All things with a sense of style

Couple of days ago I was talking with a group of girls from different countries, and since winter weather finally arrived to Boston, we were discussing our favourite winter-warmer drinks. Most of us (including myself) confessed that they adore coffee, which, over the years of intense studying and working, has earned a special place in their lives. And what can be better on a cold winter day than a coffee with a piece of a homemade coffee cake? Well, maybe there are some other things, but right now, sipping my morning black coffee (no sugar, no milk, please) and eating a comforting Banana Streusel Cake, I can't really think of anything else.


I would say that my desire to bake is continuous but the my choice of the recipe is often defined by what products in my kitchen are on a verge of “dying”. My parents have cultivated a sense of respect towards food in me, so it's against my senses to throw something that can still be used away (unless it's really THE time). So another day after a quick glance at the bowl with fruits in my kitchen I saw that my poor bananas have turned brown without asking me if I'm ready to be a creative chef again or not. Their condition really didn't leave me much choice but to use them ASAP.


Being a traditionalist, who still collects the recipes in the browser bookmarks (instead of Pinterest or a fancy Evernote WebCliper), I decided that I could find an exciting recipe that I haven't had a chance to try yet in my own list of saved items. And, hell yes, I was right! I've found about seven recipes that in one way or another suggested to use bananas. After eliminating the ones that called for fresh fruits, I went for a mixture between banana bread and coffee cake. Both of them individually are a great breakfast treat and go incredibly well with cold weather. “The combination must taste delightful, for sure then”, I thought... and was absolutely right!

I must say the recipe is actually less of a bread and more of dessert thanks to its sweet, crumbly, and crunchy topping – streusel. It's really easy (and really fast too) to make, however it adds a special touch that takes your baking to the next level – the level when you friends start asking whether you brought the cake from the bakery or made it yourself; and when you confirm the ownership, people are bursting into compliments.


Obviously, it is not the healthiest recipe ever but remember – it is also a treat – and from time to time you can treat yourself, right?



The Banana Streusel Cake: The recipe and directions
Adapted from CompletelyDelicious.Com
Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (310grams)
  
• ¾ cup brown sugar + ¼ cup (50grams)
  
• ½ cup coconut sugar (150grams; can be replaced with granulated sugar)
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes (1 ½ stick or 170 grams) + ¼ cup (¼ stick or 30 grams)
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• a handful of chopped pecans
  
• 3 medium bananas (about 1 cup when mashed)
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• orange zest from one small orange

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
2. In the first bowl mash bananas with fork and add to the 2 eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest and baking soda.
3. In the second bowl combine 2 ½ cup flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, salt and 1 ½ stick cold butter with your hands. Keep pressing and mixing till the mixture is even and sticky.
4. For the streusel: Put approximately 3-5 heaped tbsp's of the dry mix into the third bowl (small-sized). Add cinnamon, ¼ cup of butter, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix until well combined and refrigerate.
5. Combine the wet mixture from the first bowl with the dry mix from the second bowl. Give it a couple of good stirs.
6. Butter and flour the baking tin, pour your mix in there, and sprinkle the streusel on the top.
7. Bake for about 15 min at 400F, then reduce the heat to 350F (180C) and bake for about 20-30 minutes. The cake should be beautifully browned, and a wooden stick would come out clean from the cake when it's ready.
8. Let the cake cool down for couple of hours or, if you can't wait anymore, try it warm!   

Sweetness of bananas, juiciness of pineapples and luscious crunchiness of roasted pecans - all this delicious flavours come together in a beautiful and rich cake that was titled after a hummingbird. Some people say it was due to the level of sweetness of the original recipe - the taste reminded those who tried the dessert the succulent flower nectar. I don't know if it's true or not but I like this poetic version :)

I wanted to make Hummingbird cake for a while now. I'd say for a couple of years even! It all started when I was living in London. The Hummingbird bakery, which specialises in American sweet treats, was one of the most popular places to get your sugar fix, so back in the day I was visiting it quite often. I must admit that before that sunny autumn day in Notting Hill where I first tried a special Hummingbird Cupcake at the H' Bakery I had no idea that such combination of flavours even existed. Now (after a little bit of googling:)) I know that the recipe was born in the Caribbean in the late 60s. Some Jamaican bakers got inspiration for the cake in exotic fruits - pineapple and bananas - that were in abundance on the island. Later, the recipe apparently travelled to the States, where it has become very popular as well.



The best thing about Hummingbird cake, apart from its magical comforting richness, is the fact that it super easy to make! One-layer-cake takes about 25 to 30 minutes to bake, buttercream will be ready in 5 min with a help of a hand mixer, and decoration probably will take another 10 min, depending on the level of your ambitiousness and creativity :) Moreover, the cake is totally buildable in terms of the party size - if you are expecting many guests - just bake couple more layers and triple the amount of cream for decoration - not only you will be able to feed all your friends and loved ones but also to impress them with your extraordinary baking skills.



On a side note, as a big fan of banana bread I've been in the situations when the cravings are high but the bananas are not ripe. A rational decision, obviously, would be to put your baking on hold and wait for those yellow troublemakers to get old. However, how can one be rational and wise when we are talking about cakes, right? :) So, for the impatient ones there is a trick to ripen bananas in minutes: all you have to do is to put them in the preheated to 350 degrees oven and wait for about 10-20 minutes. The key indicator that bananas are ready is the fact the skin has turned ultra black. After you remove bananas from the oven, let them cool down a bit and throw in the mix!

Also, please, do share your impressions in the comments down below. I'll be happy to answer to any of your questions. So enough talking - and let's proceed to the recipe itself. Happy baking!

The Hummingbird cake: The recipe and directions 

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) cake
For the butter:

• ½ cup (50 gr) chopped pecans
  
• 1 ½ cup (200 gr) all-purpose flour
  
• ¾ cup or 1 cup (150-200gr) granulated sugar
  
• ½ tsp baking soda
  
• ½ tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
  
• a pinch of salt
  
• 1 large egg
  
• ¼ cup (roughly 90 ml) canola oil (or any vegetable oil that doesn't have a distinctive flavour)
  
• ¾ cup chopped pineapple (preferably fresh one)
  
• 3-4 medium sized ripe bananas

Only by looking at the entrance of the small café at Baker Street it feels like this place is somewhat unreal: seems like it was drawn in the city landscape canvas or carefully cut out from an old-fashioned sepia photography and glued to the Chiltern street. When you turn out to be inside the place, the magic continues: as Lewis Caroll’s Alice, who went after the White Rabbit into the hole, you are invited to follow the stairs to the downstairs level. There, the cosy interior with vintage lamps, beautiful photographs on walls, and a cosy fireplace create the atmosphere of a warm countryside house.



The menu, which is happily affordable, represents a trendy combination of organic salads, hot dishes, and desserts, including soft and moist cardamon-buns (3£). Having its sister restaurant in Japan, Monocle also offers a variety of fusion Asian cuisine: try grilled-sandwich with deep-fried shrimps and chips on the side (7£) and a delicate green-tea cheesecake with white chocolate flakes (5.50£), – and you will be left craving for more.





Address: 18 Chiltern Street, W1U 7QA, London, UK
Opening Hours: Mon-Tue-Wed 07.00-19.00
Thu-Fri 07.00-20.00
Saturday 08.00-20.00
Sunday 08.00-19.00
Website: http://cafe.monocle.com/

BIRD is classic American diner with a “sweet” twist. This Shoreditch place is famous for its New York style doughnuts (2£ each). Flavours change daily, and include hits such as peanut butter, white chocolate, and berries. The texture is very smooth and not oily, the glazing is moderately sweet, just as it should be. If you are on a rush and eager to get your sugar fix ASAP, there is also a small side-window that allows you to take-away doughnuts in uncensored amounts (& without feeling guilty in front of the other customers who have chosen healthier options from the menu such as Salad (5£)). In the best traditions of the US diners from the movies, hot drinks include only cheap filtered coffee (2£) and Yorkshire tea (1£ with milk!) that are served by always-smiling waiters.





Address: 42/44 Kingsland Rd, E2 8DA, London, UK
Opening Hours: every day 11.00am – 11.00pm (donuts: every day - 11.00am until sold out) Website: http://birdrestaurants.com/

Rich and mature aroma of coffee that welcomes you right at the entrance of the café is always a good sign. Lantana Shoreditch, conveniently located right at the Old Street, seem to have to have this welcoming and hypnotizing scent, that will attract even coffee snobs. Being the second café of the owners of Lantana in Fitzrovia, Shoreditch branch is more spacious and has lots of outdoor tables in the patio. The menu has Australian coffee shop classics such as avocado toast with a poached egg, bacon and side salad (6.99£) and a decent flat-white (2.60£). For someone who prefers something more sweet, there is a wide range of freshly baked cakes as well as utterly delicious French toasts, served with grilled bananas, bacon, pecans, and a veil of maple syrup (10£). Some vegetarian options are also available. While Shoreditch is full of great coffee shops, Lantana stands out as a must-visit place.







Address: 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Rd, EC1Y 1HQ, London, UK
Opening Hours: Monday – Tuesday 7.30am – 10pm; Wednesday – Friday 7.30am – 11pm; Saturday – Sunday 9am – 4pm
Website: http://lantanacafe.co.uk/

Independent coffee shop 'Bonjour Brioche' (formerly 'Cinnamon') is a real hidden gem in West London. Situated on Englands Lane close to Belsize park, this place is highly loved by locals thanks to a high quality food and friendly service. Bonjour Brioche offers its visitors a great variety of healthy and delicious options for breakfast, weekend brunch or a quick coffee fix. Family owned café serves Monmouth coffee and desserts prepared with organic ingredients (treat yourself for a gluten-free brownie or toasted banana loaf!). Besides traditional poached eggs on a sourdough toast (4.95£) and porridge (3.99£), you can find very unique Persian-inspired dishes such as Persian frittata Kuku Sabzi (2.95£) or Grilled Aubergine with lamb and yogurt sauce (4.75£). Freshly squeezed juices (3-4£) are made by demand, and with a little imagination you can also create an original juice mix by yourself. Whether you are going for a business meeting, romantic breakfast, or a casual cup of flat white with a friend, Bonjour Brioche with its minimalist design, wooden floors and tables, as well as cute ceramic dinnerware and vintage bottle-glasses, will satisfy your needs (Needless to say that this place is instagram-friendly).




Address: Bonjour Brioche 2A, England’s Lane NW3 4TG, London, UK
Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 7:30am – 5:30pm;
Sat – Sun: 8am – 5:30pm.
Website: http://bonjourbrioche.co.uk/