Banana Muffins Sequels

Tried a few more experimentation for the banana muffins. Found out that some versions of delicious banana smoothies do not equal to delicious banana muffins. I had definitely gone overboard when I tried banana+choc chip+strawberry choc chip muffins (maybe it's the imitation strawberry choc chip to blame) and orange+banana+raisins muffins. Let banana smoothies be banana smoothies, so I've learned.

Anyway, I did bake another 2 rounds of good banana muffins;
1) Kek Pisang Kukus from Rinn's recipe
(I substituted with pisang raja, they produced nice brown streaks like chocolate)


2) Wholewheat Banana+Carrot+Pecans Muffin
Recipe by me
100g whole wheat flour (as if this is going to make me feel less guilty, grin :) )
150g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
70g white sugar
50g brown sugar
100g carrots
50g pecans
50g raisins
200g banana
2 egg
120ml oil

Mix all dry ingredients.
Mashed bananas, add beaten egg.
Fold banana+egg mix into the dry ingredients
Add oil to the mixture
Bake at 170C for 20-25mins.

New Widget and PLKN

Add a new widget tonite, Places to See (.....before You Die) . Was pleasantly surprised that some of the places shown tonite are those I've visited; ancient Rome, Pompeii, Monterrey Bay CA, San Francisco.... arghhhhh the perks of my previous jobs.

Went to visit my son at PLKN Lagenda, Langkawi last weekend. Was pleased how the regiment has changed him in just one week; crew cut hairstyle, clean shaven, wearing slacks and long-sleeved shirt, I almost didn't recognize him, LOL. He already had his first experience of IV drip for his high fever (we weren't informed, of course). Finally, an activity that can peeled him away from his PS3 and Xbox continuous online gaming for the past 2years++.

Baked some cream cheese filled chocolate cupcakes at hubby's request for 'secret recipe's-like' cake in a paper cup. Cream cheese filling taste better when not baked, I think.
Without my teen kids around, my baking experiments are taking backseat.

Yna's would like to give it to her friends at kindy, on condition that the deco must be of her favorite theme, Pooh's Super Sleuth gang or Strawberry Shortcake. Okay, mommy will think about it later..... (actually, mommy already know these cupcakes are too rich to take on any more frosting than a small swirl of choc buttercream). It's already past 4am, will post the pics tomorrow (done)..............zzzzzzzzzzz

What you do on those long ferry ride to Langkawi, sleep of course. Yna was definitely enjoying her nap, rasa macam naik endoi kot.

P/S DJIA dipped below 7,500 that's what kept me awake tonite, fear & excitement buildup

Upin & Ipin and Cars Theme Cupcakes

Watched an episode Upin and Ipin for the first time yesterday, thanks to http://upindanipin.com.my/. Actually, an order for Upin & Ipin theme cupcakes prompted me to check out this very popular locally produced animation.

My daughter Yna always says "boleh, boleh, boleh" and now I know where she picked up the phrase from. Yna has to stay longer at her 'tadika islam aliran inggeris' starting this week for her Bahasa Melayu remedial. Her cikgu is even more concerned than mommy & ayah about her going into Std One next year and 'tak reti cakap melayu'. Everyone who listen to her speaks bahasa melayu will always laugh because she sounded like Amelia Henderson in 'Kasut Tumit Tinggi' series on Astro. Yna actually learned to speak English by watching endless hours of disney & cartoon network on astro, and went to kindy starting at age 4. She's beginning to like Upin & Ipin and I surely hope it'll help her learn to speak Malay. I know many of my friends' kids have the same 'problem' from watching too much Disney channel tv, the ones who can afford it just send their kids to intl school; there's a new intl school in Kulim too.






Here's my first attempt at making Upin & Ipin using fondant flavored with peanut butter. I almost gave up and wanted to go for edible image instead. I really need the food color marker pens if I want to attempt at this again. I hope the birthday girl recognized my version of Upin, Ipin, Kak Ros, Mei Mei & Rajoo.


And for the birthday boy, car theme cupcakes. The road is chocolate bar flavored fondant.

Thanks cikgu N for this 2nd order..... I had so much fun making these cuppies.

Cupcakes for Boys

Received orders for birthday cupcakes for a little boy and a teen to keep me busy over the weekend. Boy, was I excited to stray from the flower theme for a while. As requested by the mom, cupcakes with red cars for her 1yr old; and from a dad a set of MU/soccer theme cupcakes for his son
The alphabets for the birthday boy's name were carried on choo choo train carts.









Hope I depicted the correct color of MU's home & away jersey for this season. The choc buttercream swirls came out flat due to high butter content and the hot afternoon, even turning the kitchen's air-cond full blast didn't help much.

P/S The MU fans in the house believed that I purposedly colored the jersey pink, as an insult for their recent loss to Liverpool. (Ha ha ha....., they keep dreaming on winning all 5 trophies this season, c'mon even Fergie starts doubting that it'll come true)

Muffins My Way

I'm going bananas... muffin craze these last 2 days. Bought one 'sikat' of pisang berangan but found out it tasted a little sour, so bought another 'sikat' of pisang emas. Then, I found out that 100g banana needed for most recipes equals to only about 2 bananas.


This is my favorite (so far) 'banana carrot apple walnut' muffin. Will be making more mufins definitely, no problem to finish them, it's school holidays, many hungry tummies in the house now. Sorry, I couldn't trace the original recipe (had to cleared my IE history/cookies etc.. a while ago due to slow loading). Anyway, this is my version
100g flour
20g wholewheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
50g sugar
80ml corn oil
50g grated carrots
50g ready made apple pie filling
50g walnuts
100g bananas, mashed
1 egg

Mix all the dry ingredient by shaking in a ziplock bag or a stirring in a bowl.
Whisk the egg a little bit, add the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Add the dry ingredient. Spoon into muffin liners. Bake at 160C for 30 mins.

This reminds me so much of the muffins I used to have in US after delivering Sunday morning papers with my hubby.

I still remember the loads of newspaper and the ads insert that we had to fold and put in the plastic bags during those cold winter mornings. I still remember at the last house on our delivery round, we would go 'wan tu som' (don't know what the word mean, one two some maybe, the game is like rock paper scissors)..... to choose who had to get out of the car to throw the last newspaper. The owner had 4 rottweilers who would faithfully wait for us every morning, and as soon as one of us got out all 4 will stand up and just stare at me (yeah, I'm the one who always had to do this, since I was on the right side of the car, closest to the curb). I could see these beasts' master standing inside the house, in his robe and holding a cup of whatever brew, waiting for his morning paper. And... as soon as I made the throw, all 4 beasts will sprung into action and chased me to the car. My hubby will then sped off and I would be uttering all the bad words and trembling at the same time.

Our next stop, the Donut Bank. I'd get 2 cups of hot cocoa, two banana muffins and some cherry-filled danish rolls for hubby. Then we would just laugh at that morning's experience on our way home to our little apartment (I bet the beasts and his master had bigger laughs tormenting us). Remember how we wish to open up a bakery just because he loved those cherry danish rolls so much and thought he couldn't get it in M'sia (which until today, we actually never did) Throughout the whole morning excitement, our baby would be sleeping in his seat at the back. Life was so simple then......

Brown Theme Engagement Cupcakes

A set of cuppies for a brown color theme engagement. After a few samples made, I finally opted for a mix of brown, white/beige and pink colors. Icing was flavored with white, strawberry and brown chocolate bars.

Glad that my customer was pleased when she received it.

Doll Cake

Made a doll cake with buttercream frosting today. Hope this cake will bring much cheer to the little girl who is going to receive this tomorrow. (Her doll preference is not limited to the ones with 'Mattel' imprint only).

Yna didn't show any excitement during the decorating process, so I think the cake will be safe in the fridge tonite without any naughty finger mark. (Had to chill it due to the whip cream+cherry layer inside)

Stock Market

Market index summary on a baking blog, very unlikely indeed. With DJIA falling to 12++years low, who can not watch the market.

2009 European Cup(cakes)

The guys in the house want some 'male' theme for the cupcakes. My hubby & 3 kids are all MU fans. I'm always the only one supporting the other team in MU matches, not a fan of any FC but I do put on my Chelsea t-shirt (bought by my beloved MU fan) when they have a match against MU (ha ha ha).

So here it is, the cupcakes with edible images of this season's UEFA Champions League favorite teams (I think). RM30 for a box of 15 cuppies, I'll deliver to you on the match day (before 7pm, free delivery if you're in Kulim). Choose your one favorite team, or 2 teams if you have that much excitement in your home too... (It's so boring when the whole house just support one team, don't you think?)

For the girls who want to stay neutral during the matches, then get this RM6.50 for a box of 4 cuppies. (Minimum order of RM32 for 5boxes if you order only this alone)

P/S I'll change the match ball and UEFA Champions League Logo, just realized that UEFA Cup is different from UEFA Euro Cup

Edible ink & icing sheets are halal certified, by Jakim

Fondant Making

This is how I make fondant, following Yasmin's technique taught in her class, adjusted to yield 500gm (thank you Min, visit her at http://bakingproject.com/)

Ingredients:

10gm gelatin powder (from Halagel)

30ml water

90gm liqud glucose

15gm crisco

10 gm glycerin (from Mudah Mart, Sg Limau, Kulim)500gm+100gm icing sugar

Combine gelatin+water, wait to thicken. Dissolve gelatin completely using double boiler, then add glycerin, then shortening (careful not to turn shortening into oil)

Put 300gm icing sugar to mixer (I use Kenwood KM) Create a well, add the gelatin mix. Let the machine knead, add sugar little by little.

After well mixed (and before risk breaking the knead attachment) transfer to working surface. Apply a little shortening to hand & work surface, knead in remaining sugar (I had to add abt 70gm more). This is the hardest part....glad I have a helper at home.

After dough formed, keep in plastic bag and let stand for an hour before use. Add flavor and colors, then roll or form your design

p/s I write this to explain that I make my own fondant, sign up for Yasmin's class to see the details

Colors Cupcakes

Happy to deliver these cuppies to a SMK nearby, a birthday surprise from a younger sister living hundred kms away. No specific theme, multi color in vanilla flavor. The fondant colors aren't so vivid, couldn't find those premium imported brands color paste around here or find halal certified ones online yet.

p/s how many of us still remember to wish our sis & bros happy b'day nowadays? What are our excuses I wonder, other than we've forgotten the dates.

Oops! I forgot to add, the fondant decor and buttercream certainly are 'fond' of each other, the alphabets with single support (using dry spaghetti sticks) became so flimsy that I had to remove the sticks and settled for this version.