Maple Carrot Cake

I had carrot cake cravings again!
But I wanted to make cupcakes instead.My last attempt was a disaster so I was very cautios in choosing a good recipe and making it carefully.
Alhamdulillah I was very satisfied when this Carrot cupcake turned out just the way I wanted and better!
Its so moist and fluffy and the maple syrup gave a speacial taste to it.not to mention the cream cheese topping with walnuts sprinkled on top.Just lovely!
I made just a few minor additions to the actual recipe which I got from Allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins (my own addition)
• 
  
• FROSTING:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Isubstituted this with lemon zest)
• Chopped walnuts

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs, oil and syrup. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in carrots. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
3. For frosting, combine cream cheese, butter, syrup and vanilla in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.( I did!Hehehe )

My muffin pan could only fit 9 paper cups so I placed them in these instead  so I could bake more  in 1 time.

Done!

The cream cheese topping just compliments the carrot cake.

~Bon Appetit~

Overnight Coffee Cake

This is one overdue recipe.Did it last week or so.Didn't have time to update it.I was looking for a simple coffee cake that day and came upon this recipe.Its name was rather interesting I thought so I opened up the page and read it.

Yup!It was interesting coz it was kinda different.You prepare the batter at night,put in the fridge then bake it the next morning.And that was exactly what I did!

Super easy and super delicious.Very moist yet crunchy on top.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
•  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Beat in the egg until well blended. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Spread evenly into the prepared baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, walnuts, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next day, preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The batter

Covered for its night 'sleep' in the refrigerator.

Baked!

Drizled.

Served...
~Bon appetit~

Chicken luncheon rolls (2)

I finally found the real Chicken Luncheon. So yesterday I made a batch of Chicken Luncheon Rolls. I didn't use the previous recipe.i just have this thing about weighing my ingredients nowadays.So I took the recipe for my Cinnamon rolls and exchanged the butter to margerine and I was so amazed at the results.

The Chicken luncheon

o    1 cup warm milk

o    1 egg (room temperature), slightly beaten

o    1/4 cup margerine

o    1/4 cup vegetable oil

o    1/2 cup white sugar

o    1/2 teaspoon salt

o    3 1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting

o  2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast

o    2 tbsp butter-melted

o    Chicken lunchen-Cut into strips

o    Sliced cheddar cheese-Cut into strips

Instructions

1.       If you're using a breadmaker add milk, egg, melted butter, oil, sugar, and salt. Add flour on top of all the liquid mixture sprinkle yeast on top. Choose the dough button and wait untill dough rises.You can also knead the dough by hand.

2.   When it has risen,punch out the air from the dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle slightly larger than a 9×13 pan (rectangle). Spread surface evenly with melted butter.Arrange the chicken luncheon and cheddar cheese strips as you like.I used two pieces of each.

3.   Beginning with the long side, roll dough pinching the seam to seal.

4.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut (I like using dental floss) into 12 equal slices and place them in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

5.        To make the frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar on medium-high speed for three minutes. Set aside.

5.        Bake cinnamon rolls for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. 

Baked.The dough is soft and fluffy

Left it in the oven for a while for the brown effect

Apple Spice Cake

http://thecookieshopinenglish.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/best-apple-cake-of-the-whole-wide-world/

Assalamu'alaikum and good evening dear readers. Am not feeling well at the moment. Runny nose and headaches. But I managed to go through a packed day today. Baking this apple cake and chicken luncheon rolls for tea before I left my house this afternoon.
I had some leftover apples from yesterday. Had a wedding to attend to so I thought why not bake an apple cake as a gift. The only trouble was this is the first time for me baking this recipe. Wasn't sure how the turn out was going to be. Yet I was quite confident of myself. Hahaha.
I wanted to taste it too. So I baked 2/3 of the batter in an 8"x8" baking pan. That was to be the gift. And 1/3 of the batter in a loaf pan.
I like the crumbly topping. Yet the cake itself was so moist and just melts in my mouth. Drink it with a cup of not so sweet coffee. Heaven...
I got the recipe from this blog. But only to find out it originated from Martha Stewarts website too. Its just that we left the caramel part.
Its very easy to make. So I do hope you try to bake it for your family and friends. I'm sure it will be a hit.



Ingredients
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extrac
Nonstick cooking spray with flour



Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celcius. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside. ( You can use a 9"x9" baking pan too. Just make sure you butter and flour it well )
2. In a bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow.
4. With mixer on medium speed, gradually put in dry ingredients until just incorporated.
5. Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine.
6. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 70-80 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.
9. Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack before serving.

Apple Cinnamon Cake (with cream cheese)

Assalamu'alaikum and a woonderful Friday to everyone!
I've found so many apple cake recipes lately that I had to try one today. So I got myself a packet of Granny Smiths apples from Mydin. Called my Aunt Nana first just to makw sure I got the right kind of apple. Thempn chose this recipe out of tge mny apple cakes recipe that I found. Don't ask me why I chose this.
But I'm very satisfied with my cake. Its moist and soft maybe because of the cream cheese in it. And its full of apples! So lets take a look at the ingredients.
I took the recipe from myrecipes.com

My pictures always take the taste out of the food.Huhuhu...But believe me,its delicious!

A pice of the cake.You can see the chunks of apple in it.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup stick margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large) - I used 3 medium sized Granny Smiths apples
Cooking spray - You can just butter and flour it.

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes).
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
6. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.
7. Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter.
8. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.
9. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
10. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.

Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan; just reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.

Ready to be eaten.Yum..Yum!

~Bon appetite~