Banana Gingerbread

Banana Gingerbread

Adapted from Baking Bites

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup banana, mashed (about 2 large)
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup light plain soymilk
• 1/4 cup applesauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, banana, molasses, honey, soymilk and applesauce.
4. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. (I used my Baker's Edge pan and baked for 20 minutes.)
7. Makes 1 loaf, 8-10 slices.

Triple Ginger Cookies

Triple Ginger Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Baking Obsession

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (9 oz) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick; ¼-lb) unsalted butter, melted and just warm
• ¼ cup unsulfured mild or full-flavored molasses (I used organic blackstrap)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup (2.3 oz) firmly packed brown sugar or light muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp finely minced or grated fresh ginger root
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup (4 oz) finely chopped crystallized ginger (1/4-inch dice)
• About ½ cup Demerara or turbinado sugar for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Combine the warm butter, molasses, both sugars, fresh ginger, and the egg in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and chopped candied ginger and stir until incorporated. The dough will be soft.
4. Form the dough into 1-inch balls (1/2 oz of dough for each). Roll the balls in the Demerara sugar and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake, in batches (form the rest of the balls while the first batch is baking ), for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they puff up and crack on the surface and then begin to deflate in the oven. For chewier cookies, remove them from the oven when at least half or more of the cookies have begun to deflate; for crunchier edges with chewy centers, bake a minute or so longer.
5. Slide the parchment sheets of cookies onto cooling racks or use an offset spatula to transfer the cookies, and cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, gingersnaps keep for several days.
   
   The baking method is slightly adapted from Alice Medrich’s.

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Applesauce

Pumpkin pancakes? Pumpkin anything? I'm there. The only thing I might change about this recipe next time would be to slightly reduce the spice so that the pumpkin flavor comes out more.

I usually do maple applesauce or fruit compote with pancakes because the sugar content and calories of maple syrup are a bit scary. I personally like my pancakes smothered with some sort of sauce, so it is best to use something I don't have to feel guilty about later.


Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from this recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, flax and vinegar.
2. Combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
4. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
5. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
   

Maple Applesauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup REAL maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon rum extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan with a whisk.
2. Warm over medium heat until bubbly.
3. Serve hot over pancakes.

I can't get enough of these pictures!

I like how you can see where the pancakes have absorbed the applesauce in this pic. Yum...