Christmas Fruit Cake

Recipe from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients
300g mixed fruits of your choice – soaked these overnight in 3 tablespoons of rum/other alcohol (I used barcadi)
230g plain flour
60g self raising flour
230g salted butter
100g light brown sugar
70g castor sugar
1 tbsp fruit jam (i used blueberries jam)
4 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract

Zest from one orange/lemon

Method
*Preheat oven at 160C

• Prepare a 7″ square tin by lining the bottom. Prepare an 8″ square tin and insert in aluminum foils in between the 2 tins.  This is to minimize the crack on the cake.
  
• Cream butter and sugars till light and creamy, add in jam and vanilla extract.
  
• Add in the eggs gradually.
  
• Add in flour and fruit mixture alternatively.
  
• Transfer the mixture into the prepared 7″inch square tin. Put the baking tin into the 8″ square and insert aluminium foil between the two tin.
  
• Bake the cake at 160C for 1 hour or more depending on your oven until cooked. Removed and allow to cool on rack.

Butter Souffle Sponge Cake

Recipe adapted from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients
*9" round cake

2 eggs
6 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
70g butter
pinch of salt
120g cake flour
100g full cream milk

6 egg whites
140g fine castor sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar


Method

Greased and line the base of the baking tin.

Preheat oven to 160C.

Combine egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract and beat lightly.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, then add the sieved flour + salt, and mix well. 

Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and add in the milk and mix until blended. 

Add the egg yolk mixture in gradually,  mix well until batter is smooth.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar.  

Gradually add in sugar and continue beating until achieving firm peaks.

Fold meringue into egg yolk mixture until well combined.

Transfer batter into baking tin and bake in a water bath for 160C for 30mins, then 140C for 60mins.

Once done, remove baked cake from pan as soon as the cake starts to pull away from the pan and allow to cool on rack completely.

Rainbow cake

Recipe adapted from HowToCookThat.

Ingredients

*8" round cake

320g plain flour

180g castor sugar

1 bbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1½ tsp gelatine 

125ml canola oil

250ml cold water

7 egg yolks

7 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Colorings


Method

Grease and line the base of the baking tin.

Preheat the oven to 160C, with a tin of hot water at the bottom tier of the oven.

Add sugar, baking powder, salt and gelatin into the flour and mix it with a whisk.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil, egg yolks and water but don’t mix it.  Set aside.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whisk to soft peaks.

Now mix the flour mixture until it is just combined.

Fold meringue into the flour mixture until well combined.

Split the mixture evenly between 6 bowls.  Add a little colour to each bowl and gently fold through.

Pour in the first colored batter, send to bake for 10-12mins.  Remove and add the next colored and sent it back into the oven to bake for the same duration.  Repeat until you used up all batter.  And bake the last layer for around 15mins. 

Once done, remove baking tin and cool cake upright.

Decorate with chocolate ganache & chocolate of your preferred choice!

Cheese Chiffon Cake

Recipe adapted and modified from Anncoo Journal.

Ingredients:
*I used a 21cm tube tin

(A)
90g milk
60g cream cheese or cheddar cheese (I used a mixture of both)
38g butter
6 egg yolks
90g cake flour
15g corn flour

(B)
6 egg whites
110g sugar
½ tsp cream of tartar

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 150C.
   
2. Sieve both types of flours together.  Set aside.
   
3. Boil milk, then lower heat and add in cheese and butter stir till melt.  Set aside to cool.
   
4. Once the cheese mixture has cooled, whisk in egg yolks, then flour till well incorporated.  Set aside.
   
5. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Gradually add in castor sugar and continue beating until firm peaks formed.
   
6. Add the meringue into yolk batter, by 3 or 4 portions.  Fold in each portion with hand whisk, and fold the last portion with a spatula.  Fold until you do not see any meringue in the batter.
   
7. Transfer batter to the tube tin, bang on the table top few times to remove air bubbles.
   
8. Send it to bake at 150C for 1hour.
   
9. Once it is done, remove the cake from the oven immediately and invert to cool completely before un-moulding.

Marble Mocha Chiffon Cake

Recipe adapted and modified from Surelicious Bakie.  

Ingredients:
*I used a 21cm tube tin

A

10g cocoa powder 

20g hot water 

B

100g cake flour 

3/4tsp baking powder 

1/4tsp salt 

5 egg yolks

80g vegetable oil 

1/2tsp coffee oil/emulco 

70g caster sugar 

100g coffee (I made a cup from the 3-in-1 sachets.  Used 100g for the cake and drank the rest!)

C

5 egg whites

1/4tsp cream of tartar

70g castor sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 170C.
   
2. Mix and dissolve the ingredients in (A).  Set aside.
   
3. Sieve flour, baking powder & salt.  Set aside.
   
4. Beat yolk with castor sugar from (B) with hand whisk until the batter turn creamy.
   
5. Add vegetable oil & coffee oil/emulco, and continue to beat until it is mixed in, then add coffee.
   
6. Add in sieved flour, baking powder & salt into the batter and mix until well combined (I used a hand whisk to do this).
   
7. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Gradually add in castor sugar (C) and continue beating until firm peaks formed.
   
8. Add the meringue into yolk batter, by 3 or 4 portions.  Fold in each portion with hand whisk, and fold the last portion with a spatula.  Fold until you do not see any meringue in the batter.
   
9. Scoop around 2.5 ladles of the batter into another mixing bowl and add in (A).  Fold until the cocoa mixture is well incorporated with the batter.
   
10. Transfer the cocoa batter back to the original batter.  Using a spoon, scoop from bottom upwards while gently spinning the mixing bowl.  Repeat this action about 3 times, but be cautious not to over do it, otherwise you'll lose the marble effect.
    
11. Now pour the batter to the tube tin, bang on the table top few times to remove air bubbles.
    
12. Send it to bake at 170C for 20mins, then 160C for 20mins.
    
13. Once it is done, remove the cake from the oven immediately and invert to cool completely before un-moulding.

Isn't the marble effect lovely? :)

The cake is really really soft and fluffy! :)

Hanjuku Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients

300g Cream Cheese -softened to room temperature

40g  salted butter

3 eggs yolks 

20g Corn Starch

80g greek yoghurt

30g milk

1tsp vanilla extract

3 egg whites

75g caster sugar

Method

1. Prep for water bath baking.
   
2. Grease 7" round tin, line the base.
   
3. Preheat heat oven to 150C.
   
4. Melt the butter in the microwave.
   
5. Beat the cream cheese with the back of the spatula (mixer & hand whisk is fine as well, depends on your personal preference), then add the melted butter and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
   
6. In another bowl, mix together the egg yolks and sifted cornstarch until well combined. Add yoghurt and mix well. Then add in the milk and mix until combined.
   
7. Add yolk mixture into the cheese mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
   
8. Whip the egg whites until foamy, gradually add in sugar and beat until just reached soft peaks.
   
9. Fold meringue into the cheese mixture.
   
10. Send to bake via waterbath, at 150C for 80mins.
    
11. Once baked, removed from oven and leave to cool on cooling rack.  After around 10-15mins, while the cake is still warm, unmould the cake on a silpat or greased-proof baking tray, remove the baking paper at bottom and reinvert back to cool completely, then leave to chill in fridge overnight.

It was prefect!

Until I had a minor accident while unmoulding the cake!  I was doing something else and took a bit too long to get to the cake, so it was already pretty cooled down by the time I unmoulded it.  So the trick here is to quickly remove the cake from the tin while it is still warm.  Work just like JCC!

Baumkuchen (German version Kek Lapis)

A healthier version of the traditional Kek Lapis.  

Original recipe shared by Daniel Leong.

Ingredients
200g butter (as a personal preference, I use salted butter)
6 egg yolks
60g castor sugar
50g almond powder
100g plain flour
1tsp lapis spice*
50g milk
1tsp vanilla extract
2tsp rum*

60g castor sugar
6 egg whites

*these ingredients are optional.  I added them as I wanted a distinctive kek lapis taste.

Method

1. Preheat oven at 240C.
2. Grease and line 6” square baking tin.
3. Sieve flour with lapis spice.  Set aside.
4. Beat butter with 60g sugar until fluffy, then add in yolk, one at a time, until well combined.
5. Add milk, vanilla & rum until well combined.
6. Mix in sieved flour mixture & almond powder until well combined.  Set aside.
7. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add in remaining 60g sugar gradually, and continue whisking until attained firm peak.
8. Fold in meringue mixture into yolk mixture.
9. Change your oven to ‘top heat’ mode.
10. Using a ladle, transfer 2 scopes to the baking tin.  Using the back of a spoon/spatula, level the batter.  Sent to bake for 3-5mins, or until the top turns brown.
11. When the first layer is down, remove from oven and transfer baking tin to a heat resistant surface.  Using a lapis press (I don’t have one, so I used the back of a frying spatula), lightly press down the cake surface to release any air bubbles.  Then repeat step#10 for the next layer.
12. Repeat the step#10 & #11 until you finish all the batter.  For the last layer, keep the cake in the oven for extra 10-15mins, or till the top turns to desired brown.
13. Once baked, remove and leave to cool completely on cooling rack.

Original recipe shared by Daniel.

This is the lapis spice that I used.

Egg whites to be beaten till firm peak.

My final batter.

I used this ladle.

Level 2 scope of batter for each layer.

First layer baked.

(I should have bake them for few mins longer to get it more browned!)

When I was baking the first few layers, I used the back of a small baking tin (the size of a muffin) to act as my 'press'.

Once it got higher, I used the back of a frying spatula to press down each layer.

I'm using a conventional oven.  Selecting 2 Level Convection Bake for top heat mode.

Baked and done!  I love the brown top!

Kueh Bahulu

Another great option as CNY goodies.  I don't have the baking mould for this so made them with mini paper liners instead.

Adapter from Nasi Lemak Lover.

Ingredients
*yields about 50 small cakes

3 eggs
100g caster sugar
35g cake flour
70g SR flour

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Place 2 mini liners together (so that the liners can support the weight of the batter), and put them on the baking tray.
3. Sieve both flours together, set aside.
4. Beat egg & sugar together until attain ribbon stage.  Took me about 10mins on medium speed.
5. Change to low speed on mixer, then add in sieved flours.
6. After removing bowl from mixer, fold in few times, to be sure all the flour is well incorporated into the batter.
7. Fill up batter into paper liner.  I filled them almost full to get the nice hump.
8. Send to bake for 10-12mins, or until top turn golden brown.
9. Once baked, leave to cool completely.

Original recipe from Nasi Lemak Lover

Fill the liners almost full with batter.

Baked and nicely packed!  They look so cute!

Just a bit bigger than a one dollar one :)

Chocolate Chips Bundt Cake

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.

Ingredients
*makes a 9" bundt cake

227g unsalted butter - soften to room temperature
170g brown sugar
3/4tsp salt
3 large eggs
178g sour cream/yogurt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
360g cake flour - sieved
2tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
130g chocolate chips


Method

1. Preheat oven to 175C.  Grease and flour bundt tin.
   
2. Whisk butter, sugar and salt until very creamy.
   
3. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well-combined. Then add in sour cream and vanilla, mix until combined.
   
4. Fold in sieved flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixture.
   
5. Add in chocolate chips.
   
6. Transfer to bundt tin, then sent to bake at 175C for 45mins.  You may perform the skewer test to test if the cake is done.
   
7. Once baked, leave cake to cool completely before removing from the tin.

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Jello Chiffon Cake

Adapted from Michelle Marie Mower.


Ingredients
*21cm chiffon tin

5 Egg Yolks
1/2 tsp Salt
80g Milk
60g Oil
40g Castor sugar
100g Jell-O (any flavour)
120g Cake flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder

5 Egg whites
40g Castor sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar


Method

• Preheat oven at 150C
• Sieve cake flour & baking powder.  Set aside.
• Mix yolk, salt, milk, oil & sugar until well combined, then add in Jello and mix well.
• Fold in sieved flour mixture.  Set aside.
• Whisk egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar.
• Add in sugar gradually and whisk till attained stiff peak.
• Fold in meringue into yolk batter, in 3 batches.
• Transfer to baking tin, tap few times to release trapped air bubbles.
• Send to bake for an hour.
• Once baked, invert to cool completely.

Fruit Pastry Cake

Adapted from Happy Home Baking.

Ingredients

100g butter - soften at room temperature 

160g caster sugar 

3 eggs 

50g sour cream/yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract 

210g plain flour 

1 tsp baking powder

Some strawberries, blueberries and peach

1 tsp snow powder

Method

• Greased and lined the bottom of a 8" tin.  Greased also the sides.
• Preheat oven to 170C.
• Except blue berries, slice the fruits into wedges.  Set aside.
• Cream butter, sugar & vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
• Add in eggs, 1 by 1.
• Fold in flour until batter is well combined.
• Add in sour cream and mix till well-combined.
• Transfer batter to baking tin and level the top with spatula, then top with fruits.  Do not press the fruits into the batter.
• Send to bake at 170C for 60min.  If the top getting too brown, cover with foil.
• Once cool, remove from oven to cool completely, then dust with sieved snow powder.

Chocolate Butter Cheese Cake

Recipe adapted from Enne Ty.

Ingredients
*8” round baking tin

(A)
250g butter (I used salted)
170g caster sugar
5 small eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
150g plain flour – sieved
50g cocoa powder – sieved
1tsp baking powder
5tbsp fresh milk

(B)
250g cream cheese
1tbsp plain flour - sieved
60g castor sugar
1 egg


Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Grease the sides & bottom, and line bottom of baking tin.
3. From (A) - sieved plain flour, cocoa powder & baking powder.  Set aside.
4. Whisk all ingredients from (B) until fluffy.  Set aside.
5. From (A) -  cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add in eggs,  one by one, until well combined.
7. Add in vanilla extract & milk, mix until well combined.
8. Fold in sieved flours.
9. Transfer ½ of the butter mixture to baking tin.  Tap lightly on counter to level the batter.
10. Then spoon in cheese mixture.  Using the back of the spoon to lightly level the mixture.
11. Then spoon in the balance butter mixture.  Using the back of the spoon to lightly level the mixture.
12. Send to bake for 65min, or until the skewer comes out clean (when performing skewer test)
13. Once baked, remove baking tin from oven to cool upright on cooling rack.  After 5min, invert to remove baking tin & baking sheets, then leave the cake to cook completely.

Original recipe shared by Enne.

All ready to send to the oven!

After cooling.

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Cross-section of the cake :)

And I thought these looks gorgeous!