Banana Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Banana cake is as unpretentious as bread and butter or toast spread with strawberry jam. Banana cake doesn't set out to dazzle your eyes (though it may very well dazzle your taste buds). It's not trying to re-create the (cake) wheel, by any means. Banana cake is as old and wise as the simple chocolate cake. I doubt you'd ever find this cake listed on the dessert menu in a fancy restaurant.

However, that doesn't mean this banana cake isn't something to talk about.

Banana cake has been a summer tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. Though bananas are available year round and this cake can (and should!) be made in every season, I only remember my mother making this cake during the height of summer. My sister and I looked forward to eating this cake with more excitement and anticipation than our birthday cakes. This banana cake could turn an ordinary Tuesday into something extraordinary.

While the cake bakes up in the oven, wonderful, sinful smells waft about the house. Like moths to a flame, we'd gather to the kitchen. When the glaze was fresh from the stove, we'd always swipe a finger or two through the still warm chocolate. My dad, to this day, requests to lick the spatula and bowl clean. I like to joke that we don't need a dishwasher anymore, though my dad does not find this terribly amusing.

Nevertheless, my family is still in debate about the best way to eat this cake. My dad and I love to eat this cake chilled. It brings a dense, moist heaviness to the cake and the chocolate glaze becomes stiff making it literally melt in your mouth. My sister, on the other hand, prefers the cake warm, which yields a lighter feel to the cake and turns the chocolate glaze divinely smooth. Though our debate may never be settled, the truth is that this cake is delicious any way you choose to serve it.

Do yourself a favor and create a little weekday magic by making yourself this simple, but charming cake.

This Banana Cake with Chocolate Glaze is a classic cake with a lot of character. The cake layers are rich and moist with banana, while a touch of cinnamon brings out a greater depth of flavor. The chocolate glaze is very simple to make, melting together only chocolate and butter, but I could eat it by the spoonful (and I usually do). The glaze spreads smooth when slightly warm and holds its shape like a dream. This cake is quick to throw together and will disappear before you are ready to see it go.

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Butterbeer Cupcakes

This is part IV in a mini-series of Harry Potter snacks from the books brought to life (part I is on Honeydukes treats, part II is all about the cauldron cakes, and part III features every wizard's favorite drink—butterbeer!).

I confess that Butterbeer Cupcakes aren't actually mentioned in the Harry Potter series. In my defense, if JK Rowling had been given one of these while writing the books, she would have found a way to fit them in. They are so exceptional, I wouldn't be surprised if she featured them as a major plot point.

I'm only half joking.

Humor aside, the release of the final movie is upon us. I'm a mixed bag of emotions right now—thrilled to see the last movie and devastated to see the series finally come to a close. It's not only the end of the series but the end of an era—an era that defined my generation in a small, significant way. Though I knew this day would come, I find I'm not ready to say farewell. I want to hold onto the magic just a little bit longer.

Yet, as I keep reminding myself, this isn't really goodbye.

My collection of Harry Potter books isn't going anywhere. The movies are not suddenly going to vanish from the shelves. I can revisit the characters, these friends I have gotten to know over the last decade, whenever I choose. We can still get together for long weekends and lazy Sunday afternoons. Though the characters will no longer evolve or set out on new adventures, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Like the familiar comfort of an old friend, you know they'll always be around, waiting patiently on your bookshelf.

I don't know about you, but I can always use the comfort of an old friend.

These Butterbeer Cupcakes are easily on my list of the top three cupcakes of all time (if you put another one in front of me, I just may declare these the winner). These are unbelievably delicious—in fact, they didn't even last a full 24 hours in my house.

The butterbeer cupcake is essentially a brown sugar cupcake infused with cream soda and butter flavors. If that isn't good enough, the cupcakes are then filled with a butterscotch ganache, topped with a rich butterscotch buttercream, and drizzled with more butterscotch ganache. I'm not typically a fan of butterscotch, but these cupcakes absolutely changed my mind. The cupcake itself leans more on the denser side, but it still manages to feel light. The butterscotch buttercream is sweet, but not teeth-fall-out sweet (I don't typically like sweet frostings, but I ate this one by the spoonful. So good). Don't even get me started on the butterscotch ganache...

You need to make these. I don't want to hear any excuses—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You can thank me later.

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Cauldron Cakes

This is part II of my mini-series on Harry Potter snacks from the books brought to life (part I is on Honeydukes treats, part III features every wizard's favorite drink—butterbeer!— and part IV showcases decadent butterbeer cupcakes).

When I was young, I wanted to grow up to be a writer. I also wanted to be a teacher, deep sea diver, and a cashier at McDonald's, but that's a different story. In early elementary school years, I would furiously write about anything and everything that came to mind. My stories expressed the affairs most important to a seven year old girl—monsters, dolls, and the first day of school. Though often incomprehensible, I was proud of my work. At the ripe age of eight, I took it upon myself to complete my first novel, Baby Gaga, which included 50 short chapters on the adventures of an articulate toddler learning to share, nap, and eat ice cream.

It would seem I had a bright future in writing, but all of this was cut short as soon as I entered fourth grade. Somewhere along the way, I just lost interest. Perhaps writing wasn't "popular." Perhaps I was too critical of my own work—nothing I wrote was good enough to satisfy me. At home, I would devour novel after novel, but I was no longer tempted to write my own.

For years, scarcely a sentence flowed from my pencil.

Then Harry Potter entered my life.

When I was fifteen years old, I became obsessed with the series. I would drink in as much of the magical world through the books and through the movies as I could. When that was no longer enough to satisfy my cravings, I began to seek out more. I discovered others who felt the same pull, the same desire to create more of this rich world. Together, we would write our own stories. I would borrow JK Rowling's characters and take them on my own adventures. I developed little known characters and gave them a story. A purpose. Writing became fun.

And the words began to flow from my pencil once more.

Harry Potter inspired me to continue writing again.

Since then, I've worked to keep writing a part of my life. Over time, my chosen topics have changed as my style has evolved. Gone are the days of writing about Harry Potter. Instead, I find myself journaling or finding small ways to share bits and pieces of my life with you.

While baking seems to come naturally for me, writing is still a challenge (and I imagine it will always be so). I often struggle with finding the right words to express the ideas swimming around my head. I am a slow writer, yes, but I have grown to love the art of the word. Sharing these words, thoughts, and ideas with you has become a natural part of my life. While writing can often feel like a chore, I find that the more I write, the more I am unable to imagine not writing. It has become a form of expression, a freedom, that is impossible to find anywhere else.

These Cauldron Cakes are the ultimate Harry Potter eye candy. They are easy to make, fun to eat, and, above all, delicious. Though the steps may appear long or complicated from a quick glance at the recipe below, I assure you they aren't. In less than an hour, you can have one of these cauldron cakes in your belly. By simply flipping a cupcake over, it opens a whole new world of possibilities. These cauldron cakes consist of devil's food cake cupcakes dipped into a rich chocolate glaze and filled to the brim with marshmallow filling. Chocolate chips form the cauldron feet, which not only keep these cauldrons looking more authentic, but stop the cauldrons from rolling around. I like to think the edible gold glitter means these cauldrons are filled with a little Felix Felicis (or "liquid luck").

These cupcakes would also make a perfect Halloween treat!

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