The Baking Diaries since March 30th, 2011

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Makes 12

1c flour

1tsp baking powder

pinch salt

75g butter

2/3c sugar

1 1/3 egg

1.5tbsp lemon zest

2tsp lemon juice

1/3tsp vanilla

1/3c milk

Curd:

1 egg lightly whisked

50g butter

2tsp lemon zest

1/4c lemon juice

1/2c sugar

180C. Beat butter and egg until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, zest. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with 2 additions of milk and lemon uice.

Divide among cupcake liners. Fill to THREE QUARTERS FULL (seriously)

Bake for 25 minutes.

CURD:

Combine egg, butter, lemon zest, juice, and sugar in saucepan. Cook at low heat and stir for 5 minutes until boil and thicken. (if u think its too sour add some milk- it’ll still thicken later, just mix it in)

Remove from heat, strain through sieve. Cover with cling wrap, make sure cling wrap touches surface of  curd to prevent skin forming. Put in fridge to cool and thicken

MERINGUE:

3 egg whites

some sugar, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Beat egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar. Beat more, add sugar, beat until stiff peaks (super glossy). If you over beat it’ll look really foamy again. YOU DONT WANT THAT.

Put meringue in piping bag with a nozzle (or no nozzle, u choose)

Assembling cupcakes:

Use knife to cut small hole out of cupcake surface (on top). FIll hole with lemon curd (that has been thickened, left in fridge for a while) to the top. Then use some crumbs to sprinkle on top of curd to kinda cover it. 

Pipe meringue on top. Afterwards you can either put it in an oven that is heated for approx 5 minutes until meringue slightly golden brown, with lots of white colour of the meringue showing. I used 180C, u can use higher temperature, but just make sure you take them out earlier.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

纸包蛋糕- cake in paper (it’s a local delicacy of Hong Kong. It’s really sponge cake)

You’ll need these special moulds. Although if you wanted to just make normal sponge cake, this recipe works perfectly!! Very spongey.

Recipe- I only had four moulds, so i only made four of these, remainder i just baked in a little cake mould.

5 eggs
50 grams butter
60 ml milk
100g flour
80 grams sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extra
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

. Preheat the oven to 180C. Melt butter in a microwave oven or heat over boiling water in a bowl. Separate the egg yolks and the egg whites.

2. Add the melted butter into milk, then sift cake flour into it and mix well. Add whisked egg yolks and vanilla extra into the mixture, mix thoroughly.

3. Use an electrical mixer to beat egg whites for 3 minutes, then add cream of tartar and blend again. Pour sugar in the egg whites and blend until very stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the flour mixture gently with a rubber spatula just until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not stir or beat. For a better result, fold in egg whites with small amount at a time for 3 times.

4. Pour batter into cup cake molds that are already lined with baking paper. Bake at 180C for 25 to 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if the cakes are done. If the toothpick comes out of the cake clean, then they’re ready. Allow the cakes to cool for a minute or two in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Rainbow cake!!

Recipe: one 8 in cake +6 cupcakes. Although if you want just cake use 8in, but put more quantity of colours. The The colouring can be omitted for just vanilla cake. -it’s taste is very good for vanilla cake.

3c flour

1.5tbsp baking powder

235g butter softened

1 1/2c sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

1c milk

For rainbow cake: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple food colouring. (the amount depends on how concentrated your colouring is, and how concentrated you want the colour to be. I put a few drops in for each.

180C. Line bottom with baking paper, oil sides.

Sift flour, baking powder, mix.

Beat butter until creamy and smooth, add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat.

Alternate flour mixtureand milk, starting and ending with flour.

For rainbow cake: separate batter into 6 bowls, one bowl (for purple) should ahve more than any other bowl (because you’ll put this at the bottom of cake pan, and if you donth ave enough the other colours will cover the purple. trust me). The quantity of each bowl should go in descending order, so one bowl has most batter (for purple), then blue, then green…with one bowl with the least (red.)

If you want the colours to be the other way around, so bottom is red, then orange, and whwat you see on top is purple. Thats fine too.

Add the colourings to each bowl, mix.

For the cake: Add huge huge spoonfuls of purple on the bottom of cake pan which is lined with baking paper. Tap cake mould on bench so that the colour spreads bit more to the side. Then add the next colour (blue), add enough so that it covers most of the purple, but a rim of purple can still be seen. Tap the cake mould. Repeat for other colours. At the end you should end up with big red colour in the centre, covering the orange, and the orange covering the yellow etc.

If you’re doing the other way around, you’ll see purple in the center on top, covering the blue, which covers the green…and the outer most rim is the red.

For cupcakes- its much simpler. add a small spoonful of purple on the bottom (SMALL- or else you wont have enough space for other colours), spread so that it covers entire cupcake liner. Add some blue…and then finally red on top.

To get that swirl effect (not the layered colour on) use the method for the cake one. Where u add a drop of the purple, then a drop of the blue…but don’t spread it.

Bake for 25 min around.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Rainbow cake!!

Recipe: one 8 in cake +6 cupcakes. Although if you want just cake use 8in, but put more quantity of colours. The The colouring can be omitted for just vanilla cake. -it’s taste is very good for vanilla cake.

3c flour

1.5tbsp baking powder

235g butter softened

1 1/2c sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

1c milk

For rainbow cake: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple food colouring. (the amount depends on how concentrated your colouring is, and how concentrated you want the colour to be. I put a few drops in for each.

180C. Line bottom with baking paper, oil sides.

Sift flour, baking powder, mix.

Beat butter until creamy and smooth, add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat.

Alternate flour mixtureand milk, starting and ending with flour.

For rainbow cake: separate batter into 6 bowls, one bowl (for purple) should ahve more than any other bowl (because you’ll put this at the bottom of cake pan, and if you donth ave enough the other colours will cover the purple. trust me). The quantity of each bowl should go in descending order, so one bowl has most batter (for purple), then blue, then green…with one bowl with the least (red.)

If you want the colours to be the other way around, so bottom is red, then orange, and whwat you see on top is purple. Thats fine too.

Add the colourings to each bowl, mix.

For the cake: Add huge huge spoonfuls of purple on the bottom of cake pan which is lined with baking paper. Tap cake mould on bench so that the colour spreads bit more to the side. Then add the next colour (blue), add enough so that it covers most of the purple, but a rim of purple can still be seen. Tap the cake mould. Repeat for other colours. At the end you should end up with big red colour in the centre, covering the orange, and the orange covering the yellow etc.

If you’re doing the other way around, you’ll see purple in the center on top, covering the blue, which covers the green…and the outer most rim is the red.

For cupcakes- its much simpler. add a small spoonful of purple on the bottom (SMALL- or else you wont have enough space for other colours), spread so that it covers entire cupcake liner. Add some blue…and then finally red on top.

To get that swirl effect (not the layered colour on) use the method for the cake one. Where u add a drop of the purple, then a drop of the blue…but don’t spread it.

Bake for 25 min around.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Rainbow cake!!

Recipe: one 8 in cake +6 cupcakes. Although if you want just cake use 8in, but put more quantity of colours. The The colouring can be omitted for just vanilla cake. -it’s taste is very good for vanilla cake.

3c flour

1.5tbsp baking powder

235g butter softened

1 1/2c sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

1c milk

For rainbow cake: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple food colouring. (the amount depends on how concentrated your colouring is, and how concentrated you want the colour to be. I put a few drops in for each.

180C. Line bottom with baking paper, oil sides.

Sift flour, baking powder, mix.

Beat butter until creamy and smooth, add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat.

Alternate flour mixtureand milk, starting and ending with flour.

For rainbow cake: separate batter into 6 bowls, one bowl (for purple) should ahve more than any other bowl (because you’ll put this at the bottom of cake pan, and if you donth ave enough the other colours will cover the purple. trust me). The quantity of each bowl should go in descending order, so one bowl has most batter (for purple), then blue, then green…with one bowl with the least (red.)

If you want the colours to be the other way around, so bottom is red, then orange, and whwat you see on top is purple. Thats fine too.

Add the colourings to each bowl, mix.

For the cake: Add huge huge spoonfuls of purple on the bottom of cake pan which is lined with baking paper. Tap cake mould on bench so that the colour spreads bit more to the side. Then add the next colour (blue), add enough so that it covers most of the purple, but a rim of purple can still be seen. Tap the cake mould. Repeat for other colours. At the end you should end up with big red colour in the centre, covering the orange, and the orange covering the yellow etc.

If you’re doing the other way around, you’ll see purple in the center on top, covering the blue, which covers the green…and the outer most rim is the red.

For cupcakes- its much simpler. add a small spoonful of purple on the bottom (SMALL- or else you wont have enough space for other colours), spread so that it covers entire cupcake liner. Add some blue…and then finally red on top.

To get that swirl effect (not the layered colour on) use the method for the cake one. Where u add a drop of the purple, then a drop of the blue…but don’t spread it.

Bake for 25 min around.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Banana Tiramisu

Recipe- makes one 8 in cake + a few leftover glasses

Lady finger sponge (this is only the sponge layer, so not the lady finger pieces, which you buy) (not essential btw, for a cake its better, for spoon out tiramisu from pudding cup or a bowl then no need)

70g egg whites

70g sugar

100g yolks

60g flour

30g cornstarch

30ml oil

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peak

Add yolks, sift in flour, cornstarch, fold into egg mixture.

Fold in oil.

Pour into 8in cake mould, and bake at 210C for 10min.

Cool, slice into two layers.

Ingredients for tiramisu

1 lady finger sponge (the cake that can be made from ingredients above)

One pack of lady fingers- 10 pcs around

Warm coffee- 250ml. If you like stronger coffee taste, put more coffee beans

40 ml Amaretto (you can substitute this for marsala or kahlua, or a mixture of any of these together) (i put around 60 ml because i like a stronger alcohol taste)

Mascarpone cheese 250g

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

75g sugar 

10g gelatin powder

325g already whipped cream to stiff peaks

cocoa powder for dusting

Banana filling

3 bananas

20g sugar

1/2 pc lemon zest (not mandatory)

40g butter

1/4tsp cinnamon

5g rum

Banana filling: 

cut bananas into small slices. Heat butter & sugar in pan. Fry banans w/ lemon zest, cinnamon, rum until light golden brown. Leave to cool and for later use.

Beat mascarpone cheese and yolks

Beat whites with sugar to soft peaks & dissolve gelatine powder in 100ml hot water.

Fold whites, gelatine water, and whipped cream into mascarpone cheese.

Mix warm coffee with amaretto and other alcohol if you have.

Dip one slice of the lady finger into the coffee mixture so that it is soaked, but not so soaked that it will break.

Place in bottom of cake mould, then cover with some cheese mixture. Add some banana filling. Dip some lady finger biscuits into coffee mixture then arrange on cheese mixture, put some banana filling and put another layer of dipped sponge cake. Spoon some mascarpone cheese mixture.

Chill until set- around 2 hrs.

Dust with cocoa powder- use stencils for patterns.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Tiramisu

Recipe- makes one 8 in cake + a few leftover glasses

Lady finger sponge (this is only the sponge layer, so not the lady finger pieces, which you buy)

70g egg whites

70g sugar

100g yolks

60g flour

30g cornstarch

30ml oil

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peak

Add yolks, sift in flour, cornstarch, fold into egg mixture.

Fold in oil.

Pour into 8in cake mould, and bake at 210C for 10min.

Cool, slice into two layers.

Ingredients for tiramisu

1 lady finger sponge (the cake that can be made from ingredients above)

One pack of lady fingers- 10 pcs around

Warm coffee- 250ml. If you like stronger coffee taste, put more coffee beans

40 ml Amaretto (you can substitute this for marsala or kahlua, or a mixture of any of these together) (i put around 60 ml because i like a stronger alcohol taste)

Mascarpone cheese 250g

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

75g sugar 

10g gelatin powder

325g already whipped cream to stiff peaks

cocoa powder for dusting

Beat mascarpone cheese and yolks

Beat whites with sugar to soft peaks & dissolve gelatine powder in 100ml hot water.

Fold whites, gelatine water, and whipped cream into mascarpone cheese.

Mix warm coffee with amaretto and other alcohol if you have.

Dip one slice of the lady finger into the coffee mixture so that it is soaked, but not so soaked that it will break.

Place in bottom of cake mould, then cover with some cheese mixture. Dip some lady finger biscuits into coffee mixture then arrange on cheese mixture, and put another layer of dipped sponge cake. Spoon some mascarpone cheese mixture.

Chill until set- around 2 hrs.

Dust with cocoa powder- use stencils for patterns.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Tiramisu

Recipe- makes one 8 in cake + a few leftover glasses

Lady finger sponge (this is only the sponge layer, so not the lady finger pieces, which you buy)

70g egg whites

70g sugar

100g yolks

60g flour

30g cornstarch

30ml oil

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peak

Add yolks, sift in flour, cornstarch, fold into egg mixture.

Fold in oil.

Pour into 8in cake mould, and bake at 210C for 10min.

Cool, slice into two layers.

Ingredients for tiramisu

1 lady finger sponge (the cake that can be made from ingredients above)

One pack of lady fingers- 10 pcs around

Warm coffee- 250ml. If you like stronger coffee taste, put more coffee beans

40 ml Amaretto (you can substitute this for marsala or kahlua, or a mixture of any of these together) (i put around 60 ml because i like a stronger alcohol taste)

Mascarpone cheese 250g

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

75g sugar 

10g gelatin powder

325g already whipped cream to stiff peaks

cocoa powder for dusting

Beat mascarpone cheese and yolks

Beat whites with sugar to soft peaks & dissolve gelatine powder in 100ml hot water.

Fold whites, gelatine water, and whipped cream into mascarpone cheese.

Mix warm coffee with amaretto and other alcohol if you have.

Dip one slice of the lady finger into the coffee mixture so that it is soaked, but not so soaked that it will break.

Place in bottom of cake mould, then cover with some cheese mixture. Dip some lady finger biscuits into coffee mixture then arrange on cheese mixture, and put another layer of dipped sponge cake. Spoon some mascarpone cheese mixture.

Chill until set- around 2 hrs.

Dust with cocoa powder- use stencils for patterns.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Tiramisu

Recipe- makes one 8 in cake + a few leftover glasses

Lady finger sponge (this is only the sponge layer, so not the lady finger pieces, which you buy)

70g egg whites

70g sugar

100g yolks

60g flour

30g cornstarch

30ml oil

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peak

Add yolks, sift in flour, cornstarch, fold into egg mixture.

Fold in oil.

Pour into 8in cake mould, and bake at 210C for 10min.

Cool, slice into two layers.

Ingredients for tiramisu

1 lady finger sponge (the cake that can be made from ingredients above)

One pack of lady fingers- 10 pcs around

Warm coffee- 250ml. If you like stronger coffee taste, put more coffee beans

40 ml Amaretto (you can substitute this for marsala or kahlua, or a mixture of any of these together) (i put around 60 ml because i like a stronger alcohol taste)

Mascarpone cheese 250g

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

75g sugar 

10g gelatin powder

325g already whipped cream to stiff peaks

cocoa powder for dusting

Beat mascarpone cheese and yolks

Beat whites with sugar to soft peaks & dissolve gelatine powder in 100ml hot water.

Fold whites, gelatine water, and whipped cream into mascarpone cheese.

Mix warm coffee with amaretto and other alcohol if you have.

Dip one slice of the lady finger into the coffee mixture so that it is soaked, but not so soaked that it will break.

Place in bottom of cake mould, then cover with some cheese mixture. Dip some lady finger biscuits into coffee mixture then arrange on cheese mixture, and put another layer of dipped sponge cake. Spoon some mascarpone cheese mixture.

Chill until set- around 2 hrs.

Dust with cocoa powder- use stencils for patterns.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Tiramisu

Recipe- makes one 8 in cake + a few leftover glasses

Lady finger sponge (this is only the sponge layer, so not the lady finger pieces, which you buy)

70g egg whites

70g sugar

100g yolks

60g flour

30g cornstarch

30ml oil

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peak

Add yolks, sift in flour, cornstarch, fold into egg mixture.

Fold in oil.

Pour into 8in cake mould, and bake at 210C for 10min.

Cool, slice into two layers.

Ingredients for tiramisu

1 lady finger sponge (the cake that can be made from ingredients above)

One pack of lady fingers- 10 pcs around

Warm coffee- 250ml. If you like stronger coffee taste, put more coffee beans

40 ml Amaretto (you can substitute this for marsala or kahlua, or a mixture of any of these together) (i put around 60 ml because i like a stronger alcohol taste)

Mascarpone cheese 250g

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

75g sugar 

10g gelatin powder

325g already whipped cream to stiff peaks

cocoa powder for dusting

Beat mascarpone cheese and yolks

Beat whites with sugar to soft peaks & dissolve gelatine powder in 100ml hot water.

Fold whites, gelatine water, and whipped cream into mascarpone cheese.

Mix warm coffee with amaretto and other alcohol if you have.

Dip one slice of the lady finger into the coffee mixture so that it is soaked, but not so soaked that it will break.

Place in bottom of cake mould, then cover with some cheese mixture. Dip some lady finger biscuits into coffee mixture then arrange on cheese mixture, and put another layer of dipped sponge cake. Spoon some mascarpone cheese mixture.

Chill until set- around 2 hrs.

Dust with cocoa powder- use stencils for patterns.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

hostess marshmallow cream filled chocolate cupcakes

recipe makes 15

1 1/2c+2tbsp flour

2 1/4tsp baking powder

1/4ts salt

1/2tbsp vanilla

1/2c +1 tbsp milk

3/4c cocoa powder

99g butter softened

3/4c + 6tbsp sugar

2.5 egg whites

180C oil muffin tray, dont need to put paper liners.

Mix flour, bakign powder, cocoa powder, salt. Stir vanilla with milk.

Beat butter with sugar until pale and fluffy. Add flour in 3 batches alternating with milk,.

Separately beat egg whites until stiff. Fold 1/3 into batter. Fold remaining.

Fill muffin tray cups 3/4 full. Bake 22 min. Cool

Cut hole in bottom, hollow out hole. Save the cut out pieces Put frosting in piping bag, pipe, and reseal using reserved piece. Decorate top with frosting.

Marshmallow Cream filling/frosting

280ml marshmallow cream

68g butter softened

Beat two together until combined. Chill 15-20 min until slightly firm.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

hostess marshmallow cream filled chocolate cupcakes

recipe makes 15

1 1/2c+2tbsp flour

2 1/4tsp baking powder

1/4ts salt

1/2tbsp vanilla

1/2c +1 tbsp milk

3/4c cocoa powder

99g butter softened

3/4c + 6tbsp sugar

2.5 egg whites

180C oil muffin tray, dont need to put paper liners.

Mix flour, bakign powder, cocoa powder, salt. Stir vanilla with milk.

Beat butter with sugar until pale and fluffy. Add flour in 3 batches alternating with milk,.

Separately beat egg whites until stiff. Fold 1/3 into batter. Fold remaining.

Fill muffin tray cups 3/4 full. Bake 22 min. Cool

Cut hole in bottom, hollow out hole. Save the cut out pieces Put frosting in piping bag, pipe, and reseal using reserved piece. Decorate top with frosting.

Marshmallow Cream filling/frosting

280ml marshmallow cream

68g butter softened

Beat two together until combined. Chill 15-20 min until slightly firm.

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Viennese Cookies (no eggs!)

Recipe: this is the perfect amount, if u half it u end up with around 8 ^^

• 250g  butter softened
• 55g icing sugar (i used more around 65-70g)
• 225g plain flour
• 75g corn flour
• 300g dark chocolate
• pinch salt

180C

Cream butter until fluffy. Sieve in icing sugar. Beat

Sieve flour, cornflour, salt in, beat.

Put in piping bag with a nozzle attachment (star). Pipe onto non stick baking sheet.

Bake for 15min until golden brown.

Once cooled, melt chocolate (the methods of doing so- microwave, set over hot water, simmer over hot water in saucepan, or just put the bowl of chocolate in the oven which is still hot for a while). Dip half of the cookie into chocolate.

Let it sit until cooled and set

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Viennese Cookies (no eggs!)

Recipe: this is the perfect amount, if u half it u end up with around 8 ^^

• 250g  butter softened
• 55g icing sugar (i used more around 65-70g)
• 225g plain flour
• 75g corn flour
• 300g dark chocolate
• pinch salt

180C

Cream butter until fluffy. Sieve in icing sugar. Beat

Sieve flour, cornflour, salt in, beat.

Put in piping bag with a nozzle attachment (star). Pipe onto non stick baking sheet.

Bake for 15min until golden brown.

Once cooled, melt chocolate (the methods of doing so- microwave, set over hot water, simmer over hot water in saucepan, or just put the bowl of chocolate in the oven which is still hot for a while). Dip half of the cookie into chocolate.

Let it sit until cooled and set

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)

Hazelnut Crunchy Cake

Recipe: 

Crunchy Base:

45g dark chocolate

10g vegetable oil

60g paillete Feuilletine

Hazelnut Sponge Cake:

150g egg

65g sugar

20g milk

20g oil

60g flour

40g ground hazelnut

1/2tsp baking powder

Hazelnut Custard Cream

250g whipping cream

100g instant custard powder

230g milk

140g praline paste

Decorate; toasted hazelnuts

Sponge Cake:

Beat eggs until foamy, add sugar, beat until thick and pale.

Sift in flour and baking powder and ground hazelnuts in 3 additions. Fold

Pour in milk and oil, mix.

Pour into 6x6in square mould. Bake 25-30min at 180C.

Cool

Make Crunchy Base:

Melt chocolate. Add oil, mix. Add to paillete Feuilletine. Mix. Press into bottom of 6x6in square ring with baking powder(cake is taken out by now and ring/mould is washed.)

Chill.

Make cream:

Beat cream until stiff peak.

Add milk to custard powder and beat until thick. Add cream to custard and fold. Add in praline paste and fold.

Assemble:

Cut sponge cake horizontally into 3 layers.

Place crunchy base on the bottom

Sandwich the hazelnut sponge cake with layers of hazelnut cream, so the layers are as following: crunchy base, cream, sponge, cream, sponge etc. When putting layers of cream, pipe it in thin rows.

Slice cake into a square. Spoon remaining cream into piping bag with round nozzle. Pipe cream on top of acke, sprinkle with toasted and chopped hazelnut.

Pipe the hazelnut custard cream

(Source: Flickr / bakingexplosion)