Adding shine to your fondant Pt 2

The first part of this post is in my prebious post!

The list is endless but try these once out as well;

1. Kneed a little quantity of crisco shortening in the fondant before laying it.

2.corn syrup/alcohol mix (half and half) to glaze over. It takes a little time to dry, but is shiney!

3.Egg whites: brush lightly over the fondant.

4.Everclear: this is a brand of of alcohol, brush over fondant as well.

5. Pam: this is a non-stick cooking spray, spray over the fondant about 5meters away from the cake.

Adding shine to your fondant pt 1

I used to wonder how some fondant cakes look so glossy, after a research I tried these tips and I got awesome results. Let me share some of them with you:

1. Steaming: steaming a fondant-covered cake not only gives it a beautiful shine, but also get's rid off all the powdered sugar left on the fondant.

By being able to clean off the powdered sugar by steaming it, I don't have to worry so much about keeping the cake clean until it's finished. It always comes out looking beautiful.
I hope this helps.

2.Edible vanish:
1 t. gelatin
3 t. water
1 t. liquid glucose

Sprinkle gelatin in the water. Let stand until it becomes spongy. Dissolve until clear over hot, not boiling water, Add the liquid glucose and stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour this mixture into an airtight container. The mixture will get very stiff. To use it, heat the varnish in a container of hot, not boiling, water. Paint onto the item to be varnished while the mixture is still hot. The edible varnish should NOT be kept in the refrigerator.

Sorry dear readers

So sorry dear readers for been absent for awhile. It was due to network problems and I was also into a little bit of celebration last weekend.
Good new is, I am back!
Missed you all *kisses*

Cocoa and vanilla smoothie recipe

This is as well easy to prepare, have fun as you try it out.




How to make Cocoa and vanilla smoothie

Ingredients

2 whole wheat breakfast cereal biscuits e.g. Weetabix
200ml semi-skimmed milk
200g vanilla yogurt
1tsp cocoa

Method

Place all the ingredients in a liquidiser or food processor and blend until smooth.
Serve with a dusting of cocoa.

Readers can send in recipes too.
Happy cooking!

Banana and Strawberry Smoothie recipe

This is an easy one to try at home, why not try it and send me some images so I can share them?




Ingredients

banana, sliced
100g - strawberries, quartered
150ml (1/4pt) - orange juice
100ml - plain yoghurt
1 tsp - runny honey

Method
Put the bananas, strawberries, orange juice, yogurt and honey into a blender or food processer and blend until you have a nice smooth mixture. Pour into glasses and it's ready for drinking! Serve with an extra couple of strawberries, if you like.
Substitute 25g (1oz) of the strawberries for blueberries, if you like.

Feel free to make suggestions or ask questions.

Happy cooking :)

Almond cakes with rose-scented icing recipe

Hello dear readers I'd like to go bit out of cakes and baking once a while, a friend suggested I post recipes on beaverages, drinks and juices, her reason is, cakes are mostly taken alongside these. So, after this delicious recipe I'll drop a few posts on beaverages:d

How to make Almond cakes with rose-scented icing

Ingredients

175g (6oz) light butter
250g (8oz) caster sugar
4 eggs, beaten
125g (4oz) ground almonds
125g (4oz) plain flour
½tsp baking powder
½tsp almond essence
For the icing
150g icing sugar
1tsp natural essence of rosewater
a little pink food colouring
crystallised rose petals

Method

Preheat oven to Gas 4, 180°C, 350°F.
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cake cases or use silicone fluted cake moulds
or muffin moulds.
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, gradually beat in the eggs. Add the almonds, flour, baking powder and almond essence and lightly fold in using a large metal spoon.
Divide the mixture between cases or moulds and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Allow to cool then turn out of the silicone moulds if using.
Mix icing sugar with rosewater and a teaspoon or two of water to make a thick icing. Add food colouring and drizzle over the cakes.
Decorate each cake to suit the occasion. These cakes will keep for up to 3-4 days in a cake tin.

Enquiries, suggestions are always welcome.

Happy cooking!

Cupcakes for a bad day recipe

Are you going through a bad day or had one of those bad days either at the office, the non-stop rains, long fuel queue's or just a plane bad day, not to worry this is an easy recipe that'll help you to relax :)

Ingredients
4oz flour, self-raising
4oz sugar
large, free range eggs
200g icing sugar
100g butter, softened

Method
Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4/180° C and fill a 12 hole cupcake tray with cupcake cases. (Depending on how big you want your cupcakes, this recipe may give you more or less than 12).
Crack open your eggs and pour the sugar into a bowl, place this bowl inside a larger bowl of boiling hot water. (Place inside, do not pour!) Then, using an electric whisker, take your anger out on whisking the eggs with the sugar until a pale yellow mixture starts to form.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, take the bowl out of the bowl filled with water, and keep whisking for another 20 seconds.
Sieve approximately ¼ of the flour over the sugar and egg mixture, and in a 'figure of 8' fold in until there is no sign of flour left. Repeat this with the rest of the flour.
Transfer mixture into cupcake cases, and place in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes are going a golden colour, and are springy to the touch.
When done, remove cupcakes from oven and leave to cool in their tray.
Whilst waiting to cool, make your buttercream topping; Combine icing sugar and butter together, until thick and creamy. Spoon the mixture into a piping and once the cupcakes are fully cooled, decorate cupcakes with the buttercream mixture in preferred way. Top with any decorations and sprinkles as desired. Wait until buttercream has slightly hardened and serve!
So, you've had a bad day?
The first thing you want to do is reach for your biscuit tin and scoff your face with chocolate to make you feel better. Instead, try this fat free cupcake recipe. Satisfying, yet less calories.

Questions,suggestions and observations are welcome.

Happy cooking!

Credit-tesco

Home made blackberry muffins

For a delicious home made blackberry muffins,this is a suggested simple recipe;

Ingredients
75g unsalted butter
250g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
½tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g caster sugar
200ml milk
1 egg
1 punnet blackberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6.
Grease a muffin tray or line with muffin cases and set aside. Melt the butter and reserve.
In one bowl combine the dry ingredients. Pour the milk in to a measuring jug and crack in the egg and whisk with a fork to amalgamate. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon. The batter should remain somewhat lumpy – do not whisk until smooth.
Tip the blackberries into another bowl and lightly crush with a fork so that some remain whole and some break down. Stir into the batter, making a ripple effect. Pour into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool a little.
Questions,obserVations and suggestions are welcome :)
Happy cooking!

So, how to color fondant.

There are two main reasons to color fondant:

To color fondant so the cake looks just like you want it to
To color fondant as the cake itself is too dark that it “shades” the white fondant color
This post is entirely about how to color fondant, if you want to make the fondant from scratch, read my previous post describing how to make Fondant Recipe

I hope this post answers how to color fondant, and I’ll do my best to answer any future questions you have.

So, How to Color Fondant:
Roll the fondant into a ball on your counter and smash it out a bit until it’s soft and pliable

Make a pit in the fondant, and using a toothpick add dots of icing color into the pit (use a clean toothpic each time you dip it in the color).

The important thing is to add just a little of the concentrated icing color at a time and then knead it over and over until you get an even spread of the color
If the fondant is still too pale, use the same procedure to add in more color, but make sure you use a fresh toothpick every time you dip it into the color.

Once you finish to color the fondant, shape it to the shape of disks, wrap each fondant disk in plastic and place in an airtight container so the fondant keeps soft.

How to Color Fondant – Tips:

Wear All-Purpose Gloves on youe hands before you start to color fondant, so you your hands stain-free
To color fondant, use Gel food color and not the liquid drops that you get from the grocery store.
Liquid food colors will make the fondant too wet and will not give the same intensity.
(The only exception to this rule is if you’re using an airbrush, as airbrush food colors are water based. When using an airbrush you’re not brushing and the spray is so light, it won’t hurt the fondant)
Remember that it is easier to add color to the fondant than take it out, so start with a little amounts of color and add more as you need to
When you come to color fondant, color more Fondant than you’ll need as it’s nearly impossible to match the color again if you need a little extra fondant
Note that the fondant colors will darken slightly overnight and will fade if Fondant is left in the light for a long time
Happy Cooking:)

Photo credit-thecookduke

How to make fondant.

When you come to make fondant it’s important to use the right fondant recipe and follow it to the letter.

I know many people who tried some shortcuts on my fondant recipe and ended up with a fondant they just couldn’t take off of the table.
The fondant gets greasy, sticky or just resembles the taste of a commercial fondant, which is bad enough.

Three important tips before we move to the actual “how to make fondant” instructions and the fondant recipe:
When you make fondant, both the dough and the icing, make sure to make it in room temperature – Too cold or too warm room will hurt the dough
When you calculate the quantity of fondant icing required, it’s better to have too much fondant icing rather than too little, as leftover icing can be stored and used at a later date, or used for extra decorations
Make sure you make fondant on a clean and smooth working surface.
Jewelry on your fingers or wrists or fluffy clothing could hurt the fondant’s surface
Ingredients required to make the fondant recipe:
1 Tbsp of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup of cold water
1 tsp of almond extract
1/2 cup of light corn syrup (If a corn syrup is not available, you can substitute it with a sugar syrup made with 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water, boiled together until syrupy)
1 Tbsp of glycerin (some recipes say it’s optional, believe me, it’s a must)
2 lbs 10X confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp of white vegetable shortening
Directions how to make the fondant recipe:
Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let it rest for 2 minutes to soften
Place the bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds on High, until the gelatin dissolves
Add the Almond extract
Add the corn syrup and the glycerin and stir until the mixture is smooth and clear (if the mixture is not turning smooth and clear, microwave it for an additional 15 to 20 seconds on high and stir again)
Sift 1 1/2 pounds of the sugar into a large bowl
Make a hole in the sugar and pour the liquid mixture to it
Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes sticky
Sift some of the remaining 1/2 pound of sugar onto a smooth work surface and add as much of the remaining sugar as the mixture will take
Knead the fondant, adding a little more sugar if necessary, to form a smooth, pliable mass
Rub the vegetable shortening on your thumbs and knead it into the fondant
Wrap the fondant in plastic wrap and place it in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying out
If the icing dries out and harden it can often be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life
Now you know how to make fondant, I hope the following pictures will inspire you to give this easy, tasty Fondant Recipe.

But first, if you want to take your fondant recipe to the next level by colouring your fondant, this will be in my next post.
These are some fondant covered cake that should inspire you.

Easy recipe for cupcakes

Cupcakes are delicious and tasty; you probably like eating these tasty cupcakes so here’s a simple and quick recipe for cupcakes in order to make them at home. This perfect recipe for cupcakes will help you make delicious cupcakes yourself. I used to follow this recipe for cupcakes for long and it’s really easy. Let’s start from scratch …

Ingredients of my recipe for cupcakes

You’ll need these following ingredients to make cupcakes:

3 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
3 tea spoons of baking powder
½ tea spoon of salt
½ cup of shortening
1 ½ cup of milk
1 tea spoon of vanilla
2 eggs
That’s all what you need for this recipe for cupcakes. Now, let’s see this recipe for cupcakes’ directions. It won’t take more than an hour for making the cupcakes.


Heat your oven to 360 degrees before starting cooking.
Line your cupcakes pans with your paper liners.
Add flour and sugar in a bowl.
Mix the flour and sugar in the bowl, adding the baking powder and the salt till all ingredients are mixed well.
Add milk to the bowl.
Add vanilla and shortening to the bowl and mix them all well.
Mix eggs in the same bowl and beat for a minute.
Use a spatula to scrape the side of the bowl.
Beat this mixture on high speed for two minutes till all ingredients are mixed well.
Spoon the cupcake batter into your paper liners till they become 2/3 full.
Put them into the oven for 30 minutes or till the toothpick which is inserted in the center comes out from the cupcakes clean.
Leave cupcakes them in pans for 10 minutes till they chill.
Remove cupcakes them from pans and put them on wire racks so that they completely cool down

Voilà!  Your cupcakes are now ready. As they are now cooled, you can decorate them or make your frosting cupcakes as you desire. For me, I prefer frosting cupcakes; you can read my post about frosting cakes in my previous post.

Happy cooking!

Buttercream Frosting

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups (500 gr)granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) water

1 cup (250 ml) eggwhites

1 tsp. (5 gr)cream of tartar (optional)

1 1/2 lbs.(680 grams)or 6 sticks unsalted butter cut up into small pieces

1 tsp. (4 gr) pure vanilla

METHOD

In a saucepan, combine 2 cups (400 gr) of sugar and water and heat until bubbly.
Beat the eggwhites until soft peak have formed and slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks have formed.
Back to the syrup, bring it to a boil until a candy thermometer registers 248 degrees F (firm ball stage). At this stage, bigger bubbles are formed while boiling.

With the mixer on high speed, pour the syrup on to the sides of the bowl, careful not to pour it on the beaters. When all the syrup has been added, lower the speed and let it beat until cool.

Add the butter a piece or two at a time. It will sometimes come to a point where it looks curdled, just increase the speed slightly and continue beating until smooth.
Lastly, add the vanilla.

VARIATIONS

Flavoured Liquor: Adding Liquor is a great way to flavour the buttercream. My favorite is Grand Marnier. Slowly add up to 1/2 cup of liquor while mixer is on.

Chocolate Buttercream: Add about 10 oz of melted bittersweet or white chocolate. Add more to taste.

Fruit Flavour: Add up to 1- 1 1/2 cups of strawberry or raspberry puree that has been slightly sweetend with sugar. I prefer to use frozen berries that been defrosted. You can also use lemon, orange or lime curd to flavour the buttercream. Use the same amounts as the purees.

Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

BANANA CAKE WITH CHEESE CREAM FROSTING.

This an excellent idea for a perfect breakfast :d

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 1/8 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting

- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 275°.

2.Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

3.In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.

4.In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

5.In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

6.Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.

7.Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

8.Stir in banana mixture.

9.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

10.Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

11.For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

12.Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

13.Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.

14.Spread on cooled cake.

Coconut cake recipe

My good friend asked me to make a coconut birthday cake for her "special" friend...yea she is single...lols
So, I decided to share my special recipe with everyone. Try it out, its easier than you think. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

225g unsalted butter, softened

225g caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 eggs

200g self-raising flour

25g cornflour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

50g desiccated coconut, soaked in 150ml boiling water

For the coconut buttercream

25g dessicated coconut

75g soft unsalted butter

150g icing sugar, sieved

1 tablespoon rum



Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan and butter and line two 20cm sandwich tins. As always, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before starting. Boil the kettle, put 50g of desiccated coconut into a small bowl or jug, and pour over 150ml of boiling water. Leave this to stand and let the coconut soak up the water.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of the flour between each, beating in well. Then beat in the vanilla. Add the remaining flour, cornflour and baking power, and fold until all is combined. Finally, give the coconut a stir in its boiling water and then tip the whole lot into the batter. (If you wish, the original recipe does say you can whizz everything bar the coconut and water in the processor until you have a smooth batter, whizzing in the coconut at the end, but here I think the slightly longer way gives a better result.)

Pour the batter into the prepared tins, and cook for 25-30 minutes. (The original recipes says 25, I found mine needed 30, although check a 25 – a cocktail stick or cake tester should come out more or less clean.) Leave to cool in their tins for ten minutes, before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

While the cakes are cooking, toast the 25g coconut for the buttercream in a dry pan, shaking it now and then, until it is nicely golden and smells delicious. Tip it onto a plate to stop it toasting further, and allow it to get completely cold before you make the buttercream. Keep watching it – it will turn from nicely toasted to black in not much time at all.

To make the buttercream, cream together the butter and icing sugar. When you have a smooth paste, beat in the rum and then the cold toasted coconut. Spread onto the cake and decorate as desired.






Thanks for stoping by, a nice comment would be appreciated.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipe

I know that the title "The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipe"is a big claim to make, but I think once you'll try this recipe, you'll know what I'm talking about.
The fact is that chocolate cake is a very popular flavour and chances are it is the very first cake one has made. Every baker has his or her own favourite version.

There are a few ways of getting the chocolate flavour - you can add either cocoa or unsweetened chocolate or both.

Although this recipe only uses cocoa, it surprisingly has a deep chocolate flavour. The addition of coffee helps heighten this flavour, though you can not taste the coffee at all. Using oil keeps this cake soft and moist, even when it comes direct from the fridge.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups (250 g) cake flour
1 tsp. (6 g) salt
2 tsp. (10 g) baking soda
1 tsp. (5 g) baking powder
3/4 cup (69 g) unsweetened cocoa
2 cups (400 g) sugar
3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup(240 ml) hot coffee
1 cup (240 ml) milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. (4 g) vanilla



METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350°F; and line 2 x 9" round cake pans with parchment or wax circles.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and sugar in a large mixing bowl.



Add the hot coffee, oil and milk and mix it for about 2 minutes.



Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Beat for 2 more minutes. This chocolate cake recipe has a very liquid batter.
Pour batter in prepared cake pans and bake for approx. 30 minutes. The cake is ready when an inserted wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean or when cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.
Let the cake cool in pans for about 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife or metal spatula and invert to a metal rack. Invert again to another rack to prevent the cake from splitting.

Yes! its going to be all about cakes

The cake recipes I will post on my blog are what I often use when I make cakes for special occasions.
I wish I could take credit for all the recipes I'll post but my compilation of cake recipes come from different sources such as books, the internet, relatives especially my big sis *big grin*,cooking shows (eg:cake boss, food network challenge), magazines and even old newspaper clippings.

Some recipes I've followed directions to the 't' and some I've tweaked to my likin.

When I first started out making cakes, I learnt to use precise measurements, this helped me a lot.

Baking is easy my readers, out of the butter, flour, eggs and sugar you can conjure up this edible creation that was nothing like the basic ingredients it started with.

The collection of cake recipes will keep expanding so please feel free to add your favourites or request I add your favourites!

Bear with me y'all...

I am yet to fully decide what my posts will be on, suggestions are welcome. Thanks

welcome to my blog!!

I just stumbled on how to create a blog...hehehehe. I hope we'll have a good time together. Cheers y'all!