Project Deepavali 2011: Caring is Not Only Sharing...

The month of October is a month of celebration for the Hindus to celebrate their festival of lights - DEEPAVALI -  which indicates the victory of good over evil.

  I was asked by a friend if I could sponsor a birthday cake for their Deepavali Project..

...hence, I baked above...

...lemon-orange butter cake...

...layered and topped with vanila buttercream...

... with a simple design of 'kolam'...(my version that is..!)

... children from various orphanage homes...

...Let there be lights to everyone...

Happy Deepavali...

The 3-Ds Birthday Bash..!

Golf theme for Abang...

..Kakak asked for Angry Birds...

...and for Adik... anything 'Transformers'..

..all three cakes on display...

... part of the wonderful set-up by the Party Planner..
(forgot to take the photo of that cute horsey Pinata)

Last but not least....

... a 2-in-1 birthday cake for their aunty Effa...

...and their Grandma a.k.a 'Wan'...

Thanks Irda Sharina for the orders...

 

Double Moist Choc Cuppies...

 Last minute order...

Thanks for the order Ustazah Sham...

There goes your diet Mummy..!

Yesterday I dragged my daughter to met up with my old friends at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa  to 'work-out' (ha ha ha...yeah right..!) and have a picnic. It was a perfect morning day...

...brisk walking through the lake ...

Love this picture,  this is so typical of us (non stop talking and looking forward to eating..!)

 I made this; pineapple upside down cake...

 ...and kiwi muffins...

 ...the healty oatmeal muffins by Yati Tajuddin... (yummy...!)

  ...the 'telur goreng' by Ros Ari-Ari

 ... aahhh yes.... Fried Chicken!..

Thank you Ros Ari-Ari for waking up as early as 5:00am to fry these for us..

 Mizan with her kuih-muih...

Yeah.... Nasi Lemak...!

A 'must have' food after the 'work out'...!

Thumbs up to Ros Ari-Ari again..!

Without food or drink, yes, let me say that again "WITHOUT food or drink" the  “work-out/picnic” will really just be us sitting cross-legged on the grass, twiddling your thumbs; not as thrilling as it sounds.  We had a nice picnic before some of us played badminton (no photos here as I was busy stuffing myself up with food... LoL..!

On the way home, my daughter and I had a good laugh in the car...!

 "Mommy, you are the best. I love you so much." 

Sweeeeettt.....I couldn't ask for a more perfect day!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake...

This is a Pineapple Upsidedown cake...   

...with pineapple slices, maraschino cherries and a topping made with brown sugar. 

The lovely, glistening slices of sweet and sticky caramelized pineapple sitting happily on top of a fluffy white butter cake...

Sharing the Recipe:

2 1/2 cups - All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup - Caster Sugar

1/2 cup - Brown Sugar

175 gm - Melted butter

1 cup - Buttermilk

2 large - Eggs

1 teaspoon - Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon - Bicarbonate Soda

1 teaspoon - Nutmeg (grounded)

1 tblspoon - Vanila Extract

Pinch of Salt

Slices of Pineapple (drained)

Marachino Cherries

Preparation:

In a 8-inch round cake pan, melt butter; sprinkle with brown sugar.
Arrange pineapple and cherries on sugar, making a design.

Make cake batter.

Lightly beat eggs, vanila, buttermilk, then add melted butter, beat well.

Add  dry ingredients (flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate soda) alternately with egg mixture; beat until smooth, ending with dry ingredients.

Pour over pineapple design.

Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes.

Let cake cool for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.

Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Enjoy...!

 

Whats in your fridge..???

   I made this sausage 'basket' snack yesterday morning just to use up what was in the fridge.

Sausages - Sliced, Chopped, Diced - which ever way you prefer.  Saute diced onions and garlic, throw in some frozen peas and mixed vege.  Seasoned with ground pepper and salt. Add in half cup beef stock - cook for 5 mins and its done. Cut popiah skin into four, arrange in a greased muffin tray, add the sausage mixture and topped with cheddar cheese.

 Bake until golden brown. Viola...! Done!

It turned out to be quite nice. It's very handy as it only takes 15 minutes…
One isn't enough, trust me..!

...extra buttercream please...

These vanila cuppies were ordered by my neighbour...

...with special request of extra lashings of buttercream...

 

Of course boleh...

Thanks for the order Rizal.

Happy Birthday Suan...

Special request:

2-Layer cake: 

Botom Layer - Butter

Top Layer - Orange

In between layered with Orange-Lemon Buttercream

Iced with Butter-Vanila Buttercream

Thanks Zarina for your order...

That soft fading effect looks...

It is time to explore a new way that adds personality and colour to a cake.  What better way to do so then with an ombre cake.

 I just  can't get enough of ombre - that soft fading effect looks - don't you agree?

 Starting with a rich dark colour on the bottom, the colour gradually fades into a lighter shade creating ombre.

 Personally, I think it looks beautiful with a cake as its canvas. 

Halloween Treat: Witches Finger Cookies...

Creep out everyone at your Halloween party with Witches Finger cookies. You can use any shortbread cookie recipe, but here’s one for you to use if you prefer.

Witches Finger Cookie Recipe

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Almond extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup whole Cashews or Almonds, blanched
• 2 squares of melting chocolate

Method:
Combine the sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl.  Mix in the flour, and salt.  Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it’s firm.
When you’re ready to shape the cookies, only take out a small portion of the dough at a time. Shape the cookies into fingers by rolling and working with your hands.
Score the top of the cookie with a knife or spatula to make it look like the wrinkles in your knuckle...!
Press an imprint into the tip of the cookie with your finger to make a spot for the almond/cashew finger nail. Press an almond/cashew into the tip of each finger to look like a fingernail.
Placed on a cooking sheet lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray and bake at 325` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are a very light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a drying rack.
Use melting chocolate to go around the outside of the almond nail, giving a ghoulish appearance.
 Just melt the chocolate, put it in an icing piping bag, and cut a very small hole in the tip. Then pipe around the nail.
If you use red melting chocolate the look will be even more dramatic, you can also make small drops of chocolate blood, or chocolate cuts on the cookies if you really want to gross out your guests.
The witches finger cookies will make great party treats, but you can also bundle them up in a decorative container and use them for your Halloween party favors.

Enjoy..!

Moist Mud Chocolate Birthday Cake for their best friend...

Daughter: Mummy, we HAVE to have a cake, a birthday cake, a chocolate birthday cake... make it - Moist Chocolate cake....for AJAI, please.....! 

 

When friends a.k.a. classmates, want a cake, but not budget... who they look for??? - Me..!

 

 

Happy 16th Birthday Ajai...

...go ahead and make a wish...!

Lots of love from Aunty... (kena baling tepung tak...?)

For those little Angels...

 Moist Chocolate Cake...

...and Moist Chocolate Cupcakes...

...were speacially made for those little Angels under the care of Ustazah Sham.

Cuppies from the secret admirer..?

Funny... I went to deliver these cuppies...

reached the house... rang the door bell...

Assalamualaikum... (an elderly man came out)..

Me:  Encik, ini rumah Ilhimy?

Elderly Man:  No, no one by that name..

Me:  But the address given... No:........ etc....

Elderly Man:  The address is correct, but no one by that name...

Me:  Ish... now what???  Hang on Uncle, let me look at the address again...

Elderly Man:   ... patiently waited by the gate...

Me:  Eerrr... sorry Uncle... its "ILHAMY"..

Elderly Man:   Aha... its my son..! The package is from who..??

Ok, I am just the delivery woman...

...these are the fun and friendly crush package and a note attched to it from a secret admirer...

...whatever that means.... (I am just following the design given to me..)

Girl (cannot mention your name kat sini kan??), Aunty kena improvise your 'orang lidi' - hope this is OK and acceptable.

When old friends meet...

Friends are an important part of our lives, and when it is an old school friend, you always have a special place in your heart.  But how often do you remember your old school friends and times you shared together..??

I had a wonderful day yesterday, minus the morning hectic schedule.  I was supposed to wake up at 05:00 hrs, but ended got up at 06:30hrs.  Gosh.. delivery to be made before 07:00 hrs, need to whip a cake for one of my girlfriends whom I have not met for 32 years (thanks to FB, managed to trace her!).  And the best part, I messed up the topping  a.k.a 'Madah Pujangga' I piped on the fondant.... arrrggghhh... how silly and careless of me!  Have to re-write the message again, carefully try not to mess up this time...

Seated from L-R: Juliana @ Min, Norzaini @ Nen, Rosmawar, Roslina, Normizan, Me

Standing from L-R: Rohaya, Siti Zabedah, Zuraidah

(we known each other since 1969..!)

It has been so long since we.. (what we? - its me!!) did'nt gathered up to chat like just yesterday.  Had so much jokes and laughed like during primary & high school time.  At about 17:00 hrs, we all sang birthday song to Mizan (did we? or did we not? - age must be catching up on me...!)

The BFF a.k.a birthday cake for Mizan...

Gals, I am definately looking forward to meeting up with you again   ~ weeeeeeee ~

What a wonderful weekend it has been, a time of reunions, of getting re-acquainted with long-lost school friends, of renewing ties going back almost 40 years...!

Love you lots... !

Peach Buttermilk-Yogurt Cake

 I've been wanting to try this recipe forever.... 

My daughter asked me one day when she was going through my recipe books and looked at me, and said "How many times have we had the same cake thinghy  Mummy?" I thought about it for a minute, then said "Oh, never mind!"

You see, my crazy brain is always coming up with new ideas. I also have a huge arsenal of recipes, not only tried and true favorites, but tons that have been clipped, torn, copied or passed down......

 

  

 ... the first batch...

...the second out from the oven...

...always baked extras  - for your neighbour...(LoL)

...cool and dusted with icing sugar...

 ... that one slice, the moment that all of us been waiting for...

   This cake turns out faboulous it was the perfect combination. If you're looking for a fun, interesting dessert give this recipe a try!

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup - Plain Natural Yogurt

1/4 cup - Buttermilk

1/2 cup - Caster Sugar  (I use only 1/4 cup - dont like my cake too sweet)

1/2 cup - Brown Sugar

3 large Eggs

1 tspn - Vanilla extract

1/2 cup - Vegetable Oil

Peach (I use canned Peaches) 

Ingredients B:  (Sifted all together)

1 1/2 cups - Plain Flour

2 tspn - Baking Powder

1 tspn - Soda Bicarbonate

Method:

Pre-heat oven - 180 deg.

Greased and lined 7-in round baking tin.

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy, add vanila.

Add buttermilk and; yogurt - mix well, then  add vegetable oil - mix again

Then, add (B) - mix well (do not over mix).

Lastly, cut a few slices of peaches and add into the batter.

Cut balance of the peaches into wedges and place on top of batter.

Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour - depending on your oven.  Cake is baked, when skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool cake on rack, and dust with icing sugar.

If you dont like Peaches, you can substitute it with Manggo, Pineapple or Prune.

Then, it will become "Manggo or Pineapple or Prune Buttermilk-Yogurt Cake" instead...!