Chocolate Banana Marble Cake

After so long, finally pick up the mood to bake "cake"... this round, because of the 3riped bananas hanging in the kitchen, thus trying to "utilize" it :P

The recipe called for buttermilk and the result was good! The texture was just nice. It's a keeper!

Ingredients:
- 1C mashed ripe banana
- 1/4C buttermilk @ room temperature
- 2t vanilla extract
- 2C sifted cake flour
- 1t baking soda
- 3/4t baking powder
- 1/4C cocoa powder
- 3T boiling water, plus more if needed
- 170g unsalted butter, softened
- 1C sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature

Method:
1. Preheat oven @ 176C and position oven rack in center. Lightly greased loaf pan with melted butter and line with parchment.
2. Add buttermilk and vanilla into mashed banana and whisk till blended.
3. Sift cake flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.
4. Place cocoa powder in small bowl and stir in boiling water till forms smooth paste - it should run thickly off the spoon. If too thick, add another T of boiling water. Set aside.
5. Place butter and sugar and beat @ medium speed till light and almost white in color (4-5mins). Turn to slow speed and add the eggs (1-by-1) till well blended.
6. Pour flour mixture and banana mixture alternately in 3 batches. Manually blend in by hand at last.
7. Transfer half batter to another medium bowl, add cocoa paste and gently blend into the batter.
8. Drop alternating spoonfuls of dark and light batters into prepared pan and marbleize by spoon. See figure below.
9. Bake for 55-65mins until firm to touch and toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf and comes out clean.

Stir-Fried Beef with Kang Kong

Another favorite dishes of mine. Well, just buy whatever needed and give a call to my mum before cooking and huar-larrrrr... my stir-fried beef with kangkong, finished and loves one enjoy it!

Red Bean Curd with Pork

My mother cooked this dishes during my confinement day and I missed it so much and wanted to prepare it myself. Instruction and steps? Just a call to my mother.

The outcome not the same version of my mom's but my husband likes it! phew....

Angelica Steam Chicken

A simple meal that I've prepared for myself and family ^.^

Normally I will cook this at least once or twice a month.

Jammers

Original recipe from "the Art & Soul of Baking" by Cindy Mushet.

I remembered the title and the author clearly as I was "house-keeping" my recipe and copying the recipe to my note book, there are plenty of good recipe that I would want to give a try! Buttermilk Raisin and Orange Scones was one of them.

I've made the 2nd batches as well for this jammers as this is quite simple and the outcome was simply nice :)

At my 1st attempt, I almost wanted to throw away the jammers after sitting in the oven for 2-3mins as the smell of flour was very strong (I added more flour as it was too sticky). But then I told myself to be patient and give "them" a chance.... and I was right! The nice aroma of the jammers coming out from the oven put a smile on me and my maid's face ^.^

Buttermilk Mix Fruits and Orange Scones

Well, 1st attempt and I like the smell and the texture and the taste... already made 2nd batches ^.^

The recipe calls for raisin but I only have mix fruits and it works well! Even if I've bought raisin now, I will stick to mix fruits =)

One thing I would like to highlight here is the use of orange zest gives the HIT of the scones and try not to opt-out this if you ever want to try.

I made this on Sunday and put them in the freezer. I will take few of them in the fridge before I go sleep so that in the morning, I can just take it out and bake in the oven ^.^

Almost forgot 1 more thing, I didn't pat my scones' dough into flat-round-disk and cut into wedges (stated in the recipe) as I found that it was a bit too big piece for breakfast. I actually take a small portion of the dough and roll to rectangular shape about 3"Lx2"Wx1/2"H.

Original recipe from a book I borrowed from Jurong Regional Library, will go back home and check out the name of the book and also write down the recipe =)