"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
5.247...
>I really hate it when recipes for banana cake or banana bread specify the
> number of bananas rather than giving a cup or weight measurement. Even
> specifying "large" or "medium" bananas is not too meaningful since size
> varies considerably. Baking recipes are highly dependent on exact
> quantities
> of major ingredients for success. Two little banana results in a dry cake
> or
> bread, just as too much banana results in a cake or bread that falls.
> Recipe
> authors ought to get their bananas together. :-)
>
> --
>

As you well know, Wayne, older recipes didn't call for exact measurements so
they may not make much sense these days. (I still don't know exactly what
"butter the size of a walnut" means.) All we can do is guestimate and try,
try again. Make note of the measurements you used so you can change it
later until you achieve the results you want. Then be precise as to the
measurements.

Jill

"jmcquown" staring aghast at the Duh'Weenie Clownie's" 2" fuse:
>"Duh'Weenie Clownie" feeling especially neglected jumps up and down with no skivvies so little boys will be attracted to his childish pecker:
>>
>>I really hate it when recipes for banana cake or banana bread specify the
>> number of bananas rather than giving a cup or weight measurement. Even
>> specifying "large" or "medium" bananas is not too meaningful since size
>> varies considerably. Baking recipes are highly dependent on exact
>> quantities
>> of major ingredients for success. Two little banana results in a dry cake
>> or
>> bread, just as too much banana results in a cake or bread that falls.
>> Recipe
>> authors ought to get their bananas together. :-)
>>
>> --
>>
>
>As you well know, Wayne, older recipes didn't call for exact measurements so
>they may not make much sense these days. (I still don't know exactly what
>"butter the size of a walnut" means.) All we can do is guestimate and try,
>try again. Make note of the measurements you used so you can change it
>later until you achieve the results you want. Then be precise as to the
>measurements.
>
>Jill

The only time butter is specified as walnut/knob/pat is in
circumstances where quantity is subjective, as when used for frying,
greasing a baking pan, thickening a sauce, glossing a steak, a serving
size (as for a baked potato/buttering toast) or some such... but when
an integrel part of a recipe butter is stated in Tbls, grams, cups,
ounces, pounds... for any experienced cook there should be no
confusion about what "butter the size of a walnut" means, none
whatsoever... anyone confused about what "butter the size of a walnut"
means would be just as confused by "salt and pepper to taste".

The same way that recipes assume *large* eggs recipes also assume
*medium* bananas; *126g/110* calories is the industry standard for a
medium banana.

Most every recipe I've ever seen that calls for bananas states
"medium" bananas... ripe bananas contain very little moisture and no
fat so it's extremely rare for it to matter what size banana is used
for the success of any recipe... in fact other than for counting
calories I defy anyone to post a recipe where it matters which size
banana is used. This is simply the infantile Duh'Weenie Clownie
pleading for attention.

The pull down chart will indicate banana size/weight:
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/f...-juices/1846/2

"Wayne Boatwright" ha scritto nel messaggio
No doubt one can experiment until it turns out right. I'd rather not have
to experiment, as I don't bake that many banana cakes or breads.

Then here is a little tip for free. I made banana bread last week and the
recipe called for 3 bananas or 1 cup mashed. My small three bananas came to
more than a cup so I ate the rest. I should have weighed it.

Giusi wrote:
> "Wayne Boatwright" ha scritto nel messaggio
> No doubt one can experiment until it turns out right. I'd rather not have
> to experiment, as I don't bake that many banana cakes or breads.
>
> Then here is a little tip for free. I made banana bread last week and the
> recipe called for 3 bananas or 1 cup mashed. My small three bananas came to
> more than a cup so I ate the rest. I should have weighed it.

I'm always a tad extra generous when the recipe calls for x number of
bananas. I may add an extra one or just larger ones than called for.
I've never once had it affect a recipe negatively.

Goomba > wrote:

>Giusi wrote:
>> "Wayne Boatwright" ha scritto nel messaggio
>> No doubt one can experiment until it turns out right. I'd rather not have
>> to experiment, as I don't bake that many banana cakes or breads.
>>
>> Then here is a little tip for free. I made banana bread last week and the
>> recipe called for 3 bananas or 1 cup mashed. My small three bananas came to
>> more than a cup so I ate the rest. I should have weighed it.
>
>I'm always a tad extra generous when the recipe calls for x number of
>bananas. I may add an extra one or just larger ones than called for.
>I've never once had it affect a recipe negatively.

'Zactly... extra banana in banana bread is like extra
chocolate/walnuts in brownies.

.... only a monkey like Duh'Wayne... this only proves unequivically
that he has never cooked anything.

"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
> "jmcquown" staring aghast at the Duh'Weenie Clownie's" 2" fuse:
>>"Duh'Weenie Clownie" feeling especially neglected jumps up and down with
>>no skivvies so little boys will be attracted to his childish pecker:
>>>
>>>I really hate it when recipes for banana cake or banana bread specify the
>>> number of bananas rather than giving a cup or weight measurement. Even
>>> specifying "large" or "medium" bananas is not too meaningful since size
>>> varies considerably. Baking recipes are highly dependent on exact
>>> quantities
>>> of major ingredients for success. Two little banana results in a dry
>>> cake
>>> or
>>> bread, just as too much banana results in a cake or bread that falls.
>>> Recipe
>>> authors ought to get their bananas together. :-)
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>
>>As you well know, Wayne, older recipes didn't call for exact measurements
>>so
>>they may not make much sense these days. (I still don't know exactly what
>>"butter the size of a walnut" means.) All we can do is guestimate and
>>try,
>>try again. Make note of the measurements you used so you can change it
>>later until you achieve the results you want. Then be precise as to the
>>measurements.
>>
>>Jill
>
> The only time butter is specified as walnut/knob/pat is in
> circumstances where quantity is subjective, as when used for frying,
> greasing a baking pan, thickening a sauce, glossing a steak, a serving
> size (as for a baked potato/buttering toast) or some such...


You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the size of a
walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut bread and her recipe
for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the soft ball stage... how many
cooks under the age of 60 do you know who have any idea what that means?
(My grandma taught me how to make the candy so I know, but it's subjective.
Walnuts come in different sizes heheh)

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the size
> of a walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut bread and
> her recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the soft ball
> stage... how many cooks under the age of 60 do you know who have any
> idea what that means? (My grandma taught me how to make the candy so I
> know, but it's subjective. Walnuts come in different sizes heheh)


I'm under 60, and *I* know what it means.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 10:08:58a, Goomba told us...

>> I'm always a tad extra generous when the recipe calls for x number of
>> bananas. I may add an extra one or just larger ones than called for.
>> I've never once had it affect a recipe negatively.
>
> I have. I usually end up with a soupy, raw, or fallen middle, yet the rest
> of the cake has baked almost to the point of burning. And, yes, my oven
> temperature is accurate.
>
I can only wonder how much extra you put in? I may add an extra or the
bananas called for get larger, but I've never had a problem with either
banana bread or banana cakes. And I make them *often* because my
husband can't quite grasp how many bananas we eat fresh and overbuys
*often* <sigh>

"Pennyaline" > wrote in message
...
> jmcquown wrote:
>> You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the size
>> of a walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut bread and
>> her recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the soft ball
>> stage... how many cooks under the age of 60 do you know who have any idea
>> what that means? (My grandma taught me how to make the candy so I know,
>> but it's subjective. Walnuts come in different sizes heheh)
>
>
> I'm under 60, and *I* know what it means.

No you don't. Jill is indispensible.

"Pennyaline" > wrote in message
...
> jmcquown wrote:
>> You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the size
>> of a walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut bread and
>> her recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the soft ball
>> stage... how many cooks under the age of 60 do you know who have any idea
>> what that means? (My grandma taught me how to make the candy so I know,
>> but it's subjective. Walnuts come in different sizes heheh)
>
>
> I'm under 60, and *I* know what it means.


Perhaps you're a candy maker

Jill

Pennyaline wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>> You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the
>> size of a walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut
>> bread and her recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the
>> soft ball stage... how many cooks under the age of 60 do you know who
>> have any idea what that means? (My grandma taught me how to make the
>> candy so I know, but it's subjective. Walnuts come in different sizes
>> heheh)
>
>
> I'm under 60, and *I* know what it means.

I'm well under 60 and know what it means. I learned it in Junior High
Home-Ec officially, but had known about it since people used to make
fudge and taffy commonly enough. I might have even learned it from my
older sister's Barbie Cookbook (a classic!)

Somewhere on teh intarwebs Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 03:37:54p, Goomba told us...
>
>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 10:08:58a, Goomba told us...
>>
>>>> I'm always a tad extra generous when the recipe calls for x number
>>>> of bananas. I may add an extra one or just larger ones than called
>>>> for. I've never once had it affect a recipe negatively.
>>>
>>> I have. I usually end up with a soupy, raw, or fallen middle, yet
>>> the rest of the cake has baked almost to the point of burning.
>>> And, yes, my oven temperature is accurate.
>>>
>> I can only wonder how much extra you put in? I may add an extra or
>> the bananas called for get larger, but I've never had a problem with
>> either banana bread or banana cakes. And I make them *often*
>> because my husband can't quite grasp how many bananas we eat fresh
>> and overbuys *often* <sigh>
>>
>
> I don't put "extra" at all. In the recipes I've tried, I put in the
> number of bananas called for. I think over the years I have made
> exactly *one* banana cake that turned out the way it was supposed to.

Odd. I don't bake cakes very often but for me banana cake is one of the
'never fail' cakes that I *do* make from time to time.
--
Shaun.

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's
warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchet, 'Jingo'.

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
5.250...
> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 03:35:47p, Pennyaline told us...
>
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> You didn't know my grandmother, Sheldon. She specified butter the size
>>> of a walnut for a lot of things, including making banana nut bread and
>>> her recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Candy cooked to the soft ball
>>> stage... how many cooks under the age of 60 do you know who have any
>>> idea what that means? (My grandma taught me how to make the candy so I
>>> know, but it's subjective. Walnuts come in different sizes heheh)
>>
>>
>> I'm under 60, and *I* know what it means.
>>
>
> I'm 64, but I remember and was taught by my mother about testing candy for
> "soft ball", "hard ball", "crack" stages, etc. Many mid 20th century
> cookbooks describe these methods. Most people did not have candy
> thermometers.
>
>
Candy thermometer came along later in my life. I have one... after learning
the hard way I couldn't figure determine the hard crack stage for peanut
brittle by simply drizzling the syrup in cold water... it never turned out
quite right without a thermometer. Soft and medium ball stage, sure. As
for your banana query, sorry I cannot help you.

Jill

~misfit~ wrote:
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 03:37:54p, Goomba told us...
>>
>>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>> On Wed 18 Nov 2009 10:08:58a, Goomba told us...
>>>>> I'm always a tad extra generous when the recipe calls for x number
>>>>> of bananas. I may add an extra one or just larger ones than called
>>>>> for. I've never once had it affect a recipe negatively.
>>>> I have. I usually end up with a soupy, raw, or fallen middle, yet
>>>> the rest of the cake has baked almost to the point of burning.
>>>> And, yes, my oven temperature is accurate.
>>>>
>>> I can only wonder how much extra you put in? I may add an extra or
>>> the bananas called for get larger, but I've never had a problem with
>>> either banana bread or banana cakes. And I make them *often*
>>> because my husband can't quite grasp how many bananas we eat fresh
>>> and overbuys *often* <sigh>
>>>
>> I don't put "extra" at all. In the recipes I've tried, I put in the
>> number of bananas called for. I think over the years I have made
>> exactly *one* banana cake that turned out the way it was supposed to.
>
> Odd. I don't bake cakes very often but for me banana cake is one of the
> 'never fail' cakes that I *do* make from time to time.

I have been opining while reading this thread, that the
variability of banana sizes probably accounts for the variable
results I get when making banana bread. Actually, that is most
noticeable in one recipe for it. I need to go back and see
whether that recipe just states "bananas" and doesn't give a
measure for the mashed bananas.

--
Jean B.

"~misfit~" wrote:
>
>Odd. I don't bake cakes very often but for me banana cake is one of the
>'never fail' cakes that I *do* make from time to time.

There was a period some ten years ago that because of the meds I was
prescribed I was told to eat a minimum of six bananas daily... well,
it's difficult to get plain bananaas down day after day after day and
in those quantities, so I devised ways to disguise them so they'd be
more palatable, best method was in smoothies, second best was in baked
goods, especially quick breads. Hardly a week passed I didn't bake a
couple of banana nut loaves or a couple dozen muffins... I liked the
muffins better as they had more crust and I could freeze them. It
didn't matter how much banana I used, I'd even place sliced banana in
along with the mashed... and to keep from becoming boring I'd add all
kinds of other fruits, nuts, and seeds along with the banana, fresh
fruit and dried. I never measured anything more carefully than a
rough eyeball guessitmate, and never had a failure except for the two
times I forgot the time until the smoke alarm reminded me I baked
nana-nut charcoal. And in fact muffin mixtures are the most
forgiving of all baked products, it's difficult to screw up a muffin.

A quick bread or cake recipe that works without any banana will work
just as well whether half a banana is added, a whole banana is added,
a banana and a half is added or two bananas are added... *only*
explanation for failure is that the recipe was never tested with no
banana and there is something *terribly* wrong with the basic
recipe... or the Duh'Weenie is lying... I opt for his lying, in fact
I don't believe he has ever baked a banana bread/cake or has ever
baked anything... just from the way he describes stuff tells me he
never cooks anything... like some others (no need to mention names)
he's your basic braggart faggart who claims to prepare ONLY the
fanciest schmanciest of designer viands... oh no, no ordinary regular
folks foods with these brazen boasting *******s... yet have never
proven they've actually so much as boiled water.

On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:26:17 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>I have been opining while reading this thread, that the
>variability of banana sizes probably accounts for the variable
>results I get when making banana bread. Actually, that is most
>noticeable in one recipe for it. I need to go back and see
>whether that recipe just states "bananas" and doesn't give a
>measure for the mashed bananas.

I'm thinking that's probably why I suck at making banana bread. The
recipe called for one banana, I put in one and a half or two... more
is better, right? I end up with a layer of banana at the bottom.
Lovely. Yes, I'd rather be given a loaf of banana bread.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

sf wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:26:17 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>> I have been opining while reading this thread, that the
>> variability of banana sizes probably accounts for the variable
>> results I get when making banana bread. Actually, that is most
>> noticeable in one recipe for it. I need to go back and see
>> whether that recipe just states "bananas" and doesn't give a
>> measure for the mashed bananas.
>
> I'm thinking that's probably why I suck at making banana bread. The
> recipe called for one banana, I put in one and a half or two... more
> is better, right? I end up with a layer of banana at the bottom.
> Lovely. Yes, I'd rather be given a loaf of banana bread.
>

LOL! You remind of tales my dad used to tell about his mother.
She would add an egg or something else to a cake or whatever "to
make it special". Needless to say, the results were not what she
had hoped for!

--
Jean B.

Jean B. wrote:

>> I'm thinking that's probably why I suck at making banana bread. The
>> recipe called for one banana, I put in one and a half or two... more
>> is better, right? I end up with a layer of banana at the bottom.
>> Lovely. Yes, I'd rather be given a loaf of banana bread.

That's the Emeril Lagasse school of thought. If some is good more is
better. It doesn't always work that way, especially the way he used to
overdo the booze.


> LOL! You remind of tales my dad used to tell about his mother. She
> would add an egg or something else to a cake or whatever "to make it
> special". Needless to say, the results were not what she had hoped for!

My mother used to make all sorts of changes to cakes. She figured that
cakes varied so much in quantities and ingredients that you could do
just about anything to a cake and it would still be a cake.

On Nov 19, 10:21*am, sf > wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:26:17 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
> >I have been opining while reading this thread, that the
> >variability of banana sizes probably accounts for the variable
> >results I get when making banana bread. *Actually, that is most
> >noticeable in one recipe for it. *I need to go back and see
> >whether that recipe just states "bananas" and doesn't give a
> >measure for the mashed bananas.
>
> I'm thinking that's probably why I suck at making banana bread. *The
> recipe called for one banana, I put in one and a half or two... more
> is better, right? *I end up with a layer of banana at the bottom.
> Lovely. *Yes, I'd rather be given a loaf of banana bread.

I don't know what kinds of recipes you people are using for banana
bread, I've never had such a thing happen, ever. And I've never
measured the bananas, I've never even heard of measuring bananas. The
recipe I use calls for 1 cup of mashed banana, so I use 1-2 medium
bananas or so. What's so hard about that? I think ya'll are anal
retentive and fussy.

On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:29:35 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

>I think ya'll are anal retentive and fussy.

Send me your address and I'll send you a loaf of my banana bread.
We'll see if you still have that opinion after you cut into one. I'm
not even requiring that you take a bite. The best description I can
come up with is banana flavored lead with a banana bottom. We'll see
if you suddenly become anal and fussy after that experience (or not).
If not, I dare you to eat it.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

"sf" > wrote

> The best description I can
> come up with is banana flavored lead with a banana bottom.

I love heavy banana bread.

On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:47:32 -0500, "cybercat" >
wrote:

>
>"sf" > wrote
>
>> The best description I can
>> come up with is banana flavored lead with a banana bottom.
>
>I love heavy banana bread.
>
Honest. Mine comes in layers. Not a good thing.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Somewhere on teh intarwebs brooklyn1 wrote:
> "~misfit~" wrote:
>>
>> Odd. I don't bake cakes very often but for me banana cake is one of
>> the 'never fail' cakes that I *do* make from time to time.
>
> There was a period some ten years ago that because of the meds I was
> prescribed I was told to eat a minimum of six bananas daily... well,
> it's difficult to get plain bananaas down day after day after day and
> in those quantities, so I devised ways to disguise them so they'd be
> more palatable, best method was in smoothies, second best was in baked
> goods, especially quick breads. Hardly a week passed I didn't bake a
> couple of banana nut loaves or a couple dozen muffins... I liked the
> muffins better as they had more crust and I could freeze them. It
> didn't matter how much banana I used, I'd even place sliced banana in
> along with the mashed... and to keep from becoming boring I'd add all
> kinds of other fruits, nuts, and seeds along with the banana, fresh
> fruit and dried. I never measured anything more carefully than a
> rough eyeball guessitmate, and never had a failure except for the two
> times I forgot the time until the smoke alarm reminded me I baked
> nana-nut charcoal. And in fact muffin mixtures are the most
> forgiving of all baked products, it's difficult to screw up a muffin.
>
> A quick bread or cake recipe that works without any banana will work
> just as well whether half a banana is added, a whole banana is added,
> a banana and a half is added or two bananas are added... *only*
> explanation for failure is that the recipe was never tested with no
> banana and there is something *terribly* wrong with the basic
> recipe... or the Duh'Weenie is lying... I opt for his lying, in fact
> I don't believe he has ever baked a banana bread/cake or has ever
> baked anything... just from the way he describes stuff tells me he
> never cooks anything... like some others (no need to mention names)
> he's your basic braggart faggart who claims to prepare ONLY the
> fanciest schmanciest of designer viands... oh no, no ordinary regular
> folks foods with these brazen boasting *******s... yet have never
> proven they've actually so much as boiled water.

Yeah, the recpie I use for banana cake calls for two 'very ripe' bananas
mashed. I used to make it if my bananas had gone over-ripe and if I had
three I'd put three in. Just made for a moister, more 'banana-ee' tasting
cake. Sometimes I made it with one banana. <shrug> Always worked out
although the baking time varied a little with banana content. Longer for
more banana...
--
Shaun.

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's
warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchet, 'Jingo'.