Alexander's 5th Birthday = R2D2 Cake

Today is Alexander's 5th Birthday - Happy Birthday Buddy!!!  We had a birthday party for him on Saturday and i don't know if the guests had fun, i did and the important thing was, Alexander had the most fun.  With this posting, i would like to thank all the guests for their presence and presents and hope you all enjoyed yourself.  Thank you too to all your food contributions which made the party a success.  This year's theme, Alexander chose 'The Star Wars'  and i made him this R2D2 cake  - he sure was grinning happily at his cake - look at that smile, it melted my heart.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:

3 1/2 cup bleached all-purpose cake
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups milk
2 recipes of Buttercream

 Method:

Grease and line the base of 2 - 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan.

Preheat oven to 350f.

Sieve flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Put sugar and eggs in the food processor and pulse till sugar has dissolved.

With food processor, add in the oil in a steady stream.

Stop the food processor and add in the sieved flour, pulse until well combined. Scrape the sides if you must.

With the food processor on, add in the milk and process until cake batter is well combined.

Pour into the 2 prepared cake pans  in equal portions and bake for 15 minutes at 350f, then reduce oven heat to 325f and bake further for 20 - 25 minutes.  Check for doneness.

Leave to cool before icing with buttercream

 Serves

Sarawak Serikaya Cake

This cake is so rich and moist, no wonder the recipe is so closely guarded.  I was able to make this cake for my dear friends, nellie and juliana's birthday, due to the generousity of Florence, who gave me the 'Gula Hitam'.  Thank you, Florence, my friends really loved this cake.  You should see the expression in their faces at the first bite, with eyes close, savouring the richness of this cake and on opening their eyes, expressed - umm, this is delicious, can i have another piece.?  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nellie and Juliana.

Ingredients:

Method:

Follow The Secretive Cake and replace the Queen's Browning Sauce with the Original Gula Hitam from Sarawak.

Using a stencil, sprinkle 'snow powder' on top of cake.

Serves

Oil Pound Cake

A very dear friend's son cannot have any milk products and he loves cake, i found this recipe from Alice Medrich’s book “Pure Dessert”, I have changed the ingredients to what i have in hand .  This cake was very rich, moist and not heavy, a perfect characteristics  of a pound cake,

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1+1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 tbsp orange zest
3 large eggs
1 cup orange juice + 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice








Method

Preheat oven to   350 F (180 degrees C). Grease, line and flour a bundt pan or a 12 x 4 inch loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.

Beat eggs, zest and sugar in the food processor until fluffy.  Then add in the oil.  Pulse to combine.

Add in the sieved flour and pulse.

Lastly add in the juice, pulse a few times until batter is well combined.  Scrap the sides of bowl now and then.

Pour batter into prepared bundt/ loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 40 -50 minutes. Check for doneness.

Remove and leave on rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing cake from pan.

Red Curry/Sambal Banana Cake

Although these summer months bring us juicy sweet fruits and enjoyable arrays of berries, the banana is still hanging gloriously. on my kitchen counter. The bananas are always the loser at the race to the finish line of comsumption, therefore, giving me a chance to give these losers their dignity back by making into something delicious.  Looking at the title of the cake, you must have thought that i have 'gone banana', an expression that the effects of bananas on the brain. To top matter worse, adding in red curry/sambal to the banana cake.!!!! - crazy yes but a very delicious cake is borned.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk/yogurt/sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed banana(about 2 - 3 riped bananas)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp red curry paste/sambal paste(Follow this Garam Assam Paste)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt





Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line the base of 2 loaf pans ( 3 inch by 7 inch) and grease well.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk/yogurt/sour cream,. oil, mashed banana , red curry/sambal and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients. Stir mixture for a count of 10. Do not overmix.

Pour into prepared loaf pans and bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Check for doneness.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out into rack to cool.

Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

It was Uncle Bruce's Birthday and he has always wanted a kiddy cake.  He has mentioned it at every kiddy birthday party that he attended.  I know Uncle Bruce loves cars and since i have a mould of a car - it is one of those tear-away silicone mould which made a pretty good cake.  I can't make the cake from a box, you can fool the kids but not the adults, so, i made a carrot cake with all the works and it will not be complete without cream cheese frosting.  Uncle Bruce was delighted with his car but i told him that he can't drive it in the night though cos i forgot to fix in the lights, front and back of his car.  Happy Birthday again, i am not going to tell how old you are!!!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup. sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cupvegetable oil
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dessicated coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Method:

Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.

Combine sugars, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended.

Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and raisins, stirring just until well blended. Do not overmix.

Grease 3 (8 inch) round cake pans(one car silicone mould and 2 tiny loaf pans). Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour waxed paper.

Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans 10 minutes; loosen cake layers from edges of pans with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and cool completely.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting all over the cake.  Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 egg whites from 2  large eggs
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
8 ozs cream cheese


Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer.

Place the corn syrup, sugar and water in a medium saucepan, with a cast-iron skillet at the bottom. Stir until combined and the sugar is dissolved. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, with the pan covered to wash any sugar crystals down from the sides. Uncover and cook to the soft ball stage, 240 f.

Meanwhile, begin to beat the egg whites on slow speed. When they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, Gradually increase the speed to medium and continue beating until soft peaks form.

As soon as the sugar syrup reaches the soft ball stage, remove it from the heat. Turn off the mixer. Very carefully pour about 1/4 of the hot syrup down the inside of the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on high speed, and beat well. Add the syrup in two more additions, stopping the mixer each time, working as quickly as possible. If the sugar is slightly overcooked and hardens a bit, return it to the heat for a moment to remelt it. Do not pour the sugar syrup into the bowl while the mixer is on; you may splash yourself with hot syrup or the syrup will end up all on the sides of the bowl.

Continue to beat the meringue until it cools to room temperature. This takes about 20 minutes of continuous beating. If you need to hurry it along, place the bowl of your mixer in a ice bath for a few moments while mixing by hand, then return it to the machine. If you attempt to add the butter before the meringue is cool, the cream cheese will melt and the frosting will collapse.

When the meringue is cool, beat in the cream cheese a bit at a time. If the frosting starts to separate, continue beating without adding any more cream cheese until the frosting looks fluffy again.  Beat in vanilla and almond extract, if using.

Serves

Ina Pinkney's Famous new Old fashioned vanilla bean pound cake

This recipe is adapted from Ina Pinkney Famous New Old-fashioned Vanilla Bean Pound Cake.  Although Ina's quote "This is a vital ingredient! Do not make this cake without it" -  the vital ingredient is the Vanilla Paste, I was more interested in the method - It is prepared in the food processor and is very easy to make. With such a fantastic praise by Shirley O,Corriher of this cake, I had to bake this recipe even without the vanilla paste.  I used vanilla beans and made into a paste instead and the cake is exactly how Shirley O. Corriher described - "Oh wow! When you take a bite, your whole being is filled with buttery wonderfulness, and then the vanilla hits and everything in your mouth is dissolving, melting tenderness! You've got to have another bite"

Ingredients:

Makes about 10 servings.

8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), gently melted in microwave or on stovetop
6 ounces cake flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 3/4 oz. sugar (1 1/4 cups)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey or Vanilla.com Vanilla Bean Paste






Method:

1. Position a rack slightly below the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

2. Melt butter and set aside to cool.

3. Grease a 9-by-4 small Pullman loaf pan with butter and flour or non-stick spray. A Pullman loaf pan has straight sides, not slanted. USA Pan has an excellent pan this size. Do not use the top of the Pullman loaf pan.

4. In a medium bowl, beat together well with a hand mixer or vigorously by hand with a whisk, the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

5. In a food processor, process sugar, eggs and vanilla for about 2 to 3 seconds. (Ina beats a few seconds longer, but I limit to avoid a crust.)

6. Stir the melted butter well to mix in the separated solids. With the machine running, pour butter through the feed tube in a slow and steady stream. Blend for about 3 seconds.

7. Scatter the flour mixture over the top of the egg mixture in the processor. Pulse 5-6 times until the flour is incorporated. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse 2-3 more times.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake until deep golden brown and the tester comes out clean.

9. It should bake about 35 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through the baking.

10. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, unmold, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Toast each slice on both sides before serving.

Ina cuts almost 3/4-inch thick slices, toasts on both sides, cuts at an angle to form 2 triangles, serves with one triangle standing

Serves

Kuih Pandan Lapis Batavia

I was left home alone one day, the silence was killing me.  There were no one to bug me and knowing me, cannot sit still and do nothing - my sister said that 'it must be the catholic schooling' in us - we feel guilty if we are not doing something.'  So, what a good time it was to stand in front of the oven and layer away.  This is a scale down from Kuih Lapis Batavia, not by choice but necessity, cos i had only a dozen eggs.  I have increased the sugar and egg white slightly thus making the batter lighter and the layers browned  faster with the addition of a little baking powder and the batter was sweeter.

Ingredients:

250g butter at room temperature
60g fine granulated sugar

12 egg yolks
60g fine granulated sugar
1 tbsp  brandy
2 tbsp condensed milk

80g cake flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp baking powder

4 egg whites
30g sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp pandan paste


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350f . Line a 6 inch square baking pan with greaseproof paper, making sure that it fits exactly the base.Grease only the base of pan and greaseproof paper only.  Do not grease the sides of pan..
2. Cream butter with 60g sugar till creamy.

3. Beat egg yolk with 60g sugar till thick. Stir in  brandy and condensed milk.

4. Sieve flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

5. Mix butter and egg yolk mixture well. Fold in flour mixture by thirds and mix well.

6. Whisk egg white with medium speed till foamy, add in cream of tartar and continue to whisk till white in colour then add in sugar and whisk until thick, soft stiff peak.

7. Fold egg white into egg yolk mixture and mix well. Add pandan paste to 1/3 of the batter and leave the other 2/3 plain.
8. Spread 3 heap tbsp of batter evenly and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn on the top fire only and brown the top of the first layer.  For the second layer, spoon 2 heap tbsp batter into baking pan. Spread the batter evenly, put to grill . Grill  till brown.(time for browning depends on your oven and how close the baking pan is placed near the grilling elements)   Remove from oven, use a cake tester or toothpick to prick holes on the top of cake.   For the third layer, use the pandan paste batter. Repeat the layering, 2 layers plain and 1 layer pandan, till batter finish. (Use the same type of spoons for the plain and pandan batter so that the layers will be even)

9. Unmould cake immediately and turn on to wire rack to cool.

Breakfast & Dessert : Banana Cake

How lucky Malaysians are with so many types of bananas to choose from. The unforgetable Rastali and Pisang Emas are a must to eat when you are in Malaysia. Pisang Emas is more friendly than Rastali, which is best eaten when it is perfectly ripened. Here in the States, bananas in the regular supermarkets are of the 'Sweet William/Cavendish' variety - one and only - no choice. But, now and then, Baby Bananas which is Pisang Emas is being sold. When i see them on the shelf, i will not hesitate to get a bunch, no matter how much it will cost. The asian stores in Chinatown Denver, do sell Baby Bananas, but they don't seem to look good at all. I have always wondered if there is a difference in the taste of the cake made with Cavendish bananas compared to a cake made with Baby Bananas/Piisang Emars. Since i have several baby bananas which were over-riped, i decided to try out this recipe of Florence from Do What I like, and thank you Florence, this recipe is a keeper and the pisang emas does make a difference to the taste of the cake.



Ingredients:

200g cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda)Friends from sea-level, use 3/4 tsp)
50g unsalted butter at room temperature
25ml corn oil
80g - 100g sugar(i use 80 g and it is just the right sweetness)
2 eggs lightly beaten
210g banana puree with 10ml lemon juice
60ml milk
A pinch of salt
A drop of banana essence
60g walnuts (optional)





Method:

Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream butter, corn oil and sugar till smooth and creamy.

Add in the lightly beaten eggs 1/4 at a time till well blended.

Add in the banana puree and the essence.

Add in the 1/3 of the sieved flour and half the milk. Repeat and end with the last third of the sieved flour..

Stir in the walnuts if you are using.
Bake in a lined loaf pan or 2 small lined loaf pans at a preheated oven of 350f for 45 - 60 minutes

Serves

Macha/Green Tea Chiffon Cake

I remembered there was a request for Green Tea Chiffon but have not responded until now as i finally got some green tea meant for baking.  This time the cake is green unlike the green tea kasutera which was slightly brown.  This recipe makes a smaller chiffon cake and if you prefer a taller cake, use a 12 cup chiffon cake tube mould and double the recipe.  The green tea is not overpowering, it is just there to tease your palate.  The tablespoon of honey added made the cake moist. 

Ingredients:A:

1 cup sifted cake flour (sift the cake flour, then measure a cup, otherwise use the scale - 100 gm)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp honey
2 1/4 tbsp fine granulated sugar
4 tbsp warm oil (microwave for 30 seconds)
1 tbsp green tea powder (Matcha powder)
1/3 cup hot water (or hot milk)


6 egg whites
3 tbsp fine granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 f for convection, 325 f for convention and for friends at sea-level - 325 f. 

Dissolve green tea powder and honey in hot water (or hot milk).
Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt  and sieve for at least 3 times.

Whisk egg yolks, then stir in sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves. Add warm oil, green tea mixture, and sift in cake flour mixture. Combine and stir well.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium speed until foamy .  Add in the sugar and continue to whisk until thick and in a soft stiff peak.

Temper a 1/3 of egg whites into the batter and mix in well.

Gently incorporate the rest of the egg whites with a rubber spatula by folding in. . Don’t beat or stir too hard, just fold and combine well.

Transfer mixture to cake mould. Run a spatula or butter knife all over the batter to remove air pockets.

Bake on the lower rack in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness.

Remove from oven and invert the mould immediately. Let the cake cool completely. (i like to use a metal funnel and let the tube rest on it)

When cake is cooled, use a knife to run around the edges of mould and take out the cake carefully.

Banana And Pineapple Easter Cakes

Easter festival arrives during the spring season and is one of the most important religious holidays celebrated among Christians.  Besides going to church on the first Sunday after the full moon night in the spring season, easter bunnies and eggs occupy supreme positions.  Easter rabbits signify fertility and beautifully painted Easter eggs remind us of spring season. Other symbols are the  Easter lilies and Hot Cross Buns.

HAPPY EASTER

Ingredients:
A:
2 cups all-purpose flour (remove 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

B:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large ripe banana- mashed
1/2 cup chopped pineapple

Method:

Preheat oven to 350f.

Grease moulds which signify spring.

Sieve ingredients A into a large bowl.

In another bowl, beaten eggs lightly, then add in all the other ingredients in B, and mix well.

Pour ingredient B mixture to ingredient A and mix in until is combined in about 10 strokes, do not overmix, it is alright if there are still some flour not mixed.  Leave mixture to rest for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Spoon batter into greased moulds and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.

Cool before frosting with buttercream



Serves

Easy Cupcake

It's Mother Nature's form of March Madness in Colorado! Heavy snow fell overnight, leaving more than a foot of heavy snow.  I am glad it was not yesterday, cos i had to make and bring these cupcakes to Renee's school, so that her classmates can have them during recess.   A double-dose of lemon extract and lemon juice-- in the cake and in the buttercream frosting -- gives these cupcakes great lemony taste and just the right amount of sweetness -- and they were more than irresistible. 

Ingredients:

2 cups self rising flour or 2 cups bleached all-purpose with 2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup fine granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter/shortening(very soft but not melted, Crisco is best)
3/4 cup water with 1 tbsp lemon juice(any juice of your choice)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp lemon extract(pair with the juice of your choice)

Method:

1 Set oven to 350 degrees F.

2 In a large bowl, mix together the flour with sugar and salt until combined.

3 Add in the butter/shortening , beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until all the flour/sugar are coated.

4.Add in eggs and lemon extract to the juice and beat lightly.

5.Add liquid to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined and blended, scraping the bowl constantly. (the batter will be thick, if desired you may add in a few more tablespoons juice).

6. Pour into paper-lined regular size muffin tins filling under just three-quarters full or half full.

7.Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cupcakes test done (do not overbake as they will be dry).

8.Immediately remove from pans.

9.Cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1/2 lb.)
1  tablespoons milk

Makes: About 1 1/2 cups of icing.


Method:

In large bowl, cream butter/shortening with electric mixer.

Add lemon extract..

Gradually add sifted sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.

When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use.

Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 1 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

Serves