Spiced Banana Cakes with Candied Popcorn.

"Why haven't you been writing as much lately," my mother enquired late last week. It made me realise how much I've missed this little blog, and how much my new job has been taking over my life. Who knew helping to run a five star hotels pastry kitchen could be so demanding. Last week on my way home I stopped off at a friends house in order to just pop in and say hello, and instead fell asleep in there bed and ended up not leaving it until 5 am the next morning where I picked myself up, put myself on a tram, bought some coffee and pastries and headed into work to do it all over again.

So yes life is being a tiny bit exhausting, but also very beautiful at the same time. This job (which is so demanding at times I feel like I'm in a second relationship with a very needy man who always wants my love, time and effection) is teaching me a lot, and that is my favourite thing about falling in love (with jobs and people) is it stretches you.....it pushes your limits and it examines the things that make you happy and those that make you awfully sad. It takes you to your limits so you can take a good hard look at yourself and say "oh this is what I need" or alternatively "I do not need this at all."

These things, this stretch, this growth of career and the heart is what has been keeping me away from writing, but let me asure me, it has not kept me away from cooking. In the past few months I have made some of the most beautiful cakes and creations that I really cant wait to share with you. I have also been spending a wee bit of time with a beautiful sweet toothed boy which is allowing me to shower him with  new recipes and treats.

This recipe that Im going to share with you is one of those such treats. I made them and presented them with an off hand comment of "oh yes I just had these cakes sitting around the house. I made them for my blog but your more than welcome to have one." Such such lies. Lets be honest here friends......I made these cakes for him....0N A THIRD DATE....(because thats what I do) and had spent a day considering what sort of cake he would best like and look the most impressive. My housemates boyfriend came over the same day I made these and the two boys sat together at our kitchen table munching on the sweets.......and let me tell you, it was the happiest moment of my week. Nothing at all makes me more happy than seeing to beautiful boys hungrily eating food I've prepared. Whenever this happens I have moments of "This is exactly what I want to be doing with my life" and all the early mornings working at a hotel,  working late into the afternoon, and not having time for lunch breaks really doesn't matter anymore.

I hope you enjoy these cakes, I hope they make you as happy to make as they made me. I hope you have someone to give them to, and I hope he is keeping a cheeky smile on your face throughout a long day at work.

Banana and Spice Cupcakes with Candied Popcorn. 

You will need:
Cakes:

• 185g butter
• 230g sugar (caster)
• 3 eggs
• 310g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 185g sour cream
• 2 tbs of maple syrup
• 3 very ripe mashed bananas
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1tsp of allspice (the sweet one not the savoury one......sometimes I get confused which is silly really)
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg

For the frosting:

• 80g cream cheese (soft)
• 50g butter (soft)
• 1 and 1/2 tbs of honey
• 250g icing sugar (sifted)

For the popcorn:

• 1tbs of oil 
• 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels
• 15g unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup of caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of salt

What to do:

Cakes:

• Preheat the oven to 180
• Beat together the butter and sugar until light in colour, this will take about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well in between each addition. 
• Fold in dry mixture, banana, sour cream, and maple syrup.
• Divide mix into patty pans and bake in the oven until they are light golden in colour and when you insert a skewer it comes out clean (about 20 minutes)
• Let the cakes cool

Frosting:

• Beat together the butter and cream cheese.
• Add honey.
• Mix in icing sugar.

Popcorn:

• In a saucepan heat the oil. 
• Add the popcorn and cover with a tight fitting lid, shake from time to time, and cook until all the popcorn has popped (this is seriously really really fun.)
• Put the popcorn aside (if you can....)
• Place the butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir until butter has melted. 
• Turn the heat to high (dont stir it from this point in) and cook for about 4 minutes until it becomes golden and thickened. You can swirl the pan from time to time to make sure its cooking evenly.
• Remove from the heat and add the bicard soda, stir to combine.
• Working quickly pour the caramel mix over the popcorn and mix.
• Pour the popcorn out onto a piece of baking paper and leave to set. 

To assemble: 

• Frost the cupcakes
• Top with as much popcorn as your heart delights!