10.26.16
It’s the week before Halloween…….which is on a Monday. Oof, what a buzzkill. Well, I’m sure everyone will be celebrating this weekend, so I made a few things that are so tasty, it’s scary. Nothing looks like a ghost or a spider, but maybe that’s a good thing so you can make these treats all year long! How about you take banana bread, make it chocolate, and then add in salted caramel? No one is going to care you didn’t make a kitschy dessert at the Halloween party after they have one bite of it. I’m not one for really dressing up for the holiday, and I haven’t attended a costume party in my adult life. Not against it, just always having to work, or wanting to avoid the mass hysteria that IS New York post Halloween partying. It’s nuts.
I remixed a few older pieces to give you the perfectly coordinated Halloween outfit. Black and orange, comfy and a little tailored. Plus my favorite Oxfords which I bought at a thrift shop years ago for $1. They’re still holding up, and I don’t want to think about the day they completely fall apart.
This is one of my favorite places to shoot. By the Hamilton Grange there is a beautiful street that’s quiet, has picture perfect brownstones, and I’m sure is impossible to move to unless someone dies and doesn’t pass down their beautiful home to a relative. But I can make my husband walk up there and take pictures and we can pretend that we will live on that street one day.
I had a craving for chocolate and started thinking between a loaf or a bundt cake (which I have yet to tackle). But seeing as I had some bananas that were ripening to the point of perfect baking ingredients, I went for a banana bread, added some caramel sauce inside, and drizzled the rest on top.
When you get that bite with the little bite of salt, it’s just heavenly. And it’s so soft and rich. This will be made again soon. And why? Because it is SO EASY. Add it to the list entitled “Oh Crap I Forgot to Make Something For …” You can make it day of, hours before!! No mixer involved.
I found this simple salted caramel sauce recipe from Baker By Nature as a placeholder until I create my own. Though it seems like making caramel sauce is pretty basic, just tweaking little things here and there to your liking. However, this one is pretty great, I’ve made a it a few times since.
The smell in your house when you make this hits you like a ton of bricks when you walk in the door. Delicious, fresh bricks. While it bakes, as well as after you take it out of the oven, it fills the rooms. They should make a candle that smells like this.
And so you want to get in the Halloween spirit but don’t particularly feel like sewing a costume, or spending money on something you’ll never wear again? Throw on some black and orange! I wore this cardigan last year, I have had it forever, but I can’t see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. Even when it isn’t this week in October, it’s a great fall layering piece.
This shirt isn’t new either. Another second hand shop find, this J.Crew button down is fitted just right, and is a staple in my closet.
Who knew you could get anything for a dollar? Much less shoes? When I was in the Berkshires years ago I was in a thrift shop just looking around and spotted these. Being my size I took it as a sign. And now five…..six years later I’m still wearing them! You just never know.
So get spooky and cute, make some of the bread, and head to your friends this week to toast the ghouls and goblins that go bump in the night.
Wear It:
Orange H&M Cardigan – old (similar) / J.Crew Gingham Button Down – thrifted (similar) / Stitch Fix Just Black Skinny Jeans (similar) / Oxfords – thrifted (similar)
Salted Caramel & Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
For the Caramel Sauce
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- splash of vanilla
For the Quick Bread
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling
Instructions
For the Caramel Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat whisk together all ingredients except for vanilla
- Bring to a boil, add in vanilla and keep whisking until thick and smooth, about 5 or so minutes
- Set aside and allow to cool
For the Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9×5 loaf pan
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, powder and baking soda
- In another large bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, egg, and yolk until smooth
- Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in your wet ingredients
- Mix gently with a spatula, add in banana and continue to mix together gently, when almost combined fold in chocolate chips and caramel sauce
- Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 60 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from pan
- Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over top of bread, slice and enjoy
Adapted from Delish
