Do you ever get inspired to bake something new?

[Ellyn]

Lately, I've been thinking of things like... bolo de banana (Brazilian upside-down cake) combined with banoffee pie, and now I'm thinking of coconut cream to keep it tropical. Since I thought the "offee" part meant "coffee" and not "toffee" then I'll also make some coffee-flavored layer filling, then I won't have been mistaken. Ha! Seriously, though, I might be a bit lazier than that and granted toffee is good filling too...

I also want to combine the recipes of banana bread, bran muffin, and turtle pie.

Maybe those aren't new so much as combined, but I just feel so inspired to make them, anyway.



What cakes have you thought up of making?

 

[monkeyboots]

I also want to combine the recipes of banana bread, bran muffin, and turtle pie.

Ellyn, do you want to do a mash-up with all three of these? I'm intrigued! Let's brainstorm it!

 

[Becky]

Sounds excellent! Do you have a good recipe for bolo de banana? I've never tried it, but just did a quick google and it looks delicious!

 

[Ellyn]

Ellyn, do you want to do a mash-up with all three of these? I'm intrigued! Let's brainstorm it!

I'm thinking of something like a "naked cake". First, there's the turtle pie base, which is an 8-ounce pack of cream cheese softened and blended with maybe half a cup of sugar (or more), half a cup of peanut butter, half a cup of cocoa (or less), two cups of cream to stretch it out, and maybe a teaspoon of vanilla if it doesn't emulsify (I learned this trick from making cream-cheese based clotted cream.)

The turtle pie filling above is basically no-bake. An easier way would be to use Jell-O's instant chocolate pudding that it mixes with milk.


Next, just making the bran to add to a basic banana bread recipe: soak one cup of bran in buttermilk, or substitute that soaking solution with half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of milk, for at least 10 minutes.


In a separate bowl, meanwhile, combine the standard banana bread ingredients: 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 large egg, the mashed bananas, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a cup of flour (which is making me think that I may be putting too much bran...but oh well! Brainstorming!)

Mix in the bran, and the pecan nuts or walnuts, of course...the turtle pie filling has none, and while banana bran bread can do well enough without nuts, it's not a turtle pie without them.



Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (that's about 175ºC), pour banana bread into cake pans, and bake until done. Either by using shallow filling in the cake pans, or a thin cake-leveler, get your layers (after they've cooled down!) and spread the turtle pie filling in between. I just hope the weight of the banana bread doesn't squish all the filling out!

Sounds excellent! Do you have a good recipe for bolo de banana? I've never tried it, but just did a quick google and it looks delicious!

I haven't decided on a recipe to go by yet, although I'm seriously considering plantains in caramelized condensed milk, and just a box of vanilla cake or butter cake...just to get a feel of making it! Rum cake might be even better.

 

[monkeyboots]

Wow Ellyn!

 

[Ellyn]

Wow Ellyn!

Don't wow yet, I haven't baked the thing... There might be too much bran, too much baking powder, or something.

 

[JennyHeart]

I have been inspired lately due to the fact I had been going to the doctor and I had a transit transportation take me for weeks now for my treatments. The man that drove me at times was a great cook. I told him he should write a book. I would come home inspired and I would cook up a new invention.

 

[kammy]

I have being thinking a lot about baking a pumpkin cake; I love pumpkin a lot and was wondering what it would be like to make a cake from it ; this is something i'll be trying my hands at very soon.

 

[Ellyn]

I have being thinking a lot about baking a pumpkin cake; I love pumpkin a lot and was wondering what it would be like to make a cake from it ; this is something I'll be trying my hands at very soon.

That does sound inspired! I baked a potato chocolate cake, once (can't find the recipe right now, but online it's more common than you'd think for such a strange combination.) Perhaps leaving off the chocolate/cocoa, and replacing the potato with pumpkin puree, would do it? Unless pumpkin doesn't have starch like a potato does, and only seems like it does, or something. Or is it going to be just a basic cake with pumpkin added?

Do let us know how it goes! I can imagine that decorated with roasted shelled pumpkin seeds.

 

[kammy]

That does sound inspired! I baked a potato chocolate cake, once (can't find the recipe right now, but online it's more common than you'd think for such a strange combination.) Perhaps leaving off the chocolate/cocoa, and replacing the potato with pumpkin puree, would do it? Unless pumpkin doesn't have starch like a potato does, and only seems like it does, or something. Or is it going to be just a basic cake with pumpkin added?

Do let us know how it goes! I can imagine that decorated with roasted shelled pumpkin seeds.

Ellyn i did find some great recipe online for pumpkin cake; the recipes are very similar to that of banana bread, i think the only difference is the wide array of nuts that's added to the pumpkin cake. I am really looking forward to bake this cake.

 

[elmarianexx]

Of course! Very often! I love to search for different recipes over the internet and just get inspired and make them in my kitchen.

 

[kammy]

At times the ideas i come up with especially when my daughter is in the kitchen with me...but that's the fun to cooking ...being innovative and crazy silly.

 

[Mara]

Always, I've never made a swiss roll, but would love to do one. The only thing stopping me is who is going to eat it except me right now! I will make one, but when I feel more confident and when I have a reason to, like sharing it with others.

 

[Winterybella]

I get inspired to bake something new all the time since joining the forum but I am slow getting out of the "box" in more ways than one. I mostly baked box cakes before joining this forum.

Sometimes these days when I have big plans to try something like a cheese cake or some other great recipe I have seen here, I end up whipping up something from a box because it's quick and easy.

 

[Kat R]

I feel inspired to bake something new all the time. It is nice to chance it up. My daughter's birthday is next week and she asks for a different cake every year. Nothing standard for this girl! This year she was asking about a watermelon cake with chocolate frosting. Not sure the chocolate would go with watermelon. I may need to do an icing like on a carrot cake.

 

[Winterybella]

I feel inspired to bake something new all the time. It is nice to chance it up. My daughter's birthday is next week and she asks for a different cake every year. Nothing standard for this girl! This year she was asking about a watermelon cake with chocolate frosting. Not sure the chocolate would go with watermelon. I may need to do an icing like on a carrot cake.

Kat R, welcome to the forum. I have to keep and eye on you and your daughter. It seems like you both know your way around the oven. I am happy to learn a thing or two. Again I have plans for the weekend and I have decided that if I can't bake from scratch I am leaving it out until the next. Everybody seems on board for moving away from the box cakes.

I have a sneaky feeling anything you bake her will turn out well. Just making that request says she has a lot of confidence in you.

 

[Trellum]

I rarely feel inspired to bake something new, most of the times when I bake I do bake something that I know everyone already likes a home. Like for example cheese pie, pecan biscuits, cinnamon rolls, etc. I love baking things I know well, I'm not a risk taker Specially when it comes to baking, but in the future I really want to try more new things!

 

[Trellum]

I feel inspired to bake something new all the time. It is nice to chance it up. My daughter's birthday is next week and she asks for a different cake every year. Nothing standard for this girl! This year she was asking about a watermelon cake with chocolate frosting. Not sure the chocolate would go with watermelon. I may need to do an icing like on a carrot cake.

Hehehe! I wish I had the same impulse you have to try new things out! Having a young daughter and son could help! I actually plan to bake most of our goods, specially birthday cakes So I'll make sure to try more new things in the future. I'd specially like to try new cakes and pastries! I need to perfect myself in salty pastries... not doing so well in that department.

 

[Winterybella]

Recently I am all hyped up and feeling very inspired to try new things. I had recent successes that left me ever more motivated. Now whenever I nail something I want to move on to the next new thing. My only concern is that it impacts on my health negatively as I should be watching my sugar. Invariably I am going to want to taste everything I bake and if it stays around I am constantly picking at it.

 

[Tina Nord]

The problem is that I am always inspired to bake something new and I do not have the funds to pay for all of the ingredients! I have made a list of several items I want to try, and I am making one each payday. It is also a good way to organize recipes and decide which ones to keep and to toss!