steamed matcha cupcakes

Meet Momo, my cousins' pet Cat. So adorable! He's so friendly and affectionate :) Totally opposite to my cat Honey. She's such a little snob! LOok at her below lying beside a knife :s

I had stumbled upon this recipe, and thought steamed cupcakes would be something different i could try. They are really healthy compared to the standard butter sugar flour cupcake recipes, and not that satisfying but i still enjoyed snacking on these.

I made these at my cousin Joanne's house, the recipe below is dead simple, you could also use silicone cupcake holders, just lightly spray them with oil before use.

Ingredients (makes ±6):
125g cake flour (i used plain flour)
90g castor sugar
1 tbsp matcha
125ml water
*1 tsp baking powder
*15ml cold water

Methods:

1. Preheat steamer.
2. Sift together flour and matcha, then mix well with sugar in a mixing bowl.
3. Gradually add in water and whisk until sugar is dissolved.
4. Once the steamer is preheated, dissolve baking powder with 15ml water in a small cup.
5. Stir baking powder solution into batter and mix well.
6. Transfer batter into small bowls or moulds lined with paper cases.
7. Steam on high for 20 minutes. DO NOT open the steamer during steaming process, to prevent water mark on the surfaces.

Basic Green tea cupcake recipe

A few weeks ago i came across this recipe, shortly after i had purchased my first ever bag of green tea powder a.k.a matcha powder. I had been invited to a birthday so thought two dozen pretty cupcakes would be a nice gift :)

The lovely Stella helped out, and it was her idea to dust these babies with cocoa powder & icing sugar to give them a little bit of prettiness. Personally, i think the icing sugar dusted ones looked a lot cuter!

Earlier this week, my workmate's Daughter was turning 4, so another excuse to bake :) Still having alot of matcha powder left (this recipe only uses two teaspoons), i decided to make some larger sized cupcakes, and to use my newly bought wilton paste colours, and also to use up some dessicated coconut i had in the pantry.

I highly recommend using wiltons colour pastes, i only needed a tiny dab of paste to get this lovely pastel looking purple, and because it is a paste, unlike the bottles of food colouring (that can thin out your icing), a small jar will surely last you quite a while. I bought a whole lot off ebay, but you can get them individually at certain stores like.. essential ingredient @ Rozelle?

Recipe for green tea cupcakes

(makes 24 babycakes, or 12 standard cupcakes)

90g butter at room temp

75g sugar

2 eggs

125g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

50g ground almonds

50ml milk

2 tsp matcha powder

Preheat oven to 180'C.

Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add the eggs and continue to beat. Gradually add the flour and baking powder, then the almonds.

Heat the milk in a saucepan, remove from the stove and add the matcha tea powder. Leave to soak for 3 minutes, then beat it all to remove any remaining clots. Add the matcha milk to the dough and incorporate well (do not over mix or your cupcake will be tough)

Distribute the mix between a 12 muffin tray or a 24 babycake tray.

Bake 13 minutes (for babycakes) or 18 minutes (for cupcakes).

- For raspberry topped cakes just pop one (or a couple raspberries on top before placing the trays in the oven. After baking, and once completely cooled, dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder (or even with vanilla bean dust if you have that!)

Recipe for pastel purple rosewater flavored frosting

135g butter

1.5 cups icing sugar

3 tsp milk

2 tsp rosewater essence

Beat the butter until fluffy and light in colour. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until sugar has dissolved and mixture is frosting-like texture. Add more milk if too dry, or more icing sugar if too wet.

I dusted the tops with desiccated coconut and shook off any excess, but you can decorate with anything that you have (or leave plain). Because of the strong coconut flavor, you couldn't really tell the rosewater flavoring, so you can use vanilla essence instead.

Milo babycakes with Nutella Frosting

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE PHAM!

Today, my beautiful little sister.. would've turned 17. I wish she were here, to celebrate, to eat the cupcakes i made for her :"(

She drank a warm cup of milo every morning, and i still had the milo tin that we used ..

I got the recipe from here, and made up some nutella frosting from here.

Cupcakes

115g SF Flour

140g Caster Sugar

1.5 teaspoons Baking Powder

Pinch salt

40g Unsalted Butter, room temperature

120 ml Whole Milk

3 tablespoons Milo

2 teaspoons Cocoa Powder

1 Egg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with patty cases.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until everything is combined.

In a jug, stir the Milo into the milk until the milk turns chocolate coloured. Add 60ml of the milk mixture to the batter and whisk until just incorporated.

Lightly beat the egg, the pour the egg and remaining milk into the batter and beat until mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mix into the paper cases until two-thirds full. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cakes bounce back when touched and a skewer comes out clean.

Leave cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutella Frosting Ingredients:

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 cup nutella

8 ounces powdered sugar

2 tablespoons (ish) of milk or cream

Nutella Frosting Directions:

-Cream together the butter and nutella until blended.

-Add the powdered sugar gradually until ingredients are combined.

-Mix on a high speed, adding in milk or cream (2 tablespoons, more or less) until frosting is smooth and creamy.

I miss you & love you always & forever xoxo from your big sister, Betty.

Red Velvet babycakes with cream cheese frosting

I have always wanted to make red velvet cupcakes. I have only read good things about them, and they were super moist and velvety texture and a brilliant red colour.

I found many recipes on the internet but ended up going with this one from joythebaker.

These were a big hit and definitely hits the number one spot out of all the cupcakes i've made :) Moist and crumbly, with such a red shade glowing at you after you take a bite, teamed with cream cheese frosting this babycake will melt your hearts hehe.

Red Velvet Babycakes (makes 48 babycakes)

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons red food coloring (I using a dash less)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

note: i make my own buttermilk by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar to a 250ml cup- then filling to the top with milk, that should sit for 10 minutes before adding to any mixtures :)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 180 C for 12-14 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting (taken from here)

125g unsalted butter, softened

250g cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups (640g) icing sugar, sifted

For frosting, using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar, beating until incorporated.

One thing that sucks is the food colouring! My mom was so angry at me for staining the toaster.. oops!

Peanut Butter w/ Chocolate Glaze Cupcakes

Sometimes when i am in a baking mood, but i dont want to go out & buy any extra ingredients - i check on what i already have and bake based on what supplies i have, and in this case it was crunchy peanut butter, milk chocolate melts, and thickened cream. I found this recipe here, and whipped it all up one fine Sunday morning :O)

Make sure you don't overfill the cupcake liners as you need a bit of room to pour the chocolate glaze on and for it to set (i filled them just over half way)

I love making ganache and i love the decadent texture you get when it sets, or like me i ate a huge spoonful before putting any on the cupcakes... :P

Makes 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For cupcakes


1 cup all purpose flour


1 tsp baking powder


1/4 tsp salt


6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened


3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, room temp
 (i used crunchy PB)

1 cup brown sugar


1 egg


1 tsp vanilla extract


1/2 cup milk

For chocolate glaze


1/4 cup heavy whipping cream


1 tbsp unsalted butter


1 cup milk chocolate chips


1/2 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F.

Line muffin tin cupcs with paper cupcake liners

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.

Mix in egg.

Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until batter smooth.

On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Fill each liner with a generous 1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/3 inch below the top of the liner.

Bake just until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned and a toothpic inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. There will be cracks on the top.

Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on wire rack.

To make chocolate glaze


In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and butter over low heat until the cream is hot and the butter has melted.

The mixture should form tiny bubbles and measure about 175F on a thermometer; do not let it boil.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the milk chocolate and let it sit in the hot cream for 30 secs to soften.

Add the vanilla and whisk the glaze until it is smooth and all the chocolate has melted. (Return the glaze to low heat if necessary to melt the chocolate completely, whisking constantly.)

The glaze should be thick enough to hold its shape when spread over the cupcakes. If it is too liquid to spread, let it sit at room temp for 5-15 minutes, depending on the temp of your kitchen.

Using a small spatula, spread 1 tbsp of glaze over the top of each cupcake.

Because i used crunchy PB, a friend tried them and said they tasted like snickers cupcakes hehe :)

Lamington Bites

I'm not sure what prompted me to make these cute lamington bites... It could possibly be the list of ever growing "to bake" recipes i have starred in my gmail :P

I'm sure most of you do this as well? See something online that you want to make ----> copy paste into an email ----> mail it to yourself ----> 'starr/bookmark' it for a later date. (or copy paste into word document, then save in a special folder called "bake when you have time!" or something along those lines. (i do this too actually hehe), or have a special bookmarked folder on your computer with a bunch of saved links (yes, i do this as well haha..)

From looking at my email right now i can tell you the last 10 things i've saved..

1. golden syrup scones link here

2. chocolate and peanut butter fondant link here

3. okinomiyaki from this website which i copied and paste so i'm not sure of the link

4. valentines day cupcakes (which i never got around to making) link here

5. caramelised banana crepes with roasted macadamias and caramel sauce link here

6. thumb print cookies link here

7. choc chip cookies link here

8. rainbow cake link here

9. spanakopita link here

10. red velvet cupcakes link here

80% sweet, 20% savoury.

But lamington bites weren't starred, bookmarked or saved anywhere. I think i saw them in a cooking magazine, a lamington squares recipe (must've been in food ideas because i have a bunch of them in my room). But i thought to myself why not make them into smaller bite sized pieces, less guiltier sized pieces that you can just pop into your mouth as a quick & naughty snack.

Well on this occasion, my sister was having some friends over so i thought i'd take this chance to treat them as my test tasting guinea pigs :P

I never knew how simple it was to make lamingtons at home. All it involves is baking cupcakes, make the icing, dip into icing, roll into coconut - and that's it.

The icing is absorbed into the outer layer of the cupcake, and when you roll it into the coconut - the coconut attaches itself to all the wet icing bits and you're left with a dry lamington piece :)

And the verdict? Almost all of them finished! I did try one small one myself (i only allow myself to try a small piece of my baking .. if i were to have anymore i'd be so fat, and all my hard work at the gym goneskies!)

Cupcake was moist, the chocolate icing had set with the coconut and it was like having a piece of chocolate cake, but with icing on all sides (if only that were true everytime you had a slice of cake hehe).

I REALLY recommend trying to make these at home, it was heaps of fun dipping and rolling and seeing the final product, and because its a cupcake mix instead of a sponge you get a bit more dense cake (well i prefer it this way over an airy spongey cake)

As you can see i've made small ones and large ones, personally the smaller ones are my favourite. And here is the recipe, have fun!

Cupcake batter:

makes about 12 muffin sized ( or 48 small cupcake sized)

1.1/3 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

100g softened butter

3/4 cup casor sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tbs vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Pre heat oven to 170"c

Sift together flour & baking powder.

In a separate bowl, cream butter for 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar a third at a time, beating for two minutes after each addition. After the last addition, beat until mixture is light & fluffy and the sugar has almost dissolved.

Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition or until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

Add a third of the flour to the creamed mixture, and beat on low speed until combined. Add half the milk and beat until combined. Repeat this process. Add the remaining third of the flour and beat until thoroughly combined (do not over beat cos this will toughen the mixture)

Spoon into cupcake patties and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tray and let cool completely before proceeding with the icing/coconut part below

Chocolate icing

300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture

35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder

60ml (1/4 cup) milk

60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut

To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl.

Add the milk and water and stir until smooth.

Use 2 forks to dip each cupcake into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off.

Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on a wire rack.

Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, icing and coconut.

Set aside for 1 hour or until icing sets.

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes with Lindt ball centres

I had plans to make this after work one day. But the two banana's in the fridge - were BLACK. Un-usable. Was in a baking mood- badly. SO thought of something i can make, with ingredients i already had at home...

It wasn't till i finished mixing the batter, & thought hm, must find something to add to these plain & boring cupcakes. Saw a big box of mixed lindt balls- hoorah!

3 tbsp butter
1 cup self raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
12 assorted lindt balls

Preheat oven to 180'

Melt butter, and mix with remaining ingredients until smooth.

Spoon into cupcake cases, add lindt ball into each centre.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, Cool.

Serve warm, or keep in the fridge to serve anytime!

These were yummy on their own. Had some velvet chocolate ooze out (while they were still warm). You could also serve with some icecream for an even MORE calorie dense dessert!

Dulce de leche Chocolate babycakes

I had a can of dulce de leche in the pantry - been sitting there for about two weeks. I didn't want to make brownies again, and i had been wanting to make these babycakes from 'epicure chocolate' for a while, so i whipped these up on a Monday morning (yes, i sometimes do my baking in the mornings before work, then i get awesome morning natural lighting for my photo's hehe).

But these weren't or me, they were for the uber cool Bensy - i had missed his birthday on the weekend because i was in Melbourne, so i wanted to make it up to him :)

Ingredients

1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
125 g butter
2 generous tbsp cocoa
3/4 tsp bi-carb soda
2 eggs, beaten
1.5 cups self raising flour

Preheat oven to 180C.

Combine water, sugar, butter, cocoa & soda in a large saucepan.

Bring to the boil slowly. Simmer for 5 minutes & cool.

Add eggs and sifted flour and mix well.

Place mixture in mini muffin trays.

Add a blob of dulce de leche into the centres of each muffin.

Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until tops spring back when pressed gentley and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool slightly, best eaten warm, or zapped in the microwave if its cold!

Because i had left over dulce de leche, Bensy got the rest of this liquid gold caramel to pig out on hehe. HAPPY BDAY DUDE!

Jam DOnut Cupcakes

Excuse the awful lighting - i made these before i made my lightbox, and it was late at night, & this was taken in my bathroom with the heatlights on.. lols.

I was browsing Lorraine's site one day at work and bookmarked a whole lot of recipes i wanted to try out, and this is the first of a few. I love cupcakes, and i love donuts!

I'll probably make them again, & hopefully the photo's will turn out nicer in my lightbox :)

The donuts were really soft & fluffy on the inside and i put a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of jam hehe.



Original Recipe from here.

Makes 8

Ingredients

• 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 175ml/6 fl oz buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons good-quality strawberry jam
  

To brush on top and then roll

• 100g/3.52 ozs unsalted butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a cupcake tray.

2. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, then add a pinch of salt and the caster sugar. In a jug, combine the vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add to the dry mixture and stir to only just combine. It will be thick and puffy. Place a tablespoonful of the mixture in each muffin hole and make an indent in the centre. Fill each indent with a teaspoon of the strawberry jam.

3. Cover the jam with the remaining cupcake batter. I found that these slightly overflowed and that the tops stuck together but then after taking it out, it contributed to the puffy donut look. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Meanwhile, melt the butter and cool slightly. Combine the extra sugar and the cinnamon in a large bowl. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush each muffin lightly with the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Serve while still a little warm.

Carrot & Walnut Cupcakes with Cream cheese frosting

I love how moist carrot cupcakes can be, and the fact that they have a vegetable in it - makes it seem healthier & non-guilt to eat hehe.

I found this recipe in my '500 cupcakes' book, & they turned out extra moist, with the cream cheese frosting going really well with the cake itself.

Cupcake

1 cup butter

1 cup caster sugar

1.5 cup self raising flour

4 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

150 g freshly grated carrots 2 tbsp sultanas

Preheat oven to 175'C.

Combine butter, sugar, flour & eggs in a bowl & beat until smooth.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Spoon batter into cases & bake for 15-18 minutes.

Cool cupcakes on rack.

Cream cheese frosting

200 g cream cheese, softened

1 cup icing sugar

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

Beat together in a bowl, and frost cooled cupcakes.

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I've always loved eating peanut butter & banana sandwiches - zapped in the microwave before consuming. So when i thought of making cupcakes in a similar style - i got really excited ! Trish had made some banana cupcakes for me for my birthday, so i've used her recipe, and made up my own PB frosting.

Cupcakes

125g unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups soft, brown sugar

2 very ripe bananas (medium size), mashed

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Line your muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Mix together mashed bananas, butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.
3. Slowly add buttermilk.
4. In another bowl, sift flour, bicardbonate soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Divide batter evenly on to the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Cool on rack.
   

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Line your muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix together mashed bananas, butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Slowly add buttermilk.

In another bowl, sift flour, bicardbonate soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.

Divide batter evenly on to the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Read more: http://sugarlace.fragiled.net/category/cupcakes-muffins/#ixzz0UPsvg8HU
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Line your muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix together mashed bananas, butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Slowly add buttermilk.

In another bowl, sift flour, bicardbonate soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.

Divide batter evenly on to the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Read more: http://sugarlace.fragiled.net/category/cupcakes-muffins/#ixzz0UPsvg8HU
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Line your muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix together mashed bananas, butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Slowly add buttermilk.

In another bowl, sift flour, bicardbonate soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.

Divide batter evenly on to the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Read more: http://sugarlace.fragiled.net/category/cupcakes-muffins/#ixzz0UPsvg8HU
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

PB Frosting

1 cup softened butter
1 cup crunchy PB (or you can use smooth, whatever you have in the pantry)
4 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat everything well together, & frost cupcakes.

Everyone who tried these loved them, & they are pretty moist as well. Since i used crunchy PB, there was soft & crunchy bits when you're chewing i love it hehe.

Caramel Mudcakes

So as i was saying in my last post - i also made some desert for the picnic, which were these caramel mudcakes i found on Belle's site.

Belle's recipe link here.

These cakes are so easy to make, and turned out devilishly moist & sweet, & and perfect sized cakes for everyone to enjoy them (without feeling too sickly).