smiley face cupcake

i wanted to decorate some cupcakes quickly the other day. and using very minimal coloured fondants seem to make more sense. so some smiley faces cupcakes seem easy enough to execute quickly.

even made 1 that looked like my husband!

anyway, happy baking!

coconut raisin cookies

i wanted to make butter cookies but when i looked in my pantry i had some small bags of coconut, raisins, chia and flax seeds. so i wanted to get rid of them by putting them in my cookie batter. 

it actually turned out great! to make the cookies, you need:

1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup oats
1 cup coconut threads/dessicated coconut
1/2 cup raisins (that's how much i had left)
1/4 cup soft brown sugar
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp honey (or less)
180g butter, melted

1. preheat the oven 160C on fan-forced. that's how you get the nice colour on the cookies.
2. put all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. mix the honey with the melted butter and pour into the dry ingredients.
4. stir until all dry ingredients are wet.
5. roll into balls and slightly flatten.
6. place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. i baked mine for 22 minutes because they were big.

in a way, the ingredients are mostly similar to anzac biscuits. the extra ingredients are the raisins, chia and flax seeds.

anyway, happy baking!

car on the cake

i know it's been a while since my last post but i made it a point to bake and decorate a cake for my husband's birthday a few weeks ago.

as always i had heaps of fun. that cake topper was not as easy to model as i thought it was. it's supposed to be a mazda mx5 that my husband drive but i don't think it looks like that at all.

anyway, happy baking!

victoria sponge

i have to say that this is one of my favourite cake recipe because it's very versatile and easy.

the recipe is enough to make a 18cm round cake or 12 regular cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes.

basic ingredients:

200g each of margarine, caster sugar  & self-raising flour

6 eggs, pre-cracked

flavourings:

1-2 tbsp vanilla/vanilla paste/lemon/almond/orange/etc.

coffee - 2 tbsp instant coffee diluted in 1 tbsp hot water

chocolate - replace 50g of flour with 100g of cocoa diluted in 100ml of warm water & 100g of melted cooking chocolate.

steps:

• cream margarine & sugar until pale.
• add chosen flavouring & mix until combined.
• add a third of the eggs with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix until combined. repeat this step until all eggs have been added.
• add remaining flour and mix until combined.
• divide batter into tin.
• bake in preheated oven: 180C.

baking times

round cake: 20-40 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean

regular cupcakes: 15-20 minutes

mini cupcakes: 10-15 minutes

Maltesers Chocolate Cupcakes: Photo Guide

sI'm not a great baker. So, I always choose a recipe that is super easy. This recipe is not only super easy but it also involves less clean-up. I like this recipe a lot. I know I will get tasty cakes and it's not so much of a hard work. Here's the photo guide:

Baking chocolate cupcakes

Line muffin pan with 12 baking cases and pre-heat oven to 170C.

Put the mixing bowl and sifter on top of the scale. Then sift 85g self-raising flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Set the scale to zero. In the same bowl with the sifter on top, sift 110g caster sugar with 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Remove the sifter. Add 110g softened margarine.

Then, add 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons milk or cream. I used cream in the picture. Attach the mixing bowl to the mixer and beat until everything is combined and smooth.

Break the Maltesers into chunky pieces. I used the aid of a wooden spoon.

Fold in the broken Maltesers into the batter.

Then, spoon the batter into the baking cases. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until top of the cake is firm to the touch.

Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Finally, decorate the cupcakes.

This recipe is really fuss free and easy to the core. From the photos, I used very minimal kitchen utensils. Than means, less things to wash. There are plenty of ways to decorate cupcakes too. I like to use a piping bag and pipe the frosting on. It's just so simple and yet so elegant. I hope this photo guide helps.

Happy Baking!

 

coconut meringue cupcakes

i had some leftover coconut cream after making a spicy thai noodle soup the other night. i thought it was such a waste to just leave the leftover coconut cream forgotten in the fridge. so, i decided to make cupcakes with it. 

i've eaten countless of sweet treats made with coconut before and i loved every bit of it. i found a recipe from the many cupcakes recipe book i collected from the library. i tried it out and here's how it turned out....

it was delicious. i like the texture the most. it was soft and light, it almost feels as if it was a marshmallow.  and that's just the cupcake on its own. after spreading the frosting on, i felt like i was in my own little paradise. it was definitely a divine experience for me.

anyway, here's the recipe:

cupcakes

90g butter

115g cater sugar

25g coconut cream

2 eggs

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

25g dessicated coconut

lemon zest from 1 lemon

2 tbsp milk

preheat oven to 180C and line muffin tray with 12 baking cases. beat butter, sugar and coconut cream until pale and fluffy. beat in eggs one at a time. sift in flour together with baking powder and mix until combined. fold in dessicated coconut, lemon zest and milk. divide into tray and bake for 17 minutes or until firm to touch. transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.

the above is the original recipe from the book. i made some adjustments, instead of 25g coconut cream, i added in about a 100g and omitted the milk. i also added more dessicated coconut. the cupcakes still turned out well.

as for the frosting, i made a different one from the book. the book uses a cream cheese frosting. i didn't have cream cheese ready. so, i made a meringue frosting instead. in a bowl over a simmering pan, whisk 2 egg whites and 100g caster sugar until sugar dissolves completely and mixture is warm to the touch. then  remove bowl from heat and continue whisking until it forms stiff peaks. pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes. then, sprinkle some dessicated coconut on top.

happy baking!

i got the recipe from this book

Lemon_Lemony Cupcakes

the weather here is getting  warmer. as much as i love chocolate cupcakes to bits, i sometimes feel that the rich texture of chocolate is too much too handle when the weather is warm. i wanted to have something fresh and lighter. so, i think lemon cupcakes are just perfect on a spring sunny day....

Cupcakes
200g plain flour
125g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup safflower oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Icing
180g icing sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp lemon zest

preheat oven to 180C and line muffin tray with 12 baking paper. sift together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. in another bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients until combined. add the wet mixture into the flour mixture and combined until smooth. divide into muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to touch. leave in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely. while cupcakes are cooling, combine all the icing ingredients and mix until smooth. spread the glaze over each cupcake and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

FYI, i got the recipe from The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook. so, it's whole-food and good for you. all in moderation of course!

happy baking!

you might want to check the book out:

Banana cupcakes with Chocolate ganache

If you love banana cakes and chocolate, this recipe is for you! It's super easy to make and it's kid friendly too! 

To make the cupcakes, you will need:
2 cups self-raising flour
125g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g butter/margarine
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas, mashed

1. Preheat the oven to 220C and line a muffin pan with baking cups.
2. Sift flour, caster sugar and salt together.
3. Melt butter, remove from heat and add in the milk, egg and vanilla extract and beat well with fork.
4. Stir in mashed bananas to the butter mixture and mix well. Then add into dry ingredients, folding carefully until flour is just dampened. Do not mix until smooth.
5. Spoon batter into baking cups and bake for 12-15 minutes or until center springs back when pressed lightly. Leave to cool.

To make the ganache, you will need:
250ml cream
250g plain chocolate
1 teaspoon liqueur - irish cream/rum/brandy (optional)

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it starting to boil. 
2. Remove from heat and pour onto the chocolate. Leave to stand for a minute then stir until the chocolate are melted. Add in the liqueur (optional)
3. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture until it can hold its shape. Swirl or piped onto cooled cupcakes.

Happy Baking!!

Recommended resources:

butter cookies

this is the recipe that i used for all my cookie decorating. i find that that the taste goes well with both royal icing and fondant.

butter cookies

Ingredients:

150g Unsalted butter, cut in small cubes

225g Plain flour

125g Caster sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

•  Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Sift the plain flour onto the butter. Rub the flour and butter together to make fine crumbs.  

•  Then stir in the caster sugar and vanilla extract. Knead together until mixture forms a firm dough.

• Roll on a sheet of baking paper with a rolling pin.
• Using your preferred cookie cutter, stamp onto the dough.
• Carefully transfer in onto the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.
• When done, transfer immediately onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

Happy Baking!!!

Okara Brownie cupcakes with chopped walnuts

What to do with leftover okara from making soy, you say??

I say use it to make brownie cupcakes!!!!

I didn't personally make the soy myself though. My sister-in-law did. And she gave me a cup of her leftover okara. The okara were pan-fried by her. So it resembles rough powder.

https://www.kenkouusainc.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/okara.jpg

 So, here's my recipe of Okara Brownie cupcake with chopped walnuts. This recipe makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
225 g plain chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips, no chopping needed)
85g unsalted butter (no need to softened)
2 eggs
200g soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
140g plain flour
1 cup of dried Okara
75g walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line/grease a 12-hole muffin pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water. Stirring constantly until melted. Put aside to cool lightly.
3. Whisk brown sugar and eggs in a separate bowl until just combined.
4. Then add the vanilla extract until combined.
5. Stir in the plain flour and whisk until combined.
6. Then add the melted chocolate and mix until just combined.
7. Add the okara powder and the chopped walnuts. Mix until just combined.
8. Spoon into the prepared muffin pan.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until firm to touch. It should still be slightly moist in the centre.
10. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy baking!!!