Banoffee blondies...sheer heaven

Ok, so if you haven't ever eaten banoffee then you are really missing out on one of life's greatest desserts. I mean banana and toffee were really just made for each other and that's where the whole banoffee idea came from. This version of banoffee is a little different to the pie version but it still has all the amazing flavours in there. The only problem I have with making these is the use of the dulce de leche because as we all know it involves boiling the be-jeepers out of cans of condensed milk for hours and hours. However, luckily for me, I got to have the cheaters way out as I was able to get my hands on some soft toffees which I could melt down in the microwave and put into the blondies. I love when you get an easy way out!

Banoffee Blondies (from raspberri cupcakes, makes approx 20) 

115g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup (110g) packed light-brown sugar 

1/3 cup sugar 

1 large egg 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 1 medium banana) 

1 cup (130g) plain flour (spooned and leveled) 

1 tsp salt 

1 cup chocolate chips 

1/4 cup dulce de leche or soft toffees

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line 9 x 9 inch baking pan with a piece of baking paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper. 

In a large bowl, lightly whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla and mashed banana. Add flour and salt; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Use a teaspoon to place dollops of dulce de leche (or melted soft toffees) over the top of the batter. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean (25 - 30 mins). Leave to cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

bring back banoffi! bring back banoffi!

so these are the words i have been hearing for the longest time from family...bring back banoffi! they have unanimously decided that this is their absolute favourite cupcake of all...the diva of all cupcakes simply because it is so luscious and rich and just oozing attitude! my hubby has been telling me that friends at work were wondering whether i am on strike as they haven't tasted any cupcakes in a while and i guess i kinda have been. it felt like my baking mojo had left me there for awhile...but it seems to be back in all its splendour and that can only be a good thing as far as all my fans are concerned!
so it seems the friends at work also wanted to taste the magnificent, diva-licious banoffi cupcakes and so i set to work yesterday making them using the same recipe as before which you can find here. these really are easy to make...the cupcake recipe doesn't involve any of that creaming butter shenanigans and the most time consuming part is actually cutting the cone and filling with toffee sauce. there's no icing as i prefer to use cream to make it more like a real banoffi pie so you just have to whip up the cream in the mixer and pipe it on. and yes, this time i did pipe it on (as opposed to last time when i just kind elegantly dumped it on!) and it did look so much nicer...like a 99 ice-cream that i used to buy here when i was on holidays in the summer months (maybe i need to make a tribute to one of those!)
well, hubby has just sent a message and said that his colleagues all had to take one out and share so they could do a taste test..they couldn't wait for break time and they absolutely loved it. just the kind of feedback i like to hear!

i'm still waiting for my amano chocolate to arrive so hopefully it hasn't melted en route...and hopefully will have something nice and chocolate-y to brew up with that. plus i recently managed to pick up some chamomile infused chocolate and am mulling ideas for a chamomile inspired cupcake.

Go Spectacularly Bananas with banoffee cupcakes!

ok, so i'm sure you have all heard of 'banoffee pie' and if you haven't, well, then my friends you have not tasted one of life's most simply divine desserts and i emphasise on 'simply' because it is probably the simplest dessert you could ever have the joy of making.

here's a description according to Wikipedia...

Banoffee pie is an English dessert made from bananas, cream and boiled condensed milk (or dulce de leche), either on a pastry base or one made from crumbled biscuits and butter. Its name is a portmanteau constructed from the words "banana" and "toffee".

so there you have it...banana, toffee and don't forget some cream on top too! what a perfect combination and i think a wonderful cupcake creation to enter into the Cupcakes Spectacular 2008 event hosted by HomeMadeS

i have made banoffee pie before many times, but now i wanted to capture the essence of it all in a cupcake, so i settled on a banana cupcake recipe, a toffee filling and a whipped cream topping with chocolate flakes sprinkled on top. i set to work and baked the banana cupcakes first...they turned out lovely with a nice strong banana taste. i let them cool and then using the cone method, cut out the centre of each cupcake and filled them with the toffee. finally topped them off with whipped double cream and sprinkled with a broken up cadbury's chocolate flake. the result...OH MY GOSH! if you don't make these, you are missing out on one of the finest creations i have ever had the joy to make. REALLY! these cupcakes rock. when you take a bite there is this gorgeus combination of spongy banana, smooth toffee, light cream and crumbly chocolate...if that doesn't make you fall to your knees then i don't know what will. recipe below as this is my very own creation. i also lucked out to find a jar of heavenly butterscotch spread that i used for the filling, but never mind if you can't find one, you can do-it-yourself too with condensed milk!

Cupcakes :
1 ½ c. plain flour
¾ c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
½ c. melted butter
1 ½ c. mashed banana
2 large eggs
½ t. vanilla extract
¼ c. milk

Toffee:
1 can of condensed milk

Icing :
1 carton of whipping cream
1 chocolate Cadbury’s flake

For Cupcakes :
preheat oven to whatever you normally bake at. line your cupcake pan with cases.
sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
Mix together eggs, vanilla, melted butter and milk and pour into dry ingredients.
add in mashed banana. spoon batter into cupcake cases.
bake for 25 mins or until that toothpick comes out clean. let cool completely.

For Toffee :
place unopened tins of condensed milk in a heavy pot and cover the tins with water. boil for 3-4 hours. make sure the tins are covered at ALL times or you just might be licking the toffee off your ceiling! remove from water and let cool.

For Assembly :
using the cone method, cut the tops off the cupcakes and scoop out some extra cake. fill with the toffee. even off the tops and replace.
ice with whipped cream and decorate with crumbled chocolate flake.
devour!