I'm baking again after a year

The Red Velvet Cake

I'm back, back again after almost a year of absence from blogging.... Things were not that good, that I've almost lost my mood on baking. But now, I hoped that the red velvet cake was a mark for my coming back-my medicine for my sorrows.. There is a little story behind this red velvet cake. I have baked it for the request of a friend for a festive season, then posted the picture on FB, and finally it came to the possession of a good old school friend . I've transported it to Malacca. Then, what really happened next was the repeat order for this particular cake. I have never ever imagine that this cake was such a big hit. I bake cakes with my own passion, I really want other people to feel and love cakes, and I am not doing short cuts in terms of ingredients. Simply because I have been frustrated with so many not so tasty-expensive cakes, people charging exorbitant prices. Well, I am not a part time baker, I am just someone who loves tasty and delicious cakes, I bake cakes for love. And I know cakes love me too, they would never let me down, ever..... May cakes rule our heart, may love heal our pain....

After a long hiatus

After a long absence, I am finally here. It's been 5 months since I've been blogging. I was extremely busy, and some things did not work out as I've planned. I do not know when I am absolutely free to blog as much as I could just leke the good old days. But for now, I am satisfied if i could blog for a little bit. I am featuring some pictures of a fondant chocolate mudpie cake from Choffles. I could say that I am very impressed with Choffles, Bandar Sunway and the owner was very friendly. The service was excellent and Mr. Baker was ever ready to cater to our needs. This is one good cake store to be recommended. Thank you, Choffles!

P/s: no pic right now, pics can't be uploaded

Hope that it's going to be a good year ahead- Bon Voyage 2008

I've been keeping myself very low for the past 1 and 1/2 months. Problems kept coming, and I have often wondered whether it would go away. My baking stuffs have been in their long hiatus. I could not bake, could not get any inspirations as I had had unresolved dissatisfactions. Sometimes, it is not good to be all that very nice. People would step on you. Sometimes, when we take some drastic measures or decisions, people would not believe that you have made up your mind. That you are not going take back all your decisions. That behind all your kindness, and nice demeanor- there lies a claw of a lionness that would strike back when it feels that it is being attacked. But, as God has outlined its fate, He has also given us some good things behind those unhappy episodes in your life. Yes, I have learn to rely on my instincts, on my decision-making ability. That when you feel it is not right, it is not right.

When you love your child, you learn to protect him unconditionally, you take risks, you sacrifise time and money so that your child would be in the hands of trusted people. I am glad that I have learn so much for the past two months. I have learn to trust my own judgement. Since this is my last entry for this year, I hope that there would be more projects of cupcakes in the pipeline. I'll be having a good trusted electric Fagor oven for this coming year, (well.. it's still in the Harvey Norman store), I hope that more cakes are baking heavenly in my new oven. For those who frequent this blog (is there any?, I know one friend who is all always asking for my updates of blog)- "Happy New Year, everyone. May cupcakes rule your heart. May I have some time to share my thoughts and tips with friends and alike". Bon Voyage 2008. Welcome 2009...

Sometimes.... life is just like that

Being busy is one thing, being out of touch with your own passion is another thing. Why is it time is so precious to us when we become adults, that we would always remember our childhood moments? When things are just so easy, when we would have time to do things that we do like. I guess that is why people always say that being a child is one of the best moments in our life or perhaps the best. Yes, I've been busy, too pre-occupied in my never ending life commitments, that I've often wonder where it would end. Sometimes we need to sacrifice our own passion just to make others happy. Or maybe I am in the wrong profession, only God knows. There are too many things to take care of that I can't blog for a couple of months.That is why no matter how much I like to blog and post pictures of my recipes, I cannot find time to do it.

Recently, I've completed orders for blueberry cheese and pineapple tarts, red velvet and chocolate heaven cakes for my colleagues. Only charging them for the price of the ingredients, very minimal, simply because I couldn't have the heart to charge exorbitant prices even if I was using good and quality ingredients. I even told myself that I was not making money, just doing out favours. Then, I've realized that I've forgotten to try out new recipes or even post any articles or pictures for blogs- that I've lost my touch with cyber world. There are too many new developments for other blogs that I am not aware of. Perhaps, sometimes we cannot just get and do what ever that we like in life. There are just too many things for me to concentrate. I have to sacrifice my blogging for this few couple of weeks. My job needs me a lot... too bad, though.

It's been quite sometime

It's been a while, since I've updated my blog. I was busy with the Ramadhan month and the festive Eid. So, I have to let go my likings- of testing, creating and baking cakes and blogging. I don't know whether my blog is that significant that people would miss it. But I know I have a couple of friends who diligently do some follow-ups to my blogs.. Thanks anyway.

I would resume my baking activities after two weeks and would try to post some pics of cakes and alike. By the way, my friend liked the Red Velvet cake I've baked for her very much that she had asked me to bake another one for her mother's birthday. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the cake -due to my exhaustion.... Well, happy raya to my friends...

Pistachio Chocolate Marbling Cake

This is one cake which is so nice, dense and tasty. It uses pistachio, cocoa powder and yoghurt/sour cream. The best part was the use of pistachio paste together with chopped pistachio. I simply like pistachios as they are different from the usual, ordinary, commercialised almonds. Pistachios are said to be good for the brains. They helped us memorise better. Well. if it's good for the brains- it should be good for the tastebuds too.

So, what about the cake? Well, I can say that the taste was simply out of this world. I have created it using the marbling effect. I even have adapted it accordingly and the results were superb. The actual name was Gateau Surprise Chocolat Pistache Recipe from 101 Cookbooks. But since, the original name was a bit mouthful, I have given a simpler name. Frost it using Chocolate Ganache, you are simply going to "world heaven".

A Promise To Keep

Recently, I've journeyed into a world of self-indulgence. Self-indulgence would mean finding my own soul, browsing on new recipes, or just simply being busy. Then, I've discovered that I've forgotten my own promise to a practical student. She has asked for three different flavours of cupcakes. Well, I was a bit apprehensive a bit to do the baking for orders as I felt that other people could do better than me. Or maybe I was a bit frustrated with a recent episode of Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with the kids that I was ready to surrender my Russell Hobbs mixer. Then as fate has intervened, my balloon whisks were broken. Next, I was reminded by my practical student of the cupcakes. What a promise I have given her....

Yes, last Thursday night - on 8 p.m. I was tempted to buy a Kenwood mixer in a local electrical superstore. Yes, tempted... in a spur of a moment. The mixer would set me back for MYR 2K. The only setback for me was my limited fund of credit card. Needed Mr. Hubby who was always on the limitless line of fund. Indeed, Mr. Hubby was away and would only be back by 9 p.m. So, I did say goodbye to Kenwood Mixer but promised the salesperson to come back..But, lastly I've settled for a Phillips hand-held mixer which costed me MYR78.... Sad but true, I was being self-pity. Working for almost 9 years now, but I have to sacrifice my own passion of buying a 4.8l Kenwood Mixer because of my own limited fund in the Credit Card... Sad, so sad...

These pictures of cupcakes by my brand new Phillips mixer perhaps ( hopefully) would make my day... Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Yoghurt Cupcakes with Hershey's Chocolate Ganache.