Leche Flan Cake Recipe

My Leche Flan Cake drizzled in Mango Puree instead of Caramel. Works too!

So last week, we were planning a surprise birthday party for my friend Jeff and I thought I should bring a cake for the event. I mean, Jeff is one of the most dedicated and gifted people I know and we've all been blessed by his cooking and generosity in one way of another, so this was just my small way of saying, "Thanks for everything".

Then, I thought of the traditional Filipino Dessert: Leche Flan Cake, something I've been meaning to make for almost a year! It's so fascinating because at the bottom, you have your good old butter cake. But at the top, you get a layer of Creme Caramel, aka Flan. I mean, who doesn't love Flan?! This is probably the first time I've ever made something Filipino and I LOVE trying to cook different cuisines.

ALSO, it was nice to introduce a different kind of layering for cakes than what most of us are used to, so I thought it was pretty fitting for this month's Sweet Adventures Blog Hop (SABH), where the theme is: Layers =)

See the layers? This was Cake No. 1

Only thing is, it turned out to be quite a disaster the first time I made it. Though it tasted good, the custard came out TOO firm and overly sweet. The cake base was worse because it was so stiff, dry and dense that it was hard to swallow.

From what I hear, this cake is meant to be really, really moist and soft, just a delight to eat. Feeling incredibly unsatisfied but determined to get it right, I decided to skip class and bake this cake again on the day of the party ;p

Then I realised where I went wrong:

1) Forgot to use the Coke instead of Milk
- When I made it again with coke, cake turned out much more aerated and light from the gas in the coke. Plus, you couldn't really taste the coke anyway and the cake came out pretty delicious

2) Didn't add enough water in the Bain Marie/water bath
- First time I only had up to two centimeters but it didn't create enough steam for the cake and custard. Second time, I filled it up to more than half the bundt pan and the textures came out perfect... YES!

3) Temperature too high
- I'm no baking expert, but even I know that 175degC was a bit high for baking custards. I shouldn't have followed the original recipe because when I baked it again at 160degC, the consistency was just right

4) Too much condensed milk
- Decreased the amount of condense milk and used more evaporated milk than the original recipe called for. SO much better...

Anyway, I've made ammendments to some crucial aspects of the original recipe. The final cake was really delicious (especially the flan) and well received at the party. I think most people liked the slightly unconventional idea. Just glad I finally got everything right. Oh, and I did actually add Mango Puree to the flan mix but no matter how much I added, the taste didn't change much so I scrapped it.

Best part about this cake is how simple it is to bake. For all you bakers out there looking for something new to try, I suggest you give this a go. It's as fun to bake as it is to eat. And the layers really is quite purrty too =)

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Leche Flan Cake
(adapted from this recipe by Jules Food)

Ingredients:

Cake:1 box butter/yellow cake mix (and ingredients to prepare as directed on box)
Coke or Pepsi

Flan: 300g sweetened condensed milk
1 can (375ml) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping:Caramel ice cream topping or Homemade Mango Puree

Method:
Preheat oven to 160degC. Spray a bundt pan generously with cooking oil. Follow instructions to make the cake, but substitute milk with equivalent amount of coke/pepsi as stated on box. Pour cake mix into bundt pan and set aside.

Put the flan ingredients in a blender and mix well. Pour the flan mix gently down one side of the pan. The flan will go to the bottom of the cake mix so when you tip it over, the flan layer will be at the top.

Place bundt pan in a large roasting tray and pour boiling water into tray until it fills slightly above half of the bundt pan. Bake in oven for 50 minutes. The cake will stay more moist than most cakes and you will see it separate a bit from the pan when it's done, as shown below.

Let it cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. Turn the bundt pan over and let it sit while warming to room temperature. Finally, drizzle topping of choice and ENJOY! =D

*** Cooking Tips:1) Preheat oven well (mine takes about 35min to reach the temperature)
2) Use boiling water in the bain marie. Make sure you have enough if your tray is big
3) Use the Coke instead of water
4) If possible, use an oven thermometer for better accuracy

So happy that everything turned out the way I'd hoped! Persistence DOES pay off in the kitchen =)

Post note: A photo of the one I made again in 2013

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Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

A REALLY delectable afternoon snack =)

This holiday so far has really been about cooking and experimenting with recipes that I didn't have the time to try during semester. Which is why I've been baking a lot recently, of all things. And if you know me, baking is seriously not my forté. I've failed so many times in the past that I'm surprised I actually let myself bake again. BUT, I'm glad I did because I must say that I am very slowly, getting the hang of it (as well as my oven) with lots of practice and helpful recipes. Also, I find that it's a great way for Mum and me to bond in the kitchen =)

Also, VERY happy to announce that I've finally tested out this Cake Flour Substitute (which I've included in a separate post) that I came across on the Internet a long time ago. And let me just say, it works AMAZINGLY WELL. Very happy with the results. Try this out next time you happen to come across a baking recipe that calls for Cake Flour =D

So, Mum's been having a number of baking adventures back in KK as well recently. Only that she does it at Aunty E's house and she couldn't stop raving about this Carrot Cake Recipe so I decided to give it a go! I LOVE a good carrot cake. Though, I wanted to do it in cupcake form because I imagined it would be more fun to eat. Also, I can't remember the last time I actually made cupcakes, so here you have it. Oh, and we've reduced the sugar, butter and squeezed out some of the carrot juice to suit our liking.

Mum e-mailed me this recipe not too long ago (during my finals, actually. LOL MUM). It was taken from a cooking class conducted by a pastry chef of a 5-Star hotel in KK. Interesting. Honestly, making this recipe for myself, it really did turn out to be one of the BEST carrot cakes I've ever tasted! If I must say so myself... It's not me, it's the recipe.

It was so light and soft, but jam-packed with the sweetness of the carrots as well as the fragrance of the walnuts. Texture and flavour wise, this recipe really is an absolute winner. Also, I liked that the frosting had a higher concentration of butter, which made it almost like a Buttercream, but not quite. Easier to pipe/spread onto the cake after.

I've tried the carrot cake recipe from the Masterchef website before and though it was good, it didn't even come close. Compared to this, that one was rather stiff and a tad dry. ANYWAY, if you're looking for a really, really good carrot cake recipe, give this one a go and I promise you won't be disappointed. So easy to make, too!

Hope you get to try this out and share it with your loved ones sometime soon! Peace! =)

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Carrot Cupcakes

(makes 24 cupcakes or 1 big cake)

Ingredients:

50g + 10g (for garnishing) chopped walnuts

250g sugar

270ml cooking oil

4 eggs

240g cake flour (or 60g corn flour + 180g plain flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp cinnamon powder

340g (or 2 large) carrots, grated *

* TIP: Briefly squeeze out juice from one of the carrots. Otherwise, too moist

* Squeezing juice from just ONE of the carrots

Method:

Preheat oven to 190C. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan until fragrant, set aside. Cream sugar, oil and eggs in medium speed for 8 minutes.

Sieve cake flour, baking soda, baking powder into the mixture and fold. Add in vanilla essence, cinnamon powder, grated carrots and chopped walnuts. Fold to combine.

Line a 4 x 3 cupcake tray with paper moulds. Spoon batter into moulds until 2/3 full (or 2 scoops per mould with an ice-cream scoop). Bake for 25min or until cake tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool. Repeat with second batch of cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

150g cream cheese

75g butter

75g icing sugar

zest of 1 orange/lemon *

* For carrot cakes, orange goes better IMO but totally up to you =)

Method:

Cream all ingredients until smooth. When cupcake is cool, spread or pipe frosting on top. Garnish with more chopped walnuts and ENJOY =)

The PERFECT carrot cupcakes. OH! And I got a new cake stand from Big W, hur hur hur...

So, SO yummy... MMMMMM!!! =)

Green Tea Cheesecake Bites

"Accidental" Green Tea Biscuits

Lots of people know that I LOVE canapes or bite-sized foods. I always seem to find them more delicious because they're much more moreish when food can be eaten whole, one after another, in just one bite. Eating them by hand is a huge plus, too ;p. If it's good, I can keep popping them babies in my mouth like there's no tomorrow. Anyone share the love for canapes?

So when a mate had a potluck for his 21s a coupla months back, I volunteered two canapes for his birthday: 1 sweet and 1 savoury. And phew, was this recipe a load of work or what. It's not that it's complicated, but I had LOTS of screw ups in the kitchen that day. Fortunately, some of them actually worked even better as a result! Let me share what I've had to learn the hard way...

FIRST! Rookie Mistake Number 1: Mistaking the teaspoon measurements for TABLEspoon.(LOOOOOOOL). BUT, this was one mistake that worked well in my favour. Because of that, the green tea flavour was much more stronger and what we enjoyed most about these lovely cheesecake bites. However, I did add too much gelatin but most people didn't mind, because it wasn't that bad anyway.

Lesson: This much green tea is highly recommended

Next, mashing the biscuits into crumbs. First, smashed in ziplock bag with my hand, but found it hard because of the air pocket inside. Then, pressed them in the same bag with a small pot. BAD. The ziplock bag started having holes and crumbs spilled everywhere. Later, I got exasperated and just crushed a few at a time in a metal bowl with a pestle. PERFECT. It was really even and still crumbly, yet not too fine. Next time I did it, I tried a blender but this was an even WORSE idea. Biscuits came turned to fine powder, and we want CRUMBS. Made it totally pasty when mixed with melted butter, no crunchy texture.

Lesson: Crumb with pestle few at a time, or in cheesecloth with rolling pin

Another thing I did wrong was neglect to read the initial recommended size of tray to use. I just grabbed the massive steaming plate I had when in fact it was meant for a tiny brownie tray(smaller than an A4 paper!) which is why my first attempt turned out sooo thin. Still, lots of people enjoyed it so I decided to call them, "Accidental Green Tea BISCUITS" instead hehe.

Lesson: Read the recommended size/portion for any recipe!

Bought a piping kit for the first time for only $2.95 at Coles lol

ANYWAY, lots of errors in the kitchen that day but totally no regrets! I learned from figuring out what was wrong and also from making improvements on them. Hope you guys can learn from my mistakes too.

Was so dissatisfied with my first attempt I immediately made another batch the next day before the party despite the much effort of making another trip to the supermarket, making and cleaning again. Happy to say both seemed warmly received. Then, I made this cake again for my cousin's birthday few months later. You can also leave the whole cheesecake as it is or choose to cut them up to serve.

Whole Green Tea Cheesecake. First time decorating a cake lol hmmm...

Anyway, made lots of adjustments to the recipe and now I can't tell you how extremely happy I am with the taste, texture and quantity of the entire cake now! Also adjusted the quantity to make it more manageable, i.e. using whole packets of ingredients. Isn't it annoying when you're left with like, 2/5 or 3/8 of a packet of ingredient and not sure what to do with them after?

Finally, I've tried my best to lay out the recipe in a way that's much easier to comprehend. Just know that there are 3 main components to this cake: A) cream B) cream cheese C) green tea milk before mixing them all together.

Hope you guys enjoy this recipe! Really recommend this for your next get together/potluck as they really are quite delicious and addictive to eat! Happy cooking!! =)

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Green Tea Cheesecake Bites

(adapted from this recipe by Raspberri Cupcakes)

Ingredients:

250g Arnotts Nice biscuits

150g unsalted butter, melted

300ml pure (whipping) cream

250g cream cheese

1/2 cup caster sugar

150ml milk

3 tbsp matcha (green tea) powder *

3 tsp powdered gelatin

* Found that Yahweh Asian Grocery sells the cheapest Green Tea powder amongst the other Asian Groceries in the CBD =)

Method:

Grease a 20cm square baking pan and line with baking paper, ensuring that two ends of the paper hangs over the edges of the tin. Place biscuits in food processor or mortar and pestle to crush (4 biscuits at a time) until fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter and mix until well combined. Press tightly into thin single layer in prepared pan and chill for at least 30 minutes.

A:

Beat cream in a mixing bowl using balloon whisk on high, and then turn to low as cream thickens until it reaches soft peaks. Set aside.

B:

Place cream cheese in a separate mixing bowl and beat on high until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Place gelatin in a separate bowl with 4 tbsp water. Set aside.

C:

In a small saucepan, heat milk until it just comes to boil (bubbles form at inside of pot), remove from heat and whisk in green tea and gelatin powder to dissolve (make sure no lumps!).

Add C to B and beat until smooth. Fold mixture into A until even. When no one's looking, scrape some off with your fingers, lick and hear yourself go, "MMMMM...." from the delectable green tea goodness. Finally, pour mixture over crumb layer and spread evenly. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Remove from fridge and slice into equal sized squares. Top with fresh whipped cream and/or berries and serve chilled. Can be stored for two days in the refrigerator.

PERFECT for all green tea lovers out there =)

Orange Butter Cake Recipe

Harrow...

So while I was trying to decide on which of my recipes to post today, I realised that I've been sharing a lot of Asian recipes lately. I'm not complaining (and hopefully you're not, too ;p) but a change would be good. Starting with quite possibly, my all-time favourite, feel-good cake: The Orange Butter Cake.

For some reason, I'm not very much of a Dessert person, seriously (which is sad to say, sorry!!). I actually struggle to finish a whole slice of chocolate cake, cupcake, muffin or more than one macaron... My sugar tolerance is just lower than most and I feel full from desserts relatively quickly and I don't know why. That said, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good dessert, I really do. I just eat less of it.

But then again, there's certain types of desserts that I REALLY enjoy and can eat a lot of. I hope to share them all on this blog, eventually. And Orange Butter Cake is definitely one of them. Even friends that I know who aren't really into desserts enjoy this cake a lot. Boy oh boy, you have no idea how much Butter Cake I can eat especially when they're fresh out of the oven, warm and still crusty. Generally, I enjoy less sweet, light or warm desserts.

Mum wrote down this recipe for me on a piece of paper about a year ago. Though to be honest, I wasn't very sure about whether or not I should be sharing this recipe because it's such a common cake and I'm sure everyone's already got their own favourite good old-fashioned, classic Butter Cake recipe already. And there's not much variations across all of them anyway. Another thing, baking is SERIOUSLY not my forté. But, I've been making an effort to learn and improve in that department =)

But I guess that's besides the point. All I really want is just to share with you things that I love to eat. And also, what I LOVE to use when I'm baking this cake, i.e. Homemade Butter (!!!!). Ever since I bought homemade butter from Victoria Market for the first time about 3 years ago, I've never looked back. It is soooo much more fragrant and better in flavour than even the more "premium" brands, such as Lurpak or President. You have to try it for yourself to know what I mean.

But more than that, it is almost half the price. Only $10/kg which means my usual 2-stick-block of butter is only $2.50. How friggin' cheap is that?! Good for my student wallet. I buy it all the time and use it for everything now. Unless, I've run out and it's inconvenient for me to go to the market, then I would get butter from the supermarket. But, yeah. Please try buying homemade butter if you've never done so before. It makes a HUGE difference in recipes, such as this Orange Butter Cake and the aroma just comes through so beautifully with this cake =)

"Curds & Whey", where I normally buy my butter from in the deli section of Victoria Market

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Orange Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter (softened) *

175g caster sugar

200g self-raising flour (sifted + 1/2 tsp salt)

5 eggs (separated)

zest and juice from 1 large orange (or 2 small) **

* Use the best butter you can find

** I normally prefer my Butter cakes more crumbly and fine. Some people prefer their butter cake moist. For that, use 2 large or 3 small oranges instead of one (as per picture below)

If prefer Classic Butter Cake, omit oranges altogether

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 deg C. Line a bread baking pan/20cm square cake pan with baking paper. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Drop in egg yolks, one at a time until well combined. Stop beater.

Fold in half the flour, orange juice and zest until well combined. Fold in remaining flour, orange juice and zest. Beat egg whites until soft peaks formed. Fold in egg white to get smooth consistent batter (do not over-fold!). Pour into baking pan and bake for 45 minutes (or test if skewer poked through the cake comes out clean). Rest on wiring rack for 10 minutes.

Optional: Dust with icing sugar after cake has cooled. Just to look purrty.

Baked sometime last semester at 11pm during a midnight cake craving after watching Masterchef lol

Baked for family when I was back in Malaysia during Winter

Baked about a month ago as an afternoon snack when my friends came over to study =)

Moist version with larger granules didn't rise as high but more orange flavour and still just as yummy

This Orange Butter Cake was really the first cake that I actually baked successfully all by myself (phew!). If you're a beginner baker like me, I definitely suggest you to try this recipe out too. Good luck! =D