Pin-up Pineapple Upside-down Cake

This retro dessert doesn't get enough love. Moreover, this recipe, which doesn't call for oil, is easy on your wallet and waistline. Thus, I bequeath to you, my guilt free, pin-up girl acceptable, Pineapple Upside-down Cake.

Serves 6
Ingredients
Topping
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup light soft brown sugar
7 pineapples rings (or however many is necessary to cover the bottom)
glacé cherry

Cake Batter
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup self-raising flour (VITAL)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs grated pineapple/canned pineapple syrup or juice.
2 eggs

Directions:
Make the topping first by melting butter and sugar in a sauce pan. Add the pineapples to soften and emit juice.
Pour into a greased container 9x9 and lay the pineapples flat.
Make the cake by mixing the wet ingredients in this order preferably: (butter, sugar, vanilla, grated pineapple bits,then eggs).
Slowly incorporate the salt, baking powder and flour.
Pour the batter on top of the pineapples.
Bake at 350F/170C for 20-25 minutes or until the knife comes out clean! Flip while luke warm.

Fall = ALL things pumpkin

Yes, I know, everyone is tired of the whole pumpkin craze that happens come September, but I don't care what people think, I'm a pumpkin lover and proud of it. Sadly, the people here in Spain have not yet caught the pumpkin bug, thus, I'm doing my part to spread the pumpkin gospel. Just the other day I brought some pumpkin bread to my school, and the teachers went mad for it. So here it is, my pumpkin bread recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup (86 g) white sugar
1/3 cup (43 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée (I made mine by boiling pumpkin)
1/2 cup (120 ml) sunflower oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh if you have it on hand)

Directions:
Mix the purée, spices, eggs, oil, and water.
In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.
Pour into a well greased 9x5x3 mold and bake at 350F/170C for 50 minutes or until the knife comes out clean. :)

In case you have run out of ideas of all the various ways you can use pumpkin, here is my Buba rant of all things pumpkin:
Pumpkin gnocchi... in pesto sauce
Pumpkin pasta...in a brown butter sauce
Pumpkin ravioli... with goat cheese and sage,
Pumpkin scones... with coconut,
Pumpkin soup... with garnished with basil,
Pumpkin in your stir fry!

Tip: If you find yourself running short on the pumpkin, add in some carrot, no one will know the difference. Cheers!

Ex Boyfriend Baby Food Puree Carrot Cake

I recently had some carrot cake and ever since have been craving some more, not to mention, I also had about 7 carrots on the verge of dying in my fridge crying out to me, "Use Me!" So I did some internet surfing and found this really intriguing recipe which the author claimed was so good, that she phoned her ex-boyfriend who she broke up on Valentines Day, just to retrieve the recipe. Anyhow, the recipe called for baby food which, I found strange but lo and behold... the cake turned out damn tasty.

So here it is-
ex boyfriend, baby food carrot cake:
2 cups sugar (i used half brown half white)
3 eggs (the original requires 4)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 containers of carrot baby food/carrot puree (boil the carrots then blend them to make the puree)
just to remind people it's carrot cake I also include some shredded carrots.
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp ground ginger (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix the dry. Slowly incorporate the eggs, oil, then puree or baby food.
Fill in a buttered and flour pan and bake at 350 for 30 mins or until a knife comes out clean.

After it cools may i recommend topping it with this:
CREAM CHEESE and COCONUT FROSTING!
8oz of cream cheese
2tbs sugar
1tbs vanilla

Mix the ingredients. Spoon onto the cake, then top with shredded coconut. MMMMmm...

Damn Good Bread Puddin

Take day old bread and give it a second life. Here’s how to make the best bread pudding, well maybe not the best, but pretty damn good bread pudding.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of day old French bread
4 beat eggs
2 cups of milk
2 pads of butter
Honey
Spices- cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla chai tea,

Directions:
1) Preheat your oven to 350F or 175C
2) Rip the bread apart and toss in a 8x8 baking dish
3) Slowly heat milk in a pot, put spices and tea in a tea ball and infuse the milk. Add two tablespoons of honey to the milk.
3). Sprinkle the bread LIBERALLY with honey and cinnamon. Add melted butter over the top.
4) Mix the warm milk and the eggs then pour over the bread.
5) Lightly tap the top of the bread pudding after half an hour. If it bounces to the touch, it’s ready ☺

Old Fashion Bread Pudding