Tag Archives: Baking

Cakes n bakes

Super moist chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting

These cupcakes are so moist and tender that you can’t just eat one! Since oil and buttermilk is used, cupcake remains moist for 4-5 days at room temperature covered.

Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients

3/4 cup -all-purpose flour

1/2 cup – unsweetened natural cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon- baking powder

1/2 teaspoon -baking soda

1/4 teaspoon -salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup – granulated sugar

1/2 cup – packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup -vegetable or canola oil/ any flavorless oil

2 teaspoons – pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup – buttermilk, at room temperature

Frosting: chocolate buttercream

Ingredients

1 cup – unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 and 1/2 cups- confectioners’ sugar. I personally prefer less sugar. You can add another cup depending on your sweet tooth.

1/2 cup -unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder

2-3 Tablespoons- heavy cream or milk

1/4 teaspoon– salt

2 teaspoons -pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 3 to 4 liners – this recipe makes about 15-16 cupcakes. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk or beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until just combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.

Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream or milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.

I have used a 1mm star pipette to decorate my cupcakes!

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Cakes n bakes, Desserts/Sweets

Baklava

Baklava

Last month, my friend invited me for a potluck party, I agreed and I decided on making Baklava. I had made these before and was comfortable preparing it the second time too.. but here comes the trouble..

Baklava’s were baking and I kept the syrup on stove and forgot to start the timer. BUMMER! Meantime my son started throwing tantrums and had to be with him for a while and completely forgot about the syrup boiling. When I was back to the kitchen, my syrup had crystallized and had to redo the syrup all over again! Thankfully I was ahead of time and prepared the syrup right on time when the baklava’s just finished baking.

All in all, never forget to start on your timer 🙂 Baklava’s turned out nicely and everyone enjoyed eating it!

Ingredients:

1/2 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough

9 ounces chopped nuts ( I used almonds, pistachios, walnuts)

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp water

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup and 1 tsp honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×9 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

nuts

Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work.

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Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.

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Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 -8 sheets deep.

Baklava

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan.

Baklava

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Baklava

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Baklava

BaklavaBaklava

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Cakes n bakes

Chocolate, Banana & Nuts Bread

Chocolate banana bread

Ingredients:

All purpose flour-1 3/4 cup

Granulated white sugar-1 cup

Baking powder-1 tsp

Baking soda-1/4 tsp

Salt-1/4 tsp

Dark chocolate chips-1/2 cup

Pecans and walnut-1/4 cup each toasted and chopped

Unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder-1/4 cup

Unsalted butter– 1/2 cup melted and brought to room temperature

Large eggs-2 at room temperature

Pure vanilla extract– 1tsp

Ripe bananas-3 mashed

Preparation:

Pre heat oven to 350°F. Whisk all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder) together.

Chocolate banana bread

In a separate bowl mix vanilla extract to lightly beaten eggs, add in the melted butter and give it a nice stir.

Add the mixture slowly to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Now add the mashed bananas, nuts and chocolate chips, mix lightly until just combined . Do not over mix the components.

Chocolate banana bread

Chocolate banana bread

Add the mixture into 9X5 inch loaf pan greased with baking spray or oil.

Chocolate banana bread

Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate banana bread

Enjoy!

Chocolate banana bread

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Cakes n bakes

Banana, Walnut Bread

Ingredients:

All purpose flour-2 cups

Powdered sugar– 1 cup

Bananas- 3 (fully ripened and big ones)

baking soda-1 tsp

walnut-1/4 cup (chopped into small pieces)

olive oil– 1/4 cup

Preparation: In a large bowl mash the bananas really well and add powdered sugar and mix well. Add olive oil and walnut, mix until it has incorporated well into the mixture. Sieve all purpose flour along with baking soda. Divide the flour into 3 to 4 batches and add each batch of flour to the mixture slowly and mix. Make sure to have mixed the flour in one direction to avoid uneven mixing. Grease and flour the baking pan (I used 9 inch loaf pan) and add the mixture evenly. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes clear when inserted in the center. Cool it for 5-10 minutes, Make sure the edges of the bread are clear from the pan (Insert a blunt knife and make it clear, making sure not to touch the base of the pan) before inverting. Do not keep the bread out for too long as it might loose its softness.

 

Linking this post to Fruit Fiesta.

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