Happy Spring! It sounds like we have a few more cold and windy days – then hopefully warmer weather will arrive next week and put all of us in our Easter planning mode. Last year I made this Easter Basket Bundt Cake. It was a cute idea…my frosting techniques definitely lacking on this one, but you can get the idea. I also forgot to attach the handle before I took the photos (the link below has better photos to inspire you). I used the Coffee Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe with the directions in the link below.

Little Peeps are always fun to include in your Easter treats. Mini Cadbury Eggs and Easter sprinkles are piled on top of the “grass” in the Easter basket.

Coconut Poke Cake is a traditional favorite at our house. Right after you take the cake from the oven, you poke holes all over the top of the cake and spread a can of Cream of Coconut over the warm cake. We like it cold, so I refrigerate it and then right before serving, frost with Cool Whip and top with toasted coconut.

Last year I decided to add Easter sprinkles to add a more festive look.

And because sprinkles just always make your treats so pretty and fun!

Here are the links to the recipes and the directions. Have fun!!!!!

https://vintagekitchennotes.com/chocolate-kahlua-mini-bundt-cakes/

https://www.thecountrycook.net/coconut-cream-poke-cake/

How cute are these little toadstools? Look at all the quilting and stitched details on this block – from the background filled with butterflies to the toadstool spots to the glittery butterfly wings! This block and the ones below are going to be stitched together for a Spring Showers quilt.

If you have an embroidery machine, you can purchase background designs and project patterns which include in-the-hoop designs. I have used ones from the Kimberbell company, but there are other options. This is probably not new to many of you, but I have just started sewing again, so I am learning about so many products and techniques that I have never tried before.

You can choose block-by-block quilting or all-over quilting designs for larger quilted projects from table runners to full-sized quilts. You have so many options – from lady bugs to airplanes to bunnies to seasonal designs to geometric designs. Most designs have an instant download option, so you download the files onto your computer and then move them to a thumb drive, which goes into your embroidery machine. Some machines will hook right up to your computer to access the files.

This “puddle” has a fun rain drop quilting background design, then you add a layer of Mylar that is stitched with a design, then topped with a layer of light turquoise vinyl. How creative!

I think my favorite is the bee’s wings! These are made by stitching layers of tulle and Mylar together, not really quilted, just too cute not to include! One set is stitched flat and then an extra set is added to the top to add dimension.

Here are two rows of my Spring Showers quilt stitched together. I am taking a Kimberbell class at Missouri Sewing Machine Company in Kansas City to make this quilt. Emily Buck is the instructor at the downtown store and she does an amazing job!!!! It is such a fun class – and I have learned so much from her and the other ladies in the class.

If you want to learn more about machine quilting on an embroidery machine, a good place to start is the Kimberbell website. Also check out their Clear Blue Tiles, which are used when you want to quilt a larger design and their Orange Pop Rulers, which are used to help you cut all your blocks the exact size that you want. So many “toys” – so much fun to experiment!

Happy Quilting!

Banana Bread is always a favorite! I tried a new recipe this week and I really liked it. This one is made with butter instead of oil, the bananas are roasted and it has a generous amount of vanilla – so good! Then I added trail mix, instead of walnuts just to experiment.

The roasting of the bananas is a game changer!!! It really adds a deep banana flavor to the banana bread. You roast the unpeeled ripe bananas on a foil lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until they are black and oozy. Let cool for about 15 minutes before adding them to your mixture.

To add crunch and flavor, I used this trail mix instead of the walnuts. Love banana bread toasted and then slathered with butter – and maybe a drizzle of honey.

Or you could toast the banana bread, butter it – and then sprinkle on a bit of chopped up trail mix. Makes your breakfast (or snack) so pretty and extra yummy!

Enjoy this recipe by Sue Moran, her website is The View From The Great Island.

Print Recipe

Roasted Banana Bread

Roasting the bananas gives your banana bread such a wonderful deep banana flavor!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bananas, Quick Bread

Servings: 20

Author: Sue Moran

Ingredients

Bread

• 5-6 medium bananas, unpeeled they can be ripe, or very ripe
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups walnut halves and pieces or trail mix (dried fruit and nut mixture)

Butter Topping

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• granulated or sparkling sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the bananas on it. Bake for 30 minutes. The bananas will get black and oozy. Let them cool for 15 minutes, the peel and mash the bananas. Set aside. You should have about 2 cups.
• Turn the oven down to 325°. Lightly grease and line 2 standard 9 x 5 loaf pans with parchment. The parchment should have long ends hanging off the sides you you can lift the bread out later for slicing.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whish the mashed bananas, buttermilk, vanilla and lemon juice.
• Cream the butter in a stand mixer, on high 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the sugar to the mixer, beat on high for another 5-7 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, on low, scraping down the bowl as needed to get everything incorporated. Beat in the wet ingredients, just until fully blended. Then add the flour and mix just until combined with no white flour remaining.
• With the mixer on low, fold in the nuts (or fruit and nut mixture). Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish with a silicone spatula, taking care to get any unmixed ingredients from the bottom of the bowl.
• Turn the batter into two prepared loaf pans and spread out evenly. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the bread has risen, is slightly golden and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without any wet batter on it.
• While the bread is hot from the oven, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Let cool for 15 minutes, and then remove the bread from the pans to cool further.
• Makes 2 loaves to serve 20.
• Delicious sliced warm and slathered with butter. My favorite way to enjoy this bread is to toast it, then slather with butter and maybe a drizzle of honey.

Notes

I made one loaf with the nuts and fruit and one without – so that everyone is happy!