I LOVE to BAKE….
When I bake I like to use a simple recipe that doesn’t over complicate my life… Read the rest of this entry
May30
Vanilla Cake
Tag Archives: Cupcake
Apr26
Banana Oat Muffins
Oct1
October Fun
Its October and the countdown of every even in my life has began.
You might laugh but this is no laughing matter for me…it’s serious and crunch time has officially started with events galore on the horizon.
This is the time when I bring out the iPad and crank up my pins on Pinterest. Whether I do them all or just a few is besides the point. I know they’re there and I’m confident that I’ll eventually get around to it.
October is the beginning of Fall in my book and the preparation of costume season for Halloween.
One of my favorite things to do is have little crafting sessions with the girls with “Fall Themed” crafts.
I’m not sure how we’re going to do it this year with Jennah being in 3rd grade and overworked between homework and activities. But I really hope that I’ll get around to doing something fun like this with the girls.
I would love to go around in our Garden and have the girls collect all sorts of Leaves from the ground.
I’d probably bring down some paint and have them dip the leaves in the paint and make imprints on Paper. Maybe even glue the leaves too. Have actual leaves and imprints would look pretty and introduce them to different “Mediums”.
Off course always on the agenda is baking and decorating cupcakes…. These are a few of the designs we’ve made in the past.
It’s time to get more creative and see what the girls can come up with this year….
Perhaps we can make a whole graveyard?? Who knows….
All this aside this month requires a great deal of creativity and skill because it’s off course costume season for the whole family!!
I think we’ve done every kids of costume from purchasing to making….and it’s time we go all over it again….
Here’s a few samples of what we’ve done in the past and I can’t wait to get started all over again!
I’ve always wanted to have a little Halloween even of my own but with our November birthdays and Christmas preparations I’ve always thought it’s overloading myself.
But we do have one major tradition that we always do and that’s the carving of the pumpkin…. We all go to Sultan and buy a really nice American pumpkin and get all creative in carving it.
Off course Zeenah is assigned to gut it all out, while Jennah is the one that draws out the design and I have the pleasure of carving it all out.
I would like to get more creative and do several pumpkins but unfortunately they don’t last very long because of the heat and they do start to smell.
Maybe this time around we can Paper Mache a Pumpkin…or several pumpkins.
There are just so many ideas that I can’t wait to try out ad share with all my readers. And hopefully in this process I help in Making Life Memorable for you too!!
Sep26
Chocolate Fudge Cake
I love this cake because it’s extra moist so if I bake it a day in advance it doesn’t dry out by the time I serve it at my girls’ birthdays.
I also use this same recipe as I do my vanilla either 24 cupcakes or 2 layered cake.
Ingredients:
2 Cups flour
1 3/4 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Salt
1 3/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs
3 Squares (3 ounces) Unsweetened Chocolate
Directions:
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)
Melt the Chocolate in a saucepan at low heat mixing continuously. Make sure you don’t “cook” the chocolate. Remove from the stove and let it cool.
In a bowl mix all ingredients except egg & Chocolate with an electric mixer until completely combined.
Add Eggs and chocolate and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
For cake use two 9inch round pans (greased & floured) Bake fore 30 minutes
For Cupcakes Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool before frosting.
Sep24
Vanilla Cake
My standard Vanilla Cake works well in making either a 2 layered Cake or 24 cupcakes.
It’s really a classic recipe that’s beyond basic but perfect in every way.
The reason I like this recipe is because it’s not too sweet which makes up for the sweetness of the frosting.
Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 cup Butter (Softened)
2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs
Directions
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)
In a bowl combine All ingredients except Eggs.
Mix with an electric mixer until it’s all combined.
Add Eggs one at a time and continue mixing.
For cake use two 9inch round pans (greased & floured) Bake fore 30 minutes
For Cupcakes Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool before frosting.
My favorite ButterCream frosting will elevate the taste to the next level!
Special “Butter” Tip
If you’re anything like me and have to make a cake in between your other daily plans then you generally don’t have time to let butter come to room temperature and be naturally softened.
Use this tip! Slice butter into several cubes and microwave for 20 seconds at a time until its soft but not melted. It’ll also make it easier to measure.
Sep23
Recipe Sharing!!
I hope you enjoyed last weeks series of posts about how you can plan your child’s next birthday with my simple tips.
I still have so much more to add to the theme that I’ve decided to have a follow-up series with more details to birthday planning.
I’ll be posting my best recipes that are great to cook ahead of time so you can be free the day of the birthday to do your last minute setup, decorating and socializing with other parents.
On Saturday I posted the best ButterCream frosting in the whole wide world! It’s fail proof and you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Stay tuned for my Vanilla Cake and Chocolate Fudge cake. Both are mild in sweetness and go perfectly with the ButterCream frosting.
I’ll also share a few of my signature savory dishes like “Easy Cheesy Pasta bake” and my famous “Pasta in Pink Sauce.”
Creamy potato Salad and my favorite Asian Salad dressing that’s perfect for any type of green salad.
Finally I’ll also share my freezer friendly Chicken strips and meatballs. I usually prepare loads of these recipes since they’re perfect for lunchbox, quick dinners and impromptu play date meals.
The important thing to always remember is that you’re “making life memorable” with all your special moments and food is an accessory to that!
Sep21
ButterCream Frosting
There’s definitely one major component in a cupcake or cake that can easily transform a cake or cupcake from good to fabulously amazing and that’s the frosting!!!
I debated posting my recipe as it is one of my trade secrets….but I love to share!!!
This by far is the best recipe EVER!!! So versatile and easy to work with and most important TASTY!
The challenge is not to cringe when you read what goes in it!
Worlds best ButterCream Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup.
Directions:
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla.
Add sugar one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.
After all the sugar has been mixed add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Finally add the light corn syrup.
(if you want a thinner consistency to spread the frosting add 2/3 more tablespoons of corn Syrup)
Making Life Memorable with the best Frosting EVER!!!
Sep18
Birthday Cake
It’s getting closer and closer to finalizing your child’s birthday party. Now its time to look at the actual Day of the party.
Hospitality and food is a big thing in the Middle East…. So serving just cake won’t cut it in this part of the world! If you can get away with it then good on you 🙂
Since a major highlight of the Birthday is the cake, other than the birthday child off course!I’m dedicating this whole post to be about THE CAKE!
While I see so many bakeries in town (Kuwait) and between every cupcake business is another cupcake business I’ve yet to really find one that are tasty and not horrendously expensive.
Cake for KD70+ (about$250) SERIOUSLY! and something seems to always go wrong. The color, the taste, the flavor, the cake is to dry, the frosting’s too hard and the worst is the filling or frosting that tastes like stale butter. To all you bakeries I’m sorry, I apologies but this is my opinion.
Being big on baking and cake/cupcake decorating I make my own cakes and cupcakes. They might not look that professional but I take pride in them and the girls and guests never complained.
Cake from scratch, buttercream frosting, fondant and all. Now you don’t have to go to my extreme but I really think investing a little time doing the cake and pocketing the money or spending it on something else for the birthday is well worth it.
After having done several birthdays I’ve come to a huge realization….. kids prefer cupcakes!!! So even though I’ve made fancy 3 tiered fondant covered cakes at the end it’s pretty to look at but they reach for the little stuff.
The big cake I make for me….I enjoy it! So I’ve downsized from the past.
As a result the big cake is used for the candles, singing and the adults to eat. While the cupcakes are for kids.
To figure out how much to serve use this general guideline:
12″ round cake serves 28
1.5 cupcake per child
This means for every 28 adults you can add a Tier and for 10 kids make 15 cupcakes. Fairly simple don’t you think?!
As for flavors stick to the basics. Chocolate and vanilla, but make MORE chocolate than vanilla!
The best frosting ever is the basic buttercream frosting. Easy to make and spread or pipe.
As for fondant I make a marshmallow fondant which is easy to mold and roll.
Now if you don’t want to spend all that time in the Kitchen a boxed cake and jar of frosting will do the trick just as much. All you need to do is just add some food coloring here and there, sprinkles, ornaments/décor or my personal favorite cupcake picks!!
(Cupcake picks DIY also coming soon!)
So spend a little time in the kitchen, get your kids to mix and measure with you. It’s not just about the end result it’s how much fun you can have on the way!! That for sure falls under “Making Life Memorable!”