A Golden Anniversary Cake

Hi folks.    For those of you who missed me,  apologies!!!!!  Have been busy with this and that and was unable to give time to our blog.  Am very much around and assure you that wont ‘jilt’ our blog in a hurry.

For starters,  please view a cake that I made for the ‘Golden Wedding Anniversary’ for the parents of a dear friend.   Making the cake was really a piece of cake  but the challenge was carting it all the way to Sharjah from Abu Dhabi.  It reached in one piece.

Any constructive criticism on the cake always welcome.  Assure all of you that I will be blogging actively from now on.   Cya soon.

Birthday Cheesecake with a Twist

Celebrations, Congratulations, Champagne wishes galore
Finally that special day, you’ve been waiting for
Birthday wishes, hugs and kisses, gifts especially for you
Just once a year this day we cheer and raise a glass to you.
21 again. How do you do it?
You certainly have a secret
I wish I knew it
Then I could (look as young) as you
Have (energy and vitality) too
Let’s raise a glass to you dear Judy
Bottoms up! Here’s to a Birthday Cheer!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDY AND WISH YOU MANY MORE!

Now, how better to celebrate your birthday with this show-stopping cheesecake, each slice dazzled with fun, festive chocolate and jelly bean toppings.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups Cracker Crumbs
1/3 cup butter (at room temperature)
3 pkg. (200 gms each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

For the White Chocolate Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chopped white chocolate
2 tsps. Brandy

Coloured Jelly Beans for decoration/toppings

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix cracker crumbs and butter and press onto bottom of 13×9-inch spring form pan.
Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with a hand beater. Add eggs one by one and mix until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 30 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours.
To make White Chocolate Brandy Sauce:
Place 1 cup heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over. Pour hot cream over 2 cups of finely chopped white chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add brandy and continue stirring until incorporated. Pour over chilled cheesecake.
Decorate with coloured Jelly Beans to make a colourful cake apt for the festive season.

Choco Muffins

These Choco Muffins are a real hit in our house.  My teenager loves them so much that he wants me to give him the recipe so that he can make some whenever he wants…. so you know how good they are.  This is for you Devon……. sadly my secret recipe is no more a secret !!!!!

Recipe :

2 cups of sugar
1-3/4 cup of flour
3/4 cup of coco powder
1-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1 cup fresh milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup hot water

This is a very liquidy batter – so dont be tense if you see a runny batter;  it will work just fine provided you use the right ingredients, the right measurements and the right temperature of the oven.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat Oven to 350 deg F / 175 deg C.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium spped for 1 minute till well incorporated.  Stir in hot water and mix.

Fill liners with batter 2/3rd full abd bake for 18-22 minutes – depending on the mood of your oven.

Cool completely before frosting.   My son loves them better without the frosting;  but hubby loves them with frosting on.

Chocolate Cake Balls

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you “Be of good cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It’s the hap- happiest season of all

There’ll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There’ll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
There’ll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It’s the most wonderful time of the year

The Carol/Song doesn’t lie !!!!!   It most certainly is the most wonderful time of the year.   We have so much to be appreciative for,   so many things to look forward to,  and so many people in our lives that love us unconditionally. Nothing brings the Christmas magic to life quite like preparing a delicious meal/snack/sweet for family and friends and staying up late and sharing stories.

Involve your family in making these easy Chocolate Cake Balls and whip up the ‘Magic in the Air’.     Getting together and making these Cake Balls will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit.

Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 cups Cake Crumbs

- ½ cup chocolate or vanilla frosting
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips or 250 grams pure chocolate bars
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- Chopped pistachios

I had some left-over Walnut and Date cake,  which I crumbled and used as cake crumbs.  As the cake was very moist I did  not  need to use the chocolate frosting.  So depending on how moist the  cake crumbs are you may or may not need the chocolate frosting.  {For the frosting roughly beat 100 grams butter till creamy,  add in about 80-100 grams icing sugar a little at a time till it is fluffy – you may need less or more icing sugar depending on the weather or on the type of icing sugar…add in essence of your choice 2-3 drops – for chocolate frosting –add in a little cocoa or chocolate melted)

In a large bowl, mash together crumbled cake + frosting until you get a uniform mixture.  Using your hands, roll dough into small lemon sized balls. Place balls on wax paper-lined baking sheet.  Chill the balls in a fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Melt chocolate on medium heat on a double boiler.  When fully melted and it becomes a smooth mixture, add the butter and mix until smooth and liquidy.

Dip chilled cake balls into the melted chocolate mixture, and turn to coat.   Use a fork to lift each ball out, and allow excess chocolate to drip through the tines before placing the coated cake ball back on the lined baking sheet.

While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on some chopped nuts.

Boston Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Cake:
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 9-inch round baking pan.
2. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to the mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
4. Prepare RICH FILLING (see recipe below).
5.Using a long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into two even layers. Place 1 layer on serving plate, the cut side up; spread filling over layer. Top with remaining layer, cut side down.
6.Prepare DARK COCOA GLAZE (see recipe below).
7.Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to drizzle down sides. Refrigerate several hours or until cold. 8 to 10 servings.

RICH FILLING
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1-1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparation:
In a double boiler, stir together sugar and cornstarch; gradually add milk and egg yolks, stirring until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until cold.

DARK COCOA GLAZE
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons Cocoa
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat water and butter in small saucepan over medium heat until mixture begins to boil; remove from heat. Immediately stir in cocoa. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating with whisk until smooth; cool slightly.

Wedding Anniversary Cake

Dearest Natasha and Denver,

Congratulations on your 1st year of togetherness.  Hope you two have a special day filled with love and happiness.  May your love for each other continue your whole life through.

Happy Anniversary.

Love and hugs,

Devon, Darren,  Dad & Mom

P.S:

Made this cake specially for you both.

Baked Cheesecake with Blueberries Sauce

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (unsalted) butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (preferably Philadelphia Cheese)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Sauce:
2 cups frozen blueberries
2-4 Tbsp sugar depending on the sweetness of your berries (I used 2)
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp water

Method:
1. For the Crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter, press into buttered 8 inch springform cake tin to form crust on bottom and sides.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add in lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, salt and vanilla.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour filling into crust.
4. Bake at 160 C for 35 minutes or until set.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature, and chill for 5 hours or more before serving.
6. For the Sauce: Place blueberries and sugar in a pan and heat until the blueberries release their juices. Combine cornstarch, juice, and water in a small bowl. Stir together until smooth.
Add the mixture to the pan and stir to mix completely. Bring mixture to boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
7.When the cake is set, carefully remove the cake and slide onto a plate. Spoon the syrupy berries on top.

Dark Chocolate Cake For a Friend

Happy Birthday  Amar….avagudwon!!!!!!
Our love and best wishes are always with you.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 deg F or 175 deg C.

Prepare a 12” x 9” Cake Pan.  Brush with butter and then line neatly with wax paper.

Sift together sugar (powder it fine first), flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt and stir together with whisk till well mixed.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat with mixer on medium speed till well incorporated.

Lastly stir in boiling water and beat for 1 minute.

The batter will be thin and runny.  Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 45-60 minutes, till tester inserted comes out clean.  Keep checking after 45 minutes if it is done,  as all ovens are different.  So don’t underbake or overbake.

Cool cake.

Make chocolate icing just like buttercream (have it on file – please check) – just add either cocoa powder or chocolate.  For this cake I used cocoa powder roughly about 1 cup.

Trace the cake outline on wax paper and place it on the cooled cake and then with a sharp knife trim the cake to the outline of the drawing.    Cover with a crumb coating of icing and refrigerate.  Later add the final icing all over and flatten with pallet knife.

Cut out a rim of a plastic cup and insert it in the cake for the sound-hole.  Scoop out extra cake and make a hollow inside the rim.  Cover with cream and sprinkle cocoa powder on it. For the strings, measure the length required and cut 6 equal white threads.  Tie them around paperclips(12 Pcs) and insert them in the cake.   For the saddle & bridge used two milk chocolates.  For the tuning keys I used 50 Fils coins and a matchstick.  You can use your imagination and use whatever you have at home and whatever suits you best.

Sprinkle cocoa powder over cake when the final icing is done.

Petal Cake for Someone Dear

“Happy Birthday” means much more
Than have a happy day.
Within these words lie lots of things
I never get to say.
It means I love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me,
And that I’m proud of you.
But most of all, I guess it means
That I am thinking of Your happiness on this, your day,
With pleasure and with love.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYLVIA !!!

Made this special ‘Vanilla Petal Cake;…just for you.
Ingredients :
2-1/2 cups flour/maida
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla esseence
1 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk (add 2 teaspoons vinegar to 1 cup milk and set aside for 5 minutes)

Preheat oven to 350 deg F or 175 deg C. Prepare 2 cake pans (use 6″ or 8″ round pans). Line the bottom and sides of pan with butter and then wax paper.

In a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk and set aside.

In another bowl, add eggs and beat for 1 minute. Add sugar (I powder normal granulated sugar in a dry grinder and then use) and beat on medium speed 1 minute. Add vanilla and oil and beat.

Reduce mixer to low and slowly add 1/2 flour and half of the buttermilk and beat and then add the rest of the flour and rest of the milk. Just beat till fully incorporated.

The batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake in the pre-heated oven for roughly 30-40 minutes or till skewer inserted comes out clean. You can bake both pans together, provided they dont touch each other. I baked each separately till they were done.

Cool cakes and sandwich them together with buttercream. You can split each cake horizontally (I put a thread around the sides and knotted it and pulled the knot – so that each cake is sliced thin…this works better than the knife and gives you even and neat slices).

For Fluffy White Buttercream :
1 Cup white shortening (I used Crisco white)
180 grams of butter (softened)
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
5-6 cups icing sugar (sifted)
2 tablespoons cornsyrup (optional)

Beat butter and shortening till fluffy. Add milk and vanilla essence (I prefer the powder vanilla essence), icing sugar in small increments (You may not need all of it -so you can check accordingly and when it forms peaks you can stop adding more icing sugar - depending on the humidity of the atmosphere – you may need less or more icing sugar). Continue beating till the cream is fluffy and you can form peaks with the icing, which stay in place when lifted. Add corn syrup and beat for a minute.
For this cake, I sandwiched the cakes together, one on top of another, then applied a thin layer of cream (which is called crumb coating). Then refrigerated the cake for 15-20 minutes. Then added another coating of cream to cover the cake all over neatly. To form the Petals, with a round piping nozzle, piped rounds of icing in a verticle line, from top to bottom. Then with a pallet knife, press the icing-blob  in the center and pulled it to the right-so the blob of icing spreads to the right.  . Then at about 3/4″ from the first round of icing blob, draw another verticle line of round icing blobs and continued with the same (pallet knife pull to the right)  till the whole cake is covered this way. For the Top, just pull the icing from the sides to the center, to form a flower pattern. I know it sounds difficult to do; but believe me; its just a piece of cake….that easy and you wont know how easy till you try.

Chocolate Cake for a Birthday Girl !

Today is the Birthday of a dear friend,  Shaly.  Happy Birthday Shaly…… wishing you the best always.   We have made this cake in your honour,  and eaten it too.    To you,  Cheers !

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients : 2 cups sugar, 1-3/4 cups flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt,  2 eggs, 1 cup milk, ½ cup corn oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup boiling water.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg C.  Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and put in a large bowl.   Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla essence and beat on medium speed with a handmixer  for about 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water ( the batter will be thin – don’t worry).

Pour into two -8inch cake pans and bake each separately for 35-40 minutes, till a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Every oven is different, so  check the cake after 35 minutes.  {I baked the two cakes separately}.  Cool cakes.  Sandwich the two cakes with chocolate frosting  and then cover with frosting and decorate as desired.