Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting

 

 

These are one of the easiest batch of cupcakes I have done.  The cupcakes smelt so fantastically aromatic and delicious but too bad I have to store them away to bring to a gathering the next day.

 

You can visit this website www.cupcake-creations.com for more delicious recipes on cupcakes and frosting.

 

Chocolate Cup Cake Recipe

Ingredients

150g butter softened (I used President salted butter)

150g Castor Sugar

175g self-raising flour (Prima brand)

3 eggs (room temperature)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I used 2.5)

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius . I positioned my rack on bottom.

2. Line a 12 cup cake tin with cup cake papers.

3. Crack the eggs into a cup/bowl and beat lightly with a fork.

4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.

5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

6. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.  I used about 23 minutes but you can try at 20 minutes to check if they are done.

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Allow to cool fully before icing.

 

Butter Cream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

150g butter softened

250g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp hot water

 

Method

1. Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric beater.

2. Once well combined, add the vanilla and water. Beat until smooth and creamy.

  

 

Use a piping bag and a Wilton 1M to pipe the roses I did on my cupcakes.

 

  Cupcake batter 

  Cupcakes cooling

  Buttercream

Done! 

Condensed Milk Light Chocolate Cake

 

Condensed Milk Light Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing - recipe from Nestle -

Ingredients
For Cake
1 tin of condensed milk ( I used Milkmaid)
100 g butter melted
150 ml water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200 g plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder or 50 g ( I used Van Houten)
2 teaspoon baking powder or 10 g
For icing
1 tablespoon butter or 15 g softened
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup icing sugar
1.5 tablespoon boiling water
Combine the condensed milk and melted butter and water and vanilla essence in a large bowl. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients into the condensed milk mixture until just combined.
Pour the mixture into the a lined 23cm spring form cake tin. ( I used my 24cm) Bake in a preheated 150 degree celcius oven for 45 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from tin and cool completely.
To make the icing, place the butter in the bowl, add sifted cocoa and icing sugar and 1.5tablspoon of hot water and stir to become a smooth and firm consistency. spread icing on cake when the cake is cooled.
 

Condensed Milk Cake

This is a easy to do with few ingredients condensed milk cake. 

Recipe is from Dr Ola's Kitchen

Ingredients

1 can condensed milk 400 gm I used Milkmaid brand which is slightly lesser

4 eggs 

150g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder 

50 gm melted butter n 1 tablespoon for brushing cake 

Method

Preheat oven to 175 deg celcius- I used 170.

Brush oil on cake tin n spread some flour.

With an electric mixer, mix all ingredients till smooth them add to cake pan.

Bake for 40 mins or less according to cake thickness. I used 37 mins.

Sprinkle with icing sugar on top or serve with fruit sauce or fresh fruits. please use a 22cm cake tin.

I used a 24 springform n the cake wasn't as tall as I thought it would be. Although the texture is fine it is not like a sponge cake light texture.

Hope you enjoy baking n eating this cake!

Christmas Cherry Pie

This pie is really easy to make and this is the first time I have ever used canned Cherry Filling n Pre Mixed crust.

Recipe

Ingredients you will need

1 box Betty Crocker Pie Crust Mix

2 cans of Duncan Hines Country Cherry Filling

1 egg - white only

1 9 inch pie tin

1/3 cup of cold water

some plain flour

1 fork

1 mixing bowl

1 pastry brush

1 baking tray to place your pie tin on

Method

Open the box of pie crust mix and add in 1/3 cup of cold water.

Mix with a fork till you get a ball.

Divide into 2 portions and form 2 balls.

Flour the work surface and flatten 1 ball and roll into a circle larger than your pie tin.

Place the pastry onto the pie tin and fit into it.

Brush egg white all round the pastry.

Fill up the pie tin with 1.5 cans of the cherry filling.

Roll out the other pastry ball.

Cut some strips to cover the surface. Apply egg white wash.

Roll the balance of the pastry and cut shapes to cover between the strips.

Preheat oven to 200 Degree Celcius.

Place the Pie Tin on a baking tray. To catch overflowing sauce.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes till crust is golden brown.

Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting pie as filling is very hot.

The crust mix and water.

Mix with fork until you get a pastry ball.

Divide into 2 portions.

Make one portion to line the pie.

Can of opened cherry filling.

Apply egg white wash to all around the pastry.

Fill up with 1.5 cans of cherry filling.

Cover the surface of the pie with strips and shapes.
Apply egg white wash.

Use a shape cutter.

Before Baking.

After Baking.

Hope you like the pie I made today. It is very large pie and can serve at least 10 - 12 people.

Enjoy!!

Pork chops

Inspired by Chef Eric Low, I decided to do Pork Chops for lunch n treat my hubby to western food. 

I replaced pork loin with pork chops n used McCormick perfect pinch instead of rosemary.

Recipe 

Ingredients

2 pcs of frozen pork chops defrosted

Seasoning

1-2 pcs garlic chopped finely 

Some McCormick Perfect Pinch

Some salt

Some crushed black pepper

Some extra virgin olive oil

Method 

Defrost the pork chops.

Marinate with the above seasoning.

Panfry on both sides for a few minutes till browned. About 3-4 minutes each side.

Potatoes

Ingredients

I used a few of these potatoes. About

500 gm. To make 4 servings of potato.

A few tablespoon of milk

A sprig of parsley chopped

Some salt 

Some butter

Method 

Boil a pot of water

Peel n cut potatoes into chunks

Add into boiling water the potatoes n add salt

Cook for about 20 minutes till you can push a fork in

Drain the potatoes n mash half the potatoes finely 

Mix mashed potatoes with salt n 2 or 3 tablespoon of milk

Do not over add milk or it will become too mushy

Add in the chopped parsley n mix

Use a ice cream scoop n scoop out the mashed potatoes. 

Drizzle sauce in top.

I used Masterfoods Roasted Garlic n Herbs finishing sauce.

You can also serve the cooked potatoes just with this seasoning.

The sauce is quite tasty. Serve the pork chop with green peas n carrots and potatoes .

I also had some red wine to go with the meal.

Enjoy!

Chef Eric Low cooking session

This is the second time I attended a cooking demo session by Chef Eric Low.  He is very knowledgeable and willing to share with us many tips on cooking.

This session is organized by City Gas and and the colour is Purple.

So Chef Eric cooked for us Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Jam, Braised Red Cabbage and Port Wine Sauce. He replaced figs with cranberries as they were not available.
I really enjoyed the Balsamic Cranberries Jam as it is very appetizing.  When you pair it with the pork chops, the taste is so delicious!

The second dish is Chilled Black Glutinuous Rice with Yam Coconut Ice Cream.

He has placed the glutinous rice at the bottom and decorated with red beans and attap seeds. Used one potong ice cream and placed a few sweet potato chips in. Scattered on it is the toasted dessicated coconut. Very creative and beautiful.

 

Banana chocolate chip cake

 

After all the excitement of Halloween is over, I finally settled down to do other bakes not related to pumpkin.

 

It's been a long time since I used bananas and I tweaked this recipe and incorporated chocolate chips and cinnamon too for added fragrance to the cake.

 

The original recipe is from simplyrecipes.com.  titled Banana Bread Recipe

 

It is easy to do and you don't need an electric beater.  I chose to do this so that I can involve my daughter as well.

 

Recipe

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups of plain flour

I also added about 1 /3 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips and more for sprinkling on top

about 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 175 deg celcius. ( I used 170)

Use a wooden spoon to mix the melted butter with the smashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.

Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

My step - Mix the flour with the cinnamon and chocolate chips. Add in and mix.

Butter one loaf pan and pour the mixture in. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 1 hr.  I used about 50 minutes.

Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

 

 

 

Bananas and melted butter

My daughter mixing it up

 

 

Before baking

 

 

 After 50 minutes, crusty chocolate top

 

 

Yummy cake ready to eat!

 

Happy Baking!