I love the ruffles!

I think that speck in the middle of the frosting added something interesting. 

After a long month, I've finally set aside everything else to finally FINISH editing the video. Whew, I'm glad it's over. Now I can get to working filming new content for an upcoming collab! Here is, theee (drumroll please)...... Vertical Layer Rose Cake Recipe! and it's sidekick Buttercream.

Of course, this vertical layer cake method has been out for a while, as well as the checkerboard, heart and a few other design cakes, but I haven't gotten around to trying out this fabulous idea from i am baker, until now. Check it out.

Click to watch the Vertical Layer Rose Cake video tutorial.

White Cake
adapted from i am baker.

makes two 8-in cakes

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt

6 large egg whites, room temp.

2 1/4 cups cake flour
4 tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk, room temp.

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract*


*I found 2 tsp. of almond extract (from original recipe) too overpowering. If I made it again, I would completely omit almond extract because I'm just not a fan.

1. Cream butter until smooth. Add in granulated sugar and salt, beat until fluffy (5 mins).
2. Slowly add in egg whites until incorporated.
3. Sift together cake flour & baking powder. Mix together milk and extracts.
4. Alternate adding in dry mixture and wet mixture into the butter mixture. If you need a visual demonstration, I previously created a video using the method here.
5. Pour batter evenly between two prepared cake pans. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 27-30 minutes. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
6. Allow cake to cool to room temperature.

Red-Chocolate** Cake
The recipe I tried was unsuccessful and turned out very dry. Try out this one adapted from Magnolia's bakery.

**It was supposed to be red-velvet cake, but I was too stingy about food coloring and it turned out red-chocolate colored.

The Perfect Crusting Buttercream
recipe from i am baker

8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup shortening (1/2 cup can be substituted with softened butter)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup-3/4 cup milk

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream shortening and vanilla for 2-4 minutes. Add in powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Alternate adding in milk if necessary, to create a creamy consistency. For a stiffer consistency, use less milk.

• 
  

Stay updated with yummy photos and follow me on Instagram! :)

I hope you like the new blog design! Be sure to watch my Youtube video tutorial w/ troubleshooting frosting tips before you continue with the recipe:

Chocolate Frosting
shoutout to Call Me Cupcake for the wonderful recipe!

200g 60%-70% dark chocolate (I combined 100g of unsweetened+100g semi-sweet chocolate)
300g softened butter
350g powdered sugar
150g cocoa powder
1-3 tsp. instant coffee (opt.* I added 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp.+ milk (add as needed)

1. Melt chocolate in double boiler.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until white and fluffy.
3. Gradually add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder and instant coffee, mix until smooth.
4. Add melted chocolate and continue to mix until smooth.
5. Add vanilla extract and milk as needed for a fluffy, smooth and tacky consistency.

There you go, perfect chocolate frosting!

Oh joy of cooking...

Today was one of those days I threw something together and took a picture.

Creamy Fettuccine with approximate measurements:
serves 2-3

8-12 oz. dried fettuccine
1 tbsp. salt

1/2 tbsp. butter
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp. corn starch (opt.)
a handful of cheese, about 1/4 cup (I used cheddar)

1/2 tsp. dry basil
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
a sprinkle of onion powder
few dashes of ground black pepper

1. Cook fettuccine with a pot full of water and 1 tbsp. salt for 10 minutes. Drain,  but do not rinse (unless you find the noodles too salty).
2. Combine heavy cream and milk. Mix in corn starch.
3. In the same saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat, then pour in the wet ingredients. Sprinkle in cheese.
4. With a wooden spoon, stir continuously for 3-5 minutes until sauce becomes thick. Add in basil, oregano, onion powder and ground pepper and still for another 30 seconds. Turn off heat.
5. Dump in the cooked fettuccine and toss with chopsticks until sauce is evenly distributed. That's it!

I recently filmed the Espresso Chocolate Frosting recipe to compliment this cupcake, so be on the lookout for that soon! Meanwhile, you can familiarize yourself with the Perfect Espresso Chocolate Cupcake recipe by the talented baker and photographer, Linda Lomelino of "Call Me Cupcake" blog. Check out her amazing photographs, recipes AND videos (vimeo). Maybe even pester her to publish a book in English soon ;) Just kidding.

I love this recipe because the coffee flavor balances out the cupcake to have the perfect amount of sweetness. It's unlike many recipes where more sugar is added to over power the coffee's flavor. To make it even better, top off the cupcake with chocolate frosting...

See "How to Make: The Perfect Chocolate Frosting" video and recipe.

Espresso Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Call Me Cupcake

makes over 12 cupcakes 

75g melted butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
300g flour
100g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
250g fine organic sugar
2 medium eggs
150ml buttermilk
150ml strong coffee

Line 12 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
Melt butter and add vanilla extract, then let it cool.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and organic sugar.
Lightly stir together eggs and buttermilk.
Pour coffee into melted butter and stir. Pour that, into the eggs & buttermilk.
Add in the sifted dry ingredients and mix until smooth, liquidy batter.
Divide into cupcake tins, filling them no more than 2/3 full.
Preheat oven to 350°F and bake them for 17-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out almost clean (keep the moisture).

Mocha Macarons
makes about 30 macarons

130g whole raw almonds (initial)
200g confectioner's sugar
1-3 tbsp. instant coffee (depends on how strong of a coffee flavor you'd like)

110g egg whites (about 3 large egg's whites)
40g caster sugar
a dash of cream of tartar

Chocolate Ganache (Filling)

150ml heavy cream
150g bittersweet (or semi sweet) chocolate
53g butter, chunks
1 tsp. vanilla extract (*opt.)

Watch my Youtube video for a live demonstration of the making process!

Macarons:
1. Mix together sugar and instant coffee.
2. Grind almonds in a food processor until fine. Add in a third of the sugar & instant coffee mixture and process a 30 seconds more.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients.
4. In a stand mixer, whip egg whites, caster sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peak.
5. Fold together dry and wet gently. Do not overfold!
6. Fill piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe onto parchment paper using circular outline paper (printable online) as a guide.
7. Let the macarons set till they are dry to the touch. Preheat oven and bake at 325F for 15-17 minutes.
8. Cool on wire racks.

Chocolate Ganache:
1. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until simmering.
2. Pour heavy cream over chocolate and let it melt the chocolate.
3. Add butter chunks and stir until completely melted. Then, add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract if desired. The mixture should look very glossy.
4. Refrigerate and chill until the chocolate ganache hardens to a paste consistency.
5. Fill piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe ganache onto one half of a macaron cookie. Place another "half" macaron cookie on top to create a "sandwich".

I hope you enjoyed this classic French macaron rendition and may many more macaron flavors come! Happy Valentine's Day!