Red Velvet Cake

I love RED food. I am not a foodie but something about red food makes me drool all the way.

I love everything about dessert in red colour. A cake, a traditional kueh or puddings, there is just something about that colour that attracts me.

I baked a red velvet cake before. It wasn't disaster but there was nothing of it that 'umpph'. That made you go high for every bite of it. And it was from Joy of Baking. Ok now you know :p

Then I also tried Red Velvet Cake from Bisou.com and it was bland!

This time (ok I baked it like 2 months ago), I tried another version of a red velvet cake, from Bakerella. And it was the best red velvet cake I'd ever taste! Every spoon of it made me high. It was moist, the crumbs were perfect, the frosting was to die for and I can't stop eating it without thinking I would gain extra few kilos after that. Seriously it was a perfect Red Velvet Cake!

The decoration of the cake on the other hand, I was tempting to do that like forever! But never had the chance to do it until this cake.

I know, I don't have a sturdy hand. I might not even get the right consistency for the frosting but who cares?

The deep red hues colour was the most brilliant thing about this cake. I pour almost 1/4 bottle! Oh, I used Americolor anyway.

Back to the recipe.

Red Velvet Cake

From Bakerella

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tbsp dark cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups oil

1 cup buttermilk (almost 1 cup milk with 2 tbsp white vinegar)

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Red food colouring (I used around 2 oz. too!)

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius.
2. Whish lightly the two eggs with other liquid ingredients; oil, buttermilk, vanilla essence, vinegar and red colour paste.
3. Put all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, stir it together to break any lumps, then add wet ingredients onto dry ingredients. Mix it on medium speed until well combined.
4. Pour onto a greased pan (or two pans) and bake for 30 minutes.

The cream cheese frosting that is to die for (seriously this is my favourite cream cheese frosting so far!) is from here; Bisousatoi. i know it wasn't the usual typical type of cream cheese frosting where you just mix it all at once in the mixing bowl, but this one is worth to try!

Next mission: Rainbow Cake!

Coconut Cupcakes

I know the recipe called for coconut cupcakes but I can assure you it tasted more like the usual vanilla cupcakes. It was the best! Memang best. Dense and moist. And sedap! Sumpah!

It was for my friend's hantaran actually. I baked the trial cupcakes few days before, alter the ingredients a bit then voila!

Coconut Cupcakes
adapted from Tendercrumbs

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (I substitute with coconut milk)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the coconut milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

For the frosting, I'd been dying to try Italian Meringue Buttercream. I was told it was awesome so I just had to try. There were a few recipes/methods available but I opted for the simpler one.

But you know what? I hate how it tasted like. Macam ada one thick layer on my tongue after makan and it tasted empty. So no, I won't try it again unless someone assure me to.

Oreo Cupcakes

Oreo Cupcakes

from BeantownBaker.com

Cupcakes

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 pkg Oreo Cookies (~45 cookies)

Preheat over to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.

Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.

Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.

Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Frosting
8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick butter at room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Lamington-Top Cupcakes

3 eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 160 degree C.

In a medium sized bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add butter and sugar then mix until light and fluffy. Add milk, flour, baking powder and vanilla and stir to combine. Add cocoa powder. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

Divide evenly to papercups and bake for 18-20 minutes.

100g dark choc
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/3 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
200g shredded coconut

Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. As the mixture begin to melt add cream slowly then reduce heat to low, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool.

Combined the remaining butter and sugar, mix with a wooden spoon then beat until light and fluffy. Add melted choc and spoon icing onto cupcakes. Place coconut onto a small plate and roll each cupcake on it to coat the icing.

Note: topping paling simple ;)