PASSION FRUIT CHIFFON CAKE

It is the season for passion fruits. Personally I do not really fancy the fruits on their own due to sourness, but my children love them! However, I love the taste when it is made into desserts. The fragrance and sweet-sour taste is absolutely my all-time favourite. 

Using recipe from my favourite pandan chiffon cake as reference point, I came up with this amazing cake. The result is a fragrant, moist and soft cake, and I simply love the crunch from the seeds. No essence is required, only real fruit pulp is used. If you are into all-natural cake, then just omit baking powder. The cake may not rise as much without baking powder, but the texture and taste is not compromised. 

To ensure softness of cake, make sure the egg whites are whipped nicely and gluten is not activated from flour.  It may look like a lot of sugar, I assure you the taste is well balanced. But if you still wish to reduce sugar anyway, please only reduce from the 63g that is to be mixed into egg yolks. Refrain from reducing from egg whites portion.

This recipe is for 21cm chiffon mould or 2 x 16cm chiffon moulds. Cake not stored in fridge must be consumed in three days. Can keep for a week in fridge.

PASSION FRUIT CHIFFON CAKE
Ingredients

4 egg yolks (from 50g eggs)
63g caster sugar

36g canola oil
70-80g fresh passion fruit pulps and seeds (abt 2 fruits, do not exceed 80g)

82g low-protein flour
2g baking powder (optional)

5 egg whites (from 50g eggs)
43g caster sugar
Pinch of salt and dash of vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven at 150C using conventional mode and place rack at lower level. 

2. In a clean, grease-free, water-free mixer bowl, place in egg whites and whisk at medium-fast speed till foamy. Add a pinch of salt and dash of vinegar.

3. Add sugar from 43g by the tablespoons slowly. When the egg white is whisked to 70-80% stiffness, switch to whisk at low speed for 3 minutes to reduce air bubbles. My mixer takes about 10 minutes to make this meringue.

4. While the egg whites are mixing in low speed, we can prepare the egg yolks.
In a separate mixing bowl, put in egg yolks and sugar. Use a hand whisk to stir till combined. The yolks do not have to thicken.

5. Stir canola oil and fruit pulps together. Add into egg yolk mixture and stir well to combine.

6. Sift in flour and baking powder mixture (if using baking powder) into egg yolk mixture. Use hand whisk to just combine. There should be no lumps and flour is not overworked.

7. Scoop a third of meringue into egg yolk mixture. Fold in gently.

8. Pour egg yolk mixture into the gap left in meringue. Fold in gently until no white streaks is seen.

9. Pour into chiffon mould(s). Level top and give a few taps to pop air pockets.

10. Bake for 70-90 min. You should see golden crusts around the raised hole in middle of cake. Remove from oven and drop mould to ground from height of 1 feet to shock the cake. Quickly invert cake to cool completely in the mould. Then remove cake from mould and serve.

Tip: It is important that the cakes are inverted with at least 15cm height so that heat is dispersed well and not sweating the cake. Try to let cake cool in normal circumstances without fan or air-conditioning.

DARK CHOCOLATE MOIST MUFFIN

This recipe is a MUST-keeper and definitely my favourite! Chanced upon it on Bear Naked Food blog and decided to try it one night when I had chocolate craving after lesson. Oh! This really tasted so very good! Even my old folks gave me thumbs up, and my hubby who always stayed neutral about my bakes said this was really good. Of course getting good quality chocolate would made a great difference, but Little Mouse needed to be thrifty. I could not spend a lot of money to buy Valrhona on muffins for own stomach, my lovely hubby would have his eyes popped out!

I tried this chocolate couverture in Phoon Huat which I thought was value for money. It costs about a fourth of its Valrhona cousin and tasted better than the other chocolates that I previously bought from the bakery. I would strongly recommend dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content to balance out the sweetness of the muffin. Hence Bakeway Chocolate 73.5%  is good enough for me.

Believe me, this recipe is worth a try. It is super easy, and almost fool-proof (unless you do do not follow the recipe). It took me less than 45min from prep to finish. I would be making these for parties and I know my guests would simply find them irresistible! And I would not need to worry about melting frostings!

DARK CHOCOLATE MOIST MUFFIN (adapted from Taste of Home)

Ingredients

160g dark chocolate couverture droplets, at least 70% cocoa content

Wet Ingredients

120g unsalted butter, melted

240ml buttermilk (I used 1 tbsp vinegar and fill up to 240ml mark with full cream milk, set aside for 5 min)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract (okay, I used 1 tbsp!)

Dry Ingredients

170g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

70g unsweetened cocoa powder

190g castor sugar

1/2 tsp salt

More dark chocolate couverture droplets for toppings (Optional)

Methods

1. Preheat oven at 170C, line muffin tray with liners.

2. Beat eggs and add all wet ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

3. Sift flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt into another bowl.

4. Stir in 160g dark chocolate droplets into dry ingredients.

5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir just to combine, do not overmix.

6. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tray till 70-80% full. Tap muffin tray on counter top once to release any air bubbles. You may top with additional chocolate droplets for visual enhancement (optional).

7. Bake at 170C for about 18-20 minutes. Do not over-bake or the cakes will turn out dry.

8. Remove baked muffins from tray to cool completely on wire rack.

Makes about 18 muffins (or 12 muffins plus a small loaf*)

*If you are baking in a loaf tin, baking time varies. My small loaf required 30mins bake time.

moist cake from loaf

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND IRISH CREAM BAILEYS WHIPPED CREAM

Kakakaka, my mother-in-law was out of town! That meant I could naughtily buy some peanut butter ^,^. Somehow, she did not (and still does not) approve us of eating store-bought peanut butter as she thought the peanuts must had rotted in order to be used. I gave up trying to let her see the light years back, so I never got it ever since. It was my 5 year old son's very first time trying out this creamy goodness.

I was craving for a rich chocolate cake the other day but hesitated as I wanted to keep extra weight off. But in the end, after one day of hesitation, I still went ahead with this one (^0^)

My other son helped me to make this batch of cake sponge. It was not a good day for him so I thought this might distract him a little and he could also learn something new during the school holiday. I got him to measure out the ingredients and beat the batter.... messy, messy, messy, yet I could not bring myself to growl at his untidiness. I was supposed to help him feel better, right? Forbearance, patience, breathing techniques... all required here (o.o''')

I had a picture in my mind on how my cake would turn out. But it did not materialize because my littlest one insisted on his own design. (Sigh) I had wanted chocolate shards to top the cake, but my prince only insisted on chocolate chips. I suspected he wanted to nimble on the chips as he decorated. Boo-hoo-hoo! = (

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND IRISH CREAM BAILEYS WHIPPED CREAM

Cake Sponge (adapted from Joan Hayes in Chocolate Chocolate and More!)

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/4 cups fine sugar

3/4 cups cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp fine salt

1 1/4 cup Espresso

1/4 cup milk

Method

1. Prepare 3 x 6" round cake pans, grease them and line with baking papers at base of pans.
2. Combine plain flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt well. Sift and set aside.
3. Combine coffee and milk in a container.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and add sugar in batches till pale and fluffy.
5. Gently stir in cocoa powder and vanilla extract, mix well.
6. Using low speed, add in eggs, one at a time beating well after every addition.
7. Scrape down the sides and beat using medium speed to combine well.
8. With beaters at low speed, add flour and coffee mixture alternately to batter in a few batches, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down the sides and combine well.
9. Divide batter evenly among the baking pans, level batter top and give a few taps for each pan.
10. Bake in preheated oven of 175C for about 25-30min or until skewer comes out clean when poked in the middle. Do not over bake. (I baked 2 pans first and later the 3rd pan. Keep waiting batter covered)
11. Let cool in pan for 10 min, turn out onto rack and remove baking paper to cool completely.
12. Assemble cake and chill before serving.

Irish Cream Baileys Whipped Cream

Ingredients

20g salted butter, softened

300g cold thickened cream

30ml Irish Baileys

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Methods

1. Cream butter.
2. Pour in cream and beat till slightly thickened.
3. Add in liquor and powdered sugar.
4. Beat till cream is stiff.
5. Chill in fridge till ready to use.

Assembly

Ingredients

Sugar syrup

Peanut butter

Chocolate Chips or Shards

brush cake top with sugar syrup before spreading peanut butter and cream.

My prince in action

Rich, soft and tall cake! Make sure your fridge has enough space for it to chill.

RASPBERRY AND BLUEBERRY CAKE

This is probably the last birthday cake I am making for the year, and it belongs to my lovely mother-in-law. I usually decorate my cakes with all-year round strawberries, but decide to be a little extravagant this time for the madame. I got her raspberries, blueberries and even golden berries. She's not a cake-person, but I hope she appreciates my love for her (^,^)

I like this sponge cake as it is very light. To make it moist, slice the sponge cake into 2 or 3 layers and brush with sugar-rum syrup. The syrup brings the taste to another level, and it is absolutely necessary. 

We had a very full meal for the celebration and I thought everyone would just taste a tiny slice as a gesture. They came back for second or even third helpings and whoosh! the whole cake was gone. (Glee! Glee! Glee!)

RASPBERRY AND BLUEBERRY CAKE

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup full cream milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour (I replace 2 tbsp with corn flour)

1 tsp baking powder

4 egg white

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp melted butter

Frosting

300g cold whipping cream

8 large marshmallows

Sugar Syrup

2 tbsp sugar

4-5 tbsp hot water

1 tsp rum or brandy (optional)

Assembly / Decoration

Fruit Jam

Raspberries

Blueberries

Golden berries

Method

Cake sponge

1. Grease 7" round pan and place baking paper at base of pan. Preheat oven at 165C.
2. In a clean and dry bowl, beat egg whites till foamy using electric beaters at slow speed. Add a tablespoon of sugar and beat till well combined (about 10 seconds). Repeat adding all sugar by tablespoons until egg whites become stiff but NOT dry. Set aside.

   

   stiffed peak with glossy look

3. In another bowl, beat egg yolks till creamy, thick and pale.
   
4. Pour in milk and vanilla extract, beat for 5 seconds.
5. Combine cake flour (and corn flour if using) and baking powder. Sift directly into yellow batter. Fold in gently till well combined.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Put 1/3 egg white (meringue) into yellow batter. Fold in gently till well combined.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Pour everything from step 6 into the remaining 2/3 meringue. Fold in gently till well combined.
   
   
   

   

   Fold in gently until no more white streaks

8. Lastly pour in melted butter and fold in gently till well combined.
   
   
   

   

   batter should be very light

9. Pour batter into pan, tap a few times to release air bubbles and bake for about 30 min or until skewer comes out clean when poked in the middle.
10. Immediately gently remove cake from pan. Invert and remove baking paper. Cool completely on a rack.

recipe can be used for cupcakes too

Frosting

1. Place clean and dry beaters and steel bowl into freezer for about 20 min.
2. In a small saucepan over gentle fire, melt marshmallows with 3 tbsp whipping cream. Keep stirring and be careful not to burn it. Remove from stove. Stir occasionally to help cool the mixture and prevent it from gelling up.
   
3. Remove cold beaters and steel bowl from freezer. Pour in balance cold whipping cream and beat till slightly stiff.
   
4. Pour in cooled marshmallow mixture into cream. Whip till stiff. 
   
   
   
   
5. Place in piping bag with round nozzle.
6. Chill till ready to use. 
   
   

Sugar syrup

1. Dissolve sugar into hot water. Add in rum or brandy. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Slice cooled sponge cake into 2 or 3 layers.
2. Place one slice on serving plate, brush its top with sugar syrup generously.
3. Spread some jam onto cake slice. Pipe whipped cream all around. Arrange with fruits.
   

   

   I'm having only 2 slices. These are the sandwiched fruits.

4. Brush the bottom of the 2nd slice of cake with sugar syrup generously. Place on top of 1st slice.
5. Brush top of 2nd slice with sugar syrup, again, generously. If you are having 3 slices, then repeat steps 3 to 5.
6. Pipe whipped cream on top and decorate as desired. Chill cake in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.