Old School Buttercream Cake Slices

Back to basic baking....simple old school sponge cake! Thanks to my friend for sharing her recipe. She used to blog too but a pity she had ceased to do so. She's a really talented home baker/cook and I learnt a lot from her too! I really love this sponge cake which is moist and tender, goes very well with the silky swiss meringue buttercream. Being too ambitious I've baked three flavours sponge cake, plain, chocolate and strawberry. They are so so pretty after decorating! 

3 flavours basic sponge cake...plain, chocolate and strawberry

Ingredient (9" shallow square pan)

• 60gm cake flour
• 1.5 tbsp corn flour
• 1/2 tsp double action baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 egg yolks*
• 2 tbsp +1 tsp milk 
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp corn oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste*

*Note : For chocolate sponge, reduce cake flour to 50gm and add cocoa powder 10gm. For strawberry sponge, omit vanilla paste and replaced with 1/2 tsp strawberry emulco. Use large size eggs.

Meringue

• 3 egg white*
• 60gm fine sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Sift cake flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Whisk egg yolks until creamy and light. Add in milk, oil and vanilla paste. Whisk well. 
3. Add in flour mixture and whisk till mixture is smooth.
4. Using a electric whisk, beat egg white and cream of tartar till foamy. Beat in sugar, in three additions, gradually till firm peak forms. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into egg yolk batter. Mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the balanced meringue and fold gently till well combined. Pour the mixture into a lined 9" pan and spread out evenly. Tap the pan lightly to remove excess air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 25-30 mins. Remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
6. To assemble the cake : Trim the cake edges. Slice the cake into half and sandwiched with buttercream. Frost the surface with buttercream and chill in fridge for 30 mins for ease of slicing. Cut into slices (about 5-6 depending the size you preferred) and decorate as desired with piping gel, sprinkles, melted chocolate and buttercream.

For 4 eggs recipe :

Ingredient

• 80gm cake four
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 3/4 tsp double action baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, separate
• 50ml fresh milk
• 50ml rice bran oil
• 1/2 tsp ovalett (optional)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 70gm fine sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe modified from Nasi Lemak Lover

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredient

• 100gm egg whites
• 135gm sugar
• 227gm salted butter, soft but still cold, cut into small cubes
• 45gm melted dark chocolate (*omit chocolate if making plain one)

Method

1. Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl, place over a pot of simmering water.
2. Whisk mixture till sugar is fully dissolved and temperature reaches 70 deg.
3. Remove from heat. Using a electric whisk, beat the meringue on high speed till stiff peak formed, thick and glossy.
4. At this point, the mixing bowl should be cool to the touch but still slightly warm at the bottom.
5. Place the bowl of meringue on top of a large bowl filled with some ice cubes and water.
6. Beat and add in butter cube one by one, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next one. 
7. Mixture will looks curdle at one point, continue to beat till mixture is creamy and satiny.  Beat in melted chocolate till well combined. 

Marble Rainbow Cupcakes

Take a break from baking Chinese New Year cookies and bake a simple sweet cupcake for my little girl 7th birthday! With plenty of leftover egg whites after baking cookies, this white cake base recipe from Baking Taitai  comes in handy! Instead of using vibrant rainbow colours, I chosen pastel shades for this marble rainbow cupcakes. It turned out so sweet and pretty, perfect for my sweet little gal!!! ^0^

closer look....ooh loving the swirl of smooth and silky buttercream sitting on the pretty marble cupcake ^0^

Marble Rainbow Cupcakes
Ingredients (10 cupcakes)

• 150gm unsalted butter
• 200gm fine sugar
• 90gm egg whites
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extracts
• 280gm cake flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 240ml milk
• wilton food colouring gel (pink, yellow, blue, green)
• basic American buttercream for frosting
• rainbow sprinkles for decoration

Like the simple and effortless of marbling the cuppies. Just scoop in teaspoon of tinted cake batter randomly into lined cup cases. No need swirling, just gently tap the cases to remove air bubbles before popping them into the oven. 

Method

1. Sift flour and salt. Set aside.
2. Using a electric whisk, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg whites gradually until well combined. Mix in vanilla extract.
4. Add in 1/3 of the flour and beat briefly, alternate with 1/3 milk. Repeat with flour and milk mixture until a smooth batter is form. Do not overmix.
5. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, approx 240gm each.
6. Add 3 drops food colouring into each bowl and mix well. 
7. Scoop tsp of each coloured batter into lined baking cups (3/4 cup full)
8. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 25 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
9. Cool completely before frosting.

After baking....nicely puffed up to the rim! Looks pretty even without frosting! 

Basic American Buttercream
Ingredient

• 125gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 250gm icing sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 tsp raspberry extract (or use vanilla extract)
• 3 tbsp milk

Method

1. Using a electric whisk, beat butter till fluffy.
2. Beat in icing sugar, in batches, together with salt, raspberry extract and milk. Beat on high speed for 5 mins till mixture is pale and fluffy.
3. Use immediately or store in fridge for 2 weeks in an air-tight container. Re-whip before using.

* After frosting the cupcakes, store in fridge if not consume immediately. To serve just thaw in room temperature for about 15 mins. 

Lavender Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Happy 2nd Birthday to Bake Along!! ^.^

This is the first time I attempted swiss meringue buttercream! It tasted smooth and silky and not overly sweet! Lovely match with this cupcake lightly infused with lavender buds :)

Ingredient (5 cupcakes)

• 60gm unsalted butter
• 40gm lavender sugar*
• 1 egg
• 1/2 grated lemon zest
• 50gm cake flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and pale for about 2-3mins.
2. Spoon batter into paper cases. Baked in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 20-25mins.

*Lavender Sugar: Blend 1/2 cup coarse sugar and 1 tbsp dried lavender buds till fine. Store in air-tight container and chill until used.

Making of Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover

Ingredient (enough to frost 6 regular cupcakes)

• 50gm egg whites
• 70gm sugar
• 115gm unsalted butter, soft but still cold, cut into small cubes

Method

1. Lightly whisk egg whites in a mixing bowl, place over a pot of simmering water.
2. Add in sugar in 3 batches, whisk mixture till sugar is fully dissolved (rub some with fingers, if it feels grainy, it hasn't dissolved yet), takes about 2-3mins.
3. Remove from heat and whisk for 5 mins till stiff peak formed, thick and glossy.
4. At this point, the mixing bowl should be cook to the touch but still slightly warm at the bottom.
5. Place the bowl of meringue on top of a large bowl filled with a few ice cubes and water.
6. With a electric whisk, beat and add in butter cube one by one, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next one.
7. Beat till mixture become curdles, stop the mixer. Using a spatula, continue to fold and stir till mixture becomes creamy and satiny. Add in food colour at this point if desired.

 

Strawberry Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

I'm pretty excited today as I've finally accomplished one of my to-do list which is the Italian Meringue Buttercream!! I've actually attended a workshop last year which involved demonstration of making the meringue. So this is the first hands on for me and I'm glad that it turns out well. No hiccups in between whatsoever!!

Prior with the making of the buttercream, I've test bake a strawberry cake which uses strawberry flavour jello!!  I was curious how will the cake turns out!? 'Cos of the high content of sugar in the cake, the crust is quite brown compare to normal sponge cake, but overall the crumbs is very moist and not over coyly. I seldom frost a whole cake except on occasion for my kids' birthday, so pardon my ugly frosted cake ^.^

so light & fluffy!! As I got this Italian Meringue Buttercream from a workshop, so due to copyright issue is not convenient for me to post the recipe here. But I've found a link quite similar to the one I'm using, and is very detailed with steps by steps instruction!! click here on How to make Italian Meringue Buttercream

unfrosted Strawberry Cake

crumb coating the cake : a thin layer of buttercream to seal the crumbs before frosting the whole cake.

using wilton nozzle #18 for piping around the edge

think am too generous with the layer buttercream hehehe..

Recipe Source : Sweetapolita

Strawberry Cake

Ingredient

• 120gm sugar
• 45gm strawberry gelatin
• 125gm butter
• 2 eggs
• 170gm cake flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 125ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

Method

1. Cream butter, sugar & strawberry gelatin until light & fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. 
3. Mix vanilla and milk together.
4. Sift in flour and baking powder over creamed butter, alternating with milk until just combined.
5. Fold in strawberry puree.
6. Pour batter in a lined 6" cake pan and bake over preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 40 mins for until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10mins before unmoulding and cool completely on wire rack.

What to do with the extra crumbs after trimming the cake? wrap up and freeze! maybe can make some cake pops with it! :D

 Balanced IMB I've also wrapped it up and freeze for next use :D

Buttercream Made With Egg Yolks

First time trying making buttercream with egg yolks and the results turn out very well ~ smooth & creamy! :D :D Quite easy steps except the stage whereby need to heat up the yolk mixture, which I afraid that I will scrambled up the mixture, other then this the rest of the steps is a breeze :D

Recipe Adapted from 'I Love Marcrons' by Hisako Ogita
Ingredient

• 100gm unsalted butter
• 50ml milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 40gm sugar

Method

1. Soften butter and stir it till it becomes smooth and creamy like mayonnaise. (Do Not Melt The Butter!!)
2. Combine egg yolks & sugar in a mixing bowl, whisk till pale & thick.
3. Transfer egg yolk mixture into a small saucepan together with the milk. Simmer over low heat till thick and creamy..(Be Careful Not to Scrambled The Mixture!)
4. Transfer above mixture into mixing bowl and whip with a electric whisk until pale & thick. When you can draw a clear line on spatula (refer to pic above), it has reached its right consistency.
5. Add in softened butter in 3 batches and beat till thicken and hold its shape. Ready to be used as topping.
6. Chilled buttercream to be thawed and stir till creamy before using.
   

Gingerbread Boy & Gal

This is my first time making gingerbread boy & gal which turns out very ugly :P Not a good cookie dough to handle as it spread out and becomes out of shape after baking! This is also my first time handle a royal icing piping...my piping skill makes the cookie even uglier hehehe...Anyway my boy had a great time helping out with simple cutting and decorations :D

see...out of shape gingerbread boy & gal

my Lil Elf at work :D so delighted to help out with the cutting and simple decorations :D

Ginger Cookies
Recipe adapted from 'Children's Party Cakes & Cookies'
Ingredient

• 95gm light brown sugar
• 115gm unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 175gm wholemeal flour
• 15gm cocoa powder
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp milk
• royal icing for icing*

Method

1. Sift flour, cocoa powder & ground ginger together. Set aside.
2. Cream brown sugar, butter, vanilla essence & salt till light & fluffy.
3. Fold in flour and add milk to bind the the mixture.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out shapes using your preferred cookie cutters and place on baking sheets. (if making into gingerbread boy, decorations like chocolates buttons and pearls can be placed at this moment, place down the deco slightly)
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 12-15mins, leaving to cool on baking sheets until firm. Do not attempt to lift the cookies onto cooling rack as they are still soft.
6. Cool completely on wire rack and decorate as desired.

Royal Icing
Recipe adapted from Wilton
Ingredient

• 1.5 tbsp Wilton Meringue Powder
• 220gm icing sugar, sifted
• 3-4 tbsp warm water (increase the water accordingly to get the consistency required)

Method

1. Using a electric whisk, beat all ingredients until glossy & fluffy. Adjust the consistency by adding more water.
2. Use the icing immediately, store in air-tight container to prevent the icing from drying out.

I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie

Happy 1st Birthday, Yu Zhen!!

My 1st posting of year 2011 dedicated to my Princess 1st Birthday on 20 Jan 2011!! Been busy since last Christmas, already fulfilled my customer orders for Chinese New Year, but yet to start baking cookies for myself & family!! After my dear daughter birthday, finally can spare some time to start baking CNY cookies!!

This is also my 1st fondant tier cake creation! It has been some time I've handle marshmallow fondant and I've never use it to decorate a whole cake. Therefore is quite a challenge for me to create a tier cake without prior experience. So I've to search around the web site and learn a couple of crucial tips from my baking friends :) I'm not a very creative person so I choose a simple design. A pinky cake with small little flowers around it would not go wrong anyway, with an additional precious moment figurine, it helps to beautify the whole cake. Luckily I've manage to pull through with couple of hiccups in between.

A 4" strawberry madeira cake & and 6" lemon medeira cake. I've actually overbaked the 6" cake, as you can see the thick brown crust forming around the cake!

Ingredient

• 225gm unsalted butter
• 200gm sugar
• 225gm self-raising flour
• 115gm plain flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 lemon zest

Method

1. Sift flour together. Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time and beat till combined.
3. Mix in vanilla essence & lemon zest.
4. Fold in flour and mix evenly.
5. Pour batter into a lined 7" cake pan and bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 60mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. Cool slightly before unmoulding.