Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

 

Sorry Alan, here is my last minute submission to AspiringBakers #26 – Creative Christmas Motif Bakes hosted by Alan of Travellingfoodies. Hope that is not too late J

 

Here I also would like to wish my readers and fellow bloggers a

Happy New Year 2013.

 



 

 

Source : The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook via Noms IMust

 

Ingredients:

60 gr Unsalted butter, at room temperature
150 gr Caster sugar
1 Egg

1 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp Red food colouring (I only use 1 tbsp Wilton “Red Red”)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp White vinegar

120 ml Buttermilk

150 gr Plain flour
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda (I add 1/2 tsp Baking powder)

Method:

- Preheat the oven 180oC.

- Mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring, vanilla, vinegar and buttermilk until evenly combined.

- In a separate bowl, whisk butter and sugar in high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg and beat until incorporated.

- Turn the mixer to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk mixture, beat a while then add half of the flour which has mixed with Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Powder until everything well mixed. Repeat the process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the batter smooth.

- Spoon the mixture into the cupcakes paper and bake for 15-25 mins (depend on the size of cupcakes) or cooked. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray,

- When cupcakes are cold, decorate with cream cheese frosting on top and dust with red velvet cake crumb.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Ingredients:

150 gr Cream cheese, room temperature

75 gr Butter, room temperature

70-100 gr Icing sugar (slowly adjust depend on desired sweetness)

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 tbsp Lemon juice (optional)

 

Method:

- Whisk cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

- While continue whisk, add the vanilla extract. Turn in low speed, slowly add the icing sugar. - Keep adding until you get the desired sweetness.

- Ready to spread.

 

Chocolate and Oreo Pudding

This pudding inspired by Roz @ Home Kreation's Heavenly Milo and Oreo Jelly. I really love the idea of hers by putting my favourite biscuits - oreo inside the pudding. :) Here, I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #24 (October 2012) : Jellies and Puddings hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

Ingredients:

White Layers

200 gr Milk
2 gr Agar-agar powder
10 gr Sugar
5-6 pcs Oreo Cookies – break into small pieces but keep the sandwich together

Chocolate Layers

500 gr Chocolate flavoured milk
5 gr Agar-agar powder
20 gr Sugar
15 gr Chocolate powder

Method:

- White Layers : Boil all the ingredients until dissolve. Pour into the smaller mould and sprinkle the broken pieces of oreo cookies, let it set.
- Chocolate Layers : Boil all the ingredients until dissolve, add Chocolate powder, stir well and off fire once boiled.
- Pour ¼ of the chocolate mixture into bigger mould, let it lightly set, then put in the hardened white layers inside, then pour the remaining chocolate mixture.
- Let it cool, chill till set.
- Best serve chilled.

 

Cake Decorating Class

I've been waiting to join Richard Goh's Creaming/Icing Class from the day I saw FatmumBaking and Bake4Fun did 2 years ago, finally I just completed last week. The class was conducted at Community Centre, if you are interested, you may search at onePA website. However, if you miss his course this year, then normally you need to wait at least a year for him to teach for the same course, cause beside creaming class, he also teach other basic baking classes.

Total class are 8 lessons, with different theme everyweek. We need to bring our own sponge cake, it could be one or maybe two per week. It was quite challenging class, we were having fun there and all the baking classmates was quite friendly & helpful.

Here are my cakes, hope you enjoy .......

Week 1 : Simple Piping Cake

Week 2 : Cake Basket

Week 3 : Cartoon Character

Week 4 : Number or Alphabet Cake

Week 5 : House Cake

Week 6 : Doll Cake

Week 7 : Longevity Cake

Week 8 : Wedding Cake (Final)

If I never join this class, I don't even think that I will ever or dare to do these varieties of cakes.

So ...... which one is your favourite cake? :)

Basic Sponge Cake

 

 

I baked this cake for few times and really delighted with the cake texture: soft, light & spongy. Thanks Sonia for the recipe :)

 

 



Source : Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover



Ingredients:

4 Egg yolks (large)

20 gr Caster sugar
50 gr Oil
60 gr Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
90 gr Cake flour

4 Egg white (large)
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
60 gr Caster sugar

Method:

- Preheat oven to 160C **

- Lightly whisk egg yolk with sugar.

- Add in corn oil, milk and vanilla, stir to combine.
- Add in cake flour, mix well, set aside.
- Beat egg white & cream of tartar until foamy, then gradually add in sugar, beat till stiff peaks.

- Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till light. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.

- Pour batter into (see note ##) 7 or 8 inch pan, bake for 60 mins or until cook.



 

 

Note :

 

** Sonia baked this sponge cake at pre-heated oven at 140c for 25mins (at lower rack), then increase to 170C (at lower rack) and continue to bake for 30mins.

## Sonia suggested - don’t line with paper and don't use a non-stick pan. However, my experience, I lined the paper in the pan, the cake rise well too.





 

So, why made so many times, not even see any cake posting ..... hehehehe  .... check on my next posting :)



Assorted Mini Cakes

Brought these simple mini cakes for Children's Day celebration yesterday. I baked using my favourite chocolate cake recipe and cooked method pandan chiffon recipe. Spread with only whipping cream, cheese and some chocolate decoration on top.  

Strawberry Jelly Cheese Cupcakes

Just love the idea on how Mimy made this jelly cheese in the cupcakes. I followed her make these for my son to bring to his student care for sharing with the rest today :) Just hope the kids will like it.

Here, I used recipe published by the Sunday Times via Mimy Bakery House, you may also check the other recipe that I tried earlier. Both are delicious, however, if you prefer more creamy texture on the cheesecake, you may like this one.

Source : published in the Sunday Times with modification

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base:
170 gr Digestive biscuits, crushed
85 gr Melted butter

Cheese Filling:

250 gr Cream cheese (room temp)
250 gr Condensed milk
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 tsp Gelatin
50ml Hot Boiling Water

Topping:

1 box of Tortally Jelly Crystals – Raspberry flavour
250 ml Hot Boiling water
250 ml Cold water

1 punnet of Strawberries

Method:

- For Biscuit base: Blend biscuits until fine and then mix with melted butter and mix thoroughly. Press into the cupcake mould. Chill to let it harden.

- For Filling: Stir gelatine powder with boiling hot water until it dissolves. Set aside.
- Cream the cheese until smooth, add in condensed milk & lemon juice till well combined. Add in gelatine mixture gradually and cream until smooth. Pour on top of chilled biscuits.
- Arrange strawberries slices (gently pressed) on top of cheese fillings. Leave to set in the fridge overnight. (I leave it in the freezer for 1-2 hour to set)
- For Topping: Dissolve Jelly in hot water then pour in cold water and stir well. Let it cool.
- Pour over the set cream cheese filling and put into the fridge again to let it set until firm.
- Ready to serve.

Chocolate Mousse Cake in a Jar

 

Get the inspiration from here, I tried to make it at home.  This chocolate mousse cake in jar is simple to make, look impressive and taste heavenly good  :)

 



 

Chocolate Sponge - Ingredients:
80 gr Boiling water
20 gr Cocoa Powder
20 gr Sugar

4 Egg yolks
15 gr Sugar
40 gr Oil
55 gr Cake four

3 Egg whites
40 gr Sugar

Method:
- Shift cocoa powder and sugar in bowl, then pour in the boiling water and stir well incorporated.
- Preheat oven 200 degree.
- Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Add in oil & the cocoa mixture, mix well.
- Fold in cake flour until combined.
- In separated bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, add in 40gr sugar, whisk until stiff (soft peak).
- Pour 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk-flour mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the rest of the egg white and mixed well.
- Pour into tray (12"x12"x1") and bake for 10-15 mins.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack

Mousse - Ingredients:

150 gr Chocolate
50 gr Whipping Cream

45 gr Boiling Water

10 gr Gelatin
15 gr Sugar

200 gr Whipping Cream

Method:

- Chocolate Cream: Using double boil method, heat the whipping cream until hot (no need boil), add in Chocolate, stir until well incorporated. Leave aside or until cool.
- Mix gelatin, sugar in the boiling water, stir well until gelatin dissolved. Leave aside to cool.
- Whisk fresh cream at high speed until stiff.
- Mix chocolate cream with gelatin mixture, stir well before pour into the fresh cream, stir until incorporated.

Assembly:

- Cut the chocolate cake using round cutter (dia 5cm), then wrap in with plastic to make a circle.
- Pour the chocolate mousse by piping it onto the cake, then add another layer of cake, continue with another layer of mousse.
- Decorate the top with melted chocolate.
- Chill in refrigerator till set.

Pandan Chiffon Cake (Cooking Method)

Need to clear off my chocolate beads, instead baked this cooking method chiffon into regular chiffon mould, I baked into rectangular mould, then I can decorate on to it :)

I really cannot tell the difference taste between cooking or no-cooking method as I found them both soft & yummy :))

Source : Forbidden Garden via Wen’s Delight

Ingredients:

5 nos Egg Yolks
70 gr Coconut milk
40 gr Pandan juice **
50 gr Butter
90 gr Cake flour
Optional – can add 1/8 tsp pandan paste to get greener colour

5 nos Egg white
80 gr Castor Sugar

Buttercream (optional)

Chocolate for decoration (optional)

Method:
- Preheat oven at 170 deg C
- Cook coconut milk, butter and pandan juice together till butter melted, while is warmed add in sifted flour and mix well.
- Follow by egg yolks, add in slowly and mix well, set aside.
- Whisk egg whites till foamy and add in sugar whisk till stiff.
- Add in 1/3 meringue into the cooked dough and fold well.
- Pour this mixture back to the balance meringue and fold well till the mixture is well mix. (Tip : has to fold fast when the dough is still warmed)
- Pour into a 8 inch rectangular pan or 20cm chiffon mould, bake at 170 deg C for the 1st 10min, then use 150 deg C bake for 35 mins.
- Invert the cake to cool, un-mould when completely cooled.

** Optional : Blend fresh pandan leave with water, cover and chill in the fridge overnight. The juice at the bottom of the bowl is the best, thickest and most fragrant

Mrs NgSK's Butter Cake

Awesome recipe shared by WendyinKK that everybody gave a thumb up. :)

Recipe source: Mrs Ng SK

Ingredients:

230 gr Salted Butter, softened (cool at 18-20C, not glossy)
200 gr Eggs, no shell (4 grade B eggs)
150 + 50 gr Sugar
200 gr Self raising flour, sifted.
60 ml Milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Note : If you have two mixer you may do step 2 and 3 simultaneously. Butter in the stand mixer and egg whites with the hand mixer.

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180C (I used only 160C).

2. Separate the eggs, beat egg whites until soft peaks, gradually add 50 gr sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and 150 gr sugar until pale and fluffy, put in vanilla extract into the cream butter and mix it. Add in egg yolks one by one and beat well after each addition.
4. Put in half the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Put in milk in 2 additions and mix until well incorporated. Mix in balance of flour.
5. Put half the egg whites in and mix on low speed. Pour the balance of egg whites in and FOLD.
6. Pour batter into the greased 8 inch square pan and level.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. (As I baked at 160C, took about 60-70 minutes).

Chocolate Fudge Cake

I made this cake some time ago, but not chance yet to post it. Here, I am submitting this post to AspiringBakers #18 : Layers of Love(April 2012) hosted by Sam of Sweet Samsations



Source: Aunty Yochana with modification via Amanda

Ingredients:

A:

30 gr Cocoa powder
120 gr Warm water

B:

3 Egg Yolks
50 gr Sugar
120 gr Self raising flour
½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
50 gr Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Essence

C:

3 Egg Whites
¼ tsp Cream of Tartar
60g Sugar

Ganache:

200 gr Chocolate Converture

170 gr Whipping Cream

30 gr Butter

Ferrero Chocolate for decoration (optional)

Method:

- Preheat oven to 160 C.

- Mix together all ingredients in (A) in a bowl.

- Mix together all ingredients in (B) in another mixing bowl, stir till smooth.

- Add Cocoa mixture into egg yolk mixture and stir together till smooth.

- In separated bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, add in sugar, whisk until stiff (soft peak).
- Pour 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk-flour mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the rest of the egg white and mixed well

- Pour into 8 inch pan ( here I used 6 inch pan, so I can get higher cake :) )

- Bake for 50 – 60 mins or till an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave it cool

- For GANACHE: Heat up the whipping cream until hot (but not boil), pour in the chocolate and stir until chocolate melt, then add in the butter. Stir till smooth and let it set or easily spreading.

- To assemble the cake: Slice sponge cake into 3 layers. Spread ganache on every layer and cream the whole and decorate as desired :)

Birthday Cake - 2012

I never realised the time fly so fast that I already missed out last two month events :(  So... when I made this birthday cake for my younger boy for his celebration at kindergarten , so coincidence that I won't missing in action again for this month event :)    Here I would like to submit this post to AspiringBakers #18: Layers of Love (April 2012) hosted by Sam of Sweet Samsations.

 

The cake consist of :

A. Chocolate Sponge Cake

B. Vanilla Sponge Cake

C. Swiss Meringue Buttercream –  great recipe with full pictures adapted from Wendyywy

D. Chocolate Picture Transfer Sheet –  useful tutorial with pictures adapted from Happy Flour

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE :

from my favourite swiss roll recipe

Ingredients:

70 gr Boiling water

25 gr Cocoa Powder (here I used mixed of both)
20 gr Sugar

4 Egg yolks
15 gr Sugar
50 gr Oil
50 gr Cake four

3 Egg whites
50 gr Sugar

Method:

- Shift cocoa powder and sugar in bowl, then pour in the boiling water and stir well incorporated.
- Preheat oven 200 deg C.
- Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Add in oil & the cocoa mixture, mix well.
- Fold in cake flour until combined.
- In separated bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, add in 50gr sugar, whisk until stiff (soft peak).
- Pour 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk-flour mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the rest of the egg white and mixed well.
- Pour into tray (12"x12"x1") and bake for 10-15 mins.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack


 

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE :

adapted from Keiko - OKASHI – Souffle Roll Sponge

Ingredients:
1 Egg
3 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

35 gr Unsalted Butter
60 gr Cake Flour
60 gr Fresh Milk

3 Egg Whites
85 gr Fine sugar

Method:

- Preheat oven 180 deg C (my oven I baked in 200C)

- Combine egg, egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl and beat lightly. Set aside.

- Place butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add flour to melted butter and cook through. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, then add egg mixture a little at a time with a spatula till a smooth batter. Add milk and mix to incorporate. Strain the batter and set aside.
- Whisk egg white in a clean bowl and beat till foamy. Add half the sugar and continue beating for a few minutes, then add remaining sugar and beat till stiff peak.
- Add 1/3 meringue into egg yolk mixture and fold in lightly, then add remaining meringue and fold till just incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared pan (12"x12"x1") and spread evenly with a scraper.

- Bake for 15-20 mins and leave to cool on wire rack.

 

Japanese Marble Cotton Cheesecake

Source : Diana's Dessert via The Little Teochew and Nasi Lemak Lover

Ingredients

250g Cream Cheese, softened
50g Butter, softened (I used Salted Butter)
100ml Fresh Milk
1tbsp Lemon Juice
60g Cake flour
20g Corn flour
6 Yolks
1/4tsp salt (I omitted)

6 Whites
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
140g Caster Sugar (I used only 120gr)

Chocolate mixture:
10 gr Chocolate powder
20 gr Boiling Water

Method:

- Preheat oven 160C.
- Lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper. Make sure the baking paper extends higher than the cake by about 1.5 inches.
- Place the softened cream cheese, butter and fresh milk in a mixing bowl and stir over double-boiler until melt and mixture is thick and creamy. Remove it from double-boiler to cool.
- Upon slightly cool, add in the egg yolks, cake flour, corn flour and lemon juice. Mix until well combined.
- Sieve the egg yolk and flour mixture into another clean bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whip the egg whites in till foamy, add in cream of tartar, continue to whisk. Gradually add in the caster sugar, whisk till soft/medium peaks form.
- Add one-third of egg whites mixture into the cheese mixture and use whisk to stir well. Continue to fold gently with the balance egg white mixture.

- Chocolate Mixture : Pour the boiling water into the chocolate powder, mix well until the chocolate powder dissolved. Mix it with one-third of the cheese batter.
- Pour alternately the cheese and chocolate batter onto the prepared pans. Made a marble effect using fork. Wrap around the outside of baking tin with aluminium foil (if possible double layers) to prevent water going in. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 1 hour 10 mins or until set and golden brown.
- Leave to cool in oven with door ajar, about 30mins to 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature may cause the cake to cool too quickly and collapse.

You may hop on to The Little Teochew for some more tip & tricks :)

Another lovely award received within this month and generously shared by Precious Moments and Yummy Bakes. Thanks for remembering me and I’m forwarding this Versatile Blogger Award to the next 10 wonderful bloggers :

Away of Mind

Bake for Happy Kids

Everything4sweets

Happy Flour

Hundred Eighty Degree

Me & Mybakez

From My Lemony Kitchen

Vondelicious

爱丝特の烘焙记录 (Neyeeloh)

平淡的生活 (Tracy Low)

Liebster Blog Award

It’s a very kind of Anita – Recipe with Pictures that she passed me a wonderful award. Thank you so much :)

Liebster is German and translates to

the English word “dearest”or” favorite”.

It’s meant for up-and-coming blogs with less than "200 followers".

Here are the rules

• Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.

• Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.

• Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.

• Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed. (Some say just 3 or more blogs of less than 200 followers each).

• Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

Here I would like to pass and present the Liebster Blog Award to the five blogs (in no particular order):

Cathy’s Joy

 

Fong’s Kitchen Journal

Wen’s Delight

Yummy Bakes

Yummy Little Cooks

Stuffed Lotus Root with Mushrooms

Frankly speaking, I’m not good in cooking, so I usually only preparing steamboat during CNY. When Che-Cheh shared this recipe, it looked easy … and decided to cook it last night. I added extra ingredients (steamboat ingredients left from previous night ) …. and the results … simply wonderful & delicious :)

Here is the recipe with minor modification.

Source : Flavours magazine Jan-Feb 2009 via Messy Witchen

Ingredients:

100 g fish paste (I bought ready made)
120 g lotus root, thinly sliced

4 Garlic cloves
6 Dried Chinese mushroom, soaked and sliced
6 Medium size Prawns, without skin
3 Imitation crabs, cut into 2cm lengths and deep fried
1 Spring onion, cut into 2.5cm lengths
1 Red chilli, cut in diamond/long shapes

Seasonings:

1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 teaspoon “Hau Chi”/Chicken stock powder
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cornflour
1/8 teaspoon Sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon Ground white pepper
1/3 teaspoon Hua Tiao rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
3 tablespoons Chicken stock / Water

Method :

- Stuff fish paste between 2 slices of lotus root sandwich slightly less than 1cm thick. Deep fried until golden brown, set aside.
- Drain remaining oil in the wok, leaving just a tablespoon of oil in the wok.
- Add garlic, fried until light brown, add prawns (wait until half cook), add mushroom, crabs, onion, chilli and fried lotus root sandwiches, stir-fry on high heat.
- Finally add seasonings and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Remove and serve immediately.

Serves : 2-3 pax

I am submitting this delicious dish to Aspiring Bakers #15:Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen's Delight.

Melt-in-mouth German Cookies

I guess I no need to explain further about these German cookies anymore :) as they are so popular and well-rated since last year. But what a pity that I just got chance to bake this year. It’s never too late for you that have not tried it, you will love it as it really melted-in when you pop into you mouth :) and can’t stop just eating only one :D

Source : Min’s Blog and SSB

Ingredients:

125 gr Butter (I used SCS Butter)

40 gr Icing sugar, sifted

125 gr Potato starch

80 gr Superfine flour / Plain Flour

Chocolate rice (optional)

Method:

- Beat butter and icing sugar till fluffy and lighter in colour.

- Sift in potato starch and flour, mix to form a soft dough.

- Pinch a bit of dough and roll into small balls. (I had my 1/3 dough mix with the chocolate rice)

- Arrange on lined baking pan and press lightly with a fork (dip the fork in water after each press to prevent cookie dough from sticking to the fork).

- Bake in preheated oven at 170 deg C for 15 mins, upper rack (need not bake till cookies turn brown).

Yields : 60 pcs

Here's wishing all of you a  Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!

Cashew Nuts Cookies

This year, beside pineapple tarts, I didn’t have chance to bake more for CNY cookies, only extra 2 more varieties. The first one are these cashew nuts cookies, which I had been on my baking list since last year, but only this year I got chance to try this. Thanks Wen for her generous of sharing her Auntie’s yummy recipe.



Ingredients:

250 gr Butter (used quality butter and chilled)
190 gr Icing Sugar

420 gr Plain flour (I reduced to 320 gr)
1 Tbsp Milk powder

1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt

1 no Egg
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

200 gr Ground roasted Cashew nuts (I used 300 gr)
300gr Cashew nuts (Halves it, bake until half cooked for topping)

Extra egg for egg wash

Method:
- Sift flour, milk powder, soda and salt together, set aside.
- Cream butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla till well mix.
- Lastly add sifted flour & ground cashew nut, mix well with the low speed.

- Form a soft dough and chill till firm (min. 2 hours)
- Roll the form and cut into the preference shape using cookies cutter

- Egg wash a layer first, place cashew nut on it, slighlty press. Egg wash again on top of the cashew nut too, to make the nuts look shiny.
- Bake at preheated oven of 180 degree C for 15-25 mins.

Yields : approx 100 pcs for half recipe.