Aspiring Bakers #13: Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes
Recipe shared by Mindi

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2 cups	Cake flour
1 tbsp	Baking powder
½ tsp	Salt

5	Egg yolks
1 cup	Milk
½ cup	Vegetable oil
½ tsp	Vanilla extract

8	Egg whites
½ tsp	Cream of tartar
1 cup	Sugar

Whipped Cream Fillings:

2 cups	Whipping cream
¼ cup	Sugar
½ tsp	Vanilla extract

Method

Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven at 200°C. Sift the cake flour together with baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with milk, oil, and vanilla extract until well cooperated.
3. Add the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture, and beat until the batter is smooth. Set aside.
4. In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks. Add in sugar gradually and beat till still peaks.
5. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter in 3 parts.
6. Spoon into cupcake cups evenly. Tap them on a flat surface a few times to break the large air bubbles in the batter.
7. Bake at 180°C (170°C works best for my cupcakes) for about 20 minutes or test with skewer.
8. Remove from oven and leave them to cool on racks straight up.

Whipped Cream:
1. Measure the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla into the mixing bowl. Mix on high speed until soft peaks.
2. Fit the piping bag with a narrow tip, and fill it with the whipped cream. Pipe the cream into center of the cupcakes after they are completely cooled. Dust with powdered sugar (optional).

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min’s Blog. Join in the fun! Info can be found here.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Simple and easy, yet delicious. I never would have thought cakes without butter, egg, or milk would taste just as good. Give it a try, you won't regret.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from Instructables (AliciaK)

Makes 12 cupcakes or 8x8 square pan

Ingredients:

1¼ cup	Flour
1 cup	Sugar
⅓ cup	Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp	Baking soda
½ tsp	Salt

1 cup	Warm water
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
⅓ cup	Vegetable oil
1 tsp	Distilled white vinegar

For chocolate glaze (vegan) recipe, please follow the link.

Moist and chocolaty.

Method:

1.     Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

2.     Mix together the dry ingredients; make sure they are well incorporated.

3.     Add the wet ingredients. Mix until the ingredients are completely combined. The batter will be runny.

4.     Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 17-20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

5.     Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool completely. Top it with glaze/icing/buttercream or just leave it plain – it’s just as good.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

The color scares me. D=

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

56 g	Unsalted butter, room temp
150 g	Granulated sugar
1	Egg
3 tbsp	Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp	Red food coloring
½ tsp	Vanilla extract
½ cup	Buttermilk
135 g	All-purpose flour
½ tsp	Salt
½ tsp	Baking soda
1½ tsp	Distilled white vinegar

@_@

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Note:

I fail at making frosting. T.T Please follow the cream cheese frosting recipe by Brown Eyed Baker or any you prefer.

Make your own buttermilk: ½ tbsp white vinegar (you can use cider or lemon juice) plus enough milk to make ½ cup. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

Non-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Non-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Small Small Baker

(Recipe halved)

Ingredients:

Biscuit base:

50 g	Oreo cookies, cream removed
25 g	Butter, melted

Cream cheese filling:

½ tbsp	Gelatin powder
35 g	Water
130 ml	Whipped cream, whipped (medium peak)
125 g	Cream cheese
20 g	Icing sugar
30 ml	Milk
½ tbsp	Maple syrup (or honey)
¼ tsp	Vanilla extract
5	Oreo cookies, chopped coarsely

Topping (optional):

Finely crushed Oreo cookies

Method:

Biscuit base:

1.     Crush (or blend) the cookies as fine as possible.

2.     Combine with melted butter and press firmly into a springform tin.

3.     Chill it for at least 2 hours.

Cream cheese filling:

1.     Measure water into a bowl and sprinkle in gelatin (don’t stir). Set aside to allow the gelatin grains to swell (10 minutes) before setting the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water. Stir with a spoon and once the gelatin melts, remove the bowl from the pot and set aside to cool to room temperature.

2.     Beat cream cheese with icing sugar till well combined.

3.     Add in fresh milk and mix till well combined. Add in gelatin mixture and mix well.

4.     Fold in whipped cream and divide mixture into 2 portions.

5.     Fold in crushed Oreo cookies into 1 portion and maple syrup (or honey) and vanilla extract into the other portion.

6.     Pour in the white portion into the chilled biscuit base. Level the cream cheese filling and put into the fridge to let it set.

7.     Pour the Oreo cream cheese filling onto the set white cream cheese and level it.

8.     Put into the fridge to let it set for 2 to 3 hours.

9.     Remove from freezer, sprinkle Oreo cookies on top (or decorate as desire) and put back into the fridge. (None for mine because I ate them D= )

10.  Slice and serve chilled.

Nom nom~~

Also, cream corn custard whomeal buns and mini chocolate cupcakes

My First Macarons!!!

No fillings. =P

Chocolate Macarons (shells only)
Recipe shared by Daily Delicious

Ingredients:

110 g	Icing sugar
65 g	Ground almonds
13 g	Dutch cocoa

60 g	Egg whites, at room temp
20 g	Caster sugar
A pinch	Cream of tartar

Method:

1.     Sift icing sugar, almonds and cocoa through a fine sieve, pushing mixture through with a wooden spoon; this will help to make a smooth macaron.

2.     Using an electric mixture, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, whisk to combine and add caster sugar a little at a time. Whist to firm soft peaks.

3.     Stir in almond mixture, in three or four additions. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated; the mixture will look like a cake batter.

4.     Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with nozzle (5mm). Pipe (or spoon) mixture into 2.5cm rounds onto baking paper.

5.     After piping all the macarons, lift the baking sheet with both hands and then bang it down on the counter. This is to get rid of the air bubbles.

6.     Set aside for 1 hour or until the surface is no longer sticky to light touch.

7.     Preheat oven to 150°C. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until firm to touch.

8.      Remove from oven and cool on trays. Slide a knife under each macaron to release from paper.

9.      Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or until ready to assemble.