Banana Walnut Pancake with Caramel Syrup

Not quite baking yet but I made something for breakfast today.

My parents are here for a visit and since we don’t see each other that often, I made an effort to wake up at 6 AM (and for me, believe me, that IS an effort) and be a kitchen slave for two hours to make breakfast.

Here are the recipes I used. The pancake recipe is from recipezaar (http://www.recipezaar.com/The-Best-Fluffiest-Buttermilk-Pancakes-on-the-Planet-167914)
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The Best Fluffiest Buttermilk Pancakes on the Planet!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3-4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions
1In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.
2In another bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, melted butter and vanilla (if using) add to the flour mixture; whisk until smooth (the batter will be thick!).
3Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
4After 5 minutes whisk or mix again.
5Drop about 1/4-cup batter onto a medium-hot skillet; cook until lightly browned on the bottom, turn and cook until browned.
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Love the pancake it’s really fluffy. Though I think I tried a few times before I finally got it right.
The caramel syrup I was tempted to just go the supermarket and buy an instant one but I was too lazy to go there so I just made one instead. I got the recipe from cooks.com(http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1923,148178-235194,00.html
). I doubled the amount of cream so it wouldn’t crystallize. But nevertheless, love the homemade caramel flavor.
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CARAMEL SYRUP

1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cream
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. butter

Bring to boil. Cool several hours in refrigerator or overnight.
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Still happy cupcaking!
Aikko

Comfort Food Cupcakes

I haven't been properly blogging lately so now, I'm trying to tell the story behind the pictures.

This is for an event we have at the office. Since I am to bring cupcakes, I have the complete freedom to choose whatever flavor/flavors I want. This time around, I didn't want to bring just one flavor. But I don't want to tire myself either. So what I did is to bake two cupcake flavors as base and play around with the toppings, fillings and frostings.

For the bases, I chose the simplest yet yummiest of flavors, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. As for the toppings, fillings and frostings, I did not just pick flavors. I want it to have a theme and I chose comfort foods - mine that is.

I thought of all the comfort foods that I love and tried to make a cupcake version out of it.

The vanilla based cupakes. The chocolate based cupcakes.

Blueberry Pancake: Blueberry filled vanilla cupcake with Maple Syrup Buttercream Frosting. This is inspired by one of Pancake House's specialty pancakes. It's my favorite next to the Banana Caramel Walnut Waffle.

Spear Mint Chocolate Chip: Chocolate Cupcake with Spearmint Buttercream Frosting topped with Chocolate Chips. My obsession with mint started when I tasted my first Peppermint Pattie. To bad Hershey's isn't selling those here :(. Cookies 'n Cream: Chocolate Cupcake with Oreos Buttercream Frosting and a mini Oreo on top. Oreos go well with everything! Don't you think?
PB & J: Strawberry filled vanilla cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting and a Strawberry Preserve on top. Who doesn't love PB & J?!
Cinammon Sugar: Vanilla Cupcake with Cinammon Buttercream and Cinnamon Chips

Banana Split: Chocolate cupcake with Banana Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Syrup topped with Roasted Walnuts and a Cherry.