Homecoming....

Jalan Tukang Besi, Melaka
The Blacksmith's Road, Melaka

This is -Venice of the East

Home- is where the heart stays on...

Recently, I went back to my hometown. It was only a 4-day break, but a well-deserved one. Armed with a camera, I went for an exploration around town. Getting to know my hometown or simply reliving all the moments. I have spent my childhood and teenage days in the former sleepy hollow town of Melaka, now I am coming back to a vibrant and charming historical city of Melaka. Ooo.. I miss my hometown. Been away for many years, but I am still longing for this maiden city. They say, home is where you reside- but I beg to differ. This is my home, where I know my humble beginnings, where I know the best cendol in town, not the one served in a fancy restaurant- but this is where I know the nooks and crooks of narrow streets lined with old merchants' shops. This is where you get to know your pasts, where you imagine that when you grow up you would like to migrate to the other big city, however-eventually you keep dreaming of your own home- your own sleepy hollow town. Not the city that endears to the bus load of tourists but the one which is charming in its own way laced with historical moments. Only the old buildings became the witness of whatever had happened in the pasts. This is my home- and I am glad, that I have gone back... My home...

A Break In The City

A white-theme lifestyle cafe

Location: The Curve, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Lunch in a Malay restaurant @The Curve

Seeing this fountain- makes me feel so happy. It is so tranquil...

Location : Mid-Valley Gardens, Kuala Lumpur.

Everybody needs a break, somehow rather. So, I'm taking a break. Shall I say, retail therapy or better still the simple term of window shopping. That means thrawling around shopping malls but buy nothing. Nothing at all, just to have some ideas and inspirations. Just to soak the simple pleasures of having the opportunities in life, and mingle around. When the stress level is too high, even baking cupcakes seemed to be a chore. I know when I had had enough of things around me when I could not even have a wink, when I seem to be having difficulties of remembering things of the past or I do not even bother to do house chores. There and then, I am taking the signs- soak in the pleasures in life, you would never know how good these pleasures are. So, when ever you feel that pressure, do take a break at times- in between. You will never know what you have really missed all this while .

A Blog No More

The recipe for these cupcakes was featured in my former blog- Coconut Pandan cupcakes

Black Bottom recipe was also featured in my former blog

This morning, I have the urgency to check on something. Someone has messed up with my blog account where I have painstakingly archiving my cupcakes' recipes collection. The account has been with me for two solid years, way before blogspot was even famous. My account has been considered as a " spammer". I cannot even retrieve all my recipes- yes, all lost - thanks to so some handful people who has invaded my blog with spammers, and regretfully, I have not thrash them all due to my laziness to check my e-mail account. Now, I have lost my collection of cupcakes' recipes. All lost.... What else can I do. So, from now onwards I will only concentrate on this blogspot account. Then, I will do another blog specially for cupcakes, cakes and other recipes account. This time I will be more adventurous. Well, I will not be that very sad now. Nothing could be done.. So, dear friends and readers - do not attempt to go to http://www.cup-a-cake.blog.com/. The account is now considered as a spammer. Good bye my cup-a-cake account, I will miss you terribly... Bon Voyage

Birthday Cakes For A Happy Kid

Chocolate and Mango Cake - The Cake was cut into half and frosted with chunks of mango and whipped cream.

The happy kid with cousins and auntie


Celebrating birthday in kindy


Cake No.3 - Chocolate Mango Cake

Cake No.2- French Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Cake No 1- Chocolate Heaven Frosted With Chocolate Ganache

My kid turned 5 recently and I have decided to do a mammoth project. Baking 3 birthday cakes altogether. Cake No. 1 was for his kindy class. Cake no.2 was for day care and Cake No. 3 was for home celebration with lovely aunties, sporting uncles and cute cousins. Since I am catering for kids, I have to resort doing only chocolate cakes with 3 different recipes. The challenging part was decorations and how to attract kids.

Well, Cake No. 1 was simply sold out. The kids loved it very much. Cake No. 2 was a pleasant surprise, as the daycare teacher brought back the remaining cake. Cake No.3 was actually my favourite. Ainsley Harriot's chocolate and mango cake. No, it was not his original recipe. I have lost it since in the year 2001 or 2002, mum threw the magazine cutting that I have painstakingly saved back in West Sussex and brought back to Malaysia. However, I have managed to recreate the recipe, maybe not the exact taste, but who would have complained right.

For those who do not have any idea who Ainsley Harriot is, he is actually another of my favourite celebrated chef from Britain. Ainsley Harriot is a very famous chef in his home country because he has this 'happy' face, warm demeanor and not forgetting good, not- going -to- fail recipes. He may not be as famous as Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson in this part of this world-i.e Southeast Asia, but he has this ability to create feel good dessert recipes, cakes that you actually like to eat in your own free time with a cup of hot black coffee.

Well, back to my client, he was indeed a happy kid, who wouldn't right- if you have three birthday parties in a row. Birthday cakes make a happy kid, indeed. Happy 5th birthday, dear son.....

Take A Break

Childhood days are always the best

Dreaming of the highlands

I want to smell the flowers

It's been such a hectic week or should I say a hectic year for me. I am dreaming for a holiday. A long-due vacation, where I can sleep and do nothing, where I can start my daydreaming moments, where I can stop thinking about the vacuum cleaner and washing machine. Yes, everyone needs a break. Life is too short to start thinking about trivial matters. Sometimes it's always about the others.. but what about me and me. It's going to be another one month to go before we say good bye to 2010. Where have I been for the past one year, what have I done, have I really spend myself with my own self. Well, the truth is -the year 2010 is not really a smooth year for me. There had to be bumpy moments, not-so good times, loss in the family. I am tired. I need a break. There would always be things expected on me, people rely on me, people asking for help, people thought you are all right and they forgot that sometimes you do have frustrations too. People forgot that you are a just a normal human being, a person with feelings and emotions, that you need to slow down. Well, I am taking a small step now, saying "NO" if I can't do some tasks, people need to be fair to me too, I am no longer a "YES" person whom you can just running around asking for help. I am not bothered if there are skeletons in my closet. I am not bothered of thoughts of other people if I am not able to help them. I am not bothered too if there are people in the pasts who put labels on me and think they are angels and high above compared to me. I am not going to label people as to me only God is perfect. No human being is bound not to make mistakes. I am contented with my life now. I treasure every moment, to be able to breathe, to be able to have happy moments. As for me, I am going away for a holiday next week- I need a break, everyone needs a break. Life is short, so be nice to everybody- because when you are no longer here, people would only talk good things about you. I would like to remember life as it is.....precious moments, happy times spent with loved ones. That should be life ......

No Butter Muffins

Blueberry muffins- I have used fresh ones instead of frozen blueberries

Chocolate muffins- with chocolate chips

My chocolate muffins are plumping up

Believe me- there is no butter in these muffins

When I first read this recipe, I thought that it was a typo-error. This muffin recipe called for no butter at all. It only used milk, sugar, vanilla and so on. I read the recipe twice and it didn't mention butter. Well, call it something that is out of the box, so my experiment begin. The blueberry muffin did not rise well enough because I didn't cream the eggs and sugar with my mixer. Then, I 've realised my mistake. I should have creamed the eggs and sugar first, before adding the flour. Next, I did the chocolate muffins. I have creamed the eggs and sugar well enough. Better than the first blueberry muffin batch. After that, my chocolate muffins did rise well enough. The muffins really plumped up. And who would have guessed there is definitely no butter in these muffins. Well, perhaps we must never be afraid to try out out of the box recipes, recipes which are not that conventional right.... Verdict- sold-out muffins at the work place.

A Hummingbird For A Friend

The texture of the cake- dense and moist

The Hummingbird Cake Frosted With Mascarpone Cream Cheese,Hawaiian Coconut , Pecan Nuts and Jelly

The Hummingbird Cake -side way

Happy Birthday My Dear....

What better way to appreciate a friend whom you have known for the past 16 years than baking a humble cake to celebrate her 34th birthday? Buying her jewellery? Or celebrate her birthday?Well, my friend, Ms Yusni Laily Sufian or Elly has just celebrated her birthday on 19th of November and she was asking a Red Velvet. But I have refused her... (hahahha), I told her that I would be baking a very nice, sweet cake instead. Just a reason to bake my own favourite cake... (aha). Since the Red Velvet is very cliche these days, I have decided to bake the Hummingbird Cake. Instead of using corn oil, I have used unsalted butter, and what a good decision to do that as the cake was so yummy and delicious, due to the use of butter. Yes, thank you dear Mrs Wiggins who has invented this cake in 1978. I could say that this cake is very humble compared to the sophisticated Red Velvet. Why do I say it is a humble cake? Simply because, you wouldn't even guess its ingredients, but its taste would be out of this world. Thank you once again Mrs Wiggins....