Pandan rice flour mini sponge cake

With some left-over pandan coconut milk from the earlier baking of chiffon cake, I wanted to bake something simple and easy. These will be for our tea-time and tomorrow's breakfast.

 Pandan rice flour mini sponge cake
Ingredients/ Method

3 eggs
75g sugar
65g cake flour, sifted
35g rice flour, sifted
40ml Pandan coconut milk
20g corn oil
1/8 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 170 deg C.
2. Boil pandan coconut milk, oil and salt in a small pot over low fire, till few bubbles start to appear on the surface. Set aside to cool. 
3. In a cake mixer, beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick.
4. Add in flour and mix till combined, either using mixer on low speed or using spatula. Do not over mix. 
5. Add in pandan coconut milk into batter and mix well. Do not over mix. 
6. Using ice-cream scoop, fill up lined mini cupcake holders with batter upto 90%. 
7. Bake for 15 mins at 170 deg C. Remove and let cool on wire rack. 

I did some doodlings using 2 tbsp of batter and 1 tsp of cocoa powder, mix well. I used the cake tester to draw on the mini sponge cakes. These are specially reserved for my lil boy! 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (August 2014 Event: Flour) - organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe.

Lavender chiffon cake and cupcakes

My ex-colleague was recently hospitalised and I was thinking of baking something "light" when I visit her. I did a Lavender chiffon cake before and since it's not readily available in the market, reckon it would be special too! 

The original recipe is for 8" chiffon tube pan, but I baked them in 6" chiffon tube pan (baking time reduced to 25 mins) and remaining batter into cupcakes (baking time 18 - 20 mins).  

Recipe for Lavender Chiffon Cake
(Makes a 8" tube pan)


Ingredients:5 Egg yolks
20g Caster sugar
90g Whole milk
50g Cooking oil (replaced with olive oil) 
1/4tsp Salt
1 tsp Dried Lavender
Zest from one Lemon
120g Self-raising flour
5 Egg whites
70 Caster sugar
1 tsp Corn flour


Method:

1. In a heatproof bowl, microwave dried lavender with milk for about 20secs at high heat. This is to bring out the fragrance of the lavender. Leave aside. (I boil the milk & lavender in a small pot over low heat.)
2. Mix egg yolks with sugar till light yellow.
3. Add in salt, lavender with milk and cooking oil. Mix well.
4. Sift in self-raising flour and mix well.
5. In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites till foamy.
6. Mix in corn flour into caster sugar. Gradually add in the sugar into the egg whites till soft peaks.
7. Take one-third of the egg whites and fold into the egg yolk batter.
8. Continue to fold in the egg whites into the egg yolk batter in two batches.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan. Bang it hard onto the table top.
10. Bake at preheated oven of 180C for 45mins.
11. Remove from the oven and invert the cake until completely cooled.

I'm also linking this post to Bake Along for this week's theme of Chiffon Cakes jointly hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Lena of Frozen Wings. 

Sinfully rich peanut butter choco cupcakes

These were baked just before I left for my month-long holidays to States and Tokyo. I was trying to clear some stuffs in the fridge. If you like Reese's peanut butter cup, you will like this sinful little treats!

Peanut butter choco cupcakes


Ingredients/ Method:
185g butter
250g fine sugar
200ml evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
70g cocoa powder
1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp vanilla essence
200g creamy peanut butter 

1. Sift flour, cocoa power, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla essences and butter in a saucepan.
3. Stir over low heat until sugar dissoclved and butter melted. Remove from heat.
4. Add the beaten eggs into the slightly cooled mixture and stir till well mixed.
5. Add egg mixture over the flour and stir till well mixed.
6. Spoon batter into baking cups using ice-cream scoop till slightly more than 1/2 cup full. (The cake rises a fair bit, so if you want a nice dome cupcake, fill up about slightly less than 3/4 cup)
7. Pipe peanut butter into the batter.
8. Baked at pre-heated oven of 180 deg C for 18 to 20 mins or till the skewer inserted into cupcake comes out clean.
9. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Orange cheddar cheese cupcake

Another breakfast treat! Modified from the original cheddar cheesecake and just as soft & fluffy, but not cheesy enough.

I'm also submitting this to Little Thumbs Up April: Orange hosted by Ann of Anncoo Journal.


Orange Cheddar Cheese Cupcake
(makes 8 cupcakes)

Ingredients:  
3 slices of Cheddar Cheese
50ml fresh orange juice
50g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites (preferably cold, place in fridge after separating)
50g caster sugar
50g cake flour
zest from 2 oranges


Method: 

1. In a heatproof saucepan, place the butter, orange juice and tear up the cheddar chesee slices in. 
2. Place saucepan over medium low heat and stir gently until all is melted and mixed in together. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before use. 
3. Ladle big spoonful of the milk mixture into the egg yolks. Mix well and then add in the rest of the milk mixture in. Add in orange zest and stir well. 
4. Sift in the cake flour into the egg yolk mixture and make sure no lumps. 
5. Preheat the oven to 155C with a water bath. 
6. In another large mixing bowl, add the egg whites in and beat till foamy. Add in the sugar gradually and beat till stiff peaks. 
7. Gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites portion into the cheese mixture. And repeat with the other 2 portions and careful not to deflate it.
8. Pour the batter into the baking case. 
9. Bake the cake in the oven for 20-22 minutes or till the tester comes out clean.

Nutella cupcake

Another bake for our breakfast today! Instead of a 22-25cm chiffon pan, I baked them in cupcakes. It shrunk quite a fair bit after out of the oven, and too moist.

I'm copying the recipe here from Table for 2 for ready reference. I may try out using chiffon tin the next time. I also missed reading the part about reducing the milk. Have to take special note the next time!

Nutella Cupcake 
(yields 18 cupcakes) 

Ingredients

100gm hot milk (to reduce)
180gm Nutella
80gm cake flour, sifted
5 egg yolks (grade B)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 egg whites (grade B)
80gm sugar ( I reduce to 70gm) 

Method

1. Melt Nutella with hot milk, stir until smooth. Let it cool down.
2. Preheat oven to 160(fan)/180C. Prepare a 22 or 25cm chiffon pan. Do not grease. ( I use cupcake liners)
3. When the Nutella mixture has cooled down, mix with egg yolks, flour and vanilla extract until it becomes a smooth batter.
4. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks and gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff.
5. Put 1/4 of the egg whites into the Nutella batter, with quick and gentle stroke, fold the batter. Repeat with another 1/4 of the egg whites.
6. Pour the Nutella batter into the egg whites, scrape the Nutella batter bowl clean and fold the final batter until no streaks of egg whites are seen.
7. Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until done. ( I bake the cupcakes for 20-25mins)
8. Remove from oven immediately, and cool it upside down*.
9. When cake has TOTALLY cooled down, remove from mould and slice to serve. Keep cake air covered to prevent drying out.

Mini baked egg cake

I hasn't been baking for my late mum for a while and I'm glad I did it this 清明节.

And I thought I could steam the cake using the same recipe but it didn't turn out as expected. Luckily I was left with 50% batter to bake them. Nice, cute & liked by all the kids!

Ingredients:
(Yield about 35 to 40 mini cupcakes) 
3 egg whites
65g icing sugar
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
50g corn oil
65g self-raising flour
5g cocoa powder + 1 tbsp hot water

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix egg yolks and whole egg together with a hand whisk. Add in corn oil till combined. (I used the mixer)
2. Sieve in self-raising flour and mix well, set aside. 
3. Whisk the egg whites to bubbly at medium speed and add icing sugar into it in 3 batches and whisk to stiff peak. 
4. Add 1/3 of meringue to egg yolk mixture and fold well with a rubber spatula. Then pour all the egg mixture into the meringue at low speed and mix well. 
5. Scoop the batter into the mini cupcake liner about 3/4 full.
6. Bake in pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 18-20 mins. 

Chocolate chips orange cupcake

This was baked for my baby's actual 7th birthday as it's still a school day for him. Wishing him healthy, happy, smart & smooth sailing as always! Baked with love <3 nbsp="" p="">

I'm copying the recipe here for ready reference. The original recipe is here.

Ingredients: (makes 12 cupcakes) 

25g corn oil

35g freshly squeezed orange juice
3 eggs (large), cold from fridge
95g caster sugar
100g Top flour or cake flour
1/4tp fine salt
1 orange rind
1/3 cup chocolate chips 

Method: 

1. Mix corn oil and orange juices together, set aside
2. Mix flour and salt together, sift them twice, set aside
3. Remove eggs from the fridge, add into the mixing bowl, add in caster sugar, immediately beat it till pale, thick and fluffy (Use KA mixer with balloon whisk, 3mins at speed 8-9, 10mins at speed 4-5, 2mins at Speed 1-2, total time 15mins ).
4. With mixer running at speed 1-2, add in orange rind, add flour spoon by spoon, then add in corn oil + orange juices, and chocolate chips, do not over mix. Remove mixing bowl, use a spatula to fold the batter till well combined.
5. Pour batter in a lined 12 holes muffin pan until 90% full. Lightly tap on countertop twice to remove air bubbles.
6. Bake at pre-heated oven at 170C for 25mins at middle rack.

Hokkaido chiffon cake

I've been a laggard in baking these yummy Hokkaido chiffon cakes. There are so many recipes out there, and I took the easy way out when I found one in DreamersLoft who has made comparison of 2 recipes. Taking the same cue, I also tried out Reirei's recipe and they are really good - soft & yummy - even when chilled overnight in the fridge! I've copied the recipe here for my future reference.

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes

(Adapted from Reirei of All That Matters, makes 10 cupcakes)
(A)
3 egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
24g corn oil
24g milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
32g cake flour
1/8 tsp baking powder (sift together with cake flour)

(B)
3 egg white
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g caster sugar

(C)

90g chilled fresh milk
30g custard powder
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
3/4 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
145g dairy whipping cream

Some Snow Powder (optional)

Method
1) Preheat oven to 175℃。
2) In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with salt. Then add oil, milk and vanilla extract, whisk till well-blended.
3) Fold in flour mixture and set aside.
4) In another bowl, beat egg whites , sugar and cream of tartar to stiff peak.
5) Scoop 1/3 of the egg white mixture to the yolk batter, fold well, then pour batter back to the remaining egg whites. Fold lightly till well-mixed.
6) Fill baking cases with about 30-32g of batter. Bake for 20 mins, then leave to cool.
7) In a separate bowl, mix milk, instant custard powder, vanilla paste and icing sugar till mixture is smooth.
8) Pour in whipping cream and beat till the thickness desired.
9) Using a piping tip, insert tip into the cake and pipe for 5 seconds. 3 to 4 seconds if you prefer less cream.
10) Sieve snow powder on top (optional) and chill cake before serving

Full month celebration

One month seems to have passed so fast and we were celebrating my younger niece's full month yesterday. From a tiny baby at slightly more than 2 kg at birth, she has put on healthy pounds with so much tlc from her mommy, daddy, grandma & "auntie" (the confinement lady). If my beloved late mom is around, she would be very very happy to see that all her children have settled down and started our own family. But I believe that she can see us from above and continue to give us her blessings from wherever she is now. Most importantly, wishing bb YL healthy, cheerful and happy always!

For the full month celebration, I have again* offered my brother & sis-in-law that I can prepare cupcakes for the party. (*again = the last was during their wedding dinner!) Thankfully they agree and I had another opportunity to play with fondant modelling. I did a simple chocolate cupcakes using valrhona cocoa powder and top with nursery themed fondant.





Valrhona chocolate cupcakes
(I doubled the below recipe to yield 55 mini cupcakes)
Ingredients/ Method:
185g butter
250g fine sugar
200ml evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
70g valrhona cocoa powder
1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp vanilla essence

1. Sift flour, cocoa power, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla essences and butter in a saucepan.
3. Stir over low heat until sugar dissoclved and butter melted. Remove from heat.
4. Add the beaten eggs into the slightly cooled mixture and stir till well mixed.
5. Add egg mixture over the flour and stir till well mixed.
6. Spoon batter into baking cups using ice-cream scoop till slightly more than 1/2 cup full. (The cake rises a fair bit, so if you want a nice dome cupcake, fill up about slightly less than 3/4 cup)
7. Baked at pre-heated oven of 180 deg C for 18 to 20 mins or till the skewer inserted into cupcake comes out clean.
8. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Orange butter cake

The Easter long weekends gave me enough time to unwind and time to bake. Other than the Vanilla Beans Macarons, I also baked some orange butter (cup)cakes. It was meant to be a test bake for my niece's full month celebration this coming Sunday, and I'm now torn to bake this or my favourite chocolate cake.



Actually just this year, our family is blessed with 2 "小龙女" (baby girl born in the year of dragon per chinese zodiac), first from my elder sister who's residing in States, and second from my youngest brother. Because of the distance, we are not able to fly over to States to hug the lil one now but I'm already planning to go by next year or earlier if possible. With my brother's newborn baby, it gave my boy more excuses to take the train to visit them during the weekends. I can't forget my boy's first expression when he saw my brother's baby in the hospital - anticipating, exciting, happy and bewildered! He must be imaging how the baby was in my sis-in-law's bump on a Saturday and came out as such a beautiful baby 2 days later! It still bewildered me and keep me constantly amazed with such miracle and beautiful creations!



Anyway back to baking the cake, I love how the orange zest were rubbed with the sugar - smell, taste and sight, love how each addition of ingredients were incorporated into the batter. The mixture didn't get too wet even with fluids being added and it just turned out so beautifully! Taste-wise, the cake turned out like an old-fashioned butter cake, moist and fluffy. The orange zest give you a slight twist and it feels good knowing that only 100% fresh orange juice is used!



Orange butter cake
(Recipe adapted from Baking Library;
yield 12 standard size cupcakes, 2 mini loaves)

Ingredients/ Method:
250g self raising flour, sifted
250g good quality unsalted butter, softened
185g castor sugar (I reduced it to 170g)
170g whole eggs, at room temperature (about 3 eggs)
100ml freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
finely grated zests of 2 oranges

1) Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Prepare baking tins or lined cupcake moulds and set aside.
2) Grate the orange zest over sugar and rub them together. You will get orange-infused sugar, super nice!
3) In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and orange-infused sugar on medium high speed for about 5 mins until pale and fluffy.
4) Add beaten eggs to butter mixture in 6 additions, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next addition.
5) Add 1/3rd of flour to the egg-butter mixture on low speed till well incorporated. Next add in half of orange juice to batter till well incorporated.
6) Add another 1/3rd of flour to the batter till well incorporated. Add the remaining orange juice and mix till well incorporated. Lastly add the remaining flour into the batter and mix till well incorporated.
7) Scrape the side and bottom with a spatula for any loose ingredients.
8) Using an ice-cream scoop, fill up 2/3rd of the lined cupcake mould and bake at 180 deg C for 25-30 mins.
9) For mini loaves, I bake for about 40-45 min at 180 deg C.
10) Check doneness when skewer come out clean after inserted into cake.
11) Allow cake to cool completely on wire rack.



Enjoy!

Super-moist apple cupcakes

I was completed sold when I saw Jo posted this Super-moist apple cake, and the heavenly cinnamon-nutmeg-sugar toppings! By now, some of you would know that I'm quite a cinnamon person. The sweet scent of cinnamon baking in the oven is like aphrodisiac and give you a high feeling, if you get what I mean.



For this recipe, instead of baking it as a 10-inch cake, I baked mine into 12 standard sized cupcakes and 2 mini loaves. This is mostly because I want to submit to this month Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes (November 2011) hosted by Min's blog. Actually, my baking was not smooth sailing... 1st my heavy cream turned bad even before it's expiry date, so got to rush T to buy for me when he just stepped into the house after a day's work. Then, I was being too greedy and put too much batter into each cups and ended up with a overflowing cupcakes :-( Like Jo, I was quite apprensible how the cake would turn out with the heavy cream being poured over the cake just before putting them into the oven. True enough, the cake did not turn out soggy at all. It was moist and the crumbs are so soft that it does not hold well if you are using a fork to eat. Overall, it's still a good recipe that I would try again when I have cinnamon cravings. I'm copying Jo's recipe with slight modifications here for future reference.

Super-Moist Apple Cake
(makes 12 standard cupcakes + 2 mini loaves)

Ingredients/ Method:
a) 1 1/4 cups sugar (I reduced it to 1 cup)
170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk (whole or low-fat)
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, halved, and thinly sliced (I used Granny Smith)

b) 3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar + 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I used brown sugar)

1) In a large bowl beat 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the butter for 3 to 5 minutes until light in color. Scrape the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula and continue to beat the mixture until it is very light in texture and color, several minutes more.

2) Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. Then add in the vanilla extract and beat to incorporate together.

3) Sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add the milk and dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stopping to scrape the bowl as necessary.

4) Pour the batter into the prepared lined cups not more than 3/4 full using ice-cream scoop. Spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Arrange the apple slices overlapping on top of the cake batter to completely cover the top of the cake. Pour the cream evenly over the apples.

5) Stir together the 1/3 cup sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the cake.

6) Bake in pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 35 minutes for cupcakes or 40 minutes for the mini loaves or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer it to a rack, and let cool completely.

7) Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and invert it once more onto a serving platter. Serve warm or room temperature. Once cool, the cake can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.



Update - 30 Nov 2011:
I kept the unfinished mini loaves in an air-tight container and left it in the fridge since Sat. The cake still taste fresh and superb on the fifth day that they were being baked. I microwaved on mid-high for about 1.5 mins after taking them out from the fridge. A keeper recipe that I would recommend to everyone!

See how the cake looks like on day 5! Nice!

Souffle cheese cupcakes

It has been a long time that I've updated my blog. During this period of absence, I've done very little baking. Not too sure what I had been up to, but I'm left with little time and energy to bake after busy work week, dramas. It also doesn't help that I've no idea what I want to bake.


Whatever, I've a block of cream cheese that's going to expire very soon, and also that my younger brother had organised a housewarming on Good Friday, it seem a perfect calling for me to bake something on this day. This 'something' took a while to conceive as I'm totally clueless these days ~~ but definitely has to include cheese ~~ which is this month Aspiring Bakers #6: Say Cheese, hosted by Noms I Must. It was only till the eleventh hour that I decided to bake and finally deciding on baking this Souffle cheese cupcakes.



I'm happy with the outcome, and my family and relatives like them very much. The texture is very soft and tender, and resembles the Cotton soft Japanese cheesecake that I baked previously. Comparing, this Souffle cheese cupcakes is much easier to prepare and bake than the Cotton soft Japanese cheesecake. Taste-wise, both are equally good.




Souffle Cheese Cupcakes
(Recipe adapted from SeaDragon, with slight modifications)
Makes about 15 cuppies

125g cream cheese
60ml milk
40ml canola oil
3 egg yolks
40g caster sugar (reduced to 25g)
20ml lemon juice (extracted from 1 lemon)
30g cornflour, sifted
3 egg whites
70g caster sugar (reduced to 60g)

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Place a large tray of hot water inside the oven just below the shelf where the cheesecakes are to be baked.
2. Line 15 muffin holes with paper cups or use cupcake holders.
3. Soften cream cheese with milk and oil in a bowl placed over simmering water, or in a double-boiler. Whisk until smooth, remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.
4. Beat egg yolks with 25g sugar until combined, beat in lemon juice. Gradually whisk in cheese mixture to combine. Lightly whisk in sifted cornflour, mix well.
5. Beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually beat in 60g sugar, spoonful by spoonful, until firm but just under stiff peaks stage.
6. Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the cheese mixture until thoroughly mixed in. Repeat two more times with the remaining egg white mixture.
7. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups using ice-cream scoop, filling each cup nearly to the rim.
8. Place the muffin tray on the shelf just above the tray of hot water.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops of the cheesecakes are lightly browned. Test doneness when skewer inserted come out clean.

Aspiring bakers #2: Xmas cupcakes

This post is jumping queue and ahead of a few posts which have been kept in the inbox for months. The only reason is that there's a deadline for submission to Aspiring Bakers #2. I'm keeping this post very short, but nevertheless would like to wish everyone a

Merry Christmas and enjoy the joy the festive seasons bring you! Cheers <3<3<3

These decorated xmas cupcakes are all handcrafted as gifts for my colleagues. I used steamed chocolate cake recipe, but instead of steaming it, I baked them for about 20 mins at 180 degC.

These are very simply decorated with store bought figurines and dusted with snow powder, using the same recipe as above.

Bumble bee cupcakes

One of my closest friends recently shifted house and the group of girlfriends decided to do a bbq at her place... not a housewarming (just a gathering), otherwise I would get her a chopper as she said her apartment lack of one...hahaha. Anyway each of us brought something for the bbq, so it's not that tiring for the host. Think she would be a dead-meat if she's doing it alone. It was a fun gathering but the night ended early as my little boy started to get grouchy when it's near his sleeping time. Something unusual happen when he reached home - he kept crying and can't really get to sleep and insisted i carry him. Either he was playing too much earlier or some kinda of unexplained presence **eerie**. Alas it didn't last very long, just about 2 hours before he's into deep slumber again.

I also made a few bumble bee cupcakes for the little children. Wanted to prepare the fondant bees earlier in the week, but this week was simply too busy at work and tiring. Only managed to mould them yesterday morning, and let dry in air-conditioned room for an hour plus. Just in time for bbq and hope to have another one soon ;-)

Ingredients/ Method:
(makes 6 standard-size cupcakes)

60g unsalted butter, softened
70g caster ugar
95g self-raising flour
65ml milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven at 180 deg C.
2. Beat all ingredients, except flour, until well combined.
3. Add in flour and beat until batter is pale and smooth.
4. Pour batter into lined cupcake tin and bake for 30 mins or until cooked and golden.
5. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Updated 25/4/2011: You may click on this link for step-by-step of making these cute Bumble Bees.

My nephew's 1st birthday

Following my earlier post, I finally had a chance to try out the fondant recipe for my little nephew's 1st birthday. It's really really fun to mould the fondant (like playing play-doh) and make any designs that fancy me or suitable for the occasion. These made paying for the baking class at Sugar Inc. worth every cent! However, before 'venturing' into fondant making, there are other 'investments' to be made, like getting a microwave oven - luckily my aunt got a spare one, & she happily pass it on to me as it free up her kitchen space...hahaha, alphabets cutter, big round 'base' cutter, wilton colourings, wanted to buy the 'pizza cutter' & 'jagger cutter' but they are rather expensive, so will have to find cheaper alternatives the next time.

Presenting my little fondant venture..... I'm happy with the outcome ;-)

Butterfly cupcakes & Little nutella-filled cakes

Most of the Saturday morning, I would laze longer in bed with my little baby actively awake and playing on his own with his toys. Seeing that I'm still sleeping, he would either climb over my body umpteen times, or pestering me to read a book to him, or just to wake up and play with him. This morning is not unusual, except that I took out the recipe book which i have left at my bedside table few days ago, and flipped through the pages with my little baby. Am I inspiring him to be a baker or chef? Nothing of the sort, though I will not object if he chose this path... then i can be celebrity baker/chef's mommy ;-)

The cute butterfly cupcakes caught my eyes. My little baby likes it too! After I told him that I'm going to bake it for him, he can't stop asking me for it and I've to explain to him that I can only do it in the afternoon. Okay, he got distracted for a while and start asking again. Finally got him to take his afternoon nap, and have time to start preparing to bake the cupcakes. The recipe is easy but before I could finish baking, my little baby woke up and started asking for butterfly cupcake again. He got impatient and asked me to seat him in the baby chair; that's his usual tea-time place. I've to rush through decorating one cupcake and immediately give it to him. He's that demanding! The only rewarding remark given by little baby on the cupcake is "very nice", and makes all efforts worthwhile! He had 2 butterfly cuppies ;-) I like the cupcake texture too, soft and smooth, when fresh out of the oven!

Butterfly Cupcakes
(Recipe adapted from Baking a Commonsense Guide)

Ingredients/ Method:
120g unsalted butter, softened
120g caster sugar (original recipe use 180g)
185g self-raising flour
125ml milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (original recipe did not add this)

1/4cup whipping cream. whipped
some strawberry jam
icing sugar, to dust

1) Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2) Beat egg, sugar, milk, butter and vanilla essence with electric beater. Add in flour and beat till mixture is smooth and pale.
3) Pour mixture into lined baking cups, 2/3 filled.
4) Bake for 30 mins. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
5) Cut shallow rounds from the centre of each cake using point of a sharp knife.
6) Spoon 2 tsp whipped cream into each cavity, top with some strawberry jam and position 2 halves of cake tops in the jam to resemble butterfly wings. Dust with icing sugar.

I used half of the above recipe to bake Little nutella-filled cakes. Pour batter into lined baking cups, 1/3 filled. Top with 1tsp nutella and cover with batter upto 2/3 of baking cup. I've greedily add too much nutella and T says it overwhelmed the cake.

Added lemon juice and zest to left-over whipped cream

to decorate the little nutella-filled cakes