Treats for the county fair!

**Updated with the results below!**

My friends here have long been county fair competitors whether through photography or baked goods and this year I decided to join their ranks and enter a couple of baked items and one black and white photo in the fair competitions. I have talked about making my dad's recipe for banana nut bread for the fair for the last three years. I've just always thought it simply the best recipe out there and of course it's extra special to me because of him and all the memories I have of coming home from school and opening the door to that delicious smell of baking banana bread. That smell is home to me, home with my Papa. So, this one's for you Papa! I hope we win!

I'm also submitting my new favorite cupcake recipe, peach cobbler cupcakes with spiced whipped cream frosting. They are a great summer dessert, not too sweet and perfectly light and fruity. They hit the spot! Check out the recipes below if you want to try them for yourself.


First, here's the photo I entered of Gi:

Peach Cobbler Cupcakes 
Yield: 18-20 Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C plain whole milk yogurt (I use Pavel's organic)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C peaches, smallish-ly chopped (about 3 medium-sized peaches)

1. With a fork, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract until blended.
4. Mix in flour mixture.
5. Fold in peaches.
6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
7. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.
8. Frost with the spiced whipped cream frosting recipe below or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be spectacular too!

(Adapted from: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2010/07/peach-cobbler-cupcakes.html#ixzz22nvF4yHF )

Spiced Whipped Cream Frosting:

• 2 C heavy whipping cream
• 5 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

 Chill a metal bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes then pour in the heavy cream and beat on high until it thickens. Add sugar and cinnamon. Beat until soft peaks form, then add vanilla. Beat again until stiff peaks form and you have reached the desired consistency. Use a large open star tip to frost and enjoy!

And last but not least, my Papa's renowned banana nut bread recipe!

Banana Nut Bread

Yield: 1 large loaf

• 2 C flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 C buttermilk
• 1 C mashed super ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
• 1/2 C chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and put 1/2 c. pecans on a baking sheet to toast (about 5 minutes). 
2. Grease and flour your loaf pan. 
3. Chop the nuts and reserve. 
4. Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork. 
5. Cream the butter and sugar then add the eggs, buttermilk and mashed banana. 
6. Mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time and then fold in the nuts.  
7. Pour batter into your loaf pan and be sure you have ample space in the oven for the bread to rise over the top of the pan. Many times I have had to remove the upper rack in my oven because this loaf rises so high. 

Variations are endless. Try adding some cinnamon or using different nuts or even adding dates to the mix. Yum!

**My cupcakes took 1st place in their division!! The banana nut bread won second place and my black and white photo also won a pretty red second place ribbon! This fair competition stuff could get addicting.