Tag Archives: cakes

Steamed Cakes

Hi dear Blog. It has been almost a year again since my last post so I suppose it’s time for an update. I will strive to maintain you a bit more than I have done. However, for some time now I’ve lacked the inclination to maintain blogging but that is no fault of yours. At any rate, it’s good to have my favourite recipes compiled together and I hope they will be useful for other people.

The recipe below is for Steamed Cakes and is one of my mother’s. For me, steamed cakes are one of those comfort foods that bring me back to childhood and one that I often make for family gatherings, especially for little kids’ birthday parties.

The seasons are changing now and as we leave behind bright sunny Summer and welcome the cold, drizzly Autumn, my craving for comfort food has returned.

I also bring some of our traditional dishes to work and I may bring a batch of these steamed cakes soon. I work for a charity organisation that supports people with disability. It is for me something I love. I’ve been doing volunteer work since I was in high school and have always wanted to work in the community sector. A job that allows me to do this which also focuses on promoting social inclusion and diversity is something I always dreamed of. However the sector is also changing with the introduction of a new, national insurance scheme for people with disability.

The fortunate thing for me is that I live at home so at the end of a long day, a most beloved and comforting sight is there to greet me (my mother) along with warm, comfort food which she has already cooked. I’m very blessed that for me cooking is something I do optionally and as a hobby (although this has resulted in you dear Blog becoming somewhat neglected). At any rate, on to her recipe for steamed cakes:

mayyoucookitricecakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter
3 cups self raising flour
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups water
1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

Cream together the sugar and butter.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Sift the flour and baking powder together.
Add the flour and water, beginning and ending with the flour. The batter should have the consistency of a pancake mixture.
Pour into individual moulds and steam for about 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter or a little bit of cheese.

Note:

The recipe above is for basic steamed cakes to which you can add your preferred flavourings, eg. vanilla extract, lemon extract etc.

In the picture above, I had made buko-pandan, yam and strawberry steamed cakes.

To make this, just divide your batter into three separate bowls. Add buko-pandan extract to the first bowl, yam extract to the second bowl and strawberry essence in the third bowl before pouring them into the individual moulds and steaming.

Christmas Wreath Cake

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This cake is simple to make and the result is quite lovely. It was something of an experiment, and as an early attempt the results were not exactly as I had envisaged. Still, I think with practice (or if made by a more practiced cook) it has the potential to be quite beautiful. I have decided that this will be a keeper. Consequently, there may be wreath cakes sporadically gracing my family’s table throughout the year before next Christmas hehe.

You can make it with a whole ring cake or with cupcakes. Personally, I prefer using cupcakes and in this instance I used chocolate cupcakes. To make the cupcakes, you’ll need:

1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
100g milk chocolate
125g softened butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour

I opted for cream cheese frosting and for this you’ll need:

125g softened butter
250g cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted icing sugar
Green icing coloring

For the leaves and berries I used:

250g white chocolate
Several bunches of mint leaves.
Green food coloring
Jaffas

Instructions

Wash and dry the mint leaves.
Melt the white chocolate and stir in the green coloring.
Brush the white chocolate over the mint leaves or dip one side into the melted chocolate. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and allow the chocolate to set.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celscius and grease muffin pans.
Combine the water and milk chocolate over low heat, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Beat the sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flours and cocoa together. Gradually add into the sugar, butter and egg mixture, stirring until just combined.
Stir in the melted chocolate and spoon into the prepared muffin pans.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in several drops of green coloring and mix well.
Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag and pipe onto the cupcakes using a large star tip.
Arrange the cupcakes to form a circle then place additional cupcakes to make a second, inner circle.
Gently peel off the leaves from the hardened chocolate.
Arrange the chocolate leaves and jaffas on top of the cupcakes

You can also place chocolate cake truffles in the center of the wreath if you prefer. To make the cake truffles:

Process the unused cupcakes in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
Pour the cake crumbs into a large mixing bowl and spoon several tablespoons of the remaining frosting until the mixture forms a dough.
Roll the mixture into balls and then toss in cocoa powder or dip into melted chocolate. Place the balls in the center of the wreath.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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I broke my stand mixer not too long ago and this precipitated a need to buy a new one. I’ve wanted a KitchenAid mixer for a while now but had never bought one because it seemed so extravagant. They’re a bit costly here in Australia ranging from $650 – $1200 each. However, since I needed to replace my mixer anyway, and I want one that will last a long time, I decided to take the plunge and buy the long desired KitchenAid. I have to admit I’m happy I did. I chose the “ice” colored mixer from the Artisan range but it strikes me as more of a duck egg blue. I didn’t really want the iconic red and my eye was consistently drawn to this lovely light green/blue color. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment and I was excited to try it out when it was delivered.

For its inaugural task, I decided to bake a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. This cake is the first thing I learned to bake, so it seemed fitting that it should be the first thing my dream mixer should make hehe. I was eight years old and eager to take on Yan Can Cook when I learned this recipe. Problem was, I wasn’t allowed to play around the kitchen yet. After a prolonged campaign of pestering, I finally succeeded in convincing my mother to let me bake. We made a Pineapple Upside Down Cake together. Well, at least my mother did. I made a mess, but I did mix the batter and added ingredients every now and then. I didn’t do much in terms of cooking that day and never did develop the skills to take on Mr Yan, but I did have a great time. Albeit under the watchful eye of my mother, who was determined to stop me from enjoying myself to the full in her constant efforts to keep me from falling off the chair, falling into the batter or burning myself, the kitchen or the house down.

This cake is pretty simple to make and very tasty. To make it, you’ll need:

2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup softened butter
1 cup white or caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 can pineapple pieces
1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter (extra)
Maraschino cherries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 20cm round cake tin using the 1/2 cup extra butter.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the base of the tin and arrange the pineapple pieces and maraschino cherries evenly on top.
Beat the butter, vanilla and sugar until the mixture is light and creamy.
Add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour over the mixture, adding alternatively with the milk.
Pour the batter over the pineapple, sugar and maraschino cherries.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for a few minutes before turning it over onto a plate.

Chocolate Cupcakes

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I recently had occasion to make cupcakes and I thought this time I’d use some white chocolate frosting..I love chocolate in any way, shape or form and I like the taste of the chocolate frosting better than buttercream. Of course, the only appropriate topping would have to be more chocolate :-) This time in cookie form, hehe.

Cupcake
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
100g milk chocolate
125g softened butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour

Frosting
120 gms white chocolate melts.
1/4 hot water
2 cups icing sugar
100 gm butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate cream cookies

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celscius and line muffin pans.
Combine the water and milk chocolate over low heat, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Beat together the sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flours and cocoa together. Gradually add into the sugar, butter and egg mixture, stirring until just combined.
Stir in the melted chocolate and spoon into the prepared muffin pans.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the center bounces back when lightly tapped. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the frosting, combine the white chocolate and hot water. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in the cooled white chocolate then place in the fridge until the frosting is firm enough to pipe.
Place the frosting in an icing bag and pipe onto the cupcakes using a star tip.
Cut some chocolate cream cookies in half and place on top of the frosted cupcakes.

Rocky Road Cupcakes

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I have a long and abiding interest in cupcakes. I love their versatility and convenience – they’re relatively easy to transport and good for giving as gifts or packing as a treat for work. I also love to experiment with them….whether it’s to try out a new kind of icing, or going all out with the topping and having a candy sampler.

I recently experimented with this rocky road cupcake recipe and it definitely satisfied my sweet (sweeeeet) tooth. Actually the sweetness was a little too much for me….after one or two of the cupcakes, I felt like I was drifting in a haze of sugar induced semi-consciousness. I think next time I would consider using a cream cheese instead of buttercream icing which will hopefully offset the sweetness of the chocolate topping. At any rate, I thought the end result looked quite nice and it tasted delicious, although it was (did I mention?) very sweet.

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
100g milk chocolate
125g softened butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour

185g softened butter
2 cups icing sugar
Vanilla essence
About 1 cup mini marshmallows
2 bars Cherry ripe chocolate
chocolate sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celscius and lightly oil or line muffin pans.
Combine the milk chocolate and water over low heat. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Beat the sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the self raising flour, cocoa and plain flour together. Add gradually into the mixture and stir until just combined.
Stir in the melted chocolate and spoon into the prepared muffin pans.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the center bounces back when lightly tapped. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the icing, beat 185g butter until light and creamy. Gradually sift in the icing sugar and add vanilla essence. Refridgerate until needed.
Chop the Cherry Ripe into small cubes.
Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and top with the chopped Cherry Ripe and mini marshmallows. Sprinkle chocolate sauce on top of the cupcakes.

Doughnuts

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It’s getting noticeably cooler these days as Summer begins to make way for Autumn. The hot, balmy mornings are gradually being replaced by cool, fresh ones. It’s just the right weather for waking up to a tall cup of coffee and warm freshly made doughnuts on lazy weekend mornings.

Most doughnut recipes take a long time to make and though its generally enjoyable to make traditional raised doughnuts, sometimes I just want to whip up a quick batch for breakfast. Thankfully, I’d come across a doughnut recipe in the past which I recently (and gratefully) dug out again. Its an uncomplicated recipe and great if you want to make doughnuts but do not have the time or inclination to make the traditional raised kind.

Ingredients

Doughnut
1 cup milk
4 tsp yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
4 Tbs oil

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup icing sugar
2 Tbs hot water
2 Tbs melted butter
2 Tbs hot drinking chocolate

Cooking Instructions

Heat milk until warm. Add yeast and 1/4 cup sugar. Allow it to stand about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar and mashed potatoes. Add the milk mixture and oil.
Mix the dough well.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the ingredients have combined well (about 8 minutes)
Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut the doughnut shapes.
Set the dough aside and prepare the glaze.
Heat the oil then fry the doughnuts until golden (ensure your oil is about 375F to prevent the doughnuts becoming soggy).
Drain the doughnuts on kitchen paper.
Dip one side of the doughnut into the glaze and add sprinkles if desired.

Glaze

Mix the icing sugar, water and butter until well combined.2
Mix in the powdered chocolate. Add more or less to taste. If you prefer a thinner glaze, add a little more hot water to the mixture.
Cover one side of the cooked doughnuts in glaze. You can also sprinkle toppings on top of the glaze if you prefer.