Saturday, September 24, 2011

Red Velvet Cake - Martha Stewart's recipe

Assalamua'alaikum and a good Saturday morning to all.
The kids keep saying that they haven't eaten RVC for a while now coz Ummi keep making them for orders lately. So I woke up this morning and made a batch for them. Trying out Martha Stewarts recipe this time.
Since it uses oil its easier coz I don't need to take out the mixer to blend the wet ingredients.
I just made them into cupcakes and left for anyone who wants to eat put their own topping on top. Much more fun that way.
I paste the recipe underneath.

Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for cake pans
2 1/2 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil- I used plain cooking oil.
2 large eggs
1/4 cup red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Seven Minute Frosting Seven-Minute Frosting

Directions
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle with flour, and tap out the excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and oil, and beat on medium speed until well combined.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, and beat until well combined.
4.Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5.In a small bowl, mix baking soda and vinegar until combined. Add to batter, and beat for 10 seconds. Evenly divide batter between the prepared pans.
6.Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans, and return to the rack to cool completely.




This one has not been topped with the cream cheese topping.

P/s
Please take note that the baking time above is for a 9" baking tray. If you're doing cupcakes like me cut the time to 18-23 minutes. Or until toothpick when inserted in the middle comes out clean.

My cream cheese topping for my cupcakes( you can double it up for your cake )
125gm cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Beat them all up until well blended.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Banana Cake-Joy Of Baking


I had some leftover bananas from last nights chocolate banana cake.So I decided to try another banana cake recipe from Joy of Baking.com.Today a Banana cake.

Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas
1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs , room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 cups (230 grams) cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon(optional)
10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
3 ounces (90 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (120 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Banana Cake:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour, or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan.
2.In the bowl of your food processor, place the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Process just until blended and smooth. Add the eggs and process until combined.
3.In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with an electric hand mixer) combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. 
4.Add the softened butter, along with half the banana mixture, and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium (on high if using a hand mixer) and beat the batter for 1 1/2 minutes. 
5.Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining banana mixture in two additions, beating well after each addition. 
6.Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and bake for about 35 to40 minutesor until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  
7.Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. When completely cooled, frost with theChocolate Fudge Frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting: 
1.Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (or in the microwave). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
2.In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).
3.Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy and of spreading consistency (about 2 -3 minutes).
4.Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips. Can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for several days.

Chocolate Banana Cake

Am planning to go to my aunts house this morning to help her pack goody packs for her sons wedding.Wanted to bring something along but was still down with a fever yesterday.But I found this ever so easy recipe taht I couldn't resist trying out.
You guys just have to try it out too.
Forget my ugly picture. but the taste of this cake is irresistable.Its soft and moist and dense.
I think I should say no more.

                               
Lets check the recipe that I got from Joy of baking.


Chocolate Banana Cake:
2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder(regular or Dutch-processed)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas(about 2 medium sized bananas) I  used 4 medium sized Pisang Berangan
1 cup (240 ml) warm water
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) corn, safflower or canola oil(or other flavorless oil) I used my normal cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
I added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder


Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
8 ounces (227 grams)semisweet or bittersweet chocolates cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter


Chocolate Banana Cake:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. Set aside. 


2.In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


3.In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. You will notice that the batter is quite thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 to40 minutesor until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  


4.Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, frost with the Ganache.


Ganache:
1.Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel, or heatproof bowl. Set aside. 


2.Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat (can also be heated in the microwave). Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. 


3.When Ganache has completely cooled, beat until soft and fluffy (I use a wire whisk). Then spread the frosting on top of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips.

**I was out of whipping cream so I made my own ganache from milk,cocoa powder,icing sugar,butter and sweetened creamer.Works well too.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Cinnamon rolls yang cukup wangi dan sedap

Assalamu'alaikum semua. Dah lama tak update blog ni. Sibuk dengan Ramadhan dan Syawwal.
Dah habis qadho dan Puasa Enam ke? Alhamdulillah saya dah pun menyelesaikan semuanya. Saya bermula dari hariraya kedua. Berterusan selama 17 hari. Terduga kesabaran sungguh. Namun dengan bantuan Allah sya berjaya mengharunginya juga.

Saya dah buat cinnamon rolls ni banyak kali dah. Setiap kali ianya tak pernah menghampakan saya walaupun saya tidak menggunakan tepung roti. Hasilnya tetap lembut dan sedap walaupun sehari kemudian. Buktinya apabila saya memberi kepada seorang pelajar saya yang belajar di Cairo ketika dia menziarahi saya sehari sebelum dia bertolak pulang menyambungkan pelajarannya. Cinnamon rolls ini masih 'sangat sedap' baginya dan teman-teman serumahnya. Cuma yang saya ralat ialah saya cuma memberinya 2 biji sahaja. Sangka saya untuk dia makan atas kereta aje. Tapi sebab tak sempat dia telah membawanya pulang ke Cairo. Harap- harap dengan adanya resepi ini di sini bolehlah dia dan anda semua mencubanya di rumah pula.

Dari trial dan error yang telah saya lakukan ketika membuat cinnamon rolls ini,kita perlu leperkannya agak nipis supaya dapat banyak gulungan untuk mendapat hasil yang enarik setelah dibakar. Ianya bukan sahaja kelihatan lebih cantik kesan gulungan yang banyak tetapi ianya juga akan naik tinggi di tengah. Ala-ala 'Cinnabon' gitu... Ahaks.

Kali ini saya dibantu anak dara saya Syaima' yang berusia 10 tahun.Saya cuma meleperkan doh dan dialah buat bakinya.

Jom layan resepinya.

Bahan-bahannya:
Rolls
1 cawan susu suam
2 biji telur
1/3 cawan majerin ~ cairkan ~
4 1/2 cawan tepung roti ( kalau tak ada boleh gunakan tepung serbaguna )
1 sudu teh garam
1/2 cawan gula putih
21/2 sudu teh yis segera
Filling
Mentega
Serbuk kulit kayu manis
Kismis
Gula perang
Cheese cream frosting
125 gm cream cheese
1 cawan gula icing
1/2 sudu teh vanilla

Cara membuatnya:
  1. Masukkan bahan-bahan 'rolls' ke dalam Breadmaker dan pilih butang 'Dough'.
  2. Jika anda menguli dengan tangan pastikan semua bahan sebati dan ulilah sehingga doh menjadi lembut.
  3. Setelah doh naik tumbuk dan keluarkan udara.
  4. Bahagikan kepada 3 bahagian yang sama besar.
  5. Leperkannya menjadi bentuk segiempat tepat.
  6. Sapukan mentega.
  7. Taburkan kismis, gula perang dan serbuk kulit kayu manis.
  8. Gulungkan ketat- ketat sehingga ke hujung.
  9. Potong dengan lebar 11/2" setiap satu. Susun di atas loyang pembakar.
  10. Biarkan ianya berehat selama 10 minit.
  11. Bakar dalm ketuhar yang telah dipanaskan dengan suhu 175 C selama 15-18 minit sehingga terbit bau dan warna roll sedikit keperangan.
  12. Setelah siap bolehlah disapukan cream frosting sementara rolls masih suam.
Siap disusun sebelum dibakar
Setelah dibakar disapu cream cheese topping.Ianya akan cair sewaktu masih panas dan mengeras bila sejuk.Menambahkan kesedapan cinnamon Rolls ini.Tapi kalau tak ada pun sedap dah.
Buat bekalan anak saudara Ku Basyirah  ke asrama.