Orange and Lemon Chiffon Cake

I am sharing this more diabetic friendly recipe as it calls for less flour and sugar.  Baking too is different as this recipe is steamed baked with a lower oven temperature too.  To obtain a very fine texture, this cake has to rise above the cake pan and then for the last 20 minutes, it will fall back to the height of the cake pan.  The cake will only start rising at about 15 to 20 minutes and continue to rise.  This recipe will enable you to hand press to dislodge the cake.

Mothers Day Butterfly Cake

The ultimate tender, moist cake is really perfect for any special occasions as suggested at Baking Banter, King Arthur Flour Blog.  It is high rising with a moist, tender crumb and uses the paste method, so no need to cream the butter and sugar. Although a stand mixer is recommended for this cake, or a sturdy hand mixer, i used the food processor.

This cake was actually baked for Renee's 12th Birthday but i would like to dedicate this cake to all MOTHERS who have obligated to love you and that is the purest love on earth.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Sharon and Sandra's Birthday Cake

Besides making Mooncakes for the Mid-autumn Festival which coincided with my daughter's birthdays, I have been busy making this cake for then.  Although my elder girl is in Malaysia and not able to taste the cake, my thoughts are with her during her birthday.  Sharon and Sandra, i hope this cake met both your satisfaction.  Happy Birthday to both of you.

Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean Cake -

It was my grandson Alexander's 7th birthday and the theme this year was Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.  Thank goodness they were pirates, i was so untidy and Jack Sparrow looked like he did not have a bath for a long long time.  It was fine with Black Beard as his beard covered up his dirty face.  Davy Jones was scary enough, his squid beard was more bushy to start with and some fell off.  

Opera Cake

I have always been fascinated about this cake - OPERA CAKE.  Fascination turned into Inspiration by looking at all the lovely pictures of this cake baked by so many.  At a glance of the ingredients, i can attest that it will be a very very rich delicious cake.  It is so rich that some said that it was served during the Intermission of Operas and it will help to keep spectators awake through the second half. It will not be so for those who cannot resist this decadent delight and have another helping, will stay alert from over indulgence.  I have found so many recipes but Joe Pastry's Opera Cake overwhelmed me with step-by-step instructions which was so clear and easy to follow.  Thank you, Joe Pastry for sharing.

This cake was made for a dear relative who turned 50 and being half a centenarian, deserve something special.

Angrybirds Fondant Cake - Renee 10th Birthday

Happy Birthday Renee, i hope you like this Angrybirds Cake.  I am glad you chose this theme cos i really enjoyed making these birds as angry as can be.  I love those adorable pigs and can't imagine that they were the bad guys.  What i enjoyed most was the time you spend with me, explaining to me what this angrybirds game is about and all the levels and the special powers of each birds.  With all these knowledge imparted, i still do not think i will be able to pass level 1, but i did have the inspiration to make these fondant birds as angry as possible and the pigs as cute as can be.  After making so many angry birds and pigs, my fingers have cramped up from kneading the fondant to get the correct colors for each bird and my eyes have gone crossed from the tiny fixtures.  I still have to make a catapult and the wooden structure of which the pigs can be placed.  I should have made the catapult first as it was the biggest but i was so excited to make the birds which was so gratifying to make that i could not stop but continued to make all the birds that Renee wanted, and i made the catapult at the eleventh hour with regrets. Renee wanted the triangular yellow bird to be on the catapult and the bird was too big.  So i had to remake another catapult and persuaded her to use the tiniest one which is the Ice Bird.  For the wooden structure, tootsie rolls saved the day.

Best Ever Carrot Cake For Tatum

 Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others - Anonymous.  Thank you for such a meaningful greeting and just as the clock signals the arrival of New Year on the this midnight, i wish you all a better beginning tomorrow and A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

My Christmas was merry indeed and i would like to thank all my family and friends for all the thoughful gifts.  Thank you, Sandra, Jeremie, Renee, Alexander, Tien Hsi, Bruce, Timmy, Belinda, Wally, Coleen, Jerry, Vicky, Sammy and Kaylee.

I know this coming New Year will be a happy one cos i have already started to make Tatum happy, i hope, by baking her this best ever Carrot Cake.  Happy Birthday Tatum and Cole.

Chestnut Cake With Ganache Filling and Lacquer Glaze

This glaze has intrigued me since I borrowed Rose Levy Beranbaum’s newest book, “Rose’s Heavenly Cakes”, which received “Cookbook of The Year” award and was also the winner in the “Baking: Savory or Sweet” category at 2010 IACP Cookbook Awards. Very well deserved.   I finally had the opportunity to make it for Sandra's birthday.  I used this glaze to replace the chocolate glaze suggested in Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake from her book - Baking From My Home to Yours.  I made the cake following the cake recipe and baked the cake in Wilton's Fanci-Fill Cake Pan.  As suggested by Rose, the cake should have a Ganache Coating as the Glaze will show the slightest imperfection.  I would have loved to coat my cake with Ganache but had instead coated with Chocolate Buttercream cos i ran out of heavy cream and had enough heavy cream only to make the filling -  the Chocolate Caramel Ganache(i could only make 1/2  recipe) 

The Lacquer Glaze was so very shiny (you can see my reflection on the cake) and went well with the cake making it so stunning.  You might notice I left the top alone - I thought  it was starkly beautiful but i can't say the same of the sides to my cake. I had to decorate the sides with sugarpaste flowers.

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