Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Banana Cake with Speculoos Buttercream


Photo and Recipe By: goudamonster
Serves 14
Moist brown butter banana cake topped with creamy cookie butter frosting.

Ingredients
For the cake:
  1. 1 1/2 cups mashed banana
  2. 2 tsp lemon juice
  3. 2 tsp vanilla
  4. 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  5. 3 cups cake flour
  6. 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  7. 1/4 tsp salt
  8. 1 tsp cinnamon
  9. 1 stick butter, browned
  10. 1 stick butter, softened
  11. 1 cup white sugar
  12. 1 cup brown sugar
  13. 4 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer combined with 6 tablespoons warm water (or three eggs)

For the frosting:
  1. 3/4 cup creamy Speculoos spread
  2. 1 stick unsalted butter
  3. 3 tablespoons milk
  4. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used double strength vanilla)
  5. 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 275F. Prep 2 8-inch cake pans by spritzing them with a little cooking spray and lining with a round of parchment paper trimmed to fit the bottom. Spritz the parchment paper with a little cooking spray as well.
  2. In a medium bowl mix together the mashed banana, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and buttermilk.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. In stand mixer cream together white and brown sugars with the cooled browned butter and softened unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Whip in the egg replacer.
  5. Add banana mixture to the sugar and butter, mix until smooth and well combined.
  6. Add the dry mixture to the wet in thirds, mixing lightly until just combined. For the last third fold the dry ingredients in gently with a spatula to avoid over-mixing. This will help keep the cake nice and fluffy.
  7. Divide batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Everyone's oven is a little different; my cake was done at 1 hour and 17 minutes.
  8. Remove cakes from oven and transfer immediately to the freezer to chill for 45 minutes.
  9. While the cakes are chilling, whip together the Speculoos spread, unsalted butter, milk, and vanilla. When well combined add in the powdered sugar and mix on high speed until light and fluffy.
  10. Remove cake from freezer and apply frosting.

Notes
  1. We felt like this cake would be amazing as a four layer cake. If you want to do this simply slice each 8-inch cake in half horizontally and double the Speculoos frosting portion of the recipe.
  2. Crushed up ginger snap cookies make an excellent garnish for the cake as well - a nice bit of extra texture and the spiciness goes well with the frosting.


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Cold Brewed Speculoos Iced Latte

Photo and Recipe By: Heather’s French Press

Ingredients
  • 3 cups of cold water
  • 1 1/2 cups of ground coffee
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp Speculoos spread
Instructions
  • Combine the water and coffee, cover and let sit for 24 hours {at room temperature}
  • line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter and fit it over a bowl
  • slowly pour the coffee into the strainer {it will slowly stream into the bowl}
  • pour the coffee into a pitcher and chill for at least 2 hours
  • to make the latte:
  • pour 1/2 - 1 cup of coffee over ice
  • combine 1/2 cup of cold milk and the 2 tbsp of Speculoos Spread
  • whisk well {you may also use a blender} until the milk is smooth
  • pour over the coffee
  • stir and serve


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Speculoos Cheesecake Ice Cream


Photo and Recipe By: Something Swanky

Ingredients
  • 1 - 14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 - 8 oz. tub Cool Whip
  • 1 - 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Speculoos Spread (smooth or crunchy, you're choice!)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  •  
Instructions
  1. Use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese, butter, and Speculoos spread until smooth.
  2. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
  3. Fold in the Cool Whip.
  4. (sometimes I add a pinch of salt, just for fun)
  5. Pour into a freezer safe container with a cover. Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.