Strawberry/Blueberry Cupcakes

This is my last post for the year 2014. It has been a year full of up and downs.

I baked these cupcakes using the left over batter from the sponge cake that I baked for the Strawberry shortcake..

Here I would like to wish all a happy and magical New Year. I hope it brings you lot's of joy 

and happiness.

                                                       

Christmas Cranberry Cheese Cake

This is my final Christmas Bake. I did this to attend a good friend Christmas Party. I am clueless what and how to do the decorations. It was a last minute idea that came to my mind. Instead of doing log cake, I have decided to bake a Cranberry Cheese Cake instead. The mini Christmas Tree took me quite a while to do. It was made of Marsmallow and is sticky too. I have to cut the marsmallow and paint it too so as to look like a tree. For the mini mushrooms decorations, I am using egg white and sugar to make into a meringue cookies.This cake required a lot of time as I have to cook the fresh cranberries for the jam filling. Overall this bake is perfect and I love the sourish sweet taste of it. Hope my friends will love this cake too.

Wish all my friends a wonderful Merry Christmas.

                                                                           

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

Christmas Fruit Cakes

Christmas is the time of giving and sharing. Fruit Cakes and Log Cakes are my favourite during this festive season. My mum love the Christmas Fruit Cake and I promised her I will bake one for her. I have baked a few of these fruit cakes to give as gifts to family and friends. These cakes have been fed daily with rum for a week. In actual fact, they have to be fed for a month. I find the taste is strong enough though is fed only for a short period of time. This recipe is a keeper. The texture and sweetness is just nice and I personally liked it too.

Recipe Source: Li Shuan

Ingredients:

Christmas fruit soak

(make the soak 5 weeks in advance)

55g caster sugar

55ml water

160ml brandy ( I used Rum instead)

90g sultanas (golden raisins)

80g currants

80g pitted prunes, chopped

80g fresh pitted dates chopped

150g raisins

55g mixed peels

135g chopped dried fig

Cake:

100g plain flour

½ tsp mixed spice

15g ground almonds

110g unsalted butter

100g brown sugar (I used 70g)

2 tbs honey

2 tbs treacle (I used golden syrup)

1 tbs marmalade

3 eggs, lightly beaten

150ml brandy for feeding ( I use Rum)

Method:

1.) To make fruit soak, put the sugar in a saucepan with the water and bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour the rum and cooled sugar syrup into an airtight container and add fruit, mixing well to coat. Cover and keep at room temperature for about 5 weeks.

2.) Preheat the over to 190 C. Greased 2 x 12.5cm round cake tins and line the base and side of each tin with baking paper. ( I use square and rectangle tin)

3.) Sift the flour, mixed spice and ground almonds together in a bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, honey, golden syrup and marmalade until pale. Add the eggs, a little at a time, ensuring each amount is completely incorporated before adding more (take care the mixture doesn’t curdle at this stage). With the motor still running, add the flour and stop as soon as it is combined. Using a gloved hand fold in 900g of the fruit soak until combine.

4.) Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake tines, tapping heavily on the bench to settle. Place the cake tins on an oven tray and place in the oven. Immediately lower the temperature to 160C and bake for about 40 mins. Turn the trays and continue to cook for another 20mins until the cake is cook. (It may take up to 1 hour and 20mins to bake). Cover loosely with baking paper if the top starts to brown.  Remove the cake from the oven and leave in the tins to cool.

5.) Make about 20-30 holes in each cake using a skewer and pushing it about ¾ of the way through the cake. Cut two large sheets of foil and two large sheets of baking paper. Place each piece of foil on the bench and lay a sheet of baking paper over each foil. Place the cake on the baking paper and draw the paper and foil around the cake scrunching it together on top to form a container that will hold any alcohol.

6.) To feed the cakes, open up the top of the foil wrapping and brush over about 1 tsp of brandy. Repeat this every 3-4 days for 8-10 weeks or until the alcohol seems not to be soaking in anymore. Once the cakes are fed, wrap them well and store them in the container in a dark cool place until ready to serve.

                                                                                  

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

Christmas Cupcakes

Ho ho ho...it's Christmas Eve..
I have a date with cupcakes today. It has been a very busy and hectic month. So much so I enjoyed this festive month, on the other hand is also a busy month for me. I have to distribute calenders and diary for my clients and to follow up of payments as year end is closing. I have to find time to bake too and not forgetting about Christmas shopping for presents.

                                                                           

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

                                                               
                                              

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone December 2014 Event Theme:

My Little Cupcakes by Fion of XuanHom's Mom.

Christmas Macarons

These Christmas Macarons might not look very perfect but the taste is not bad. These were done last week but I was too busy with work. I have balanced egg white so I have decided to bake some macarons. Since Christmas is around the corner, so I have chose bright colours for the theme.

                                                                           

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

Christmas Rainbow Cheese Cupcake

I was looking forward to the post-it-together cupcake events and immediate promised Fion of XuanHom's Mom that I will participate. On the other hand, I forgot that I will be busy during the weekend for my nephew wedding as the tea ceremony will be held at my place. I managed to squeeze some time to create this colourful cheese cupcakes for this event. I choose colourful theme as Christmas is around the corner and I am filled with festive mood too. Aren't these cupcakes lovely? I am so delighted to see the finished bake and kept admiring them.

                                                                           

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

                                                               
                                             

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone December 2014 Event Theme:

My Little Cupcakes by Fion of XuanHom's Mom.

Christmas Rainbow Mille Crepe Cake

Why a White Christmas when you can have a Rainbow one?

This is a very challenging cake to do. The end result is so fulfilling and I am so happy when I see the colourful crepes. Though it was time consuming to stand by the stove to pan fried the crepes, I enjoyed every moment of it. I have always wanted to bake a Rainbow Cake as I was attracted by the multi colours. When I saw eugeniekitchen doing this, I told myself I have to give it a try.

Recipe Source: eugeniekitchen

Ingredients

Crepes:
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons sugar (40g)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30ml)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter melted and cooled (55g)
• 2 cups milk (adjust the amount according to the thickness of the batter) (500ml)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
• Melted chocolate, for deco
Whipped cream filling:
• 2 cups whipping cream (500ml)
• ¼ cup sugar (50g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
Chocolate whipped cream:
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar (25g)
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (40g)

Instructions

Rainbow mille crepes
• 1. Start by trimming the crepes.
• 2. Make a rainbow cake with crepes and whipped cream.
• 3. Let set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Chocolate whipped cream
• 4. Whip whipping cream. Mix in 1/4 of whipped cream into melted semi-sweet chocolate. Then transfer all the chocolate mixture into whipped cream and whisk until combined.
Build the cake
• 5. Spread chocolate whipped cream on the sides of the cake.
• 6. Make log patterns with a fork.
• 7. Thinly spread whipped cream on top.
• 8. Make annual rings with melted chocolate.

                                                  

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014) organised by Yen from Eat your heart out,Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

Black Forest Cake

This is my maiden bake for the Black Forest Cake. I love to have this when I was a little girl.
This may seems difficult to make, but if you prepared ahead of time, is pretty easy to do.

Black Forest Cake  ( 8 inch cake tin)

Shortcrust Pastry:

125g plain flour

10g cocoa powder

50g sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp vanilla

75g soft butter

2 tsp Kirsch

Methods:

Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, vanilla and kirsch.

Knead the dough with hand or a mixer till you get a smooth dough.

Roll the dough out and line the bottom of the springfoam pan, prick the dough a few times with a fork.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15 mins or till cooked.

Remove the pastry immdiatedly from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.

Sponge Cake

4 egg yolks (large)

20g caster sugar

50g corn oil

60g milk

75g cake flour

20g cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

4 egg whites (large)

50g castor sugar

a pinch of salt

a few drops of lemon juice

Methods:

Lightly whisk egg yolk with sugar.

Add in corn oil to combine.

Add in milk, stir to combine, then add in cocoa powder and cinnamon powder, mix well.

Add in cake flour

Mix well and set aside.

Add lemon juice into egg whites and beat till foamy.

Gradually add in sugar, salt and beat till stiff peak.

Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture to mix with egg yolk mixture till light.

Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture and combine well.

Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake at 170 degrees for 30 mins or till cooked.

Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Sliced the cake to 2 layers.

Cherries Fillings

Ingredients:

Fresh Cherries

Sugar

Lemon Juice

Lemond rind

Kirsch

Methods:

In a medium size pan, add chopped cherries, lemon rind, lemon juice and kirsch cooking on a medium high heat for 5 minutes.

Add approximate equal amount of sugar (as to the cherries) and reduce heat to medium.

Stir till sugar has dissolved.

Cook for an additional 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and cool.

Decorations

Fresh Cherries ( prick and soak with kirsch)

Chocolate shave

Whipping Cream ( add a little kirsch and beat till stiff)

Methods:

1.       Put the shortcrust pastry on a cake disc.

2.       Spread the cherries fillings on the bottome layer, leaving 1 cm uncovered around the edge.

3.       Add 1/3 of the cream and flatten with a cake spatula.

4.       Put a sponge layer on top and press lightly.

5.       Sprinkle some kirsch on the sponge.

6.       Spread half of the remaining cream and add the second sponge.

7.       Sprinkle some kirsch on the 2^nd sponge.

8.       Fill a pastry bag (star shape nozzle) with 3 tbsp of whipping cream.

9.       Cover the entire cake, top and sides with the remaining cream.

10.    Decorate the cake with 10 cream roses, put a cherry on each rose and sprinkle chocolate shaves on the side and top of the cake.

11.    Refrigerate the black forest cake.