A Birthday Cake With Swirls

Saturday, March 08, 2014 | Labels:

 A Heavenly Baked Birthday Cake

Last week was my birthday and I made my own birthday cake.  It is a two-layer vanilla cake with a classic buttercream frosting.  This cake is commonly referred to as the 1-2-3-4 cake.  It has a light and moist texture with a sweet buttery flavor.  It is actually an "easylicious" cake (easy to make and delicious). 


I mentioned earlier that it is known as the 1-2-3-4 cake.  The numbers 1-2-3-4 refer to the quantities of ingredients; 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, and 4 eggs.  You will use the creaming method where at first  the butter and sugar are beaten together and then you add the eggs, the flour and the milk.  

After the cake layers are baked and have cooled down, we will frost and decorate the cake with confectioners' frosting or simply called buttercream frosting.  This frosting contains confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla extract and milk.  You need to beat these ingredients until it has a light and fluffy texture.  Make sure that the consistency is not too thick or too thin. To color the frosting,  I used pink and yellow food color gel pastes.

To decorate the cake, use the cake decorating tip no. 18. Pipe rosettes on top and star at the bottom of the cake. I lined-up small white and pink sugar flowers around the cake (middle portion)

VANILLA CAKE INGREDIENTS :

1  Cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
2  Cups granulated white sugar
3  Cups sifted all purpose flour
4  Large eggs (room temperature)
1  Tablespoon baking powder
1/2  Teaspoon salt
2  Teaspoons vanilla extract
1  Cup milk (room temperature)

CONFECTIONERS' FROSTING :

4  Cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1  Cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1  Teaspoon vanilla extract
2 - 4 Tablespoon milk or light cream
Food color gel paste (if needed)

DIRECTIONS

      Vanilla Cake :

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit  (180 degrees C)
2.   In a bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder and salt
3.   Beat the butter until soft and creamy using an electric mixer (use the paddle).  You may use a hand mixer if you do not have the electric mixer
4.   Add the sugar gradually until fluffy
5.   Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
6.   Add vanilla extract
7.   Add the sifted flour and milk alternately  (make sure the mixer is on low speed when doing this) and beat until combined
8.   Divide the batter between the two pans  (use 8 x 2 inches round pan).  Apply vegetable shortening first on the pans before placing the batter. 
9.   Bake for 27 to 35 minutes or until tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
10. Place the cakes on a wire rack until completely cool before frosting

      Frosting :

1.   Beat the butter until smooth and creamy using an electric mixer or hand mixer
2.   Add the vanilla extract
3.   Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar with the mixer on low speed
4.   Add two (2) tablespoons of milk and beat until combined
5.   With the mixer on high speed, beat the frosting until light and fluffy.  Make sure you get the right spreading consistency.
6.   Apply food color gel paste if desired for decorating the cake.

Please visit my other blog :
http://flowersblooms-elvierose.blogspot.com

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A Perfect Gift on Valentine's Day

Saturday, February 15, 2014 | Labels:

Satisfy your sweetheart's sweet tooth this love month with these Valentine's Day cupcakes your whole family will love

 A colorful valentine cupcakes to say Happy Valentine's Day to your special someone in your life

Frosted the cupcakes in three beautiful pastel colors - Pink, Blue and Yellow

 
Flower inspired valentine's cupcake to spoil your love ones 
This is a classic red velvet cupcake with a luscious butter cream yellow frosting


Sweet Love Valentine Teddy Bear Cupcake
A moist chocolate cupcake with pink butter cream frosting

Lovely Hearts Cupcakes
A white cupcake with a sweet and buttery flavor and  frosted with a lovely blue butter cream frosting


Thank you for ordering Heavenly Baked Cupcakes !

Please visit my other blog :
http://flowersblooms-elvierose.blogspot.com 

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Cupcake Decorating Workshop

Saturday, February 15, 2014 | Labels:

The Cupcake Decorating Workshop

I was buying some baking stuff in one of my favorite supplies store in our area and saw an ad on baking workshop. There were three modules offered but I was only interested on Module 2.  This module focused on marshmallow fondant, gum paste, royal icing and how to make basic figures.  I enjoyed the full day session with our instructor, Mia Poblete who took baking and pastry arts at the Heny Sison Culinary School.

GUM PASTE

 Gum paste is primarily used for hand modeling figures and can be rolled very thin for petal flowers, leaves and very detailed decorations.It is similar in texture to fondant but it dries very hard, gum paste is an edible product and taste very bland.  Ingredients in making the gum paste are unflavored gelatin, cold water, powdered or confectioners' sugar, shortening and glucose.

Mixture of  gelatin, glucose, shortening and water being melt over low fire until clear

 This is sifted powdered sugar combined with the mixture

Kneading until smooth

This is the finished gum paste after adding the food color

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT (MMF)

Marshmallow Fondant is an easy fondant made of marshmallows, powdered sugar and water. Food color and flavored extracts are optional ingredients.  It’s simple to make, and many prefer the taste over regular fondant, since it tastes like very sweet marshmallows. You can use marshmallow fondant as you would regular fondant, to cover cakes, form shapes, and make candy. Be warned that it tends to get sticky in moist places, so it does not hold up as well as regular fondant when placed over frosting and refrigerated for days. 

Marshmallows with two (2) tablespoon of water melted in the microwave oven for 2 minutes

Kneading the marshmallow fondant after applying food color

Making designs out of marshmallow fondants


 
Perfectly cut fondants to cover the cupcakes

Covering the cupcakes

Our projects during the workshop

My chubby bear

Mounted on a cupcake

Ms. Piggy on grass made of royal icing

ROYAL ICING is a hard white icing, made from softly beaten egg whites, powdered sugar, and sometimes lemon or lime juice. This smooth, hard-drying icing is perfect for making decorations that last. It is also useful as a "cement" to fasten decorations together. Royal icing is edible, but not recommended for icing cakes.

My cute hand bag

A cute little baby for baptismal event

Happy Valentine's Day !

A valentine cupcake

Lovely design using a plastic mold


A Christmas Tree

Frosted cupcake with a simple flower on top



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Cute Valentine Cupcakes

Saturday, February 08, 2014 | Labels:

 VALENTINE CUPCAKES

 Valentine's Day is fast approaching...celebrate cupid's holiday with these cute and yummy valentine's cupcakes. A box includes vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes with swirls of marshmallow or buttercream frostings and top with cute valentine toppers and colored sprinkles.

Valentine inspired cupcakes for your love ones and friends this Valentine's Day

Photo from all-images.org

Visit my other blog : 
http://flowersblooms-elvierose.blogspot.com 

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philippines Santa Rosa City, Philippines

Peach Vanilla Cupcake with Mango Marshmallows Frosting

Saturday, January 25, 2014 | Labels:

Peach Vanilla Cupcake with Mango Marshmallows Frosting

Recently,  I started this new blog "Heavenly Baked By Elvie" focusing on my baking escapades. If you noticed I transferred my baking posts from my first blog "Flowersblooms By Elvie to this new blog.   This is to consolidate all my baking-related posts into one blog.   I am new at baking and it has become an exciting adventure.  It brings out the best and creativity in me and I enjoy it a lot.  This hobby had become my therapeutic medium after a stressful day at work.

Well now, I would like to share my Peach Vanilla Cupcake with Mango Marshmallows Frosting.



Ingredients for Cupcakes :

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup full cream milk
2 cups peaches (chopped into small cubes)

Ingredients for Mango Frosting :

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (1 pint) heavy or whipping cream
1/8 tsp salt
2 packs of mango marshmallow (500 g)

 Mango Marshmallows

Directions :

1.  Preheat oven to 350 fahrenheit.

2.  In an electric mixer, cream butter thoroughly.

3.  Add the white and light brown sugars and cream again.

4.  Mix in baking powder, baking soda and salt.

5.  Add canola oil, eggs, full cream milk and vanilla extract and cream thoroughly.

6. Add the all-purpose flour and combine thoroughly.  Scrape down sides of mixing bowl if necessary.

7.  Add the chopped peaches and mix thoroughly.

Note :  Your batter should look soft and fluffy.  Fluffy is good.

 This is my new electric mixer ~ Breville Scraper Mixer Pro...It makes mixing so easy

FROSTING :

1.  Place the marshmallows, cream,  confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large, deep saucepan. 

2.  Heat over medium-low heat and stir frequently until the marshmallows melt completely.

3.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.

4.  Pour the icing into a mixing bowl  and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled  preferably overnight.

5.  Remove the icing from the refrigerator. Beat it at high speed using an electric mixer.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure you are incorporating all of the chilled icing. 

6.  Beat until the icing is smooth and glossy. The icing will thin out and become almost sauce-like. Once it is smooth, set the icing aside to rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.  It will stiffen as it sits, bringing it to spreadable consistency.

7.  Spread or pipe the icing atop cupcake


 Smooth and glossy icing

 I put cylinder sprinkles (multi-color) to decorate




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Nutrilicious Muscovado With Saba Muffin

Monday, January 13, 2014 | Labels:


Muscovado with saba muffin

This is a healthylicious muffin since I used special ingredients.  These are muscovado sugar, extra virgin olive oil and saba.

The muscovado is a type of unrefined sugar with a strong molasses flavour.  It is also known as Barbados or moist sugar.  It is very dark brown in color and slightly coarser and stickier than most  brown sugars.  Muscovado takes its flavor and color from the sugar cane juice it is made from.  It offers good resistance to high temperatures and has a reasonably good shelf life.  It is processed the natural way - completely free from any harmful chemicals such as phosphoric acid, formic acid, sulphur dioxide, preservatives or any flocculants, surfactants, bleaching agents or viscosity modifiers.

 Muscovado Sugar
Photo from Shaunasever.com

 Another naturally produced ingredient is the extra virgin olive oil which is simply pressed fruit juice without additives and is the highest quality and most expensive olive oil classification.  If you are on a budget, you can use vegetable oil or butter to make this muffin.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Photo from Oliveoilexcellence.com

The banana used in this recipe is called "saba" or "cardaba banana."  It originated in the Philippines and  one of the most important banana varieties in Philippine cuisine. Among the different kinds of bananas,  the cardaba is the best because it  has the highest content of nutrients.  It has the deepest roots  which can absorb more nutrients from the soil.

Saba or Cardaba Banana

Ingredients of muscovado with saba muffin :

2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup Muscovado sugar
1 Tsp Baking soda
1 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 Cup Milk
Pinch salt
5 pcs. Riped saba bananas (cut into small cubes)
1/2 Cup olive oil (extra virgin)
1  Large egg
1 Tsp vanilla

Instructions :

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
 
2.  In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients - all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt.
3.  In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients -  muscovado sugar, egg, olive oil, milk, vanilla and mix until smooth.
4.   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated and add the saba banana cubes. Do the mixing only by hand,  the key to a delicious muffin is not to over mix the ingredients.
5.   Place the paper liners into your muffin pan and distribute the batter evenly.
6.   Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time      : 25 mins.
Total Time            : 35 mins.
Serve                   : 16

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Banana Cupcake With Peanut Butter Frosting

Friday, January 03, 2014 | Labels:


BANANA CUPCAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

The best gift is the one that comes from  your heart and you really made a big effort for it.  I baked some cupcakes for my friends and relatives during the holiday season. I made a total of seventy two (72) pieces of banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.  This is yummy !!!

INGREDIENTS :
    Cupcakes
       *  2 cups all-purpose flour
       *  1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
       *  1/4 cup buttermilk
       *  2 eggs
       *  1 1/4 cups sugar
       *  1 tsp vanilla
       *  1/2 cup vegetable shortening
       *  3/4 tsp baking soda
       *  1 tsp baking powder
       *  1 tsp salt

    Frosting 
       *  1 cup creamy peanut butter 
       *  6 cups  confectioners' sugar
       *  1/2 cup butter, room temperature (1 stick)
       *  1/4 cup milk (If you prefer a creamier frosting, you can add more milk)
       *  Chopped Reese's Peanut Butter cups
 DIRECTIONS :
    Cupcakes
    1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
    2. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar together.
    3. Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and bananas.
    4. Mix until combined thoroughly.
    5. On low speed add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
    6. Stir together until combined.
    7. Line muffin pans and fill with batter about 2/3 full.
    8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
    9. Remove the cupcakes from the baking pan and let cool completely before frosting. 

    Frosting: 
         1.  Combine peanut butter and butter and mix on medium speed until combined. 
         2.  Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. 
         3.  Add milk slowly until desired consistency is reached. 
         4.  Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with chopped up Reese's Cups (if desired)
     Baked banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and garnished with chopped Reese's peanut butter cups

     This is my Christmas packaging for my cupcakes.  I decided not to put frostings on some of my cupcakes for those who wanted it just a plain banana cupcake.
      A pack of six (6) cupcakes in a Christmas box

    Christmas House Packaging for solo cupcake

    I baked seventy two (72) pieces of cupcakes for my Christmas gifts.  Here are some of the finished goodies ready for delivery.

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