Shabby Shack Creations giveaway

Scott's awesome cousin Karly is doing a giveaway on her blog http://karpluswade.blogspot.com/2011/02/giveaway.html for this really neat site that makes super cute headbands you can find here: http://shabby--shack.blogspot.com/

So cute! Who wouldn't wanna win one?

This is one of the many I like:

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

I can't remember where I got my Magnolia Bakery cookbook but it has some great cake recipes and this one is my favorite out of it. I've made it a few times and absolutely love it. It goes great with their cream cheese frosting recipe. So here are both recipes that I hope you'll try!

Cake ingredients
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. mashed, very ripe bananas
1 eight oz. can crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice, drained
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Grease and lightly flour two 9 in round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, the cinnamon, the baking soda, and the salt. Set aside

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the oil with the sugar until smooth, about 3 min. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until light, about 1 or 2 min. Add the vanilla extract. Add the bananas and pineapple. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 min. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and side of cake. Garnish with pecans if desired.

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients-
1 lb. (2 eight oz. packages) cream cheese, softened slightly, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened slightly, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 c. sifted confectioners sugar

In a medium size bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter until smooth, about 3 min. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar and beat until well incorporated.

Apple Pancakes with Maple Syrup Butter

This is one of my favorites. I haven't made it in a while but it's so yummy!
I got it from this book. I really need to get this book out more and cook from it. Some very yummy looking recipes in here I really should try!

Ingredients:
scant 1 1/2 c. self rising flour
1/2 c. superfine sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
scant 1 c. milk
2 apples, peeled and grated
1 tsp. butter
MAPLE SYRUP BUTTER
3 oz. butter softened
3 tbsp. maple syrup

Makes 18 pancakes to serve 4-6

Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl and make a well in the center. Beat the egg and the milk together and pour into the well. Using a wooden spoon, gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the liquid until well combined, then stir in grated apple.

Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat until melted and bubbling. Add tablespoons of the pancake mixture to form 3 1/2 in circles. Cook each pancake for about 1 min, until it starts to bubble lightly on the top and looks set, then flip it over and cook the other side for 30 seconds, or until cooked through. The pancakes should be golden brown; if not, increase the heat a little. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Repeat the process until all the pancake batter has been used up (It is not necessary to add extra butter).

To make the maple syrup butter, melt the butter with the maple syrup in a pan over low heat and stir until combined. To serve, place the pancakes on serving dishes and spoon over the flavored butter. Serve warm.