Showing posts with label Food & Nutrition. Show all posts

My Banana Cake Adventures: A Hobby That’s Becoming a Lifestyle

There’s something so comforting about baking — the mixing, the waiting, the sweet aroma filling up the house. Lately, baking banana cakes has become a weekend ritual for me, and honestly, I’m loving every bit of it. I didn't expect to enjoy it this much since I've never baked and thought baking was so difficult.

It all started with a simple desire to try baking at home for fun. I already had a banana cake recipe here on the blog — one I recorded while my grandmother was baking. Watching her make it so effortlessly made me want to try it myself. But as you can imagine, things didn’t go smoothly at first. 😅

My first cake. It burned!

It was so flat that it sank

This second cake was quite delicious, though. It would have been the best cake if it were fluffy

My second cake was heavier, but I improved by not burning it as much.

The first two cakes I baked were... well, not the best. They rose beautifully while baking, but sank right back down once they cooled. I was confused at first until I realised I had only been using baking powder, not adding bicarbonate of soda. So, on my third try, I added bicarbonate too — and guess what? The cake came out fluffy and soft. That was a big victory!

😍😋

The winning cake! I felt so proud that it was a success!

Since then, I’ve been tweaking the recipe, experimenting with measurements, and trying to make slightly bigger cakes. Sometimes they come out softer, sometimes they rise beautifully, and sometimes they fall flat again. Just the other day, I tried baking with only bicarbonate — like my grandma used to — but it sank again. I suspect the batter was too soft this time around.

This is my most recent cake, where I used just bicarbonate. It later fell like it never rose. It didn't burn at all or stick to the pan like some others; I'm proud of that.

This cake sank later. I was still experimenting, making a bigger cake

This cake was a success, too, though I almost missed getting it right because I wanted to make a bigger cake again

Still, each attempt is teaching me something new. I now know how to regulate the fire so the cake doesn’t burn. I’ve learned how to properly grease or line the baking pan so it doesn’t stick. My last cake didn’t burn or stick at all, which felt like progress!

One of the biggest wins for me, though, has been figuring out how to bake using a pot on my gas cooker. I used to think it wasn’t possible — or at least that I wouldn’t know how to do it right. But I tried it, and it worked! And now that I know how, nothing is stopping me from baking whenever I want.

My kids are always excited when I bake, even if the cake isn’t as fluffy as I hoped. As long as it tastes good, they’re happy — and thankfully, it always does. 😂

It made a delicious breakfast with yoghurt

Baking has slowly become more than just a fun activity. It’s now part of my lifestyle — something I look forward to doing every weekend, something that calms me, teaches me, and gives me little moments of joy (and sweet treats!). I plan to explore other cake recipes too with time, but for now, banana cake is holding a special place in my kitchen and my heart.

So here’s to more weekend baking sessions, more lessons learned, and hopefully, more fluffy banana cakes ahead!

Do you have any hobbies you are into right now? I would love to hear your experience in the comments.

How I Make Tepaché at Home (From Pineapple Peels!)

If you’ve never heard of Tepaché, you’re in for a treat! Tepaché is a traditional Mexican fermented drink made from pineapple peels, water, and sugar — sometimes flavored with spices like cinnamon and cloves. It’s naturally fizzy, slightly tangy, mildly sweet, and packed with probiotic goodness, supporting your gut health and digestion.

What I love most about tepaché is how simple and sustainable it is. I usually buy pineapple to enjoy the juicy fruit, and instead of throwing away the peels, I use them to make this refreshing drink. It's such a satisfying feeling — nothing really goes to waste. You enjoy the fruit, and then you enjoy the drink.

Traditionally, tepaché is made with brown sugar or piloncillo, but I use white sugar instead, and it still turns out delicious. The process is very easy and requires only a few ingredients and some patience as it ferments.

How I Make Tepaché at Home (From Pineapple Peels!)

Ingredients:

Peels from 1 whole pineapple (make sure they’re clean)
White sugar. I put 10 -12 cubes for a litre of water
Cinnamon (depends on how much flavor you want)
Cloves (depends on how much flavor you want)
Water (enough to cover the peels)
A large glass jar or container

How I Make It:

Wash and peel your pineapple. Save the fruit for snacking or another recipe — you’ll only need the peels for this drink.
Place the pineapple peels into a clean glass jar.
Add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.
Pour in enough water to cover the peels.
Stir everything gently to dissolve some of the sugar.
Cover the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel (not a tight lid), and secure it with a rubber band or string. This lets it breathe while keeping bugs or dust out.
Leave it to ferment at room temperature for about 2–3 days. You’ll start to see bubbles — that’s a good sign!
Once it’s fermented to your liking (taste it!), strain the liquid into a clean bottle and refrigerate. It’s best served cold or with ice.

After fermentation:

Why You’ll Love It:

It’s refreshing and naturally fizzy
Good for your gut health
Helps reduce waste — you get double value from your pineapple!
Easy to make and super affordable

Tepaché Dos and Don’ts

DO:

Wash the pineapple thoroughly before peeling, especially if it’s not organic. You're using the skin, so it’s important to remove dirt and any pesticides.

Use a clean jar or container to avoid unwanted bacteria or mold during fermentation.

Loosely cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel, not a sealed lid. Tepaché needs airflow to ferment properly.

Taste it daily after the first day — fermentation time can vary depending on the temperature.

Store in the fridge once it’s fermented to your liking. This slows down fermentation and keeps it fresh.

DON’T:

Don’t use moldy or overly old pineapple peels. If they’re bruised or bad, it’ll affect the taste and safety of your tepaché.

Don’t over-ferment (more than 3 days in warm climates). It might turn too sour or alcoholic.

Don’t shake or tightly close bottles after fermentation — the natural fizz can build pressure and cause the container to burst.

Tepaché Tips & Tricks:

Room temperature matters: Tepaché ferments faster in warm weather and slower in cooler temperatures. 2 days is often enough in warm climates.

Add a slice of the fruit (optional): If you like it sweeter or fruitier, you can toss in a small chunk of pineapple (not just the peel).

More sugar = more fizz: Sugar feeds the fermentation. If you want it bubblier, add a little more sugar — but don’t go overboard.

Strain well before chilling: Use a fine sieve or cheesecloth to catch any bits, especially spices or leftover peel.

Reuse the peels (optional): You can sometimes reuse the same peels to make a second batch, though it may be lighter in flavor.

Let me know if you try it! You can experiment with flavors or sweetness levels depending on your taste. Sometimes I skip the cinnamon and cloves if I don’t have any, and it still tastes great.