Today was a pretty good day. It started off with me finding a pair of pink slippers for OT today and that always makes my day.
The little things in life. 😛
The fact that my case went off well and I met some fun 7th semmers made it better ofcourse, but yes 🙂

So today’s post is on Surprise, Surprise, Cinnamon!
It’s just one of those things that people either love or hate. There is no middle ground.
Cinnamon is right up there with Mint Chocolate Chip, Sushi and bacon. Okay wait, sorry, not bacon. Everyone loves bacon. Bacon is love. 🙂

So anyway, I adore cinnamon. In every form. Give me cinnabons, apple cinnamon cake, cinnamon french toast, cinnamon Pop-tarts..okay I’ll stop..and I’ll be a happy girl.
So yeah, it makes my world go round.
Apple pie without cinnamon is very sad apple pie.
It’s the cinnamon that gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
You get my drift, right?

So there are actually two types of Cinnamon- One is the Cassia variety from Indonesia and the second is the Ceylon type from Srilanka(stocked up when I visited, and the aroma is heavenly)
The coumarin(a naturally occuring toxin) content of Cassia is much higher than Ceylon which has only trace amounts.
So naturally, Ceylon makes for a better(not to mention, sweeter)option.

Since we’ve all switched or are trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle, I thought I’d bake some cinnamon banana bread today.
It goes brilliantly with a cup of coffee and it’s basically breakfast, so there- Most Important meal of the day sorted for you 🙂

Try it out, worked well for me.

Ingredients

2 cups flour – (whole-wheat is optional)
3/4th cup brown sugar
3-4 over-ripe bananas(the blacker and spottier, the better)
1/3rd cup- Buttermilk
115g or 1 stick of unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda

Grease a 9*5 inch loaf tin and preheat the oven to 180deg C(350deg F).

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater for around 3 mins and add the eggs in one at a time, beating till incorporated.

Beat in the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas on medium speed for around a minute.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon(why, hello you).

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
At this stage, you’re free to toss in pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips.
I on the other hand, tossed in Hershey’s cinnamon chips. Yay.

Pop in the tin and into the oven.
Bake for around 60 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

 

Let it cool(however hard this step may be) and then slice.

You can also frost it with either a vanilla or a cream cheese frosting, both would go well.
I chose the heathier option and am not disappointed 🙂

Another interesting fact about this wonder spice is that the Roman Emperor Nero burnt a couple of tonnes of cinnamon at his wife’s funeral to atone for kicking her to death(*Facepalm*)
Twisted logic, much?

Since the healthy diet n all that comes up, one cannot eat this cake all by oneself(without feeling too guilty)
So, it shall be shared tomorrow.

 

What is your favourite cinnamon treat? Do let me know 🙂