Tuesday, January 26, 2010

TWD: Cocoa-Nana Bread

I'm not sure if I'm still on the TWD blogroll -- I'm kind of afraid to look -- but even if I'm not, I figure nothing is really stopping me from posting "unofficially." Back in the fall and through Christmas, I was doing a lot of baking-but-not blogging. Then after Christmas that kind of turned into not-baking-and-not-blogging. I hit rock bottom at my daughter's 5th birthday party, when I made cupcakes from a box:



Yes, that's how far I've fallen. Mind you, the cupcakes from a box got seriously rave reviews (they were "strawberry" cupcakes from a box, which kind of worked because I wanted them to be pink, but still). And while I was taught that you should accept compliments graciously and not try to explain to the complimenter why they shouldn't really be complimenting you, I couldn't help but immediately respond to every "these cupcakes are AWESOME!!!" compliment with: "okay look, they're from a box. Elizabeth really wanted strawberry cupcakes and she wanted them to be pink and I really didn't want to mess with fresh strawberries this time of year, um . . . yeah. I did make the buttercream though!"

Anyway, after the cupcakes-from-a-box incident, I figured I'd better do penance by baking up some cocoa-nana bread, and stat. Because everyone would know that something as weird as a chocolate banana loaf bread didn't come from a box! So I whipped some up using bananas that have been taking up space in my freezer since the mid-aughts. I thought I'd bring some over to my parents as a little peace offering after my son tried to put a Harry Potter spell on my mother after she told him he needed to do a better job sitting still at the dinner table.



This bread baked up beautifully and filled the kitchen with that irresistible cocoa-nana aroma that we all love. Okay I admit it - I didn't let it cool in the pan for the specified 20 minutes before depanning it. I hurried and snapped some quick pictures so I could get on with the tasting. I thought this bread was delicious, especially warm from the oven. I definitely thought that the cocoa was the predominant flavor, but the nana was definitely there. My kids loved this. Ate it, left crumbs everywhere, asked for more. I'm not sure the chocolate/banana combo will ever achieve the kind of legendary status as, say, chocolate and peanut butter, but this was still very good.

I cut the bread into thick slices and shared the slices with my parents (as noted), David's parents, his cool Aunt Missy, his grandmother, and my BIL, SIL, and cute nieces. One bite and the Harry Potter Incident was forgotten. Later, my SIL called me to say that they were all loving the cocoa-nana bread, but that I couldn't fool them - this was no breakfast food, this was chocolate cake. I agree that the cocoa-nana bread leans more towards "dessert" than "breakfast," but honestly, I found it to be more "3 p.m. snackish" than anything else. But we could debate this for hours over some wine. Or some cocoa-nana bread.

The always fun and talented Steph of Obsessed with Baking chose the cocoa-nana bread, and you can find the recipe (and lots of other great stuff!) on her blog. Steph, this one was enjoyed far and wide in my little world. Thanks for choosing such a great breakfast(?)/dessert(?)/snack(?)!!!

35 comments:

Steph said...

Awww Cathy, thanks for putting a smile on my face and never failing to make everyone laugh! I was so worried for everyone hating me for choosing this 'controversial' bread. I'm glad you decided to make your return this week!

Leslie said...

You're back! I'm thrilled! I'm glad you picked a good one for your comeback or we might never have heard from you again. We also loved this one, and I even bought more bananas to make it again (duh, I could have used the relics in the freezer).

Welcome back, you have been missed.

Deb in Hawaii said...

At least your boxed cupcakes turned out looking adorable. Man years ago I had a caramel turtle brownie recipe everyone raved about that was a brownie mix and the caramel you wrap apples in and I was too embarrassed to fess up at the time. ;-)

The coco-nana bread looks perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert!

Nice to see you back posting. ;-)

Deb in Hawaii said...

Oh BTW that's "many" years ago--not "man" years ago! ;-)

natalia said...

Dear Cathy I'm so glad to read you again ! It's such a pleasure to read your posts even if from now on you would decide to bake from boxes ! (they looked nice anyway !)Ciao !

Marthe said...

Welcome back!!! This looks sooooo good! I really enjoyed the tiny piece I got to eat!

Jennifer said...

I kept checking my Google reader for the longest time and you popped up this morning!

Glad to see that you are back!

I laughed so hard at the Harry Potter spell part, I nearly spit out my coffee all over my keyboard!

Your bread looks delicious!!!!!

Melissa said...

I'm glad you're back! Your bread looks delicious, and I laughed so hard at the thought of your son putting a spell on your Mom!

dharmagirl said...

yay! i enjoyed hearing your voice again:) i'm glad your family loved the bread/cake...i didn't make it because of a dearth of ripe bananas...

btw, those pink cupcakes are cute. so cute.

Jessica said...

I read a book entitled Finding Betty Crocker last semester, and your bit about the cupcakes from a box reminded me of secrecy that surrounded boxed cake mixes when they came out. Apparently people (women?) used to go to great lengths to hide the fact that they used a boxed cake mix. I think that the cupcakes look adorable, box or no, and I bet that they made the birthday girl very happy.

Welcome back! I have so missed seeing the Tortefeasor pop up in my sidebar. I'm glad that your family enjoyed this bread.

erin said...

I agree that this is much better as a 3 p.m. snack- I made muffins and froze them so I could do just that! Your bread looks great!

Unknown said...

Welcome back Cathy! I've missed your posts lots so it was pretty exciting to see you pop up in my GR this morning :)

Box or not, those cupcakes look awesome and I bet the birthday girl loved them!

I made the bread into muffins and I enjoyed it too. I ate it for breakfast, but it would definitely work for an afternoon snack too. Love your photos!

Unknown said...

Girl, we were both in the same boat! I am just now gradually getting back into the blog/baking world. I love your cupcake story! I also agree that this did qualify more as a dessert than breakfast, but that did not stop us from eating it this morning! I really liked it. I was trying to figure out what it tasted like, now I have it! An Otis Spunkmeyer CC Muffin! What do you think? Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

Will - showing no patience for labels - ate this as a dessert and breakfast. Good to have you back.

Katrina said...

Yay--a post in my reader from Cathy! Welcome home. ;)
I made muffins, thought this was a little dry, but still good. I'm a freak for all things banana. I actually want to add more nanas next time.
We all hide those cake mixes! ;)

Flourchild said...

sheez girl I thought you left us for good..I have missed you! Your cupcakes and bread look great! I added some goodies to my bread.

Kayte said...

Look who's back in town...after a much missed absence. Don't do it again. LOL. I love the pink cupcakes for E's bd and the stand just makes them outstanding! It's the frosting that everyone remembers, right? Happy to hear you were lovers of the c-n-b. Guys here loved it as well. I saw where Tracey made cupcakes from the recipe and I'm thinking that's the way to go with teen boys who love portable food...cupcakes! Or muffins, whatever you want to call them. I just call them GONE in a HURRY! So glad you had a chance to bake and post and entertain us all once again, and just out of curiosity, which spell was it that J used? Is she now a cat or something?

Nancy/n.o.e said...

I have you in my Reader and almost checked your spot today, but then thought, "nah! She's probably given up food blogging for good." Then a little bird tweeted and it's like you never left. Laughed at the frozen bananas, and continued laughing to the end. One of our favorite chocolate cakes continues to be from a couple of boxes added up. In fact, my mother told me - while she was eating the TWD Anniv. Chocolate Birthday Cake for her birthday - that she liked that box one better. Sigh.

Karen said...

Hey, Cathy!
I have made many birthday cakes from a box for my kids' birthdays. Anything that makes those days a little easier for mom is worth it.
It was a house divided on the coco-nana.

Susan said...

Your cupcakes look cute, even if they did come from a box. And, your bread? That looks fabulous!

CB said...

Hey stranger! Glad to see you're back and blogging. Don't ever leave us again. Besides who else is gonna make me laugh with her unhealthy PAM obsession? There's no one but you. ;)

Di said...

Oh, I think you can be forgiven for box mix cupcakes, as long as you made the frosting. =P Canned frosting is just too weird. I bet the birthday girl had a blast. I want to try the TWD recipe as a loaf at some point. I only got a brief taste, but I thought this was a good one, too.

Unknown said...

Umm, if those lovely pink cupcakes are "rock bottom" then I think we have different definitions of that term! I also pre-emptively apologize for my cake mix cakes, which everyone raves over. That Cake Mix Doctor woman knows her stuff.

Anyhow, glad your family liked the choco-nana bread. It's a bit of a stretch to call it a breakfast bread, true.

So glad you're back! You were missed!

vibi said...

I'm soooo glad to see you again! I'm sure you've been told by others you are still on the blogroll! ...and I'm glad to see your fans didn't flee!

Beatiful welcome back loaf! LOL LOL

NKP said...

Welcome back!
I have missed you. :)
Great looking loaf, and I am willing to overlook the boxed cupcakes.... this time. ;-) They are pretty though.

mike said...

I for one missed your wonderful commentary (and not just on the recipe)! Isn't it funny - how people LOVE cake mixes and brownie mixes and cupcake mixes... hm. But they're so much fun to make from scratch - and your cupcakes look WONDERFUL! How neat! Oh - the loaf looks amazing as well - and I agree, the cocoa flavor was a hit! Banana was a second fiddle!

Anne said...

Your cupcakes are adorable and I can see why everyone loved them.

Hope you're back for good- I've missed your posts!

Pamela said...

Yeah!! It's so good to see you back here! All of those raves for the cupcakes?? I'm sure that butter cream had SOMETHING to do with those! :o) So funny about your son and the Harry Potter spell. Love your posts and I'm just so glad to be able to read them again. :o)

kimberly salem said...

hey cathy! I'm in the same boat too, but I'm so glad you are getting back into it :) your cupcakes are cute! hey, it's all good if ya made the frosting ;)
the "bread" (yeah... it's cake;) ) looks yummy!

TeaLady said...

YAY!! You're back. Missed you, gilr. And missed your writing/cooking/recipes, etc.

Your cake looks wonderful. Glad it worked for you.

The Blonde Duck said...

You're back!

Maria said...

I have missed you like mad! Glad you are back at it!

Janet said...

Glad you're back, Cathy!

Anonymous said...

Ha! I used Nestle's chips...not exactly highbrow. But, seeing as I had just spent over $200 on exactly nothing exciting at Lowe's, I couldn't find my way to whole foods either. Love the little kugelhopf looking pans (even though I have no love the kugelhopf I made).

AmyRuth said...

I really do have to make this and now that I have read your post and you had enough to go around to alllllll those family members. Well, I need to get busy sista. So glad you have fallen back into step. I took time off too. However, you are ahead of me. I always enjoy your humor, Cathy. Thanks! Very nice photos too.
AmyRuth

 
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