Frosting frosting frosting

The reason why i love baking so much is because I can have fun decorating my cakes/cupcakes! It is never wrong... never a standard item... never ugly... and you can never fail!!!

Although cakes/cupcakes can be served plain, it is the frosting that makes it The Cake/The CupCakes! There are so many different types of frosting. There is buttercream, ganache, fondant, royal icing and my personal favourite is cream cheese frosting!! 

Here are the recipes!

PEANUT BUTTER  ICING

60g Crunchy peanut butter

50g Unsalted butter, softened

2tsp Vanilla essence

115g Icing sugar, sieved

2tbsp milk

Combine peanut butter, butter and vanilla in the mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add icing sugar along with milk, and beat until well combined.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

200g Cream cheese(room temperature)

175g Icing sugar

1tbsp Lemon juice

1tsp Vanilla essence

Slowly beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a mixer bowl until creamy and soft. Add lemon juice and vanilla and beat briskly until well combined. Swirl onto the cupcakes!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

100g Dark choco

2tbsp Milk

50g Unsalted butter

90g Icing sugar sieved

Gently heat the choco, milk and butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar. Swirl the icing onto the cooled cupcakes..:D

EASIEST FROSTING OF ALL...

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

115g Softened unsalted butter

225g Icing sugar, sieved

1tsp Vanilla essence

2 tbsp milk

Cream the butter for 1-2 mins. Add milk, vanilla essence and half of the sifted icing sugar, and beat for at least 2 mins or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 2 mins or until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if the mixture is too dry or icing sugar if the mixture is too wet.

If you wish to colour or flavour the buttercream then this is the time to do it! 

Tip: Add a drop at a time(dip the end of a toothpick into the food colouring gel(I like to use Wilton Brand) and beat in until you reach the required colour or flavour!!

HAPPY FROSTING!!

Chocolate Mud Cupcakes

I've been baking a lot lately. I'm not sure if it's 'motherly instinct' or fear I'll never bake again when the little one comes along. Hmmm.. I've got so many people telling me "You'll never have the time!" I hope it's not true but I guess It's normal for mummies to wanna spend time with their loved ones whenever they can. Well.. you'll get to find out after June. If you don't see me updating my blog you'll understand. haha...

Maybe after that I'll change the name to BABYMANIA instead of cupcakemania. haha...

Anyway, here's a step by step recipe for those chocolate lovers out there. These cupcakes are so simple to make and it's really rich and moist!!!!!!!!! Enjoy.............

300g Dark/Milk Chocolate(I use valrhona)

300g Unsalted Butter

5        Eggs

115g Caster sugar

115g Self-raising flour

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

Preheat the oven to 160C.

In a medium bowl, melt butter and chocolate together in a microwave - 2-3 minutes on medium should be alright, stirring it well. (Or if you're not as lazy as me, have it in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water and let it cool before using)

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and thick.

I like to use this!! Highly recommended!!!! If you can't find it in any of your local stores dun worry bout it. Any vanilla essence will do..:P

When the batter is pale and creamy it should look something like this.

Fold the flour into the egg mixture...

Stir in the melted chocolate and butter until well blended

Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 20 minutes. (I like to use ice cream scoop in order to have equal distribution)

My chocolate babies ready to be baked!!

ABRA KADABRA!! 

You can choose to top them up with choc ganache..

Or pipe them with some simple red icing...

And top it up with sugar dolls..;) 

(Sugar dolls can be bought or if you have the time you can craft them on your own. I got these from Jurong East Phoon Huat. I can't remember how much i paid but pls do check out their website for more details www.phoonhuat.com. Altenatively, you can also get better quality sugar dolls from www.b-i-y.com but at a higher price)

My Sugar babies all dressed up for "Lou Hei"tonight....:)

(Wordings were rolled out from fondant)

HAPPY BAKING!!

Happy V Day!

Happy Valentines Day to all my loved ones!

Valentine's day is normally celebrated with gifts, flowers, chocolates and romantic love notes. As for me.. I dirtied my fingers and made cookies for my dearest friends. Since it is a day to express my love to them, I baked butter lemon cookies painfully decorated with long hours of piping and then cleaning up!! If you didn't get any from me, well it goes to saying you're not so important after all! (Haha.. just joking)

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a long long time and didn't have the time (full of excuses) and reason to. This was the best opportunity for me! 

Fresh from the oven! I can still remember the Smell!! mmmm.....

Slowly and carefully outline the biscuits

Tadah!! End product!

Preparing to pack these babies..:(

Carefully packed them into plastic containers. Tie a ribbon round it and stick it with a hand written message! Personalized and easy..:)

Before i forget, I would like to wish my godson Xander "Happy birthday my darling Romeo". Muacks muacks!! Love you lots!

Specially made beach theme cupcakes cause we celebrated his birthday in Sentosa...:P