Yuzu & Chestnut Ogura Cake

Yuzu & Chestnut Ogura Cake

I saw this recipe from Food & Travel Magazine. Knowing that my mum love Chestnut and Yuzu Drink so I went ahead to make this for her. Had bake twice for her as flour content was low so won't make her gain weight easily.

Adapted from Food & Travel Magazine (June 2014, Page 38 - 39)

Recipe attached as below:-

Ingredients

4 egg yolks
1 egg
40g canola oil
70ml yuzu juice
2 tsp yuzu concentrate (optional)
55g top flour
1/4 tsp salt
150g egg whites
75g caster sugar
80g unsweetened roasted chestnuts, coarsely chopped.

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 155°C and place four ramekins or a shallow tray filled with hot water on the lowest rack.
2. Line am ungreased 20x20cm pan with parchment paper. Whisk egg yolks, egg and canola oil until slightly frothy.
3. Tip in yuzu juice and yuzu concentrate (if using), and mix well.
4. Sift in flour and salt. Whisk well and set aside.
5. Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form. 
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the egg yolk batter.
7. Fold the rest if the meringue into the batter. Fold in the chopped chestnuts.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and tap the pan lightly on a flat surface to remove air bubbles.
9. Bake for 40 mins at 155°C then bring down the temperature to 140°C. Bake for another 25-30mins until the inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove cake from the pan immediately and invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool.
10. Enjoy (*_*) !!!

5" Rainbow Cake - 100% Chocolate Cake

5" Chocolate Rainbow Cake

After making an 8" Rainbow Cake, many of my friends/fans notice my baking. I start to have "little" order from a lady named Marilyn who we used to hang out for Pool, Clubbing, Drinking & many other activities many years back.

I make her & her friends who is celebrating their birthday in August. I'm glad they like the taste of the cake especially the sweetness was just right for them. But of cos there is still room for improvement as the wafers did not remain crispy till the night & the colour of the M&M have a little run-off. I felt pretty sorry about this 2 areas that caused the cake to be in perfect.

Possible solution suggested by friends & members from FB Groups are as below:-

• To "bake the wafer biscuits before putting it on the cake"
• To search for "M&M for baking" which I try asking Phoon Huat (Staff @ Marsiling Outlet said OOS for a year le).

I'm also grateful that Marilyn had share the cut-up of the cake for me to view & keep in record. Let me share with everyone here.

5" Chocolate Rainbow Cake Cut-up

Recipe attached as below:-

Ingredients

Cake

250 gm Unsalted Butter, Softened

400 gm Castor Sugar

3          Eggs

3 tsp     Chocolate Extract
¾ tsp    Fine Salt
3¾ tsp  Baking Powder
470 gm Cake Flour
450 gm Low-Fat Fresh Milk
6 color  Coloring Gel (I used Americolor Soft Gel Paste - Food Colors)

My colour combinations as follow:
Purple = Violet
Indigo = Violet + Royal Blue
Blue = Royal Blue
Green = Leaf Green
Yellow = Lemon Yellow
Orange = Orange
Red = Super Red

Frosting & Decor

150 gm  Frosty Whip Whipping Crème
1 Tbsp  Valrhona Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp    Chocolate Extract  
240 ml  Water
400 gm 1 Can of Luxury Cream Wafers - Chocolate Flavour
100 gm 1 packet of M&M Milk Chocolate

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Cake

1. Grease and line the 5" round baking tins with baking paper and set aside.
2. In a bowl, sift the combination of cake flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. Cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat till fluffy for about 3 minutes. Add one egg at a time, beat well after each addition. Add in chocolate extract and mix till just combined.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients in 3 parts alternating with addition of milk in 2 parts. With each addition, fold until all ingredients are incorporated but "DO NOT OVERMIX". (Note: a photo below to show the baked results of being over-mix)
5. Separate the batter into 7 equal portions (180 gm each) in 7 different bowls.
6. Fold in each bowl of batter with one colour (a drop) each. Pour 1 bowl of batter into 1 baking tin.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 25 mins. Remove the cake from baking tin and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Wrap with cling wrap and store in fridge overnight before frosting.

Baking Tins Bought @ Daiso, Bukit Indah

Result of Over-Mixing the Batter

Frosting & Decor

1. Mix well frosty boy whipping crème, valrhona cocoa powder and chocolate extract with water.
2. Beat the mixture till stiff peak.

Assembling the cake

1. Put a little frosting in the centre of the cake board to adhere the first layer (purple) of the cake & frost it. (Note: do not use too much frosting in-between the layer as it will add on more weight as well as it might be too thick).
2. Continue stacking the cake, taking care to position the layers as evenly as possible, so that the sides of the cake are as straight as they can until all 7 layers are used up. (My color order is purple, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange then red from the cake board)
3. Apply a crumb coat of frosting on the entire cake, filling any gaps between layers. The colors of the cake will be very apparent, but don’t worry. Chill for an hour in the fridge.
4. Apply the second coat of frosting. Chill for an hour in the fridge again.
5. If necessary, apply the third coat. If not, you can smoothen the side & edge of the cake frost for a smooth finish.
6. Align the wafers as you wish along the wall of the cake (frosting will hold the wafer in place temporary) & tie a ribbon around the wafers to hold the wafer is place (this will prefer the wafers to drop off the cake during transportation & looks good too).
7. Align the M&M on top of the cake in circular direction from the edge of the cake all the way into the centre of the cake.
8. Lastly place a "Happy Birthday" Chocolate Sign in the centre for a completed décor.
9. Keep in fridge till enjoy!

8" Rainbow Cake - Lemon Flavour

8" Rainbow Cake

I had been seeing lots of rainbow cake posted on Facebook and selling in the bakery retail outlets. My uni-mate "Robbert" send me 2 pictures of rainbow cake make by his Dutch's Friend as shown below.

Rainbow Cake 1

Rainbow Cake 2

Thereafter we make an agreement that if he can clear his last semester exam and graduate with me and other uni-mates, I shall bake one Rainbow Cake to celebrate our successful hurdle of our life.

On 09.06.2014 Sunday, we have our BBQ gathering @ Rob's house, therefore I bake this cake for everyone who attended. I'm glad they are all pleased with the taste and look of the cake. I'm very satisfied with my challenge in baking it and will make it again.

Recipe attached as below:-

Ingredients

Cake

2 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme Cake Mix (Lemon/White)
8 Eggs
230 ml Vegetable Oil (I used olive oil)
320 ml Water
6 color Coloring Gel (I used Wilton Icing Colors)

Note: You can refer to the blog named “Mandy’s Baking Journey” for Basic Sponge Cake Recipe instead of using the Pillsbury Premix.

My color combination as follow:
Purple = Violet
Blue = Royal Blue
Green = Kelly Green
Yellow = Golden Yellow
Orange = Lemon Yellow + Golden Yellow
Red = “No Taste” Red

Frosting & Decor

200 gm         Frosty Whip Whipping Crème

300 ml          Water

1 container   Redonda Luxury Cream Wafers

                     (Assorted Flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry)

1 packet       M&M

1 pc             Strawberry

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven at 170°C.
2. Grease and line the 8 inch round/square baking tins with baking paper, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well.
4. Separate the batter in 6 equal portions into 6 bowls.
5. Color each bowl of batter (Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red) & set aside.
6. Pour 1 bowl of batter into baking tin.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 15mins or till cooked.
8. Cool the cake in the baking tins for 10mins.
9. Remove the cake onto the wire rack for completely cooling.
10. Repeat step 6 to 9 till all colors are bake. (If you have 6 similar baking tins, time taken will be shorten)
11. Cut away the dome on each color of baked cake if any.
12. Wrap each cake with cling wrap & keep in fridge. (This step is to prevent the cake to give out lots of crumb during frosting process)

Frosting & Decor

1. Mix well the whipping crème with water.
2. Beat the mixture till stiff peak.
3. Add essence or color if desired and mix well.

Assembling the cake

1. Put a little frosting in the centre of the cake board to adhere the first layer (purple) of the cake & frost. (Note: do not use too much frosting in-between the layer as it will add on more weight as well as it might be too thick).
2. Continue stacking the cake, taking care to position the layers as evenly as possible, so that the sides of the cake are as straight as they can until all 6 layers are used up. (My color order is purple, blue, green, yellow, orange then red from the cake board)
3. Apply a crumb coat of frosting on the entire cake, filling any gaps between layers. The colors of the cake will be very apparent, but don’t worry. Chill for an hour in the fridge.
4. Apply the second coat of frosting. Chill for an hour in the fridge again.
5. If necessary, apply the third coat. If not, you can smoothen the side & edge of the cake frost for a smooth finish.
6. Align the wafers as you wish along the wall of the cake (frosting will hold the wafer in place temporary) & tie a ribbon around the wafers to hold the wafer is place (this will prefer the wafers to drop off the cake during transportation & looks good too).
7. Align the M&M on top of the cake in circular direction from the edge of the cake all the way into the centre of the cake.
8. Lastly place a strawberry in the centre for a completed décor.
9. Keep in fridge till enjoy!