RECIPE: REC: Banana Walnut Cake. As I continue to try to foil myself into thinking

[barbara-in-va]

that it is okay to eat baked goods that are made with whole grains, that they are good for me, I tried this Banana Walnut Cake and it is FABULOUS!!! I didn't have any quinoa flour in the pantry so I used whole grain spelt flour because it was in the pantry. Spelt is a very light flour and slightly sweet. According to Kim Boyce, it can be substituted directly for whole wheat or AP flour. You may need to increase the liquids a bit since it will absorb more liquid that AP flour.

Banana Walnut Cake

source: Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce

2 cups walnut pieces

½ cup quinoa flour (I used whole grain spelt flour)

1 cup all purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 oz, 1 stick, cold unsalted butter, chopped into1/2" pieces

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

3 ripe bananas, whole

2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream – I used buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9" round cake pan.

Measure the walnuts onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven until light golden-brown and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredient that may remain in the sifter. Set aside. Grind 1 cup of the toasted walnuts in a food processor, about 15 seconds. With a sharp knife, finely chop the remaining cup of walnuts and reserve – the chopped nuts will be added later as a topping.

Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the bananas and mix on medium for 30 seconds or until the bananas are broken down. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Again, scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the ground walnuts and the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined; remove the bowl from the mixer and finish mixing using a spatula, until smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the reserved walnuts and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan.

Wrapped in plastic, the cake can be kept for up to 3 days.

Serves 8

Enjoy!!

 

[marilynfl]

Barb, I have teff (thanks to Kim) and quinoa flour. But I have't opened the quinoa. Do you

have any idea if I should get spelt? I DO have wheat berries...if I grind those, is that the same??

 

[barbara-in-va]

Marilyn, I would be tempted to try the teff but the Whole Foods site says

since it is gluten free to use 1 part teff to 5 parts wheat flour. So I am not sure it would work in this recipe. I have not--yet anyway--tried grinding wheatberries. So I would go with the quinoa or even just use all AP flour if you don't want to open the quinoa yet.

 

[curious1]

I used to make a recipe using wheat berries that were soaked and ground in the food processor.

I remember it being very good. I should get some wheat and try it again.

* Exported for MasterCook 4 by Living Cookbook *

Whole-Grain Country Bread

Recipe By : The Pleasures of Cooking
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time: 0:00
Categories : Bread Grains


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 pkg dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon warm water (105° to 115°F.)
2 1/2 cups bread flour plus flour for finishing (12 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup wheat, rye or triicale berries, soaked
-- and drained (3 1/2 ounces) (see below for soaking instructions)
1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
2 Tbs (1/4 stick)unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt

1. Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water and let stand for 10
minutes.

2. Use the metal blade of a food processor to process 1/2 cup of the flour
with the soaked berries for 2 minutes or until the mixture is very finely
ground. Add the remaining flour, milk powder, butter and salt. With the
machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feed tube and process for
about 45 seconds, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just cleans the
side of the bowl. (If the dough is too moist to clean the bowl, add flour by
tablespoons with the machine running. If it is too dry, add water by
teaspoons.)

3. Transfer the dough to an oiled 3-quart mixing bowl and turn the dough to
coat it with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and set aside in a warm
place (75° to 80°F.) to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. Transfer the risen dough to a heavily floured surface and work injust
enough flour so that the dough is no longer sticky. Divide the dough in half
and roll each half into a rectangle about 15 by 5 inches; then roll each
rectangle into a 15-inch-long cylinder, pinching the seams and ends closed.

5. Place the loaves, seams down, on a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely
with oiled plastic wrap and set aside to rise until almost doubled, about 1
hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 425° F.

7. With a sharp knife make 3 or 4 slashes diagonally across the top of each
loaf. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with about 2 teaspoons flour. Bake in
the center of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the loaves
are nicely browned and sound hollow when rapped on the bottom.

8. Remove the loaves from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Cooking Tip: Grain Bread Guides

Cooking Tip: Soaking the berries or groats:

Cooking Tip: Put the berries or groats in a bowl. Add hot tap water to cover
and let stand overnight at room temperature; or cover the berries with
boiling water and let stand for 3 hours. The berries will almost double in
volume. Drain well on paper towels.

Cooking Tip: The soaked and drained berries may be stored, sealed in a
plastic bag, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Cooking Tip: Variations on shaping, finishing and baking the dough:

Cooking Tip: For a different effect, you may want to vary the finish on your
bread or change its shape. All of the doughs may be shaped or finished as
outlined below.

Cooking Tip: Shape the dough into a 6-inch-round loaf or two 15-inch-long
baguettes; or bake it in an 8- to 9-cup loaf pan.

Cooking Tip: Finish the loaf differently to change its character.

Cooking Tip: For a shiny, crisp crust use an egg glaze. Beat together 1
large egg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Brush the loaf lightly with the mixture
just before baking.

Cooking Tip: For a dull finish and a crisp crust use a cornstarch mixture.
Stir 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1/4 cup hot water until dissolved. Brush the
mixture lightly over the loaf just before baking. Brush again after the
first 15 minutes of baking.

Cooking Tip: For a rustic effect slash the shaped dough 3 or 4 times
diagonally across the top and dust with about 2 teaspoons flour just before
baking.

Cooking Tip: Bake round or standard loaves for about 35 minutes in a 375°F.
oven; baguettes for about 20 minutes in a 425° F. oven.

Comments: Whole Grain Country Bread made with Wheat Berries and Food
Processor from "The Pleasures of Cooking", a Magazine that was Published in
the 70's by Carl Sontheimer. He's the one that took the French Robot-Coupe
and developed the Cuisinart food processor. The magazine was wonderful, but
didn't last too long. I clipped a lot of recipes from it and they are still
in my files. When you spoke of wheat berries, I remembered this recipe, that
I thought was fun to make (I'm easily entertained), and thought I would post
it. Just might make it again, also. It was really good.

Recipe Source: The Pleasures of Cooking


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