Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

What's better than a chocolate chip cookie? Only a giant chocolate chip cookie. This gigantic chocolate chip cookie, or cookie cake as my brother put it, is a perfect treat to go with some leftover vanilla ice cream or chocolate sauce.

Ingredients:

50ml Vegetable oil

2 tbs Peanut butter

150g (5oz) Golden caster sugar

3 tbs Milk

1 tsp Vanilla essence 

175g (6oz) Cream flour

1 tsp Baking powder 

150g (5oz) Dark chocolate chips 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 20cm (8") diameter cake tin.
• Mix together the oil, peanut butter and sugar until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla.
• Slowly sift in the flour and baking powder. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Transfer the mixture into the cake tin. Using a wooden spoon, push the dough into the cake tin.
• Bake for 25 - 35 minutes; or until the cookie has a golden brown colour.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack to cool. Cut up and enjoy.

Chocolate Caramel Banana Cupcakes

This is a simple yet very tasty cupcake recipe. Salted caramel and chocolate is one of my favourite combinations; and I love the addition of the banana in these cupcakes.

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
100g Brown sugar
200g Unsalted butter, melted
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla essence
175g Cream Flour
2 tbs Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
2 Bananas, mashed

For the caramel icing:
125g Unsalted butter, softened
200g Brown sugar
80ml Cream / Buttermilk
1 tsp Salt
300g Icing sugar

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mark 4). Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cupcake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the mixture. Slowly stir in the bananas.
• Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and cream / buttermilk and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add salt and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
• Slowly mix in the icing sugar until smooth. Pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy.

I made the cupcakes in the picture with a very light brown sugar. However, I strongly suggest using a dark brown sugar as it adds more of a caramel flavour.