My late Birthday cake post

 

 

 Have been looking back at some of my cake photos and happen to realise I haven't blogged about my birthday cake on here.  I must have been carried away with thoughts for being another year older.

 

Yes, it's scary to say I've reached my 40th Birthday already!! Ekkk!!

 

Summer is almost over and today is the last day of August.

But it reminds me that my Wedding Anniversary is only round the corner.

With preparing the kids for going back to school, I haven't had time to think about what cake I'll be making this year.

 

My hubby loves Black Forest,  I have made one for him on Valentine's Day. I guess I can make one again as it's been over 6 months since we've had one.

 

Time have been flying by. Soon my baby boy will be 4 in October, he wants a Spider-Man cake!

How am I going to make a Spider-man cake using fresh cream and fruits?

I think I'll  have to start expanding my cake knowledge and brave myself  into making fondant cakes.

At least they won't melt and I can make them in a few days in advance.

 

But at the moment, I still enjoy eating as well as making fresh cream cakes.

Moon cakes 2014

 

It's almost Mid Autumn festival, this year it falls on the 8th September.
The festival occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on the Chinese calender every year.

When I was a child, my parents would invite relatives over and they will make a feast, it is a tradition to bring  families together from near and far.
It is as exciting as the Chinese new year celebration.

In our custom, during the Mid Autumn festival we buy moon cakes as gifts.
Traditionally, moon cakes are made using salted egg yolks as it resembles the moon and a sweet filling of lotus paste or red bean paste .

Moon cakes symbolising the full round moon of the Mid Autumn festival, when you cut the cake in half, the yolk will looks exactly like the full moon in the night sky.

Nowadays there are more varieties of moon cakes, this is because the traditional flavours are not as well received by the younger generation.
I have seen Green tea flavour, Black sesame flavours even Tiramisu!

But as I am unable to buy salted egg yolks or new trendy fillings, my version will be based on lotus paste and red bean paste. I have added a piece of chestnut to resembles the moon.
Today, I will be joining many bakers by making home made moon cakes.

 

If you like to find out more about this festival you can click here and it will explain the history of this festival.
 

This year will be my second year in making my own moon cakes, and I have ordered a mini mould to try and make smaller size moon cakes.  

Lemon Olive oil cake

 

Looking for something light and fluffy and don't want to bake with butter or veg oil?

Then you should try this. The fragrant from fresh lemons are so refreshing, this cake is so light it crumbles and melts in the mouth.

It also makes me feel better for baking this as it's healthier than using butter.

So for those who are also in love with cooking with olive oil, you can also use it to bake a cake.

 

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

160g caster sugar
125ml extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons (85g)
Zest of one lemon
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Icing sugar for dusting

 

Method:

 Line a 9 inch round spring form tin.
Preheat oven at 180c.

Measure out the olive oil and lemon juice.

 

In a separate bowl sieve flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the lemon zest to the flour.

 

 Whisk eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.

 





 

Add the olive oil and lemon juice to the egg mixture and whisk.
 

 

  Fold in the flour until combined.

 



 

Pour batter into the lined baking tin.

 

 

Tap on the work top a couple of time to release large air bubbles.

 

Bake in a preheat oven 180c for 40-45 minutes.

The top of this cake will be nice and flat.

Test center of the cake with a wooden skewer at 40 mins.

 

 

 When it is done take out to cool on a wire rack and wait a few minutes before you release from the cake tin.

 Once cooled, dust with icing sugar.

 

 

 Even my son enjoyed it, he clean the plate in minutes.

 

 

 



Raspberry Friands

 

Have you had lots of egg whites left over after making custard or egg tarts?

Wonder what to do with it other than baking a pavlova or meringue nests!

Well, let me introduce to you these little beauties, Raspberry Friands.

 

Usually baked in oval moulds, this French cake is sometimes mistaken for a muffins. Texture is similar to a madeleine and it only uses egg whites, butter, icing sugar, ground almond and very little flour. This is very simple to make and ready in under an hour!

Would you like to try this too?

 

I only have a muffin tin so that is what I will be using, you can use silicon tart cases.

Friands can be baked with any other fruits, nuts or even chocolates.

Add fruit zests or desiccated coconuts.

It's endless of what you can add to it.

 

 

Mandarin Orange cream cheese cake

 

This is something I put together after a reader have private messaged me to see if I could make a cake she tried at a café.  The cake she had was a Tangerine cream cheese triangle, it looked simple and I was confident that I can copy it.  But after making my cake, I put the two together to compare, it looks nothing like it! Ha-ha! I think mines were a little too over decorated!

 

 

So this is the recipe you have all been waiting to try at home.  I would say it's a little complex to make but if you're feeling adventurous then this would be the one to try!

Oreo chiffon cake

 

After seeing a few post of a chiffon cake sent in to me by my readers, I couldn't resist on making one.

I haven't made a chiffon cake for a while so I decided to make an Oreo chiffon cake.

My kids loves Oreos but daughter isn't too keen on chiffon cakes.

But my son who loves Chiffon cakes and Oreo's can't wait to eat it!

Here's my version of the Oreo chiffon cake, I hope you like it as much we did.