My Sun Oven and quick google search saved four extremely ripe bananas from winding up in the compost bin this morning.

The recipe I found is so simple it was hard not to add anything to it. If you like you could add cinnamon or some walnuts, but I like the way it really tastes like bananas.

Sun Oven Banana Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 teaspoon pura vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pura vanilla extract

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Butter and flour a standard loaf pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the Sun Oven until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Cool completely in the pan. Carefully turn the loaf out onto a cutting board.

Wrap any uneaten portion in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Don’t tell anyone, but these cupcakes get their reddish tint from healthy beets instead of food coloring.

If you have the new All American Sun Oven, two muffin pans will fit side by side on the leveling rack. Otherwise the pans will need to be cross stacked and the bottom cupcakes will take a little longer.

Sun Oven Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (8 1/4-ounce) can whole beets, drained and pureed in a blender

1/2 cup low-fat butter milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preparations

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Line 2 6-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the beet puree, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vinegar. Stir buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the lemon zest.

Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pans and spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each one.

Any kind of honey can be used for this moist, sweet cake.

Sun Oven Honey Citrus Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cups honey

2/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Syrup:

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray. Lightly dust with flour, set aside.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the honey, orange juice, sugar, oil, orange zest, lemon zest, and vanilla until blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the honey mixture until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Make the syrup while the cake is baking. In a small sauce pan, combine all the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook 1 minute. remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Pour the syrup over the warm cake in the pan and let soak for 30 minutes. Invert the Bundt pan onto a cake plate and lift off.

These cute little cheesecakes are easy to make and even easier to eat.

Sun Oven Mini-Cheesecakes

(adapted for the Sun Oven from Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook)

Ingredients

12 gingersnap cookies

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1/4 cup raspberry jam

2 (8-ounce) packages Neufchatell cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray 12 silicone cupcake molds or the indentations of two 6-cup muffin pans with cooking spray. If using silicone molds, arrange the molds in two baking pans. If using pans, line each cup with a 2 x 6-inch foil strip, allowing it to extend over the rim.

Break the cookies into pieces into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to make crumbs, you should have 1/2 cup. In a small bowl, mix together the butter and the cookie crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the molds or muffin pans. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Spread about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over the crumb mixture in each cup. Refrigerate while making the filling.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Beat in the egg, egg white, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until blended. Divide the cheese mixture evenly among the muffin cups.

Cross stack the baking pans or muffin tins on the leveling tray of the Sun Oven. Bake until set around the edges and the centers still jiggle slightly, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans on racks for 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

To serve, pop them out of the molds or use the foil strips to lift them out of the muffin tins.

This cake is best when served warm making it ideal for a mid-afternoon solar baked snack. But don’t worry if you don’t finish it off all in one go, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and will still be good for a couple of days.

Solar Baked Coffee Cake

(adapted for the Sun Oven from Weight Watchers)

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cups sour cream

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a 7 x 11-inch metal baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

For the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and five-spice powder. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, and oil until pale. Whisk in the sour cream and buttermilk until blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the blueberries evenly on top.

For the topping: Using your fingertips, mix together the flour, butter, brown sugar, and orange zest in a small bowl until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the blueberries.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in the baking dish on a wire rack. Serve warm.

I first heard about baking a cake with sauerkraut at Weight Watchers a few years ago but dismissed it thinking it couldn’t possibly be any good. Then my interest was piqued when I found another version of it in a cookbook called “America’s Best Lost Recipes”. Seems it wasn’t just some wacky weight loss gimmick after all.

Sun Oven Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, divided

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee or hot water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained, and pureed in a blender or food processor

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a Bundt pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and 2/3 cup of the cocoa powder. Mix in  the melted butter, coffee or water, and vanilla extract until well blended. Add the sauerkraut and blend thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the Sun Oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes then turn out onto a baking rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon cocoa powder.

I used to have a recipe for honey cake that I really liked.

It was a combination of two recipes that I had cut out of magazines. Unfortunately, I never wrote it down and the magazine cuttings were lost a long time ago.

This version from the Weight Watchers website is not quite as good as I remember mine to be. However, it’s easy to make and with a little tweaking might just do the job. Next time I think I’ll forgo the sliced almonds – they add a nice crunch but they’re expensive – and replace them with some raisins mixed in with the applesauce and zest.

Sun Oven Honey Spice Cake

(Adapted for the Sun Oven from Weight Watchers)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a metal loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, oil, and honey. Beat until mixture is pale yellow. Stir in the applesauce and lemon zest.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the almonds on top. Bake in the Sun Oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for about 20 minutes then remove it from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

If you find that you Sun Oven baked cakes are coming out a little lopsided try baking an upside-down cake. Any imperfection disappears once it’s flipped over. That makes it an ideal candidate for Sun Oven cooking.

Sun Oven Apple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 baking apples, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons water

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons apricot jam melted with 2 teaspoon water

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, and lemon juice in a large nonstick skillet and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the apples and water and continue cooking, gently stirring, until the apples begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries and remove from heat.

When the apples are cool enough to handle, arrange the slices in concentric circles in the prepared pan. Top with the cranberries and sugar mixture. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the butter milk, oil, egg, and vanilla in a separate medium bowl. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until just blended.

Pour the batter evenly over the apples in the pan. Bake in the preheated Sun Oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the cake to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate and lift off the pan. Brush the top of the cake with the melted jam.

Sun Oven Spiced Honey Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup raisins

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Butter and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan, set aside.

Whisk together first 7 ingredients, flour through salt, in a medium bowl. In a large bowl beat the honey, sugar, oil, and eggs with an electric mixer until blended. Beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions. Beat in the boiling water. Stir in the raisins. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

Sun Oven Maple-Glazed Bars

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup raisins

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat. Line two 9 x 6-inch baking pans with parchment paper allowing it to extend over the rim of the pan by 2 inches.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, pumpkin pie  spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using a wooden spoon, combine the applesauce, brown sugar, and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the raisins. Spread the batter evenly into the two pans. Cross stack the pans in the Sun Oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and the maple syrup until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush syrup mixture over bars; let cool completely. Lift from pans using the parchment paper as handles. Cut into 24 bars.