Chocolate Banana Pound Cake 巧克力香蕉磅蛋糕

When I was reading a cookbook, I saw this  chocolate pound cake recipe that contains of banana, chocolate chips and walnuts, I know this must be a nice cake. And this cake really not disappointed me..

 

This was my first time follow an extra step when making a pound cake or butter cake, made a cut at the centre,, not that difficult actually...

I made into two slim pound cake tin, ngam ngam hor (just nice), one for myself and another one sent to my sister ^_^..

 

Even though this pound cake texture was not super moist (i guess due to corn flour is added ) , but this pound cake tasted chocolaty, not greasy, love the bite of nuts, banana and chocolate chips..another good keeper.. 

Chocolate Banana Pound Cake 巧克力香蕉磅蛋糕

(recipe source: adapted from cookbook titled” Tokyo pastry house”, with minor changes)
*makes a large loaf or two mini loaf

160g unsalted butter

170g caster sugar
A pinch of salt
1/4tsp vanilla extract

18g Rum liquor

3 eggs, large (A)

46g corn flour, sifted

120g cake flour, sifted
1tsp baking powder, sifted

60g ripen banana, chop into small pieces

40g walnut (I replaced with pecan) , roughly chopped
40g chocolate chips

16g cocoa powder

Method

1. Pre-heated oven to 200C.
2. Sift corn flour, cake flour and baking powder, set aside.
3. Beat butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extra till light and fluffy.
4. Add in Rum and add egg one at a time, combine well.
5. Add in flour mixture (no1), use a spatula to combine well.
6. Add in chopped banana, chopped walnut and chocolate chips, lightly to mix well.
7. Last add in cocoa powder, lightly mix to combine, do not over mix.
8. Pour cake batter into prepare cake tin. Bake at 200c for 10mins, then carefully remove cake tin from oven and make a cut using a knife at the centre.
9. Put back cake tin into the oven, continue to bake for another 20mins at 180C or until test with a skewer and it come out clean.

Zebra Butter Cake 斑马蛋糕

I have been quite a while did not bake my favourite butter cake. When my mom came to my place the other day (rice dumplings session) , I bake this Zebra butter cake for her since she also love butter cake.

 

I still use back the old fashioned butter cake recipe which using egg separation method..

I feel egg separation method resulted lighter butter cake.



This time, I have over beaten the egg white till stiff peaks, so I use a hand balloon whisk to stir egg white with the egg yolk batter instead of fold it using spatula. The cake still turned out good.

Zebra Butter Cake 斑马蛋糕

(recipe source : by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes a 8”  or 7” round cake pan (removable bottom)

 227g unsalted butter

 85g caster sugar
 5 egg yolks (large)
 190g cake flour, sifted
 1/2tsp + 1/4tsp double action baking powder, sifted
 4tbsp milk
 1tsp vanilla extract
 1/2tsp fine salt

 5 egg whites (large)

 80g sugar

10g cocoa powder (I use Valrhona cocoa powder)

2tbsp hot water

1 and 1/2tbsp milk, to add with plain cake batter

Method

 1. Line the base of cake pan with paper and lightly grease the sides. Mix cocoa powder and hot water, set aside. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.
 2. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour and baking powder and beat well to combine. Fold through the milk and combine well.
 3. Beat egg whites in a clean large bowl until soft foam. Gradually add in sugar, and beat till soft peak.
 4. Take one portion of the egg white mixture, and use a hand whisk to stir well with egg yolk mixture till combine.
 5. Slowly fold in the balance egg white with a spatula till well combine.
 6. Divide cake batter into two portions ( I divided plain cake batter 500g and 400g for chocolate cake batter) . Add in cocoa mixture into 400g cake batter and lightly mix till combine. Add 1 1/2tbsp milk into plain batter, mix well.
7. Using a small soup ladle, scoop 3 of plain batter into center of cake pan. Then, scoop 3 of chocolate batter onto the center of the plain batter. Use the back of the ladle, smooth out the batter a bit. Continue to scoop another 3 plain and chocolate batter, then reduce to 2 scoops and continue layering and reduce till 1 scoop towards at the end. The circles become smaller and smaller as you working with the batter. Lightly tap on worktop to remove air bubbles.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180c for 50mins or until the skewer insert comes out clean.
9. Let cake cool on a wire rack before remove, don't need to wait completely cool.

Italian Plum Cake 意大利李子蛋糕

I made this Italian plum cake yesterday with plums from South Africa, it was like butter cake bake in tart or pie pan with some stone fruits..Nevertheless, it was nice and buttery !
After this post, I will go off for another "tumpang trip" , and back after a week..

After google for few recipes, all almost using the same ingredients like making a butter cake..So I use my usual butter cake recipe to make the base..

When I preparing this cake, I realized that there is no stock of milk and cinnamon powder in my pantry..You know how i proceed with my cake? I use creamer (for Nescafe use) and add hot water so it became milk. And I replaced mixed spices powder (use for kek lapis last time) with cinnamon powder. Luckily it still turned out good ^_^..

Italian plum cake

(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes a 10” round tart/pie pan with removable base

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

100g caster sugar
1/4tsp salt
2 large eggs
2tbsp milk
1/2tsp baking powder
125g cake flour
1/2tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp light brown sugar

Cinnamon powder or mixed spices powder

3 plums, sliced

Method

1. Pre-heated oven at 170C (fan forced).
2. Line tart pan with paper, grease side with butter.
3. Beat butter, sugar and salt till pale and creamy.
4. Add egg one at a time, and vanilla extract, beat well.
5. Add in milk, sift in flour and baking powder, beat to combine well.
6. Arrange plum slices on top of the batter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon powder.
7. Bake for 35mins, or until cake is golden brown.

Where am I going this time? From the title of this post, you then know where am I going ^_^

I have prepared few scheduled post for my last year trip to Bali, feel free to check it out later.

My return flight is on the day of 13th Malaysia General Election. I cross my fingers, and start to pray for no flight delay and no luggage delay, so I can drop my value vote!! See you all soon..take care..



A Christmas dinner, and A Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

Yesterday my sister-in-law Annie invited us and another SIL Doreen to her house for a Christmas dinner. I brought my favourite carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (now becomes Annie 's favourite too, hehehe),  macarons for her daughter who loves macarons and Nama chocolate to her house.

I still have room to improve for a nice macaron, i feel my macarons still has no nice legs or skirts..I suspected that it was caused by high oven temperature and i need to practise more..

I also made Nama chocolate from a very popular recipe by Nami Just One Cookbook...

I forgot to take this chocolate picture in Annie's house, this picture was taken at home, with a nice oven mitten from Jane and silver cake stand from Helena..

Let's see what we had on that night. All foods were prepared by my SIL's husband Terry who is a great cook!

Starter- Pig in blanket ( In the United Kingdom, "pigs in blankets" refers to small sausages (usually Chipolatas) wrapped in bacon. They are a traditional accompaniment to roast turkey for Christmas dinner. Pigs in blankets can be accompanied with devils on horseback, an appetizer of prunes, or less commonly dates, wrapped in bacon, read more here)

Nice cheese with crackers..

Her daughters supposed to make a Christmas Fruit Tree..

after i brought my son for a good swim (at the swimming pool) downstairs.. 

Once we returned i saw the edible fruits tree has became fruits platters on plates. They seem have given up making this tree. You can see a Christmas fruit tree image here

Chicken Shepherd Pie, my son Desmond loves this very much. You can refer to my cottage pie recipe and it is just replace the beef with chicken..

The main course- A very nice and moist roast Turkey. Terry strongly recommended this easy and good recipe from Jamie Oliver

I love the special stuffing which not stuff inside the usual cavity area instead stuff in between skin and breast..

resulted very flavourful meat..

brown sauce and vegetables

everyone was enjoying this yummy Turkey meal..

And we had carrot cake for dessert, feel shy for my poor frosting..I got the idea of pipe red poinsiettas when i saw in Piece of Cake blog..So I quickly bought a leaf tip to pipe these flowers but red was end up become orange in colour as the colour of cream cheese has smeared into the colour of red.

We also had this fruit cake with Kahlua, very special indeed!

A must have item during Christmas, gingerman cookies

Every kids received a Christmas gifts given by Annie, and even i have Christmas gift too. It was few very lovely knitted cup dolly, you will be seeing these in my future pictures..

Last but not least, Terry was afraid that we were still hungry (actually we all still very full), he went to stir fried a big plate of Kampua noodles (he brought back from Sibu) for us, another yummy treat!! Even we still feel full, this big plate of noodles still gone just in a minute!

I made a larger carrot cake this time, i modified the old recipe to make a 8" carrot cake..

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Recipe source: modified from old recipe here, with minor changes
*makes a 8” round pan

Carrot cake
300g finely shredded carrots
260g all purpose flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
160g caster sugar
110g brown sugar
1/2tsp nutmeg powder
1/2tsp cinnamon powder
200g corn oil
1tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly stir
100g walnut, chopped
50g mixed dried fruits
50g dried cranberries

Method
1. Sift flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in caster sugar, salt and brown sugar, stir well.
3. Add in carrots, corn oil, vanilla extract and egg, beat for few minutes till mixture well combined.
4. Add in walnut and dried fruits, mix well.
5. Pour in a greased and line baking pan, bake at pre-heated oven 180c for 50mins or inserted with a skewer came out clean.
6. Cool on a wire rack and apply cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese frosting
300g cream cheese, at room temperature
80g butter, at room temperature
140g icing sugar, sifted
2tsp lemon zest


Method
1. Beat cream cheese and butter till light and creamy.
2. Add in icing sugar and mix well on low speed.
3. Add in lemon juices and lemon zest, combine well.
4. Store in fridge for later use.

Thank you to Annie and Terry for the invite, we were enjoyed so much for all yummy foods that prepared for us..

Mini Cherry Cakes, Blessed Christmas !

I bought a box of fresh cherries this morning from a wet market and thinking to bring back to hometown for my mother to enjoy it. Since i also planning to bake a butter cake which is my mother favourite's cake, so i also add some cherry on it..



A box of fresh cherries that i bought, but not taste as crunchy as i expected..

I made into mini size, so handy to eat..

Do you like how i pack them?

Mini Cherry Cakes
(recipe source: adapted from Table for Two or More, with minor changes)
*makes 24 mini cakes

100g butter
125 caster sugar
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1tsp lemon zest
2 medium eggs or 100g eggs
150g cake flour
1tsp baking powder

12 fresh cherries, cut into half

Method
1. Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add in egg and beat till combine.
3. Add in vanilla extract and lemon zest, mix well.
4. Sift flour with baking powder and fold into beaten butter.
5. Spoon batter into a prepared 24 mini muffin pan and arrange halved cherry on top.
6. Bake at preheated oven at 170C (fan forced) for 20mins or until golden brown.

Wishing all a Blessed Chritsmas and Happy Holidays..drive safely when you go back hometown..

Fresh Fig and Cranberries Butter Cake 无花果蔓越莓牛油蛋糕

Recently i found another pasar pagi (morning wet market) nearby for my daily marketing. This market have more stalls and more things to buy. I have never seen fresh figs 无花果 selling in this kind of pasar pagi before. I was so happy when i stumbled upon fresh figs selling in one of the fruits stall the other day. The owner of the shop told me that I was lucky enough to get these figs as this is the first time and also the last time for him to sell these figs as there are not many people seem to "appreciate" these fruit, hahaha..he even discounted few ringgits for me..so I bought 4 for RM 8 only..
Aiyah, i should have thrown some of the seeds in my backyard to see whether it grow or not..but i was totally forgotten!

The taste of fresh fig is a bit plain but i realized that after baked, it became so flavourful ! taste nicer than fresh one.

I also added some frozen cranberries which I have kept for almost a year, bought it last Christmas but did not make use of it till now..Adding cranberries was kind of balance out the sweetness from the butter cake, good choice!

My husband who doesn't fancy on any cakes, also gave thumbs up to this cake!

At first, i was planning to make the fig cake in Jane's corner, but i was too lazy to separate eggs (she only use egg white) and also no oranges, last i changed the recipe to my favourite butter cake base..

Fresh Fig and Cranberries Butter Cake

(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes one loaf

125g unsalted butter
100g sugar
A pinch of salt
2 large eggs
125g self-raising flour
3tbsp milk
50g frozen fresh cranberries, thawed
Toppings
1tsp light brown sugar
2 fresh fig, tips removed, sliced

Method
1. Pre-heated oven at 180C.
2. Beat butter and sugar till pale and creamy.
3. Add salt, then add egg one at a time, beat well.
4. Add in flour and milk alternatively, combine well.
5. Fold in cranberries, arrange fig on top, and sprinkle brown sugar.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.