Thursday 31 March 2011

Coffee cake to crave

Some days as a mum you reach the end of your day and you have failed in all aspects.  If it was a test you would have received a gigantic red F written in red across the top of the page.  Occasionally a day comes along though where you have had epic success and it seems to get you through those days of disaster.  Today has been one of those days!  It has been awhile since I have had one so I am feeling pretty good right now.  By 10 am this morning I had cleaned the house (vacuumed and bathrooms cleaned!), got a load of laundry done, kids and myself showered and dressed, managed to keep cool through tantrums, had a decent conversation on the phone with my mum and baked one of the yummiest coffee cakes.   Now I am putting my feet up after having a lovely morning sharing tales of motherhood over coffee and cake with one of my closest friends.

Now I didn't make just any cake to share with my friend.  I made only THE BEST coffee cake I have ever tasted.  This is a cake that has me waking at night craving its buttery goodness.  I have never ever been one to crave food until this cake came along.  Not even when I was pregnant. So be warned, if you try this at home it will not last long and will leave you wanting more.  When I knew my close friend was coming over for the morning I decided that this would have to be what I served as it has been a whole two weeks since I have had it!

In the US coffee cake is traditionally served for breakfast as us americans love our sweets in the morning, but this cake could really be an any time of day cake with one rule: It must be served with coffee.  I found this recipe off of Allrecipes but I have tweaked it quite a bit to make it my own.   You can see the original recipe at the following link: 


  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter (115 g)
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup milk, or as needed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  •  
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter (55 g)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup oats, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cinnamon and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. rub or cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Cut or rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Crack an egg into a measuring cup and then fill add milk to make 1 cup. Stir in vanilla. Pour into crumb mixture and mix just until moistened. Spread into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes then take out and add streusel top and bake for a further 5-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.







Wednesday 30 March 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcake

When I was a kid I remember knowing most of the the people in the neighborhood.  We would often bring baking to the new neighbors, new mums and to people who needed a bit of cheer.  I was thinking about this the other day, realizing that I hardly know my neighbors.  Is this just me or do neighbors keep to themselves these days??  Determined to do something about this I have nominated my cupcakes to go to my neighbors who have recently had a baby.  I thought long and hard about what cupcake creation to make and decided that every new mum needs a good chocolate desert.  Even better yet, what about a chocolate chip cookie paired with a chocolate cupcake! Seriously! I saw a blog post for this awhile ago and have been excited to try it out.  So my experimental cupcake for the week is a chocolate cupcake with a chocolate chip cookie baked in the inside.  When you cut open the cupcake it reveals the surprise cookie inside. Genius whoever came up with this idea!

For the chocolate cupcake I used the same recipe I used for last weeks reeses cupcake and I used reserved batter from yesterdays cookie for the middle of the cake.  I filled one desert spoon of batter into the cupcake case then placed a small ball of the cookie on top, finishing it with another desert spoon of batter on top being careful not to fill the cupcake more than 2/3 full.

For the frosting I used a butter cream frosting (see below), drizzled it with chocolate sauce and sprinkled it with mini M&Ms.  These were definitely worth a try!

When you are a mum there are constant interuptions and today was no exception.  I got halfway through making these cupcakes when I had to leave them rest for awhile.  In the end I was cooking dinner and baking cupcakes at the same time.  My husband laughed when he walked in the door to see the mess.  He told me I was crazy to take on such a task.  Personally I was secretly proud of myself that I was able to pull both dinner and the cakes off and was relieved that I didnt mix up the recipes!

Butter Cream Frosting
1 1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
1/2 T vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 T lukewarm water

Directions
Cream the butter with a mixer until smooth.  Add the icing sugar 1/2 c at a time mixing until completely incorporated and smooth.  Mix in the vanilla and salt at a low speed until smooth and then add the water mixing until icing is fluffy.


Tuesday 29 March 2011

Cookie Monsters Tea Party

My daughter loves Cookie Monster.  I think she feels somewhat connected to him as she shares his LOVE for cookies.  From the moment she wakes she is asking for cookies and her face lights up with delight when offered one for morning tea.

Because of this reason I couldn't resist the opportunity to bake her favourite treat.  To her, baking the cookies is even more fun than the cookies themselves and like cookie monster she often cannot wait to eat the cookies before they have finished.

Now I love a basic chocolate chip cookie.  I really don't believe there are any cookies that beat this simple creation.  In the past I have always stuck to using the Nestle Tollhouse recipe.  The soft chewy biscuit seemed a winner to me so I have never attempted any other recipes. I thought it was about time I took a risk and searched online for recommendations. I finally found what I was looking for on Allrecipes and I was definitely not disappointed.  The cookie was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making it the ultimate chewy cookie.  Not only that but it looked the part as well.  This cookie will definitely be a keeper.  

After pulling the cookies out of the oven my daughter and I did the only logical thing: have a tea part with Cookie Monster of course!  

I found this recipe on Allrecipes website:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/Detail.aspx








 

Thursday 24 March 2011

White Chocolate Chip Scones

I knew from early on this morning that I would need a pick-me-up.   After being up most of the night with a sick baby and fighting a nasty cold myself my toddler decided it was the day to announce her independence!  Before 7:30 this morning she had thrown three separate tantrums.  After dressing her she decided that she wanted her pyjamas on over her clothes which resulted in a tantrum as I did not understand what she wanted.  She decided she wanted chocolate chip biscuits of which I did not have any in the house and she insisted on colouring outside with chalk and when I did not join her (a girl has got to have her coffee) she proceeded to wake the entire neighbourhood.  Oh good morning to me!

Fortunately my day did get better and now I am sitting down to enjoy my white chocolate chip scones that are not only so yummy but so quick and easy to make (which can be crucial when only getting a short break from the kids).  My friend Ben has been asking me for this recipe so I decided it was a good time to share it with all.

This recipe is definitely the one to pull out when wanting to make all the other mums from your baby group think you are super organised and have plenty of time to bake goodies.  Its so quick and easy that I find I often put it together 20 minutes before a playdate when I realise the cupboards are bare and I have nothing to offer my guests.

Ingredients
2 c self raising flour
2 T butter
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk
cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F). Place a sheet of baking paper on top of baking sheet and lightly flour it.
2. In a large bowl stir together flour and brown sugar.  Rub in butter lightly with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in white chocolate.  Make a well in the centre and add the milk.  Gently mix until just combined.
3. Spoon mixture out onto lightly floured baking sheet and shape into a 1 inch thick rectangle.  Mixture will be sticky.  It can help to lightly sprinkle some flour on the top.  Cut the scones into 8 and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top.  (many people knead scones on a floured surface and then cut up but I find that doing it this way keeps scones from being too dense as the key to a good scone is not to over knead it.)
4. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool slightly on wire rack before serving.




Wednesday 23 March 2011

The first blog

Well today I said goodbye to my parents once again, knowing that I wont see them for at least another year.  Each time it gets just a little bit harder, especially now that I have two beautiful children.  Feeling horribly sorry for myself I decided to drown my sorrows in baking something wonderfully delicious (and then eating it of course). I then thought to myself, it might be time I finally start the baking blog that I have talked about for months.

So here it is.  The theme of this blog will mainly be experimentation of different cupcakes.  Each week I will endeavour to create or try a new cupcake recipe.  Very aware that having cake in the house will be extremely dangerous to my waist-line I also am out to find volunteers to take these cakes off my hands.  The recipients must be extremely deserving of these delectable treats so I am asking for people to nominate friends or family members they feel need a little sweetness added to their life.  Unfortunately due to the fact that I do live in New Zealand exportation of these cupcakes outside of the country would prove to be impossible.   

Occasionally I will also blog on other dessert recipes I have tried as well as my latest cake creations.  Anyone who is interested in purchasing any of my cakes or cupcakes can email me to discuss this.

As I have not received any nominations yet of who this weeks cupcakes will be given to as this is my first blog, I took it upon myself to donate the cupcakes to my father-in-law as it is his birthday today and what better way to spend a birthday then by eating cake!  And not just any cake, chocolate peanut butter cup cupcakes.  Personally I feel there is nothing better than the combination of chocolate and peanuts and a moist rich chocolate cake mixed with a creamy peanut butter icing was just what I needed to help me forget my blues. 

I researched until I found what looked like a stunning chocolate cupcake recipe to use as my base.  To the recipe I added a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup and on top of the cupcake I added a peanut butter icing.  I enlisted the help of my two year old with the mixing of the cake, not to mention licking the spoon. Only a two year old can find licking a spoon with only creamed butter on it delicious and I still am astounded every time she takes a taste of baking soda and says nodding "Mmmm, I like".  Overall I was very pleased with the results of the cupcake and will definitely be adding this to my repertoire.  The cupcake was very moist and the peanut butter butter cream icing was so delicious you could eat it by the spoonful.

You can view the recipe for the chocolate cupcake on All Recipes. I did change the recipe slightly based on suggestions and only used 3/4 cup milk and filled the cupcake cases only 1/2 to 2/3 full. I also placed a Reeses Peanut Butter cup at the bottom of each cupcake.  This is not entirely necessary as the cupcakes taste great without it as well.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Cupcakes/Detail.aspx?prop31=1


The peanut butter buttercream icing can be found on Food.com.  This is not quite enough for the full quantity of cupcakes so you will want to double the recipe.
http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-peanut-butter-buttercream-frosting-172801