Banana And Chocolate Loaf

This really is a beautiful loaf and tastes delicious! Serves 8.

You will need a 23cm X 9cm X 8cm loaf tin.

Ingredients:
225 grams of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
4 ripe bananas
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 grams of softened unsalted butter
100 grams of soft light brown sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
100 grams of dark chocolate chips
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp runny honey

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 3/160°C. Butter the insides of the tin and line with buttered baking parchment.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon and salt together, then set aside.
3. Mash three of the bananas in a bowl and mix with the soured cream and vanilla extract.
4. In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand whisk beat together the butter and the sugar, until light and fluffy. Then gradually add the beaten eggs. Add the flour in two or three batches with the mixer on a slow speed, mixing well, until thoroughly combined.
5. Fold in the banana and sour cream mixture. Stir through the chocolate chips, spoon the batter into the tin and spread level.
6. Peel and slice the last banana, toss in lemon juice and scatter over the top of the cake. 
7. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes and then brush the top with runny honey. Leave for another 20 minutes, then carefully lift out and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

Tip of week: If the loaf starts to catch and turn too brown on top before finished baking, place kitchen foil on top and continue baking till cooked through.

Happy Baking.

Marbled Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Another chocolate treat and this one is extremely easy and would be perfect warmed and served with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

Ingredients for brownie:
175 grams of butter
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
200 grams of caster sugar
125 grams of plain flour

Ingredients for cheesecake mix:
250 grams of philadelphia cream cheese
40 grams of caster sugar
1 egg

1.Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C
2.Grease a 28x18cm tin.
3.Place butter in a saucepan and heat till melted, remove from heat.
4.Stir in cocoa and sugar then add the flour and mix.
5.Pour into the tin.
6.For the cheesecake mix, place the cream cheese, sugar, egg in a bowl and beat together.
7.Drop teaspoons of the mixture over the chocolate mixture and swirl the mixtures together lightly with a knife.
8.Bake for 40 minutes or until firm to touch. Leave to cool then cut.

Leave a comment if you try the recipe and tell us what you think or tag @lovefromfirstbake on Instagram with an image of your bake! Happy baking.

Crunchy Apple Cake

This recipe really does get your taste bud tingling when baking, it smells divine and will leave you wanting more. Serves 8+

Ingredients for filling:

1kg of bramley cooking apples

75 grams of light muscovado sugar

25 grams of unsalted butter diced

50 grams of raisins

Ingredients for shortcake:

225 grams of self-raisig flour

100 grams of golden caster sugar

125 grams of unsalted butter diced 

1 egg beaten

icing sugar for dusting

1.Butter a 20cm lose-bottom tin at least 7cm deep.

2.Peel, quarter, core and coarsely chop the apples.

3.Put all the filling ingredients into a medium-size pan with a couple of tablespoons of water.

4.Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until you have a thick jammy compote with a few pieces of apple remaining.

5.Preheat over to gas mark 5/190°C
6.Place the flour, sugar and butter into food processor and whiz until crumb-like, then add the egg and briefly pulse.
7.Scater half of the mixture over the base of the tin and spoon over the hot fruit in an even layer, then scatter over remaining crumble.
8.Bake for 40-50 minutes until golden. Run a knife around the edge and leave to cool.
9.Dust with icing sugar before serving.

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Bueno Caramel Shortbread

This recipe is a real treat and can be made for any occasion or even just for a quick sweet treat! Makes 20 servings.

Ingredients for shortbread:

170 grams of plain flour

60 grams of caster sugar

120 grams of butter

Ingredients for caramel: 

1 (397 grams) tin of condensed milk

2 tablespoons of golden syrup

60 grams of caster sugar

120 grams of butter

Topping:

100 grams of milk chocolate 
100 grams of white chocolate 

2 bars of Kinder Bueno

1.Preheat over to gas mark 4/170°C and grease or line a 18cm square cake tin.

2.For the shortbread, sieve the flour and sugar into a bowl then rub the butter into the mixture till it become a dough. Press the dough into the bottom of the cake tin, make sure it is even and then prick with a fork all over.

3.Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

4.While the shortbread is baking make the caramel, pour the condensed milk, syrup, sugar and butter into a saucepan, cook over a low heat and keep stirring. It may take a while but be patient and watch closely, when it turns a deep caramel colour pour over the shortbread.

5.Leave to cool for 30 minutes.

6.Melt the chocolate and pour over it over the caramel shortbread.

7.Break the Kinder bueno up and place all over the chocolate caramel shortbread.

8.Place into fridge to set for 30 minutes before slicing into squares.

If you bake any of our recipes make sure to take a picture and tag @lovefromfirstbite on Instagram. Happy Baking. 

Chocolate Matchmaker Birthday Cake

This is the perfect birthday cake for anyone with a rather large addiction to chocolate, and has definitely become a family favourite! It may look quite impressive but is very simple and effortless to make with a few easy steps. Serves 10+

Ingredients for cake:
400 grams of plain flour
400 grams of caster sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda 
80 grams of good quality cocoa powder
250 grams of unsalted butter
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
300ml of sour cream

Topping:
8 cadbury flakes
450 grams of Betty Crockers chocolate fudge icing  
300 grams of Nestle mint matchmakers 
Thorntons piped chocolate plack (optional)

1. Preheat over to gas mark 4/180°C/350ºF and line two 20cm sandwich tins with removable bases.
2.It is so simple just put all the ingredients together-flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream, into a food processor and mix till you get a smooth mixture.(If you don't have a food processor mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, beat in the soft butter, then whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and then add to the bowl of mixture.
3.Divide the batter equally into the two tins.
4.Bake for 25-35 until a thin skewer comes out clean.
5.Leave cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tins.
6.Spread a layer of the chocolate fudge icing onto one of cakes and place the second cake on top.
7.Cover the whole cake in a equal layer of the chocolate fudge icing, be as generous as you like!
8.Now take the matchmakers and place them around the entire outside of the cake, making sure to firmly press them so that they are secure.
9.Cut the flakes into blocks, don't worry if some break they can still be added and will add more texture and effect to the cake.
10. The last step is optional and that is to add the chocolate plack, to make sure it stays in place, spread a thin layer of the chocolate fudge icing onto the back before adding.

Now all that is left is to enjoy! Happy baking.