Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (with Reese’s PB Cup Center)

*Photos has been deleted


A wet wet Monday. Its been raining since morning ... my laundry is piling up ... sigh .. since I cant do my laundry I decided to bake.  Oyin came over ... nope not to help out but it been awhile since we last have our siblings bonding time.


He came at abt 1pm ... I waited for him cos I asked him to get me butter ... forgetful me forgotten to buy butter for baking.  Hubby was busy revising for his last paper today. So Oyin and me do our baking ... after that we went Chinatown, Lomography Gallery Singapore.  Oyin wanted to pick up a new hobby.  The SM was quite busy so we didnt want to disturb him after that we went Plaza Singapura.  


We went Pastamania for fuel ahahha since I did not cook =D ... After that got our tickets to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 ... it was fun ... 


and after that we call it a day lar ... exhausting abis.


Below is the recipe for the cuppies.  This is my 2nd attempt ... I love this recipe very easy and fast too ...


Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated


Makes approx 12 (I got 15 out of it with plenty of batter left on the sides of the bowl for me to enjoy. What?)Ilah: I got 16 cuppies maybe my cups are slightly smaller.


Ingredients


114g 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
60g (hershey semi-sweet) 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Ghiradelli)
60g (hershey cocoa powder) 1/2 cup (1.5 oz) Dutch processed cocoa (or regular if that’s what you’ve got handy)
85g (All-purpose IS plain flour) 3/4 cup (3.75 oz) All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
170g 3/4 cup (5.25 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
118ml 1/2 cup (4 oz) sour cream (you could use reduced fat, but really…why bother)
12-15 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions


Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line tin with cupcake liners. 

Combine butter, chopped chocolate and cocoa in a small bowl. Microwave 30 seconds then stir. Microwave at 15 second intervals until smooth. (It only took me the first 30 seconds plus 15 more before it was smooth and glossy.) Don’t overheat! Alternately, you can get fancy and use a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. I use the dbl boiler method.

Cool until barely warm.

In small bowl, combine flour, soda and powder.

In a medium-ish bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the sugar and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mix, beating until smooth and well combined. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Whisk until fully combined. Add sour cream, mixing well, then add remaining flour mixture, whisking till flour is fully incorporated and batter is thick.

Scoop batter into lined tins using you preferred method—spoon, ice cream scoop, measuring cup. Place a mini Reese’s cup in the center of each cake. Press into the batter until nearly level with the top.

Bake 15-20 minutes (original recipe said 18-20 but mine were most definitely done at 15 minutes). Check doneness with toothpick. If it comes out clean, you’re good. Mine was 20mins.

Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack to cool thoroughly before frosting.


Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting


Adapted from browneyedbaker.com


Easily covers 18 cupcakes, and that’s if you have a heavy hand.



Ingredients

200g or 3 big spoonful 1 cup creamy peanut butter
75g 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
220g 2 cups powdered sugar
1 small pkt 1/2 - 2/3 cup whipping cream (heavy cream) adjust as necessary - add more if it looks like it needs it. Go wild.

Directions


Beat peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar until thoroughly combined. Add cream and beat until light and fluffy. Give it a few minutes to get nice and pale and lovely. Lick the beaters. No, really. Do it. It’ll make you feel like a kid again. (I did not do this eh ... fasting tao )

Spread onto cooled cupcakes or pipe with your preferred decorating tip.

Feasting Friday

12 Ramadhan 1432

Today we had guests over yey!!! ... but some unable to come ... its ok there's always a next time =).  Since my guests had bad experience with mee badung from one of the local stall, i decided to gave it a try.  Alhamdulillah it turns out ok.

Source: Hanieliza

Bahan-Bahan:

500 gm mee kuning (dicelur) 2 pkt of yellow mee
300 gm ayam (dipotong kecil)
2 s/b cili mesin
3 ulas bawang putih (ditumbuk)
5 ulas bawang merah (ditumbuk)
2 mangkuk stok ayam (atau 1 kiub ayam + 2 mangkuk air) I used beef stock instead
5 sudu besar sos tomato
3 sudu besar sos cili
1 sudu besar sos tiram
2 biji limau kasturi/nipis (belah 2)
2 biji telur (rebus dan belah 2)
Sedikit sawi, cili merah, daun sup & daun bawang (dihiris)
1 biji tomato (belah
bawang goreng
cili merah/hijau (mayang)
Garam & minyak masak

Cara:


1. Panaskan minyak masak dalam periuk. Tumiskan bawang putih,
bawang merah & cili kisar hingga garing.
2. Masukkan stok ayam & ayam dan biarkan mendidih.
3. Kemudian masukkan sos tomato, sos cili, sos tiram & garam.
Biarkan merenih perlahan-lahan.
4. Masukkan udang, sawi, & masak selama 2 minit.
5. Bila dah masak boleh ditutp api dan hidangkan.

* I did not put any sawi hee hee cos all of us don't quite like veggie :p

My 1st successful cuppies. Yey!!! ... What to do with left over Reese's???!!! Bake cupcakes!!! Why not right?

Source: SomethingShiny

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes 
(with Reese’s PB Cup Center)

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated


Makes approx 12 (I got 15 out of it with plenty of batter left on the sides of the bowl for me to enjoy. What?) Ilah: I got 16 cuppies maybe my cups are slightly smaller.


Ingredients


114g 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
60g (hershey semi-sweet) 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Ghiradelli)
60g (hershey cocoa powder) 1/2 cup (1.5 oz) Dutch processed cocoa (or regular if that’s what you’ve got handy)
85g (All-purpose IS plain flour) 3/4 cup (3.75 oz) All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
170g 3/4 cup (5.25 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
118ml 1/2 cup (4 oz) sour cream (you could use reduced fat, but really…why bother)
12-15 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions


Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line tin with cupcake liners.

Combine butter, chopped chocolate and cocoa in a small bowl. Microwave 30 seconds then stir. Microwave at 15 second intervals until smooth. (It only took me the first 30 seconds plus 15 more before it was smooth and glossy.) Don’t overheat! Alternately, you can get fancy and use a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. I use the dbl boiler method.

Cool until barely warm.

In small bowl, combine flour, soda and powder.

In a medium-ish bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the sugar and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mix, beating until smooth and well combined. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Whisk until fully combined. Add sour cream, mixing well, then add remaining flour mixture, whisking till flour is fully incorporated and batter is thick.

Scoop batter into lined tins using you preferred method—spoon, ice cream scoop, measuring cup. Place a mini Reese’s cup in the center of each cake. Press into the batter until nearly level with the top.

Bake 15-20 minutes (original recipe said 18-20 but mine were most definitely done at 15 minutes). Check doneness with toothpick. If it comes out clean, you’re good. Mine was 20mins.

Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack to cool thoroughly before frosting.


Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting


Adapted from browneyedbaker.com


Easily covers 18 cupcakes, and that’s if you have a heavy hand.



Ingredients


200g or 3 big spoonful 1 cup creamy peanut butter
75g 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
220g 2 cups powdered sugar
1 small pkt 1/2 - 2/3 cup whipping cream (heavy cream) adjust as necessary - add more if it looks like it needs it. Go wild.

Directions


Beat peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar until thoroughly combined. Add cream and beat until light and fluffy. Give it a few minutes to get nice and pale and lovely. Lick the beaters. No, really. Do it. It’ll make you feel like a kid again. (I did not do this eh ... fasting tao )

Spread onto cooled cupcakes or pipe with your preferred decorating tip.



(I did not manage to do this part)
Homemade Magic Shell


Adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen


Ingredients
3 regular size Hershey bars, broken into smaller bits
1/2 cup coconut oil

Directions


Combine chocolate and oil in small, deep bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. The oil will have melted, but the chocolate will still be partially solid. Microwave at 15 second intervals until the mixture is smooth. It won’t take long.

Pour over ice cream or dip frosted cupcakes that have been in the freezer at least 15 minutes. Take cupcakes out just a few at a time. If you’re double dipping, place cupcakes back in the freezer for a few minutes before re-dipping.

Enjoy! Sure, it’s not exactly health food, but it’s got to be at least a little better for you than the processed stuff in a squeeze bottle.

Just for the record, I had plenty of this left over after double dipping 12 cupcakes–a good 1/2 cup or more left. It’ll keep in the pantry for a while, but if you put it in the fridge, it’ll turn solid and you’ll need to nuke it before using.


Happy Baking Ladies!!!

Baking is therapeutic

It's so good to know someone special, who shares,,
My secrets, my laughter, my dreams and my cares,,
Someone through good times and bad, when there's tears,,
It's so good to know you (Helen), my friend through the years,

~ Jessica Browne

I've decided to try Kak Rima's Chocolate Bottom Banana Square cos the person who's going to receive it likes banana and chocolate. What a good combo! I was abit stressed up so I decided to take a nap before I start baking. 

I read the recipe a couple of times. Prepare all the ingredients before hand and take my time, look at the recipe point by point ... hee hee !!! ... it turned out ok and I keep calmed through out ... Steady pom pee pee...

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter - 113g
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt - I used 1 tsp since i used unsalted butter
1/4 cup baking cocoa 
1 cup chocolate chips 


Method
1. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and bananas, beating thoroughly.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
3. Divide batter in half. Add the cocoa to one portion of the batter. Spread that portion in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch (I used 9x9) baking dish. Spoon remaining batter on top, swirling gently with butter knife if desired, and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4. Bake at 170C for 30 minutes or until batter tests done with a toothpick or fork. Cool and cut into 24 squares

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Since I was on duty over the weekend, I decided to take leave today. I browsed through Red Velvet Cuppies online ... stumble upon joyofbaking.com. Looks quite simple so I look at the video too.  Oklar doable hee hee ... so this morning .... er i mean afternoon i when to Phoon Huat  @ Aljunied to get my ingredients ... 

The outcome ... YAHHOOOOOOO!!!!! success!! =D

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups (125 grams) sifted cakeflour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons (10 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used hershey cocoa)

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsaltedbutter, at room temperature

3/4 cups (150 grams) granulated whitesugar

1 largeegg

1/2 teaspoon purevanillaextract

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar (I used apple cider tips from DC cupcakes)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 Red Velvet Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line 12 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
In a large bowlsifttogether the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Scrape downthe sides of the bowl.Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly among the 12  muffin cups and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18 -23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and them remove from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. Either spread the frosting with a knife or offset spatula, or use a large 1M Wilton open star decorating tip to pipe the frosting.

 Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

1/3 cup (80 ml) cold heavy whipping cream(double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Cream Cheese Frosting:In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to pipe. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Suddenly felt inspired while watching MasterChef on TV. They made it looked so simple ... Some of the contestants don't even know how to bake (ah hah ... since they can do it ... i can do it too right??!! ...WRONG!!!!) I'm so excited ... and I decided to try my luck ... Did not turn out too good ... it turned out bad actually ... messy over flowing to the sides and due to that ... my cuppies all have holes in the center.
I feel lousy and sucky.

I took this recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 125 g butter, softened
• 125 g superfine sugar
• 155 g self-rising flour (i used 111g flour, 4g baking powder)
• 2-1/2 eggs
• 4 ml vanilla extract
• *i put toblerone

Directions

This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 1 dozen cupcakes.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each one. Stir in the vanilla and flour just until mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly. I put toblerone inside the better
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.

Birthday Cuppies for the Babe

I can be a klut in baking eventhou its so simple to the majority.  Anyway I decided to bake cuppies for THE birthday gal.  I cheat abit lar .... erm no no no actually I cheat alot hahahah ... thanks to Betty Crocker.

Yup I bought a box of Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix =D clever kan ... so I won't screw it up ... khe khe khe and the ganache was clever too hee hee ... the ONE sent me to esso to get my 'ganache' aka nutella =D khe khe khe ...

Becos I've tried making ganache before but it turned out watery so ... I decided to just keep it simple lar ...

So hee hee the recipe eh ...

1 box of Betty Crocker Cake Mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/3 cups water

Happy Baking khe khe khe ...

 I add chocolate chip in the center so it has the melting effect when you bite it...

 ready for the oven ...

 ???!!! i dun under why it rises on 1 side only...

 cut of the uneven top so I can spread my 'ganache' hee hee...

 Why this happen??? ... Cos I bought 25 flowers and I tot its enough for the name ... hence the Honey Stars

 the instruction says put 2/3 full and i did ... =S

 Ready for packing ... I woke up at 6.15am to pack and realised all cannot fit in 1 box

Nice polka dot gween ribbon ...

Hope u like it Nurul ... Happy Birthday