Old School Buttercream Cake Slices

Back to basic baking....simple old school sponge cake! Thanks to my friend for sharing her recipe. She used to blog too but a pity she had ceased to do so. She's a really talented home baker/cook and I learnt a lot from her too! I really love this sponge cake which is moist and tender, goes very well with the silky swiss meringue buttercream. Being too ambitious I've baked three flavours sponge cake, plain, chocolate and strawberry. They are so so pretty after decorating! 

3 flavours basic sponge cake...plain, chocolate and strawberry

Ingredient (9" shallow square pan)

• 60gm cake flour
• 1.5 tbsp corn flour
• 1/2 tsp double action baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 egg yolks*
• 2 tbsp +1 tsp milk 
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp corn oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste*

*Note : For chocolate sponge, reduce cake flour to 50gm and add cocoa powder 10gm. For strawberry sponge, omit vanilla paste and replaced with 1/2 tsp strawberry emulco. Use large size eggs.

Meringue

• 3 egg white*
• 60gm fine sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Sift cake flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Whisk egg yolks until creamy and light. Add in milk, oil and vanilla paste. Whisk well. 
3. Add in flour mixture and whisk till mixture is smooth.
4. Using a electric whisk, beat egg white and cream of tartar till foamy. Beat in sugar, in three additions, gradually till firm peak forms. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into egg yolk batter. Mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the balanced meringue and fold gently till well combined. Pour the mixture into a lined 9" pan and spread out evenly. Tap the pan lightly to remove excess air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 25-30 mins. Remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
6. To assemble the cake : Trim the cake edges. Slice the cake into half and sandwiched with buttercream. Frost the surface with buttercream and chill in fridge for 30 mins for ease of slicing. Cut into slices (about 5-6 depending the size you preferred) and decorate as desired with piping gel, sprinkles, melted chocolate and buttercream.

For 4 eggs recipe :

Ingredient

• 80gm cake four
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 3/4 tsp double action baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, separate
• 50ml fresh milk
• 50ml rice bran oil
• 1/2 tsp ovalett (optional)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 70gm fine sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe modified from Nasi Lemak Lover

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredient

• 100gm egg whites
• 135gm sugar
• 227gm salted butter, soft but still cold, cut into small cubes
• 45gm melted dark chocolate (*omit chocolate if making plain one)

Method

1. Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl, place over a pot of simmering water.
2. Whisk mixture till sugar is fully dissolved and temperature reaches 70 deg.
3. Remove from heat. Using a electric whisk, beat the meringue on high speed till stiff peak formed, thick and glossy.
4. At this point, the mixing bowl should be cool to the touch but still slightly warm at the bottom.
5. Place the bowl of meringue on top of a large bowl filled with some ice cubes and water.
6. Beat and add in butter cube one by one, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next one. 
7. Mixture will looks curdle at one point, continue to beat till mixture is creamy and satiny.  Beat in melted chocolate till well combined. 

Baked Nonya Otak Otak

The last attempt of making this Otak Otak was six years ago! I decided to make this again (to tweak the recipe slightly and upgrade the pictures 😜) to share with some of my friends for our small gathering. I'm really blessed with friends whom don't complain with my cooking hahaha....

Its a really easy peasy recipe to follow....just blend everything in a food processor! Except the fish chunks of course. ^0^ If you find that the fish chunks used is too much, you can replace with fresh prawns or squids! A really versatile recipe which you can adjust to your liking. 

Before & After Baking

Ingredients 

• 500gm Spanish mackerel, deboned and scrap out flesh, cut into chunks
• 500gm fish paste 
• 2 tbsp ginger juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 kaffir leaves, finely chopped
• 4 eggs
• 100ml Ayam brand pure coconut cream
• 100gm coconut cream powder 
• 1 packet banana leaves (* I managed to cut 18 pcs from a pack of banana leaves, balanced paste I  wrap into individual small disposable container and freeze it)

Rempah Mixture

• 4 candlenuts
• 3 tbsp chilli powder (can increase to 4-5 tbsp if you prefer spicier)
• 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced finely
• 1 thumb size galangal, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 shallots
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 15gm belachan , toasted
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp rice bran oil

Method

1. Marinate the fish chunks with ginger juice and salt for at least 30 mins. 
2. In a food processor, blend candlenuts, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, galangal, belacan together with 100ml of thick coconut milk.
3. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, rice flour, pepper, sugar, oil and the coconut cream powder and blend till mixture is really smooth. 
4. Lightly beat the egg and pour into the mixture and blend till just combined.
5. Transfer the egg mixture into a deep dish. Add fish paste and chopped kaffir leaves and mix well. Finally add the fish chunks and combine well. Cling wrap the dish and chill in fridge overnight. 
6. Trim banana leaves into 20cm x 25cm sizes. Blanch in hot water till soften. Wipe dry before use. Spread about 2 tbsp of otak otak paste in the centre of the banana leaf. Fold in the edge to cover the paste. Use bamboo toothpicks to secure both ends. Repeat until all otak oak paste is used up. 
7. Bake the otak oak in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 15 mins until the leaves are browned and otak otak cooked through. 
8. Alternatively for freezing of paste : Scoop appropriate amount of otak otak paste onto a  disposable container lined with food grade plastic wrap, wrap up properly and place in freezer till used. Do not thaw the otak otak. Steam or bake directly from freezer. 

Recipe adapted from Mrs Teng's Blog

Pandan Cotton Cake

Finally after third attempts, I succeeded in making this tall and spongy pandan cotton cake! First two attempts I underbaked the cake and it collapsed after removing it from pan. I told my kids I've failed my cakes but they still happily finished them up. 😝 Haha its still edible just that they were short and dense. 

Super cottony pandan cake infused with Ayam brand coconut milk and organic coconut oil with au natural fresh pandan extract! Lots of air pockets in the crumbs and the surface wrinkle up after cooling down.  Nevertheless is still a very delicious cake to enjoy if you like moist and fluffy sponge cake. 

Ingredient (8" round pan)

• 80gm cake flour 
• 60gm Ayam brand organic coconut oil 
• 40gm Ayam brand coconut milk 
• 40gm fresh pandan extract 
• pinch of salt
• 5  eggs, separated (I used 60gm size egg)

• 80gm fine sugar 
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 

Method

1. Prepare a 8" removable base pan. Line the base and wrap the cake pan with aluminium foil. 
2. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Heat coconut oil in microwave for 2 mins. Pour the hot oil into flour and quickly mix into a smooth paste. Cool down the mixture slightly.
3. Whisk egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add in coconut milk and pandan extract and mix well. Combine the egg mixture with flour mixture and stir well. 
4. Place egg whites and cream of tartar into a clean mixing bowl. Using a electric whisk, beat on high speed until foamy. Add in sugar in 3 batches and beat till firm peak formed.
5. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into egg yolk mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into the balanced meringue and fold gently to combine.
6. Pour the batter into cake pan. Tap the pan gently on a working surface to remove any big air bubbles. Place the cake pan over a tray. Pour in hot water up to 1/3 of the cake pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 90mins until surface is golden brown. (Please adjust temperature and duration according to your own oven!)
8. Remove cake pan from the oven and drop the pan above the table top to prevent excessive shrinkage when cooled down. When the cake starts to pull away from the cake pan, unmould the cake immediately and cool completely on wire rack. Store the cake in fridge as it contains coconut milk. 

Recipe adapted from JeannieTay

Banana Sponge Cake

Weeks ago, I joined with a group of like-minded homebakers to bake together at Perle Baking Studio! We had 3 hours of fun filled hands-on baking! Look at the spread of lovely bakes on the table! What did we bake during the 3 hours? We managed to churn out Coffee Oreo Butter Cake, Banana Sponge Cake, Old Fashioned Strawberry Slice Cake, Cream Puffs and Mini Fruit Tarts! I decided to try out Vanessa's Banana Sponge Cake as I only managed to taste a small portion. The only slice of banana cake which I brought home was eaten by my daughter hahaha....This banana sponge cake is really fragrant with moist and fluffy texture! My cake (2nd attempt, the first try the cake was under baked!) did not turn out as pretty as Vanessa but glad that I managed to achieve nice texture cake. ^0^ Hope to try out my others baking buddies' recipe and share with you their wonderful delicious bakes in near future! 

Ingredient (one 8" cake or two 6" cake)

• 5 egg yolks
• 30gm fine sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 60gm corn oil
• 130gm ripen banana, mash
• 120gm cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Meringue

• 5 egg whites
• 60gm fine sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Prepare a 8" cake pan. Line the base and wrap the pan with aluminium foil.
2. Using a hand whisk, beat egg yolks until light and creamy. Beat in sugar, salt and corn oil until sugar is well dissolved. Mix in mashed banana.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into egg yolk mixture. Beat till batter is smooth.
4. In a clean dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and mix well. Add in sugar in three batches and beat well until stiff peak formed.
5. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into egg yolk batter. Mix well. Pour the mixture into remaining meringue and fold lightly till well combined.
6. Pour the cake batter into cake pan and tap the pan lightly a work surface to remove excess air bubbles. Bake with water bathe at 160 deg cel for 90 mins until golden brown. 
7. Cool cake in pan for 5 mins. Lightly press the cake from the side to loosen the cake. Invert onto wire rack to cool down completely. 

Recipe by Vanessa Tay

Baked Seafood Macaroni in Pumpkin

Ingredient

• 1 medium size pumpkin, approx 1.5 kg
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced
• 100gm crab stick, cut into sectioned
• 300gm fresh squid, cleaned and cut into rings
• 200gm prawns, shells removed
• 1 cup macaroni
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Wash the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on a heatproof plate. Steam in preheated steamer for 15-20 mins. Remove the pumpkin from steamer and cool down. Carefully slice the lid off. Use a spoon to remove the pulp and seeds. The flesh of the pumpkin should be tender enough to pierce through, if not, steam for another 5 mins. Do not over steam as it may collapse.
2. Meanwhile, cook macaroni till tender. Set aside. In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and saute onion and garlic till soft and fragrant. 
3. Add capsicum and crab stick, mix well. Add in squid and prawn and fry till seafood is tender. Do not over cook. Add in macaroni, tomato puree, mixed herbs and seasoning. Simmer for 1 min. Remove from heat.
4. Fill the pumpkin with seafood mixture. There will be leftover of seafood mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 10 mins until the cheese melted.
5. Remove pumpkin from oven and place it on a large serving plate. Cut the pumpkin into wedges. Serve immediately. 

Recipe modified from : happyhomebaking

Sweet & Sour Pulled Chicken in Wonton Cups

Ingredient

• 800gm chicken breasts
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 cup canned pineapple cubes
• 1/2 cup Woh Hup Pineapple Sweet & Sour Sauce
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Combine sweet & sour sauce pineapple juice, apple vinegar and sesame oil.
2. Place sliced onion into the slow cooker. Place chicken breast meat over the onion.
3. Scatter garlic and pineapple cubes over the chicken. Pour the sauce mixture to cover the chicken pieces. 
4. Cover and turn slow cooker to high heat. Cook for 4 hours. 
5. Remove chicken breast meat from slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the chicken breast finely. Transfer the shredded meat into slow cooker and mix well with gravy. 
6. Turn the heat to low and cook for another 30 mins. 

To assemble the wonton cups : Preheat oven to 180 deg cel. Trim of 4 corners of wonton wrappers to form an octagon. Lightly brush some oil on both side of wonton wrapper. Place the wrapper into small muffin cups to form a cup shape. Bake in oven for 8-10 mins until crisp and brown. Remove baked wonton cups. Spoon some chopped purple cabbage into each wonton cups, top with sweet and sour pulled chicken. Garnish with diced pineapples and coriander. Serve immediately.

Fried Beancurd Roll in Abalone Sauce

Fried Beancurd Roll
Ingredient (6 rolls)

• 300gm minced pork
• 200gm fish paste
• 150gm fresh prawn, peeled and diced
• 6 water chestnut, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp Woh Hup Abalone Sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg white
• 6 pc dried beancurd skin, 8" x 8"
• cornflour solution 

Method

1. Combine minced pork, fish paste, prawn meat, water chestnut, spring onion and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Stir till mixture is well combined. Add in egg white and stir till mixture is sticky. Cover and chill for 30 mins.
2. Prepare 6 pieces beancurd skin. Use a damp cloth to wipe the beancurd skin to remove excess salt. Divide meat mixture into 6 equal portions. 
3. Place a portion of meat mixture onto a piece of beancurd skin. Roll up and seal the edge with cornflour solution. Flatten the rolls slightly.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan. Place the beancurd roll into heated pan and pan fry till golden brown on all sides. Not necessary to fry it till cook through as it will be steamed with the abalone sauce. Do not fry over high heat as the beancurd skin will burn easily.
5. Remove rolls from fire and place on a heatproof plate.
6. Prepare abalone sauce and pour over fried beancurd roll and steam over medium heat for 8 mins. Remove from fire and garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately. 

Abalone Sauce

Ingredient

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp Woh Hup Abalone Sauce
• 1 tbsp hua tio jiu
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• cornflour solution for thickening

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan. Saute garlic and ginger till fragrant.
2. Add in in water, abalone sauce, hua tio jiu, sesame oil and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for a min. Add in cornflour solution to thicken the sauce. 

Pumpkin Sausage Fried Rice & Black Pepper Mid Wings

Baked Black Pepper Mid Wings
Ingredient

• 600gm chicken mid wings
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp Woh Hup Black Pepper Sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 shallots, minced

Method

1. Combine seasoning, garlic and shallots together.
2. Place mid wings into a ziplog bag. Pour in marinade mixture. Seal the bag and squash the bag so that the mid wings is evenly coated with the marinade.  Chill in fridge and allow to marinate overnight.
3. Prior to baking, bring out the mid wings to room temperature. Line a baking sheet and place the mid wings, single layer onto the baking sheets. 
4. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 30 mins, turning once, until golden brown. 

Pumpkin & Sausage Fried Rice

Ingredient

• 4 cups cooked rice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sliced Chinese sausages
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup diced shiitake mushroom
• 1 cup diced pumpkin
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup red capsicum
• 1 tbsp wolfberries, softened
• 1 heap tbsp Woh Hup Vegetarian Mushroom Sauce
• 1 tbsp wine
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok. Fry sausage until crisp and brown. Dish up.
2. With remaining oil in wok, add in beaten eggs and fry into omelette. Dish up and set aside.
3. Add in another 1 tbsp oil into wok. Saute mushroom till fragrant. Add in garlic and fry briefly.  Add in diced pumpkin and mix well for 1 min. Cover wok and cook the pumpkin for 1 min until tender.
4. Add in rice and toss well to mix. Add in vegetarian mushroom sauce, light soy sauce, wine, pepper and sesame oil. Mix well over medium high heat.
5. Add in remaining ingredients green peas, red capsicum, sausages, omelette and wolfberries, toss well to combine. 
6. Dish up and serve immediately. 

Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles 福建炒虾面

Finally I've collected enough prawn shells to make a pot of wholesome stock for my favourite noodle dish Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle! Nothing beats a wholesome plate of home cooked braised noodle loaded with fresh seafood and meat! 

Ingredient

• 500gm pork ribs
• 400gm prawn shells
• 20gm fried sole fried fish 
• 150gm pork belly
• 300gm medium prawns, trimmed
• 150gm squid, cleaned and cut into rings 
• 200gm yellow noodles
• 200gm thick rice vermicelli
• 50gm chives, cut into sections
• 3 eggs
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• lard oil
• fish sauce
• light soy sauce 
• white pepper

Method

1. To make pork broth, rinse pork ribs and pat dry. Add some oil into heated wok and pan fry until slightly brown. Add in one litre of boiling water into the wok and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for one hour. Turn off the flame and let the pork stock steep overnight. Next day, reheat the pork stock again and boil for another 20 mins before straining. Set aside.
2. To make prawn stock, add some oil in heated wok. Pan fry the prawn shells until they turn orangey red and fragrant. Add one litre of water and boil for 20 mins uncovered. Strain the prawn stock and combine with the pork stock. Boil down to about one litre to concentrate the flavours.
3. During the process of boiling down the combined stock, add the pork belly and boil until it is just cooked. Remove from the stock and cut into thin strips after cooling down. Blanch the prawn and sliced squid separately. Do not overcook. Remove and set aside.
4. To cook the noodles, add lard oil into a heated wok. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add yellow noodles and rice vermicelli together with some fish sauce and light soy sauce. Stir fry over very high heat for 30 seconds.
5. Push the noodles to one side and crack 3 eggs into the wok. Quickly stir fry the eggs and combine with the noodles to coat the strands thoroughly. Add the pork belly and mix well.
6. Pour about 200ml stock over the noodles and stir fry until the stock is absorbed. Add another 250ml stock and cover for 2 mins.
7. Remove cover, add in blanched prawns and squid and a little more stock. Add chives and mix well. Adjust taste by adding more fish sauce or so.
8. Remove from fire and serve immediately with calamansi lime and chilli paste at the side.

Recipe ref with some modifications : travellingfoodies.com

Baked Sambal Chicken

Going carboh-free for lunch today. I've prepared a real simply and yet delicious one pan baked sambal chicken loaded with greens and root vegetables at the side! The kids enjoyed this baked dish tremendously and polished up all the sides! And yes they were fighting over the golden spiced crisp baked chicken skin. 😅😅

Ingredient

• 1 medium chicken, abt 1-1.2 kg
• 1 pack Prima Taste Sambal Chilli Paste
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• thumb sized ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 lime, extract the juice
• handful of pandan leaves for lining the pan

Side accomplish : zucchini, potatoes, onion, carrots, broccoli, mushroom

Method

1. Combine sambal chilli paste, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey and lime juice and mix till well combined.
2. Removed the backbone of the chicken. Turn over the chicken and press on the breastbone to flatten it. Rinse the chicken and pat dry thoroughly. Rub the marinade (reserved some for basting) all over the chicken and allow to marinate overnight in fridge.
3. On the day of baking, remove the chicken from fridge and bring it to room temperature. Line a baking pan with pandan leaves. Place the marinated chicken over. Scatter your favourite greens & roots vegetables(lightly toss with some oil, pepper and salt) around the chicken.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 45 mins (baste the chicken with remaining marinade twice between baking time) until chicken is golden brown and crisp.