Ombre cake

I have been wanted to try ombre effect cake, eversince it became phenomenal this year. I did try to baked it for my engagement but I was too lazy to divide the batter to another three different tints. Haha. So this time, when one of my friend asked me to do a cake for her engagement hantaran, I told her I wanted to do ombre cake for her. Send her the picture and she said yes immediately.

But between ombre cake and ombre buttercream, which one is better?

So I made a trial cake;

Ombre cake. I used a vanilla cake recipe for this one, don't remember which one, but the cake was a bit bitter. Maybe from the baking powder?

But luckily my friend asked for a red velvet cake, so I made her Roses cake with ombre effect.

Definitely my favourite. And I used the leftover cream cheese filling for the topping as well.

And she requested for the same design from Purple Garden, but instead of purple, she wanted it to be in choc. So here goes :)

Thanks Fai!

Ultimate Carrot Cake

Before I start, I'd like to clear something up - sometimes (or most of the time) things that you have planned, that you thought would be perfectly goes smoothly, might just crushing you, bit by bit. And you might ended up of having nothing at all.

One day, I was perfectly baking at home for families, then the anticipation grew and so I began baking for others. Until one day I just kept on having meltdowns in the kitchen.

It was fun. But I don't get the fun that I used to get back then.

Or maybe I was stressed out with few other things at the moment, which at times might look the best choice but most of the times made me ponder, 'Did I made a good decision?'.

So yeah, whatever. I am here.

I know I didn't post that much nowadays. But that's explained - I don't bake that much nowadays.

I was feeling mellow one day, my cousin brought this local carrots that was oh-so-sweet, left almost rotten on the rack (all of us forgot to check and keep it in the fridge!) and so I decided to bake, a carrot cake!

But this time, I went for something that was out from my comfortable zone when its come to carrot cake, I searched for a new one, The Ultimate Carrot Cake as what they claimed.

Ultimate Carrot Cake

Adapted from The Essential Baker (via Zoe Bakes)

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger *I omitted

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup crushed pineapple *too lazy to find one but I should next time!

1 pound grated carrots *well, I just grate all the carrots I have and I got about 3 cups?

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins *I don't like raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Or 180 degrees if you use same as mine.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar and vanilla essence (and pineapple). Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the carrot, pecans (and raisins).
4. Divide evenly on two greased and floured pans.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve with your favourite cream cheese frosting!

Was it good?

I forgot.

Yes I am forgetful like that.

*sigh*