Snickerdoodle Cupcake with Seven Minute Frosting

This was the second recipe I tried out from Martha Stewart’s cupcakes book. What intrigued me the most was the name. Snickerdoodle. Sound like a cartoon character to me. Before baking these cupcakes, I had baked snickerdoodle cookies for Raya earlier. Simple cookies that smell great while still in the oven. Not so popular at home though.

 

I pair it up with seven minute frosting as per the book’s advice. Again you can get the recipes online: Snickerdoodle Cupcake & Seven Minute Frosting.

 

Since snickerdoodle is not a favourite among the family, I halved the recipe. But somewhere along the way I accidently put 1 tbs of cinnamon instead of 1/2. *Big sigh* Didn’t exactly realised at first cause the cakes came out and smell nice.  Looks a little darker than normal vanilla cakes.

 

Of course I realised it when I had my first bite. Horror! I was hoping for the frosting to hide the too much cinnamon taste. It did not! 😦

 

Seven minute frosting also known as marshmallows frosting is airy and taste just right for me. I thought this could be a substitute for my failed IMBC though I do realised that it’s hard to pair up marshmallow frosting with let say chocolate cupcakes? To me lah.

 

Frosting using 1M tip is a bit hard cause the edges is blurred if you get what I mean. Was quite disappointing cause I was and still am finding for the right frosting/buttercream for Zie’s engagement. Besides, Mun said this seven minute frosting tasted too eggy for her liking.. Think she get the raw part.

 

But hey 2 recipes down for Martha’s book! I vowed not to buy anymore recipe book till I at least baked 10 recipes from each book that I owned. Since Bakerella’s book is more for designs, I must baked 20 recipes – 10 each from Martha Stewart’s and Betty Crocker’s. 🙂

Devil’s Food Cupcake

Bought for myself Martha Stewart’s cupcakes recipe book because I like the idea of having my own collection of recipe books. (I have 3 books now!!) Besides that, I really love the cover of the book! The cover chocolate cake look so yummy!

 

I flipped through the pages, scanned through the pages, read a little here and there and finally decided to try baking the cupcake on the cover: Devil’s Food cupcake! I always wonder why is it called Devil’s Food! As opposed to Angel Food cupcake? Black vs White? Devil vs Angel?

 

As you can see, I obviously scooped up lesser batter than instructed. That’s why the cake is “short”. I don’t know why I always do this! Maybe because I’m scared the cake will overflow! Better being too low than overflow right? Maybe I should put more ganache to make it higher? Or maybe there’s a way to spread the ganache to make it higher? Anyway, ganache is made using my own recipe (not the book’s). I can’t even remember what’s the ratio of cream and chocolate!

 

There! The comparison. Maybe it’s because I used muffin cup instead of cupcakes liners? But nonetheless, the taste is awesome okay! That is if I compare with my choconana recipe without banana of course.

Anyway, Devil’s Food cupcake recipe can be found online here. I wonder why Martha put up her recipe online while she’s selling her recipe book. 😦

Random: Colourful Vanilla Cupcake

Practice: IMBC Cupcakes

Mun requested some cupcakes (like the one I “made” in class) for her birthday this year. I had doubts about IMBC cause it’s known to be temperamental but I tried anyway. Prolly because it’s Mun’s birthday and she’s pregnant.

 

Baked my usual vanilla cupcakes (note to self: recipe from the class – alternating flour and milk version). Then did the IMBC. The tough parts for me were timing and temperature! Like when to stop beating (do not want it to be underbeat or overbeat!), when to add in butter, is it too hot, etc.

I think I received this photo from Luqman because he wanted to eat it.

Anyway, the final outcome is:-

1. My IMBC is not “strong” enough for any decorations (only simple ones will do)
2. My IMBC easily melt when I hold it (in the piping bag)
3. Taste too buttery for my liking (compare with the class ones which I don’t think was this buttery!)
4. Mun likes it.. maybe she lied!

I need to try again! Not that happy with first try cause I didn’t get to do more “complicated” decoration. 😦

Baking Class: Italian Meringue Buttercream Cupcakes

Was watching cupcakes reality show (DC Cupcakes?) one day and wanted to try out doing buttercream. After endless google research, I realised that there’re so many methods/ways to do different type of buttercream. The easiest way requires lots of icing sugar and I hate food that are too sweet! Anyway, while googling picture, etc, I saw how unique buttercream design can be! Other than the normal swirl I mean!

Registered myself for the third class and this time it’s for buttercream decoration on cupcakes!

From top left: Normal swirl (DC cupcake-like), creampuff swirl (using 1M tip), small flowers (also using 1M), flower (no idea what!), grass, flower again!

Flower “swirl” is so hard to do. I’ve no idea what’s the exact name for all the “swirl” or decoration but the above is described in my own words! heh.

The baker/teacher taught us how to do the Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC). So many steps and so many things to note on! The most important factor has got to be the temperature! It looks easy when she’s doing but when I did alone.. 😦

Decoration wise, I believe I can do all the above decorations! Even youtube has lots of videos! All you need is your imagination I supposed. 🙂

One of the blogs I found through google shows step by step of IMBC. See CakeJournal!

Practice: Fondant Cupcakes

 

After the very first baking class I went to, I quickly put my “skills” to test on the weekends. (Under Mama’s order, haha!) Complete with pictures taken to ensure that I will remember the steps/procedures in the near future.

 

Mistake made: Cake is too short and have to put in too many chocolate ganache.  Thick chocolate doesn’t taste that nice.

Moral of the story: Test bake for few cupcakes first to get the “right” weight of batter per cup.

 

Can see the cream cheese filling from this picture.

More fondant decos made by Adek and me:-

 

See the difference made by pearl dusted cupcake. Pink ribbon with cream base looks way nicer!

 

Abah took this picture and sent to me. He brought them for lunch. Bet he removed the fondant off cause Abah only like simple plain vanilla cake!

 

Made another fondant cupcakes for the March babies! This time, the cake’s from the choconana recipe.

Still need to be more creative though! 🙂

Baking Class: Fondant Cupcakes

Since baking has suddenly pique my interest, I registered myself to a basic cupcake decorating class early this year. I know right! What was I thinking?! But the class was fun! I can turn plain vanilla cupcakes into pretty delicious-o cupcakes!

 

Steps/Process to remember:-

1. Bake the vanilla or any other flavour cupcakes – duh!
2. “Insert” cream cheese filling – yummiest thing ever created!
3. Spread chocolate ganache on top and fill up to the brim. – spread once, cool them (put in the fridge), hot work, cool them slightly.
4. Using fondant! – make sure ganache is slightly wet so fondant can stick to them.  

Fondant “technique” learnt:-

1. Knead the fondant in order to prevent cracks, etc. – If there are cracks, use crisco on it.
2. Use corn flour – sprinkle all over table top and even to sweaty palms like mine.
3. Add colouring – preferably gel colouring.
4. Do whatever you like! Creative juices needed. ha.

From the class, I learnt how to make ribbons and bows as per above picture. The imprint roll which I forgot the exact name make the base fondant look more outstanding and pretty! Magic pearl dust gave the cupcakes a glittery and shimmery look. My favourite!! Of course now I just need to google and learn more on decorating various designs! And must practice, practice, practice! 🙂

Choconana

Oh na na, what’s my name?

I believe Choconana or better known as Choconashit is the very first cake I baked all alone. Right? I remembered I helped Mama in baking birthday cakes i.e. blueberry cake and strawberry cake but that was ages ago. By helping I mean not so much on measuring or baking but more on busybody-ing and decorating of course.

So on one fine day as I was busy bloghopping, I found a food blog that caught my interest. I read all her entries in a short span of time. I can’t exactly remember if I was still studying or am already working but yes, I was that free to read and read! This is where I found the choconana (or chocanana) cake’s recipe. 🙂

I don’t think I have the picture of the whole cake on the first try but I saved a photo back then. (Old photo from old memory!)

As you can see from the picture, it looks like shit alright! Hence the name “Choconashit”. Sometimes I think the “na” in Choconashit stands for my name.. I wonder huh.

But hey don’t judge the book by its cover! It taste quite nice right? Heavenly nice, yes? YES I know.

I tried baking this twice, thrice but I never get it right like the first time. Despair. Disappointed. Suicidal, not! Funny thing is, I double the ingredients for both second and third try. The nerve! Luck wasn’t on my side then and I was too over-confident.

The last I tried it was quite a success. Though I know deep in my heart that it just didn’t taste the same. I baked one whole cake (no picture!) and the remaining batter I baked them into cupcakes!

I think they look pretty!

 

Choconana Cake (adapted from Ovenhaven with slight edits)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 mashed medium bananas (or more)
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180C. (and prepare cake tin by lightly grease it and line bottom with parchment paper.)
2. Sift and whisk cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil and vanilla. (I don’t mashed the banana too hard cause I prefer chunky bananas in the cake and I used more than 3 bananas!)
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
5. Bake at 180C for 35-40mins (or till the toothpick come out clean. Very important cause I underbaked most of the times! :()
6. Cool the cake completely and cut into two layers. Place both layers cut-side up and spread whipped chocolate ganache filling over the layers.
7. On one layer, arrange rings of banana slices (or caramelized bananas) onto the layer. Sandwich the layers together and frost the whole cake with a chocolate ganache coating.

P.S. By now you can see how unsuccessful I am in baking and in taking good quality photos.