Bite On It!

I know that many people prefers to have fruity cakes than some plain ones as they like the extra fruity bites. Personally I like fruity cakes especially those contain fresh fruits. However, it is not easy for us to get suitable fresh fruits here to bake anytime we want. So, we have to make do with canned ones… most of the time.

Here is another of my favorite… peachy cake/cupcakes. I have been using this recipe for a long time. Before the cupcakes fad, I used it to bake full cakes. This recipe is also perfect for a 7″ or 8″ cake. The wonder is, the tangy taste from the peach helped to diffuse the sweetness from the sugar.

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Ingedients

• 180g Butter
• 120g Sugar
• 180g Plain white flour
• 1tsp Baking powder
• 1tsp Baking soda
• 3 Eggs
• 1tsp Vanilla essence (optional)

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Methods

1. Cream butter and sugar till white and creamy.
2. Add in eggs, one at a time till well mixed. Add vanilla essence.
3. Sieve flour, baking powder and baking soda and fold into the batter slowly.
4. Pipe batter into muffin tray lined with cases.
5. Bake at 160 degree Celsius till cooked or when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

If you’ve noticed now is the Thai mango season here. We have been buying lots of mango over the last few weeks as all of us love them so much and without fail will indulge in some even when their prices are on the high side. PiggyBeng loves those Green Skin King Mango which is exceptionally crunchy and sweet even when the skin is still dark green in color.

I was shopping at one of the local supermarket chain when I saw that there was an assortment of Thai mango on promotion. Only RM2.90/kg which is so cheap! The Elephant Task looks really nice so I can’t resist getting some and thought I’ll do mango salad with them since I’ve chosen some really green and unripe ones. The sour and tangy feel gave me a really good vibes!

We have been eating too much meat lately so thought a salad dish will be good for the heart and the body!

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Ingredients

• 2-3 Mango (preferably the sour and unripe ones)
• 1/2 stick Carrot (optional) - I added in for color purposes
• 1 stalk Lemongrass
• 2-3 Shallot
• 2 Lime (take the juice and thinly sliced the rind)
• 1-2 Calamansi/Limau Kasturi (take the juice and thinly sliced the rind)
• Some Corriander (leaves only - finely chopped)
• 1-2tbsp Dried prawn - pan fried and chopped coarsely
• 2-3tbsp Dried shrimps (optional)
• 1 Chili padi - sliced thinly
• 2-3tbsp Fish sauce
• 3tbsp brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• Some chili powder (optional)
• 1/4 cup Roasted peanuts (whole or coarsely chopped)

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Methods

1. In a low heated pan, simply pan-fried the dried shrimps and chopped dried prawns till it is slightly fragrant. Lift up and set aside.
2. Sliced the shallot, lemongrass (just the head), coriander leaves, chili padi, lime and calamansi rinds very thinly.
3. Slice away the mango skin and shred them into thin strips. Do the same for carrot if you are adding them.
4. Put everything into a big mixing bowl and add in brown sugar, fish sauce, lime and calamansi juice and some salt. Mix well before adding the roasted peanuts and mix once more before serving.
5. Best if served right away or else the juice from the mango will ‘wet’ the mixture.

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If you can get hold of some ginger flowers, you can add them in too as they will give the salad a better taste.

Before I started my own cupcake shoppe, I used to bake for our own consumption. Long before I attempted the steamed banana cupcakes, I used to do the baked version very often. Since my PiggyBeng has been complaining that we are eating too much fat (butter) as we have to chomp down all the excess cuppies from some of my orders, I seldom bake for ourselves anymore unless there is a birthday.

I must admit that steaming is simpler and less work and of course healthier but at times baked stuff has more fragrance and they have longer shelf live. Therefore, once in a while when I have the ingredients sitting around in the house I will still make an effort…

Here is a banana cupcake recipe which I got from one of the popular site but forgotten which since I am such a sloppy person! I have modified it a little to our taste. Everyone at home love it so I thought I’ll just share it here with everyone.

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Ingredients
Makes 2 dozens

• 300g Flour
• 2tsp Baking powder
• 2tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• 200g Sugar
• 220g Butter
• 4 Eggs (medium size)
• 400g Bananas (I used pisang emas) - mashed
• 5tbsp Milk
• 1tsp Vanilla essence
• 1tsp Banana essence (optional)

Methods

1. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy white. Add beaten eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition.
3. Add in vanilla essence or banana essence, milk and mashed bananas.
4. Fold in flour and mix well. Pour mixture into muffin cups (3/4 cup) and add a slice of banana on top before sending the tray into the oven and bake at 180?C for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cuppies comes out clean.

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Tips: Turn your cupcakes tray after 15 minutes into baking to ensure eveness

I have 2 over-ripe banana sitting on my table and I really wanted to use them to make banana cake but 2 is not enough for the recipe I have so what shall I do? Another was, I was lazy to bring out the mixer coz I already going to have some cupcake projects later in the week… excuses.. excuses…

Then I remember I came across a few sites about making steam cakes and I thought, why not? So I went to google about ‘Steamed Banana Cakes’ and first on the list was from Chow Times.

Was extremely happy that the ingredients called for the recipe are so easy! Save me lots of time and electricity too! And of course they are less oily (no butter) and not heaty at all! The only thing that needs to compromise is of course the texture and taste… got to eat them fresh!

I took the opportunity to try out my silicon cups… just to test them if they can take the heat… and yes they did! The cakes turn out to be quite springy… like sponge… hehheehe

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Ingredients

• 2 ripe banana, mashed (if you have large banana, use one will do)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup icing sugar (I used brown sugar)
• 100g (close to 1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins (optional)

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Methods

1. Mashed the bananas and leave aside.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients in another mixing bowl and it is well mixed add in the mashed banana.
3. Heat up the steamer and steam till all the banana cupcakes are cooked which is around 10-15 minutes.