Banana Bread Marble Cake

It seems like you all loved my last banana bread mash up recipe! So I created another one. And this one has CHOCOLATE in it. That's right - chocolate! It's double the trouble, double the fun and double the deliciousness.
Banana bread with swirls of chocolate batter and topped with chocolate chips - what could be better? It's pretty darn hard to beat.

It's moist thanks to the coconut oil, buttermilk and mashed banana. I've always loved when my treats have a bit of a heartiness to them, so I added in some baby rolled oats, but feel free to substitute them for more wholewheat/plain flour if you prefer a smooth, lighter texture. I must admit that I totally forgot the vanilla when making this, and while the effect was almost unnoticeable, it lends a beautiful aroma and subtle sweetness to any baked good, so I left it on the ingredient list and will definitely remember to add it the next time I make this!
Perfect for breakfast, toasted with a pat of butter (or peanut butter? Mmmm!), perfect in large slices served with coffee/tea and even perfect for a post-dinner dessert with some chocolate sauce drizzle and a scoop of ice cream, if you're feeling indulgent!

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
1/2 cup baby rolled oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (approx. 3 medium)
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g dark chocolate, melted
chocolate chips, for decorating

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together all purpose flour, wholewheat flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beak sugar and oil until well combined. Add banana, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and beat again. 

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and mix gently until just combined.

Scoop out 1/3 of the batter into a separate bowl and mix the melted chocolate into this portion of batter.

Spoon batter into the prepared loaf tin, alternating between plain and chocolate banana batters. Use a knife to create the swirly pattern. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips, as many or as few as you like!

Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Delicious served warm or cold. Enjoy!

Chewy Almond Chocolate Chip Blondies

It is with great sadness that I bring to you the last recipe before June. Do keep reading, because this is a GREAT one! Or so I had hoped. I had begun drafting this recipe before I left for my last term of second year of university, but never got around to finishing it (major oops on my part!). Well anyways, that means good luck for you!

Also, exams are done, and the sun is shining, so it's officially SUMMER! Let's get back to the food now, shall we?

These gooey, fudgy, chocolate-y blondies taste nothing but decadent, AND they're good for you and that summer bikini bod, so there's no need to worry! These blondies are actually a spin off Momofuku's Perfect 10 Kookies, but healthier, chewier and in bar form!

I think the picture above did all the talking, but trust me when I say these were fab-u-lous! I mean look at those almond shards and did you see that melty chocolate? I know you did - just trying to rub it in here.


You'll definitely want to have a napkin or two on hand when eating these, as they are quite crumbly and you may need one to dab off the smears of chocolate surrounding your lips one you've scarfed these down!

But the messiness is worth it. What are you waiting for?

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cup oats
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C and line a brownie tray with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (not the chocolate chips yet).

Add in the wet ingredients and mix with a large spoon until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Press the mixture into the prepared tray and place in the oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on top.

While still warm from the oven, make cuts so that it is easier to break into bars once the blondies have fully set.

Try to let them cool for a bit (yes I know, it's hard to resist!) and enjoy!

Orange Coconut Cake

Temperatures crossed 20 C yesterday. I think that calls for another bright, fruity treat, following this creamy and zingy lemon & grapefruit cake. Orange and coconut is just the right combination. Close your eyes, take a bite of this cake, and get transported to a tropical haven.

I'm sitting here, writing this post, and wondering how five weeks has just flown by. This week I'm back to uni for a hectic and study-filled exam term up ahead. Let's not forget the fact that the weather is amazing, which calls for studying on the grass, picnics with friends and Pimms (once exams are done!). It's going to be a tough month and a half or so, but I know I can make it through!

Anyways, back to what matters - this cake. The shreds of coconut add a subtle sweetness, some really great texture and of course, a punch of tropical flavor. The orange zest brings this cake to life, and the almond flour keeps it utterly moist. No one wants a dry cake now, do they?

I was going back and forth between whether this needed frosting, a light glaze or nothing at all. As you can hopefully tell, I went with the third option and I'm so glad I did. For one, if eating this for breakfast or an afternoon snack, added sugar is completely unnecessary. We're always going for healthy and delicious here, remember? Plus, this way, the wonderful flavors in the cake are left to shine for themselves and could otherwise get hidden under and sugary topping.

This cake ends up baking really nice and high and forms a gorgeous golden brown crust as it does. Not sure why I haven't done this yet, but I bet it would be really nice to take a lovely thick slice, toast it and smear it with just a dab of butter. Oooh, I can just see the butter melting into the cake. Butter or not, this cake has an extremely high yum factor. Get baking!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dessicated coconut, unsweetened
1 1/2 cup flour plain flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature
3/4 cup unrefined sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated orange zest

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 C and line a loaf baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and coconut and let them sit while you get on with the next few steps.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate, large bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until sugar is well blended in. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat again until light and fluffy.

Into the egg mixture, add in half the milk/coconut mixture and half the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Add the remaining of both the mixtures and stir just until batter is smooth. Finally, add the orange zest and stir in gently.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out just about clean (a few crumbs hanging are perfect!).

Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Oat Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Oat flour is magical. No, seriously. I've just had the best luck when using it. I've started incorporating it into my recipes more and more lately, and each one has been such a success!

These cookies are no exception. Let me explain. On Saturday, I made fifteen cookies. On Sunday evening, we had two left. And by we, I just mean the four of us - mom, dad, sister and me! That makes four people, thirteen (large) cookies and two days. 

I can see you thinking, they must be good cookies. Well, you're most definitely on the ball. Does it surprise you that they're good for you too? 

Oh, by the way, if you're drooling by now, I don't blame you!

Full of oats that lend an amazing texture, hints of nutmeg to add that extra kick and most importantly, a generous drizzle of dark chocolate to amplify the richness, these cookies are perfect for dunking, snacking and nibbling!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup plain flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unrefined sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
40 grams dark chocolate, for drizzle

Instructions
In a food processor, spice grinder or blender, pulse to oats till a coarse flour forms. I like leave small bits of oats so that the final product has a bit of a bite to it, but if you're not a big fan of texture, pulse away until a fine flour forms!

In a small bowl, mix together the oat flour, plain flour, salt and nutmeg.

In a larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat again.

Gently stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Dump the batter/dough on a clean surface and roll in a log. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line a large cookie sheet with baking paper.

Remove the cookie dough from the fridge/freezer and slice into 1 cm thick disks. Place on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and just about crisp to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate. When cookies are completely cool, drizzle the chocolate over each cookie. Let the chocolate set for about half an hour before serving.

Enjoy!