Southern Church Cookbooks and Hummingbird Cake Inspiration

I spent Sunday relaxing and baking with my mom. She brought out her old dusty church cookbooks from the 1970's and we sifted through the stained and torn pages to find the best recipes for some mini pecan pies I was making (three varieties, which I will be posting about very soon). My mom warned me that you had to take the recipes "with a grain of salt" because they're written like the person is talking to a friend. So you have to know when something sounds a little funny, or how hot to preheat the oven since the author assumes you know, or when you should probably cut the sugar in half because you're using that much sorghum molasses. 

I went through a lot of the really gooey recipes, asking my mom, "Have you ever baked a banana cake?", "Have you ever baked sweet potato pie for the holidays?" and so on. She said yes to everything, until I got to, "Have you ever made a Hummingbird Cake?" 

Her response? "No, those are so sweet you can't taste anything but the sugar!" 

So, naturally, my next mission, probably for my mom's birthday, is to make a hummingbird cake that doesn't wipe you out from sugar overdose. So, sorry Paula Deen (1 3/4 cup sugar!), I won't be using your recipe. I'll be modifying one of the ones from my mom's old cookbooks. Maybe we'll even bake it together. Wouldn't that just be so sweet? You wouldn't even need a quarter of the sugar. 

Photo and recipe inspiration by Two Tiny Kitchens

Banana Custard Pie with Chocolate Fudge

I spent last weekend in Los Angeles with my lovely friend Amber, and I made her this banana custard pie with chocolate fudge on the bottom crust. We ate it for breakfast for three days, and each time I forgot to take pictures of the final product. Oh well, I tried!

Banana Custard Pie with Chocolate Fudge

Recipe adapted from La Fuji Mama

Pie Crust
1 1/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

Custard
1 2/3 cup water
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
3 large egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Fudge Layer
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter

Extras
1-2 bananas, sliced
Heavy whipping cream

1. Assemble the pie crust: Sift together the flour, salt, and sugar. Mix in the butter and shortening (both cut into small squares and kept very cold) until incorporated. Let chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Roll out and place in pie pan. Pre-bake the crust at 350F for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. This is the only time you'll be baking the crust, so cook it to your preference. Let cool slightly.

2. Make the custard: Mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in the condensed milk and egg yolks and cook on medium heat until it gets thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add in butter and vanilla until the butter dissolves. Set aside to cool.

3. Make the chocolate layer: Heat the chocolate chips and butter in a double-boiler until melted. Immediately place in the cooked pie crust.

4. Create a layer of bananas: Add the slices to the top of the chocolate layer.

5. Add the custard: Pour the cooled custard over the bananas until it reaches the top of the pie crust.

6. Cool. Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours. To prevent a film from forming over the custard, place cling wrap over the top.

7. Top with whipped cream.

8. Eat it.