Pineapple Cupcakes with Pineapple Buttercream/whipping cream

Stewed pineapple

1 cup finely chopped pineapple
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

Hull and chop the pineapple finely
Add pineapple pieces, sugar and water to a pan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer
Remove 100g of the pineapple pieces after 5 minutes
Leave the remaining pineapple pieces to simmer for another 5 minutes and reduce
Allow to cool and use the syrup which is pineapple scented by now


Pineapple cupcakes

100 g pineapple pieces, drain well and add
170 g maida
65 g corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
250 ml milk + 1 tsbp vinegar
220g granulated white sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

Assemble all dry ingredients, mix once and sieve together.
Preheat to 175 degrees
In another bowl, put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for five minutes
Add granulated sugar and oil to the milk-vinegar mixture and blend until sugar dissolves
Stir in the vanilla extract
Add sieved ingredients and 1 tbsp water, blend until well mixed
Fold in pineapple pieces
Spoon into cupcake liners and bake about 20 minutes

Soak with pineapple juice, frost with whipping cream tinted in yellow.

Pineapple buttercream

225 g salted butter
440 g icing sugar
pineapple juice - 1/3 cup
vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon

1. Sift together icing sugar, salt and meringue powder. Keep aside.

2. Add the pineapple juice into the bowl of your electric mixer. Into that add 1/2 of the icing sugar and beat on low speed until the icing sugar has been incorporated. Beat for one minute, and then add the remaining icing sugar and beat on medium high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until most of the icing sugar has been dissolved in the cream.

3. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.

4. Add butter a little at a time while beating and beat on medium speed just until all butter has been used up.

5. Now beat just for a minute or two until the frosting becomes creamy and stiff.

6. Do not over beat after this stage or the frosting might curdle.

Strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream/ whipped cream

Strawberry cupcakes

1 cup strawberries

2 tsp sugar

A few drops of lemon juice

170 g maida
65 g corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
250 ml milk + 1 tsbp vinegar
220g granulated white sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

Hull and chop the strawberry finely

Add strawberries, sugar and water to a pan and keep aside for 15 minutes to 1/2 an hour

Assemble all dry ingredients, mix once and sieve together.
Preheat to 175 degrees
In another bowl, put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for five minutes
Add granulated sugar and oil to the milk-vinegar mixture and blend until sugar dissolves
Stir in the vanilla extract
Add sieved ingredients and 1 tbsp water, blend until well mixed
Fold in strawberry pieces with the juices
Spoon into cupcake liners and bake about 20 minutes

Strawberry buttercream

225 g butter
440 g icing sugar
strawberry puree 1/4 cup
vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon

1. Sift together icing sugar, salt and meringue powder. Keep aside.
2. Add the strawberry puree into the bowl of your electric mixer. Into that add 1/2 of the icing sugar and beat on low speed until the icing sugar has been incorporated. Beat for one minute, and then add the remaining icing sugar and beat on medium high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until most of the icing sugar has been dissolved in the strawberry puree.
3. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. Add butter a little at a time while beating and beat on medium speed just until all butter has been used up.
You can add a few drops of pink color now if required
5. Now beat just for a minute or two until the frosting becomes creamy and stiff.
6. Do not over beat after this stage or the frosting might curdle.

Strawberry whipped cream
1 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup chilled strawberry jam

Whip cream to soft peaks.
Fold in strawberry jam and beat till stiff peaks form.

Fill in the cupcakes with strawberry jam and then frost rosettes with whipping cream.

Brown butter cupcakes with Dulce de leche filling and dulce de leche flavoured whipping cream frosting

Browned butter cupcakes

170 g maida
65 g corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
250 ml milk + 1 tsbp vinegar
220 g demerara sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup browned butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsbp water

Assemble all dry ingredients, mix once and sieve together.
Preheat to 175 degrees
In another bowl, put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for five minutes
Add granulated sugar and oil to the milk-vinegar mixture and blend until sugar dissolves
Stir in the vanilla extract
Add sieved ingredients and 1 tbsp water, blend until well mixed
Spoon into cupcake liners and bake about 20 minutes

Dulce de leche
Empty a can of condensed milk into a pan
Place pan in pressure cooker and cook for up to 4 to 6 whistles to achieve a dark colour dulce de leche.
Refrigerate and use as filling and to flavour whipped cream.

Dulce de leche flavoured whipping cream

1/4 cup dulce de leche
1 cup whipping cream

Whip cream to soft peaks
Add dulce de leche
Whip up to stiff peaks again

Fill cupcakes with dulce de leche using a small plain round tip
Pipe swirls
Make small chocolate decorations

Orange and Pineapple Muffins

25g hazelnuts (1/4 cup)
1 cups (130 g) maida
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (56 g) butter
1/4 + 1/8 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup sour cream or yoghurt
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
110g crushed pineapple

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Place a rack in centre of oven
Toast 1 half cup of hazelnuts
Set aside to cool and then chop into small pieces
Grease 18 small cupcake tins

Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy (2 minutes)
Add the yoghurt and beat well
Scrape down and add orange zest, vanilla extract
Add the flour and beat until just mixed
Fold in the toasted hazelnuts and the drained chopped pineapple

Spoon batter into prepared tins, bake for 15-20 minutes and check with skewer at 16 minutes or so

For the glaze:

1/4 cup fine granulated sugar
1/6 cup fresh orange juice

Combine the ingredients for glaze together in a small cup while the muffins are baking.

While the muffins are still very warm, brush with the glaze.

Instead of hazelnuts, you could also use flaked almonds, white chocolate chips

Caramel cupcakes with a expresso buttercream frosting

Caramel cupcakes with a expresso buttercream frosting and drizzled with caramel sauce and chocolate ganache

Truly indulgent - these caramel cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache centre and frosted with a rich coffee buttercream and drizzled with caramel sauce on top!
For that special someone that loves the three C's - coffee, caramel and chocolate!

Flavours can be customized - we can make the frosting a dulce de leche frosting for those that do not like coffee and leave out the chocolate ganache filling or swap with something else for those that do not like chocolate ( it's true, although I personally don't believe that there are people that don't like chocolate, they do exist!!).  Talk to me for more details.

or just coffee flavoured whipping cream

For caramel syrup:

Granulated white sugar – 2 cups
Water – 1/2 cup
Water, to stop crystallization – 1 cup

Method:

Add sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and put it on high flame until the sugar dissolves. Keep stirring with a wooden spatula. It will start boiling and bubbling and colour starting to change. Stir once in a while but not constantly. Let the colour change. In the picture below, the picture in the second row third column is my final colour I thought is enough. You got to wait for that stage. Now switch off stove and remove the sauce pan to the kitchen counter. Take all precaution, step back and stretch your hands to just pour a bit of the water and keep away while it splatters. Now again pour some more of the water and let it splatter some more. Now you can pour all of the remaining 1 cup. Mix well and bring it back on to fire on high flame and keep on high flame for 2 to 3 minutes until it reduces a bit and thickens. Do not leave it for long, then it would really thicken making it difficult to pour once it cools down. You got to have a fairly thin syrup while switching off the stove, which when cooled down is honey consistency.

Caramel cupcakes:

Ingredients:
170 gm (1 1/4 cup) plain flour
65 gm (1/2 cup + 4 tbsp) cornstarch or cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
250 ml (1 cups) milk + 1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup caramel syrup
220 gm (1 cup) granulated sugar*
125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (preferably rice bran)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

 Method:
Line a 12 numbered cupcake or muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a bowl assemble all the dry ingredients the plain flour, corn starch, baking powder and soda together and sieve together once.
Pre heat the oven to 175 C/350 F.
In another bowl put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for about five minutes. Put in the granulated sugar and oil and blend with a blender until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the caramel syrup as well.  Stir in the vanilla extract.
Now put in the sieved dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients, add the additonal 2 tbsp water and blend with a blender until well mixed about 3 to 4 minutes.
With the help of an ice cream scoop or a spoon drop the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes for regular cupcakes and 10 minutes for mini cupcakes.

Rich Coffee Buttercream

Top thick film formed on boiled and cooled milk – 1 1/2 tablespoons
Icing sugar – 1 cup, sifted thrice
Butter – 1/2 cup, at room temperature
Instant coffee powder – 3/4 teaspoons

In a bowl take the top of milk and whisk well. Add icing sugar little at a time and whisk well until it is combined. Beat for a minute or so on medium speed. Now add the butter and instant coffee powder and beat until the butter has incorporated evenly and the buttercream has lightened and airy. This process will take 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed. Buttercream is now ready to be frosted.

Chocolate Ganache garnish:
100g cream
200g chocolate chopped to bits
Boil cream until bubbles form on top
Pour over chocolate
Rest for a minute and fold chocolate until you get a smooth sauce

Caramel sauce for garnish:
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon fleur de sel (or any other flaky sea salt)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy saucepan, with a capacity of at least 2 or 3 quarts. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down.
Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.

2. Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 350 degrees F.
(The lighting doesn't depict the color perfectly in the photo above, but if you look to the left side, you will see there is some darker caramel underneath - this was the predominant color at this point.)

3. As soon as the caramel reaches 350 degrees, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.

5.Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.

6. Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 weeks. You'll want to warm the sauce up before using.

Eggless whole wheat banana bread

Eggless Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup atta
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup packed granular brown sugar
1/2 cup packed granular white sugar
100g butter melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 small almost black bananas
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Grease and flour a loaf pan and keep it ready.
Mix together both flours, baking powder, baking soda and sieve once to make mixture uniform.
Grind the two sugars together in a mixie jar to break it down to a uniform size.
Melt the butter
Stir in the sugar into the melted butter
Puree the bananas
Add the pureed bananas to the sugar/butter mixture and whisk well until well blended
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Bake in 9" by 5" rectangular loaf pan until done at 180 degress centigrade for about an hour's time.
Cool, cling wrap and refrigerate overnight before cutting
Place on a wooden board and photograph in natural light.

Eggless vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream flowers

For the Cake

 Ingredients:

170 gm (1 1/4 cup) plain flour

65 gm (1/2 cup + 4 tbsp) cornstarch or cornflour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

250 ml (1 cups) milk + 1 tbsp vinegar

220 gm (1 cup) granulated sugar*

125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (preferably rice bran)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp water

 Method:

Line a 12 numbered cupcake or muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a bowl assemble all the dry ingredients the plain flour, corn starch, baking powder and soda together and sieve together once.

Pre heat the oven to 175 C/350 F.

In another bowl put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for about five minutes. Put in the granulated sugar and oil and blend with a blender until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Now put in the sieved dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients, add the additonal 2 tbsp water and blend with a blender until well mixed about 3 to 4 minutes.

With the help of an ice cream scoop or a spoon drop the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes for regular cupcakes and 10 minutes for mini cupcakes.

Make mini chocolate cupcakes

For buttercream flower techniques, follow this
http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/weve-picked-you-some-cupcake-flowers-a-blog-tutorial/
you need pink, yellow, blue and white buttercream

Vanilla Buttercream

1. Beat cream and 

Heart shaped rolls for V Day order

Ingredients:

For the dough:

All-purpose flour – 3 cups, extra for dusting
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Sugar – 2 tablespoon
Active dry yeast/Instant Dry yeast – 1 tablespoon
Luke warm water – 1 cup, adjust
Olive oil – 2 tablespoon
For filling:

Processed cheese ( cheddar/ mozzarella) – 100 gms
Garlic – 2 large pods, grated
Green chillies – 1 large, finely chopped
Corriander leaves – 2 tablespoon, finely chopped
Mixed Italian spices – 2 teaspoons
Salt – 1/4 teaspoon, adjust
Pepper – 1/4 teaspoon, adjust
Chilly flakes – 1/2 teaspoon
To brush:

Butter – 30 gms, melted
Egg – 1, beaten well
Oil – 2 tablespoons

Method:

1. In a bowl, add sugar and luke warm water ( To test the temperature of water, you need to warm it up and put one of your finger into it and count till 5, if the 5th count is the hottest point for you to  bear the heat, then its right for yeast. If its easy for you to bear or the reverse, try and get the right temperature). Add yeast into it, mix well and set aside. Do not be tempted to disturb the mixture. It will foam up and bubble. Wait for 10 minutes for the yeast to react. If your yeast wont react, discard and start over.

2. In another large bowl, add flour, salt and olive oil. Mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture into it. Mix everything together again. If the dough is not very soft, add about a tablespoon of water at a time and make sure your dough becomes soft and sticky. This part of additional water cannot be pre-determined by any recipe. It could depend on your climate, warmth of your hands and few other factors. But the point is, a soft sticky dough can be worked up to firmness, but a hard dough is difficult to get it pliable. Hard dough yields hard breads. Soft sticky dough usually yields soft breads/buns

3.  Transfer dough onto your work counter or silicon mat. Start kneading. Best way to knead bread dough is to stretch and fold. We are trying to form gluten in the dough. And this process by all means creates gluten in the dough scientifically, it also in the same scientific terms burns out our calories. So trust me, it is such a meditative process for the yeast lovers. Mark your timer and work out for 10 to 15 minutes. Stretch the dough with one of your hand, far apart from you as much as you can stretch it. Then fold and bring it back. Stretch it back again to the extent possible. Fold it back again. Keep doing it. You will find the sticky dough transform into a smooth shiny dough.

4. With the soft dough, make a ball with all the seams sealed at the bottom of the dough. Cover it with a bowl and let it prove for about an hour until the dough doubles in volume.

5. Punch the dough/ Knock it down are the terms. And yes you literally have to punch it down ( screeeeaaaammmm!!! Such broad fingers I have!!!!  :/ )

Take 3 teaspoons italian spices; 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper, 1 pod garlic copped in small pieces

Mix the italian spices,crushed black pepper and garlic into the dough.


Divide this dough into 10 pieces
Make a sausage that is 8 inches long roughly and then start curling them from either side to meet the center resembling a heart.
Make 10 hearts
Let to prove for 15 minutes
Brush with milk
Sprinkle on top of the hearts with the grated cheese.
Sprinkle liberally while still keeping the heart shape clear

Line baking tray with greased aluminium foil and bake with lower rod alone at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
The last five minutes, move to a rack closer to the top and bake with uppper rod also on so as to get a good colour.

Brush with melted butter when hot out of the oven
Try to add liberally while still showing heart shape.

Cake for Srinidhi's birthday

Requirement is for a 2 kg chocolate cake with chocolate pastry cream filling and frosting with whipped cream.
Decoration is a chota bheem picture with happy birthday with the children's names on the other half of the cake

Chocolate cake from barbara bakes old fashioned cake recipe - I'm making the whole recipe.. not yet decided if i should go for 10" square cake or for rectangular cake.. should measure the image and see.
should finalize the cake board, cake boxes tonight.

Eggless Chocolate Surprise Inside Cake for Valentine's Day

Bake the vanilla cake on Friday 13-Feb morning
Bake the chocolate cake on Friday evening
Cut the chocolate cake on Saturday morning

Eggless Vanilla cake - i make my eggless pound cake by using condensed milk and butter.
This cake is from the divine taste blog.

225 gm (8 oz/ about 1 ½ cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda/ sodium bicarbonate
1 tin/400gm sweetened condensed milk
110 gm/1 stick butter
200 ml (7 fl oz/ 3/4  cup) milk
4 tbsp yogurt
2 tsp good quality vanilla extract

Grease and line the bottom of a loaf pan with greaseproof paper/baking parchment/butter paper. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees centigrade.
In a mixing bowl, assemble the flour, baking powder and baking soda, mix with a spoon and sieve once to make the mixture uniform. In a bowl assemble the butter and the condensed milk and beat (with a hand mixer or a wire whisk) until the mixture is combined, about a couple of minutes. Mix in the yogurt and beat again. Pour in the milk and vanilla and beat until the mixture is well mixed.  Add a few drops of red colour until you get the desired red or pink.
Stir in the flour mixture and mix with a spoon, whisk or the legs of the hand mixer before starting to beat again. This will prevent the flour from getting dispersed outside the mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture is uniform and smooth and there are no lumps. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes with an electric hand mixer/beater. Be careful not to over beat as this tends to make the batter stiff which might result into a harder textured cake. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for an hour at 150 degree centigrade.

Cool completely and freeze cling wrapped for a few hours.

Eggless chocolate cake

200 gm (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
50 gm (1/4 cup) good quality cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda/ sodium bicarbonate
1 tin/400gm sweetened condensed milk
150 gm butter melted
2 tsp good quality vanilla extract
150 ml water

Grease and line the bottom of a loaf pan with greaseproof paper/baking parchment/butter paper. In a mixing bowl, assemble the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, mix with a spoon and sieve once to make the mixture uniform. Preheat the oven at about 100 to 120 degrees centigrade. Add in the condensed milk, melted butter, vanilla essence and water. Beat with an electric hand mixer, whisk or spoon just until the mixture is uniform and smooth and there are no lumps. This shouldn’t take more than a minute with an electric hand mixer/beater. Be careful not to over beat as this tends to stiffen the batter which might result into a harder textured cake. 

Remove the frozen vanilla cake from the freezer and cut into neat slices of thickness half inch.
Cut a heart shape from each slice using a suitably sized heart shaped cutter.
Fill the prepared loaf pan with half the chocolate cake batter.
Start placing the heart shaped pound cakes into the half filled loaf pan. Make sure to place them next to each other. Try not to push it down, place them with very little pressure.
Pour the remaining batter over the hearts so they are covered and pan is 3/4 full.
Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for an hour at 150 degree centigrade.
Remove and cool completely

Chocolate Butter Icing:

225 gm cooking chocolate

100 gm unsalted butter

For the icing, break the chocolate into chunks and melt it slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water (a double boiler). Mix in the butter and stir until the icing has the consistency of thick pouring cream. Place the cake on a cooling rack and over the icing, smoothening the top and sides with a palette knife. Allow to set and decorate as desired or savour it as it is.

Once set, place in refrigerator.

Cut when cold and serve.

Janu's 5th birthday cake

Chocolate cake with mousse filling and fresh cream frosting

Chocolate cake from Barbara bakes:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar*
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used KA Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups hot water*
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (I substituted 1 teaspoon chocolate extract)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º with rack in the center. Spray two 9x2 inch round cake pans with non-stick spray.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. (Don't use a mixer.)
3. Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, a few lumps are OK. Divide batter between pans, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool cakes on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert them onto the rack.. Leave cakes upside down (this flattens domed cakes) to cool completely.

Frosting:

125 ml cream; 250g chocolate

Heat cream till it bubbles.

Chop chocolate really fine.

Pour cream all over chocolate.

Leave to stand for a minute and then mix in with a spatula until smooth and shiny.

Take 1/2 cup of whipping cream and whip to soft peaks.

Fold in the ganache into the cream gently.

1 1/2 cups whipping cream - whipped to soft peaks, add 2 drops of gel colour and whip to stiff peaks.

Smooth finish as possible the first time itself.

Smooth out using hot water.

Pipe a top border in the same color - small stars.

Fondant - Make a large ball of light blue and dark blue fondant as well as white.  Make tiny balls out of these and put them all around the bottom of the cake.

Cut tiny stars out of the dark blue fondant and place them over the cake board and the cake itself on top.

Make the Doraemon topper and stand it over a nicely shaped fondant white base to prevent colour from leaking.

Timetable to make:

1. Make fondant Doraemon and the small balls as well

2. Bake cakes 

3. Make sugar syrup to moisten the cakes.

4. Make chocolate ganache and leave to set

5. Fill with ganache and frost with whipping cream

6. Place fondant topper on top.