Birthday Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

BIRTHDAY CAKE / DEBBIE R / CC BY

This delicious Hummingbird cake is will give you an explosion of flavour in just one bite! Stacked between four layers of vanilla cream cheese frosting and a crunchy choice of either pecans or walnuts, you really can’t go wrong with this traditional southern cake. Perfect for a birthday party, family get-together, or even a corporate event – take this opportunity to impress your bosses!

Birthday Cream Cheese Hummingbird Cake

Layered hummingbird with cream cheese frosting and your choice of pecans or walnuts!

Ingredients:

For Cake

3 cups flour
1.5 cups sugar
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can crushed pineapple (8 ounce can)
2 bananas, chopped and ripe!

For Frosting

2 packages cream cheese at room temp (2 8oz packages)
1 cup of butter, at room temp (250g)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped and toasted

Directions:

To Make Cake

Preheat oven to 350F and grease two 9” round cake pans. Cut out parchment paper to line the pans and then grease that too.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, pecans/walnuts, lemon zest, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In another bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix in pineapple and then mix into flour mixture. Pour batter into pans and bake for about 45 mins. Cool in pans for 20 mins before turning out onto cooling rack.

To Make Frosting

Using a mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add in sugar then vanilla, beating constantly.

To Assemble

Slice both cake layers in half and spread each layer with 1 cup of frosting. Spread the remainder of the frosting all over the top and sides of the cake and decorate as desired!

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hummingbird-cake-1

Low Cal Greek Yogurt Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

These 3 step Greek yogurt chicken tortilla wraps are the perfect light, low-cal lunch that takes just minutes to make! I made these on the weekend and was so amazed at how good they turned out, and how fast they are to make. Trust me, they are sooooo delicious!!

They are a really light meal and are refreshing to eat, perfect for those hot summer days when greasy sodium-packed foods should be avoided. What I love about these tortillas is that they contain no mayo, only Greek yogurt which is an amazing alternative, you won’t even be able to tell the difference!

This recipe was adapted from Tammy’s avocado and Greek yogurt chicken salad. I didn’t have every ingredient on her list so I had to switch it up a bit, but it turned out just as delicious!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Low Cal Greek Yogurt Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado, removed from skin
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp garlic granulated garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
Juice from half a lemon
2 cups finely chopped chicken (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)
1 red onion, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped in squares
1 Cucumber, sliced thinly lengthwise
8 medium sized lettuce leaves
4 Tortillas

Instructions:

In a blender blend together avocado, Greek yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon.
Pour into a bowl and mix in onion and shredded chicken.
Place two leaves of lettuce onto tortilla and slather mixture over lettuce. Top with tomatoes and cucumber. Roll up and serve!

Notes

I spritzed my tortillas with water and placed in oven for about 5 minutes to soften them up. You can also do the same and place them in the microwave, which works better! I also used toothpicks to prevent the tortillas from falling apart!

Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Bread – Eggless, Milk and Sugar Free!

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Eat up this delicious banana bread thats totally eggless, milk-free, and sugar free! I’ve yet to meet a soul that doesn’t like this banana bread, it’s been a signature treat of mine for years and never disappoints. What I love about this bread is that it’s guilt free and super filling. Whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour depending on your preference) and oatmeal provide you with loads of fibre and energy, making it the perfect breakfast or snack option. It’s also great for those on a diet that are looking for a filling, low-fat dessert.

The bread is also very moist and dense, so it doesn’t dry up and can hold at room temperature for quite a while (although because of it’s deliciousness I don’t think it will last very long!). The secret to it’s moist-ness is the yogurt as well as the creamy bananas – make sure to use ripe bananas, the riper the better!

I personally love this bread once it’s cooled down, but you can definitely eat it straight out of the oven or even warm it up in the microwave. Now who can resist melted, gooey chocolate?

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Bread – Eggless, Milk and Sugar Free!

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour
1 cup fine oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas
1.5 cups water/yogurt mixture (container of 200g plain yogurt mixed with water and 1.5tbsp of vinegar)
100g dark chocolate, chopped into small bits

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 C and greese a loaf pan.
Mix together flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Mix yogurt/water mixture together with oil, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix until all lumps disappear. Now fold in the chopped dark chocolate.
Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

I’m a big fan of walnuts, you can also mix in about a cup of walnuts along with the chocolate, making it even more dense and filling! Or you can even omit the chocolate and add in chopped apples and raisins!

Simple Dairy Free Eggless Oatmeal Waffles Recipe

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

This basic waffle recipe is so customizable and so easy to make! It contains no eggs or dairy whatsoever and makes the perfect breakfast fix or even dessert. It’s also quite cheap to make considering you do not need to buy eggs or milk, and perfect for people with intolerances. I make these waffles for breakfast and slather on honey, maple syrup, or my favorite fruit jam.

I have also made them for dessert by pilling up a few scoops of icecream, slicing some fresh fruit, sprinkling shredded walnuts and topping it off with chocolate sauce. You can also add in chocolate chips, or frozen blueberries to make blueberry waffles – just make sure to coat them with a little bit of flour before folding them into your completed batter. Whatever your taste, have a little fun and experiment – I’d love to see what you come up with!

So Easy Healthy Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup water with 1 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive, canola or melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1 3/4 cups white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine water and vinegar mixture with oil, and your choice of syrup (agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey). Whisk together and set aside.
Add dry ingredients including the vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well incorporated and let it stand for about 5 minutes until your waffle iron is preheated.
Pour batter into waffle iron and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove and place on a baking rack, but do not stack the waffles or else they will get mushy!
Serve immediately with drizzled honey, maple syrup, or even ice cream, Nutella, fresh fruit and chopped nuts.

Notes

To store, place in freezer bags and put in the freezer. Reheat by placing in the toaster. You can keep them in the freezer for a couple of months.

Healthy Vegetarian Greek Style Whole Wheat Pizza!

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Looking for an easy Greek style pizza recipe? I made this DELICIOUS pizza last weekend and I couldn’t get over how easy and filling it is! Loaded with veggies, two types of cheese, and a remarkable taste of the Mediterranean, this pizza made with home-made pizza dough makes the perfect lunch or dinner fix in a snap! If you have never made homemade pizza dough, don’t be discouraged, it’s so simple and can save you tons of calories and money. The whole wheat dough is super filling and has much more fibre than regular white pizza dough.

If you are a meat-eater you can easily add chopped up bacon to the toppings or even some prosciutto to the top. You can also buy or make your own tzatziki sauce and use it as a pizza dip!

* For those of you asking, I added baking soda and baking powder to the dough, which is said to be a pizza makers secret to fantastic dough, and it turned out great! I also added absolutely NO salt to the toppings or in the pizza dough since there is enough sodium in the cheese as well as the pickled black olives. Enjoy!

[yumprint-recipe id=’265′]

Spotlight On: Tasty Imaginations – Edible Printing Ink for Cakes, Cookies, Cupcakes, and More!

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Customize your baked treats with edible printing ink and let your imagination run wild!

The name Tasty Imaginations says it all – edible printing ink that lets you print just about anything your heart desires for the tops of cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and just about any baked goods. If you’ve ever wanted to print your own customized image for a birthday cake or even make professional looking cookies for a Disney themed party, you can do it all and EASILY with an edible printer and some frosting sheets from Tasty Imaginations.

I’ve never tried to print my own edible photos simply because I never knew how easy it was to do at home!

Tasty Imaginations sells affordable edible printers like this Frozen Dreams Edition Canon Printer that comes with 6 supreme icing sheets and a set of edible ink cartridges. It lets you print on frosting sheets, wafer sheets, rice sheets, and even chocolate transfer sheets. I feel like Charlie in the chocolate factory already!

What I LOVE about Tasty Imaginations is that they supply you with everything you will ever need for edible printing. All of their products are FDA approved and proudly made in the USA! From specialized edible printers, frosting sheets, refillable cartridges, and numerous templates for different seasons and occasions, they truly are with you every step of the way.

If you are a recreational baker, just planning a cool party, or even looking to open up your own catering business, visit Tasty Imaginations to unleash your sugary imagination and start creating baked wonders!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Topping

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

20130213-IMG_4640 / PHILLIPE LORENZO / CC BY

Chocolate and banana is the perfect foundation for ANY cupcake, cake, or even bread recipe! It’s one of the most favorite flavours of many and mixed in with a cream cheese topping, who can resist? These cupcakes are loaded with chocolate chips and have a banana cream cheese topping to cool you down in the summer months and even cozy you up in the winter! Bake away for family and friends, and you surely won’t disappoint!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields 18

Delicious banana cupcakes with chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes

Dry Ingredients
1 ¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar
Wet Ingredients
½ cup Crisco shortening
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

For Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz (225g) of cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

Instructions:

To Make Cupcakes

Set oven to 375F and line cupcake pan with cupcake cups. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix together all the dry ingridients. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients one at a time and then mix in the chocolate chips last with a wooden spoon.
Fill cupcake cups with batter and bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

To Make Frosting

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and then the heavy cream until super thick. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and serve! To store, place cupcakes in airtight containers.