Banana and Chocolate Cupcakes

Having attended a Tasty Tart cooking demonstration in An Grianán and to satisfy my sweet tooth I often make the banana and chocolate cupcake recipe at home.

Here’s how I got on with the latest batch…

This is a fairly run of the mill cupcake recipe with the added bonus of chocolate and banana. It is very quick to prepare and cook, so perfect for last minute celebrations or even for something a little extra at tea time. Depending on your chocaholic preference, different chocolate varieties can be used. I used dark chocolate as the recipe recommended and I love the taste.

The recipe calls for butter icing but I decided to try something a little different this time. I made 12 cupcakes in total - I topped 4 with melted toffee and banana, 4 with dark chocolate and banana and left 4 plain for the more health conscious.

Suffice to say the twelve cupcakes didn’t last past the family tea time! Cupcakes are a tasty and versatile treat, here’s some I made for a birthday with the same recipe and rainbow butter cream icing.

For more information on cooking demonstration magazine contact with the ICA at admin@ica.ie, 01 668000 or An Grianán at admin@an-grianan.ie, 041 982 2119

DIY Face Masks

With the warm weather here I tend to go for a fresh-faced look, and to keep my skin in check I decided to try some DIY face masks found in the new ICA magazine.

Here’s how I got on…

The first mask, an oatmeal and banana scrub, exfoliates the skin with almonds and oats while the honey and banana moisturizes. How gritty and thick you need or want your mix to be is entirely up to you. I personally added more almonds to the mixture to add to its exfoliation powers. Perfect for tanning legs, this mix is not only fab on the skin but makes a very tasty smoothie.

The second mask, a skin calmer with avocado and natural yogurt, does exactly what it claims! It calms the skin while providing a boost of moisture. This mix is even more effective when applied straight out of the fridge and is a great sunburn soother.

I’m definitely going down the natural route and making my own face masks from now. Aside from the fact that this is a cheaper alternative, the benefits of natural ingredients to your skin are tenfold over the chemicals found in commercial products. There’s also the added bonus of knowing exactly what you are putting on your skin. Both masks will keep for 3-4 days when kept in the fridge.

For more information on holistic skincare courses or the ICA magazine contact with the ICA at admin@ica.ie, 01 668000 or An Grianán at admin@an-grianan.ie, 041 982 2119