Japanese Strawberry Shortcake 日式草莓蛋糕

The other day, my daughter complaint that I have quite a while did not bake a cake. So I ask her to suggest an easy cake, she suggested Japanese Strawberry Shortcake. Since I have all ingredients on hand , quickly search for a recipe and immediate bake this cake for her. Japanese Strawberry shortcake is a layered sponge cake with strawberry and whipped cream filling and frost with whipped cream, and this cake is very famous in Japan.

 

I choose not to frost the whole cake since this cake is not meant for any celebration..

 

The cake recipe requires only 4 ingredients, simple ingredients but resulted very light and spongy cake.
I always prefer to use Not a non-stick pan to bake sponge cake or chiffon cake. Also I prefer not to line any paper in the cake pan (partly due to I am lazy to do so, hehehe) , as I believe chiffon or sponge cake batter need a wall for them to climb up (since there is no rising agent added).



 

Even this cake look girlish, but my son Lucas finished 4 slices from this small cake !!

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake 日式草莓蛋糕

(recipe source: inspired by The Little Teochew, adapted from ochikeron)
*makes a 6” x 2.5” round removable bottom cake pan

 Sponge cake

2 eggs (I used eggs directly from fridge)

60g caster sugar
60g Top flour or cake flour
20g melted unsalted butter

 Syrup

10ml hot water
1/2tbsp sugar
1/2tsp rum ( I used homemade vanilla extract)

Cream

150g whipping cream (dairy)

1tbsp caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract ( I used homemade vanilla  extract)

125g fresh strawberries  (half-chopped, half- for decorating on top)

 Method

1. Add eggs in a mixing bowl, use a hand whisk, lightly stir well the eggs.
2. Add in sugar, lightly mix well with eggs.
3. Bring the mixing bowl over a pot of hot simmering water, use the hand whisk, continue to stir till sugar dissolved and until the mixture pleasant to touch.
4. Remove the mixing bowl, immediately use an electric handheld mixer to beat the mixture until pale to white or ribbon stage (my mixer- 10mins at speed 3, 5mins at speed 1 (to eliminate large bubbles). In fact, you can beat it even longer than 15mins, to have better result).
5. Sift in flour in 3 stages, cut through the mixture with a wire whisk after each addition.
6. Sprinkle the cooled melted butter over the batter and fold in using a spatula.
7. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan, towards the end, pour batter to one side of the pan (to minimize cake from developing a dome).
8. Lift the tin and drop it gently onto the table top twice to eliminate air bubbles.
9. Bake the cake at pre-heated oven at 170C for 25mins to 30mins (place at middle rack)
10. While cake is baking, now prepare the syrup, dissolved sugar with hot water, add rum and mix well. Set aside.
11. Add sugar, whipping cream and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Place the bowl over another bowl that filled with ice water, beat whipping cream till soft peak. Store in the fridge before decorating the cake.
12. Once cake is done, cool it upside down onto a cooling wire rack. Once cake is cooled, slice the cake half.
13. Brush sugar syrup on the first layer, then spread a layer cream on top, sprinkle chopped strawberries.
14. Brush another layer with sugar syrup, then place it on top of the first layer, spread the remaining cream, then decorate with strawberries on top.
15. Chill the cake before serve.

Tiramisu Cake

Yesterday i went to do my regular PS check, the lady doctor told me baking is a bad hobby (because my blood pressure was slightly high and my weight never gone down ^_^), i was quite upset and no mood to update any post yesterday. Anyway, i am ok today, because i still continue to bake bread now. My life will not have fun if i am not doing any baking, hehehe..

Last week i made another two Birthday cakes for my niece and nephew. One of them is Tiramisu Cake which i was inspired by Phong Hong Bakes and the recipe in a magazine that i have bookmarked for a longer time.



This Tiramisu cake tasted awesome with this caramelised almonds..my sister told me this caramelised almonds is a bit too sweet and too much on the cake. But for me, they are ok...

Is quite tiring to crush the caramelised almonds

You can see the first layer is pale if compare to the rest, because i was totally forgotten to add the coffee syrup and  chocolate shaved while assembling the 1st layer of cake..I blamed to mooncake, because I was busy doing mooncake at the same time too, hahaha..

Try not to omit the strawberry sauce, you will be surprise the taste when you eating this cake with the strawberry sauce..Also i omitted raw egg yolks in cream cheese filling instead i add gelatine ..

Tiramisu Cake
(recipe souce: Inspired by Phong Hong Bakes with my own twist )

Sponge cake
One 7” plain sponge cake, refer recipe here

Cream cheese filling
250g cream cheese
200g whipping cream or heavy cream
1tbsp gelatin powder
2tbsp water
90g icing sugar, sifted

Method
1. Sprinkle gelatin over the water in a bowl, stand the bowl over a pan of simmering hot water till dissolved and clear liquid.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Using the same mixer, beat whipping cream till soft peak.
3. Fold in whipped whipping cream and gelatine into cream cheese mixture, mix till smooth.

Coffee syrup
80ml expresso (chilled)
2tbsp Kahlua

Method
1. Mix chilled espresso with Kahlua in a small mixing bowl, set aside

Caramelized almonds
120g almond, toasted (170c for around 5-7mins)
160g sugar

Method
1. Line a non-stick baking paper on a flat tray.
2. Place sugar in a small, heavy bottom saucepan set over low heat.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts and turns a golden brown.
4. Add almonds, stir to coat all evenly. Remove from heat and tip onto prepared tray.
5. Leave to cool and set before crushing almonds.
6. Store in air-tight container jar until ready to use.

Strawberry sauce
100g fresh strawberry, chopped small
1/2cup water
30g sugar

Method
1. Combine water and strawberry in a heavy bottom pot to a boil.
2. Add sugar and simmer until pulpy and thickened, stir from time to time and take about 5-7mins.
3. Taste, you may want to add more sugar.

170g whipping cream, whipped
80g chocolate, thinly shaved

To assemble Tiramisu cake
1. Slice the sponge cake into 3 even layers.
2. Place on layer into a 7” removable bottom pan and drizzle with half of coffee syrup. Top with half of cream cheese filling. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
3. Top with the second layer of sponge, drizzle with balance coffee syrup. Top with balance of cream cheese filling. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
4. Top the last layer of sponge cake, cling wrap the pan, refrigerate overnight to allow cake to set.
5. The next day, remove cake from refrigerator. Place on a round board.
6. Spread whipped cream onto the top and sides of cake evenly and cover with the crushed, caramelized almonds.
7. Slice and serve chilled with strawberry sauce on the side.

Pink Ombre Cake with Rosette Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Today I just collected Lucas' IC (He is 12th now) and also celebrating my daughter's 15th years Birthday. Two of them considered adults now and i can no more save some money from entrance fee, ticket fee & etc, aiyah..

The other day i asked my daughter what type of Birthday cake she wants, she said chocolate cake. But I beg her for this cake because i wanted to make this cake for longer time. She said this cake look sweet and lovely but she said a lot of colouring ler, and i told her this is only once in a year and we just eating a small piece, it is ok lar, we will not die one, hahahaha..

This cake look simply gorgeous !

Also i wanted to try decorating with Rosette method becase Amelia shared a post on this last year and special dedicated to me and few other bloggers. Amelia, Thanks for your kind sharing.

I use Wilton Rose Icing to make pink colouring and mix a bit of Tulip red to make darker pink.

I prefer Wilton 1M tip as it make beautiful rosette pattern and look 3D.

But rosette buttercream using 1M tip is heavy, see it drop after several hours. Also due to i did very thin layer of frosting on the sides or maybe i should kept in the fridge..

I tried with tip 35, this tip also has nice rosette pattern (thought not as nice as tip 1M) and it need less buttercream and not heavy. I will use tip 35 if i will make a rose cake next time.

I made a special post on the detail steps of Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I use this cream to apply for the whole cake.

I use difference pastry bag to fit with tip and frosting, so easy to change difference colour of frosting ..

Oh, this cake look so dreamy and sweet, perfect for every girl..

I knew this type of cake sure taste sweet, i tried to reduce sugar (50g),  but it still taste very sweet...But my two sons they seem like this cake..

 

Pink Ombre Cake with Rosette Swiss Meringue Buttercream
(Recipe source: adapted from Raspberries Cupcakes with minor changes, rosette method from Amelia’s de-ssert)
*makes 5 x 18cm (7”) round cake

For the cake
355g cake flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
200g milk
1 and 1/2tsp vanilla extract
350g caster sugar
227g unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs

Pink food colour (I used Wilton Rose and Ameri color Tulip red colouring)
Jam to spread between layers and sides, I used 200g Swiss Meringue buttercream)

For the frosting- for the rosette, spread between layers and sides- refer to Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe x 2.5 times for tip 1M, x 1.5 times for tip 35

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line the base of tins with baking paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix milk and vanilla together in a measuring jug.
3. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until blended. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 mins or until pale and creamy.
4. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mix and milk mixture, beat until smooth.
5. Divide mixture evenly into 5 medium bowls (about 270g per bowl). Leave one bowl of batter white, then very gradually add colouring to each bowl and gently fold it into the mixture, adding slightly more colouring as you do each bowl so that the 5 bowls give you a even gradient of colour.
6. Pour batter into prepared tins and bake each layer for about 20-25 minutes or until a skewer into the centre comes out clean and the outside is golden. Cool in tin for 5 mins and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. Prepare cake for icing, you may need to trim the tops a bit to make sure they are level. Coat buttercream between layers and all sides.
8. Put your 1M tip (or tip 35 for small rosette) into the pastry bag. Take another pastry bag,fill it up with buttercream frosting (start from darker colour), cut off the end, place buttercream pastry bag into pastry bag that with tip.
9. Start in the center, then slowly move your tip in a circle around the center point. Try to end in the same place each time. Repeat until whole cake covered with rosette buttercream.
10. Store cake in room temperature.

My daughter not allowed me to put her face in this post, so no choice i have to  trim her photo..

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl !!

Orange Almond Butter Cake with Honey Almond Crust



Last weekend i brought this cake balik kampung (go back hometown), because my mother is a big fan of butter cake..At first, i tried with a small slim loaf pan for my family, my husband finished almost half of the loaf, he said the Honey almond crust is a winning point for this cake, so fragrant and sweet.

I made a bigger size for my mom. She was truly enjoyed this cake..She even said she would like to share it with her friends..

I re-created this recipe using my old fashioned butter cake recipe, because i love this butter cake as it will not crack after baked, so i can easily spread the honey almond mixture on top which i adapted from Alan's Moroccon Mint and Pistachio Tea cake.

Personally i feel this cake a bit oily, but my mom and husband were not agreed, they said butter cake should taste this way..So every person has difference preference..

Orange Almond Butter cake with Honey Almond Crust
(Recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover, crust recipe adapted from Alan (Travelling foodies)
*makes a 8” square pan with removable bottom

For the orange almond butter cake
227g unsalted butter
90g sugar
5 egg yolks (medium)
130g cake flour
100g almond meal or almond flour
1tsp double action baking powder
5tbsp orange juices
1tsp orange zest, 1/4tsp salt

5 egg whites (medium)
90g sugar

For the honey almond crust
90g almond slices
50g honey
30g butter

Method
1. Sift cake flour and baking powder, set aside.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy.

3. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add in almond flour, salt and orange rind, mix well.

5. Add in cake flour, baking powder and orange juices, combine well.

6. Beat egg whites in a clean large bowl until foamy. Gradually add in sugar, and beat till soft peak.

7. Take one portion of the egg white mixture, and use a hand whisk to stir well with batter till combine and thick paste.

8. Slowly fold in the balance egg white with a spatula till well combine

9. Spoon the batter in the cake pan which line the base with paper and lightly grease.

10. Bake at preheated oven at 180c for 45mins or until cooked.

11. To prepare honey and almond crust topping, add butter, honey and almond slices into a shallow saucepan. Heat to melt the butter and honey, ensuring that the almond slices are well-coated with the honey-butter mixture.

12. Top with the honey almond crust mixture evenly over the cake and return the cake to the oven at 180C until the almond are roasted to a lovely golden brown, which takes approx. 8 min.

13. Wait for the cake to cool down before slicing.