cake.....cake......and more cake

I love to cook......I don't love to bake, but I think I broke a record last weekend for number of cakes baked in a 24 hour period in my kitchen! We were having a "Cake Bake" fundraiser on Saturday morning, so on Friday night I whipped up 2 cakes to donate to that.

Chocolate Cake w/cream cheese frosting

Fudge Ribbon Cake {chocolate cake w/cheese cake filling & fudge glaze}

Then, I spotted 4 over-ripe bananas on the counter
and remembered a recipe for Banana Cake
w/Cream Cheese Frosting
that I had pinned on Pinterest. Why not?
So I made cake #3. 
I cut a few pieces to take next door to our
neighbors who had just brought
their new baby boy home from
the hospital. :O)
It was so simple, but so yummy!
I'll share that recipe in case
you want to give it a try!

Banana Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg white, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large ripe bananas

1/4 cup milk

For the frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 & 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons chopped toasted nuts (optional)

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugar. Beat in eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mash bananas with milk. Set aside.

Gradually mix half of dry ingredients into butter mixture. Mix in bananas. Mix in remaining dry ingredients. Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack.

To make the frosting:

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and vanilla. Reduce speed and gradually add confectioners’ sugar.

Spread frosting on cake. Sprinkle with nuts.

Then, on Saturday night, Nathan and Kayla took
over the kitchen and made cake #4. 

Nathan's first try at
baking a cake,
it turned out pretty good
don't you think! :O)

Linking up with Kelly for Show Us Your Desserts.

Destination Disney: Disney in Orange

Destination Disney: ORANGE

good things thursday....

What {or should I say who} could possibly change the mind of a teenage boy who once considered some things soooo lame to now think they might actually be quite cool? you guessed it!!! A teenage girl! Nathan and Kayla decided to join in on the bucket list fun last night.

I had dug out some Mason jars, but Nathan opted to use his "cool" Chicago Bears cups instead.... :O)

......make root beer floats.....check! :O) Let's see what's next on the list!

Summer Mantel

Okay, so I tweaked my 4th of July mantel and I think it should take me through the rest of the summer. As fast as time is passing though, it won't be long before we are pulling out the pumpkins! Here's what I came up with:

I took down the old window and used a grapevine wreath, adding a simple banner.

I used a brown pillar candle, wrapped with a little jute rope and added a starfish.

a framed summer printable

apothecary jar full of shells

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner for Show Us Life: Show Us Your Mantels! and The Simple Woman's Creative Journal: http://thesimplewomanscreativejournal.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday - July 18 vacation dreamin'

a roadtrip thru the keys.............an article I tore out of one of Mom's Coastal Living magazines....this has me wanting to start planning a future trip to Key West....

We Want To Know Wednesdays: Grocery Edition

Linking up for WWTK Wednesday! This week is all about favorite things at the grocery store.
{1} Walking down the cookie aisle at the store, what do you pick?
I don’t buy prepackaged cookies very often, but the last time I did buy some {just for me} I bought Keebler MintCreme Middles. I {love} {love} thin mint GS cookies, so I just had to give these a try. Pretty good!

{2} Would you rather eat chips or crackers? Which kind? I like both.....my favorite cracker is Nabisco Chicken in a Biskit {a childhood thing}:O) ...but I want them with Onion Dip {my recipe: in mixer bowl, beat together 1- 8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese with 1 envelope dry onion soup mix. Add 1- 8 oz. sour cream, beat until smooth.}

and chips, well, I haven't met a chip I didn't love. Herr's Crab Chips are a favorite!
{3} What kind of pickles do you like? all pickles...but kosher dill are my first choice.
{4} What is your favorite candy? candy bar: Milky Way or Carmello.
{5} What’s your soda preference? Diet Coke is quite an addiction!

Destination Disney: Disney in Blue

Destination Disney: BLUE

Beautiful Beach Club!!!

In February 2011, Peter & I drove to FL for our 4th trip to WDW. We stayed at our very first deluxe resort- Beach Club, where we spent 8 nights/9 days. What an awesome vacation!!