to troop meetings each Friday after school. I think I was a pretty good little Girl Scout. Until the dreaded annual cookie-peddling season rolled around.

I wasn’t blessed with the door-to-door sales gene. And I wasn’t a cute enough 8-year-old to make up for it.

So my mom was usually one of my only buyers. Which worked out nicely because, well, she’s my mom and we lived in the same house. Free cookies for 8-year-old LaChelle.

Thin Mints were always the first ones I’d go for. But I think I was in high school (and, luckily, long past my Brownie Scout days) before I realized that Samoas were the true Queen of Girl Scout cookies. Chewy, chocolatey, caramely, coconuty. Perfect.

A word about these. They’re insane and addicting, and so sweet you want to stop after eating half of one, but you can’t. This caramel frosting recipe was unlike any frosting I’ve ever put together. Just to warn you. But it’s completely delicious. And so rich, you really don’t need much before you start feeling sugared out. Also, I used store-bought chocolate syrup. Time constraints that day. But if you can, I’d recommend mixing up a nice homemade chocolate sauce. This one is pretty fabulous.

Samoas Cupcakes

(adapted from KAF Baker’s Companion)

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1-3/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

2 cups flour

3/4 cup natural cocoa powder

4 large eggs, room temperature

1-1/2 cups milk or water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, vanilla, and coconut extract until fluffy and light, at least 3-4 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. If lumps remain, sift the mixture.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly blend one third of the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, then half the milk, another third of the flour, the remaining milk, and the remaining flour. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally throughout this process.

Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners. Scoop the batter into each liner, filling about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Tilt each cupcake in the muffin pan so it sits at an angle. Cool like that for 10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Caramel Frosting

(from KAF Baker’s Companion)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Directions:

Melt the butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the salt and brown sugar and heat the mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the sugar is totally dissolved. Stir in the milk and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to lukewarm (30-40 minutes) stirring occasionally. Stir in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Adjust consistency with a little more milk, if necessary.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Sprinkle with coconut (toasted or not).

Nothing is lamer or more unimaginative than whining about the weather.

I could tell you about the exquisite dark chocolate pound cake that tragically stuck to the bundt pan. I could tell you about how I’m terrified of potty training, and how last night I bought a little sticker reward chart for Bun Boy – just to give myself a false sense of progress while I ignore the elephant in the closet.

I could tell you about the novel that my husband just finished writing, and how much fun we’re having revising it and working towards getting it published. I could even tell you about the snazzy tan top I found at a second-hand store for 3 dollars.

But no, I’m taking the lame and unimaginative road.

It has been downright cold here in Utah. And cold doesn’t generally bother me. But this. This is not just put-on-a-sweater cold, it’s curl-up-in-bed cold. I-can’t-feel-my-fingers cold.

Stuff-myself-inside-the-microwave-and-set-it-to-defrost-for-90-minutes cold.

So I made rolls. There’s something deliciously cozy and domestic about making yeast breads on a cold day. Like I’ve been transported into a Dickens novel – rocking in a creaking chair by a golden, glowing hearth in a snug little cottage. Dressed in several layers of petticoats and bloomers and a nice thick dress and wool shawl. Seriously. Those women knew how to dress.

Brrr. . .

Lion House Dinner Rolls

adapted from Lion House Bakery

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

2 tablespoons Instant yeast

1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

1 eggs

5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour with the water, dry milk, yeast, gluten, sugar, salt, butter, and eggs. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add two more cups of flour, and mix until incorporated. Then stir in just enough of the remaining flour (1/2 cup at a time) to make a very soft dough that is not overly sticky, and not stiff. After you have the right amount of flour, knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is very elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Gently squeeze the air out of the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-greased surface and roll into a rectangle, roughly 18″ x 8″. With a pizza cutter, cut dough in half vertically to make two strips about 4 inches wide. Then cut those strips horizontally, every two inches, making about 18 pieces of dough, 8″ by 2″. Carefully roll up each piece of dough, starting with the short end. Place rolls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Be sure all rolls face the same direction on the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size. Halfway through rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter while hot.

I know why you’re here.

You’re here because you’re on a quest for the holy grail of banana breads.

I had no reason to try this particular recipe. I already had a go-to banana almond bread recipe that was pretty fabulous. And I could have spent the rest of my life completely content with that version. But I’ve done enough baking to know that no matter how perfect you think a particular recipe is, you can always be proven wrong with something even better. Which is why I’m constantly trying new recipes.

I kind of enjoy being proven wrong about my go-to recipes. It makes me feel like a treasure-hoarding troll who suddenly stumbles upon a vast cave of wonders to add to the collection. It means I’m that much closer to baked-goods perfection. Of course, I’m not so audacious to assume I’ll never find a better banana bread than this. But good heavens, I’ve been around the block, and this one is as moist and soft and flavorful and close to perfect as my little brain can fathom. Check back in ten years, though, okay?

Banana Almond Bread

adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion

2 large eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1-1/4 cup mashed banana (3-4 very ripe, large bananas)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup sliced almonds, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and oil. Blend in the mashed banana, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together.

In a small mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix quickly but thoroughly, then gently stir in the sour cream, mixing until just combined.

Pour the batter into a well-greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake the bread for about 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread begins to brown too quickly, tent it with foil after 45 minutes in the oven.

When the bread tests done, remove it from the oven and place on a rack for 15 minutes; after 15 minutes, remove the bread from its pan and place on the rack to finish cooling. Slice when it has cooled completely.

This month is my two-year blogiversary. And I have you to thank.

Food blogging takes ten times as much time as I thought it would two years ago. And I’ve nearly quit several times, when morning sickness/new baby/moving/other goals were making it difficult. But the thing that kept me here was knowing that you were here, all crazy about the same things I’m crazy about.

So. In the spirit of all that, I’d like to pull out the Sugar Duchess Top Ten – the ten most popular posts, or those that have received the most hits.

Starting with number ten. Ready Set Go.

10. Fall Sugar Cookies, Oct. 2009.

These are my eight-months-pregnant cookies. Yeesh. And my first attempt at decorating with royal icing. Pretty precious.

9. Piña Colada Cookies, Mar. 2009.

May or may not have eaten way too many of these. They were fluffy and tropical and worth it.

8. Pear Ginger Spice Cake, Nov. 2010.

I have no words for this cake. Well, I have a few. It’s flavorful and moist and divine, and I think you really should plan on making it today.

7. Oreo Truffle Pops, Jun. 2010.

This post reminds me why I need to do more dipping crushed oreos in chocolate. And then . . . you know . . . eating it.

6. Carrot Pineapple Bread, Mar. 2009.

This is aaalmost like carrot cake, but not. Think sweet pineapple bread. And it happens to have a few carrot shreds thrown in for added moisture. It’s utterly fabulous.

5. Space Needle Cake, Mar. 2009.

I’ll be honest, this post actually frustrates me (and I almost didn’t include it), because I have since discovered a dark chocolate cake recipe I like even more, that works SO much better for stacking rounds. And I really want to put these photos out of their misery. But I still get a lot of traffic and quite a few questions about this one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a delicious cake, but not the best for stacking like I did here. My bad.

4. Christmas Sugar Cookies, Dec. 2010.

The comment I usually get on these is, Oh, they’re too pretty to eat! Umm. That’s a problem. Maybe I need to make ugly Christmas cookies so people will eat them?

3. Gingerbread Cupcakes with Egg Nog Frosting, Dec. 2010.

If we were doing a top ten of my own personal favorites, this would be a mighty contender for number one. These cupcakes are like . . . eating the North Pole.

2. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Nov. 2010.

Wow! I posted this less than 2 months ago, and it has already skyrocketed up into second place. And for good reason. You all have very excellent taste.

1. Cherry Almond Chews, Mar. 2009.

Coming in at number one, this post actually wins by a rather substantial landslide, which surprised me because it’s definitely not the flashiest thing on here. But oh goodness, this soft little unassuming cookie will wrap itself around your heart. Don’t let too much more time pass before you try these out.

And here’s to many, many more delicious things in the future. You are fabulous.