Orange Yogurt Cupcake + Chocolate-Butterscotch Ganache Frosting

Rain, rain go away.. come again another day? Rain, rain go away... so that I could go out and play! Damp air, gloomy grey skies, cold wind gushing, has left me spending most weekends buried under a pile of baking books, trying to get some inspiration. But all I could think of was not wanting to change out of my PJs, staying under my sheets of comforter, cuddling a fluffy pillow and go off to Neverland to dream. I recently realised that my blog and passion for food & desserts has been slightly neglected. Forgive me if I had gone MIA. I told myself that I needed to stay focus at work, and that's what I did. So there are a few back dated posts that will be coming right up real soon.

Was it only last week, that we celebrated Halloween? Anyways, I am starting this lovely month of November with early baked Christmas goodies. This is the easiest, tastiest and good looking ORANGE YOGURT CUPCAKE with CHOCOLATE-BUTTERSCOTCH GANACHE FROSTING with easy to make coral blush fondant toppers.

Baking Recipe: Sweet, Salty Butterscotch Chocolate Ganache Cake

 

Sweet and salty in a cake? This is another match made in heaven. In my opinion, butterscotch itself is way too sweet. However if you add a just a pinch of salt, the salt somehow helps to balance and tone down the sweetness of butterscotch.

While there are a lot of recipes out there incorporating salty caramel and chocolate cake together, this is my own take of this version. I've replace the salty caramel with my own salty butterscotch cake filling. Here is my own trick. There is no salt involve, however the filling has cream cheese incorporated. I love the taste of cream cheese, as it's mildly salted and creamy. Plus point; cream cheese goes really well with dark chocolate cakes. And for you non-sweet tooth lovers, there's no powdered sugar involve in the filling. I relied on the sweetness of the butterscotch, and to my surprise it works out perfectly.

For recipe: Click on image + Zoom

The only extra work of this process, is just baking the cake. I've repeated this chocolate cake recipe (tweaked to my own likeness) so many times in my other posts. You could say that I'm the type that tend to stick to the best tried and tested recipe.

Now, as for the rest [which is the frosting] is simple and smooth. I try to simplify as much possible, so you have less work pacing back and forth ;). Perhaps just some washing up? And all hard work will be rewarded with some indulgence. So sit back, have a glass of milk and enjoy the the rich, moist, fluffy dark chocolate cake with light, creamy and not so sweet salty butterscotch filling.

xx

{Post-Christmas) Maple Butterscotch Pudding with Scotch Whisky

 

Admist of all the celebration, I now manage to find some little time to share with you what has been going on in my kitchen. Perhaps at the same time, I'm taking in some time to reflect on what has happen in the whole year of 2010. Lots has happen, from losing both my paternal and maternal grandma the same year just 2 weeks apart from one another, focusing on myself to be better, spend more time with family, and I did something which I never dreamt of doing. Joining FoodBuzz and now ever more so sure that I like to focus my blog on cooking, baking and some travels when I do get away.  

I know I may be late in posting some of these recipes, however, I really like to share them with you nevertheless. Also, below is the snippet of my Christmas Family Tree for Dec 2010. I have the tendency to change the theme yearly. Lol.. This year is Red and Gold.

Apart from my Celebration Cupcakes, I also made Maple Butterscotch Pudding and added a couple of tablespoon of whiskie {lol}. Am certainly living  the statement "Lets eat, drink and be merry!" Not to worry, this pudding is so simple to make and nothing of it is from express pudding mix. Did not cheat and use butterscotch morsels from Tollhouse too. Not forgetting to mention, this pudding recipe is adapted from another foodie, Lynn from I'll Have What She's Having. Infact, Lynn stopped by my blog and commented on one of my post and that's how I got to know her from there. She has a very delicious and attractive blog. And of course,  I found another foodie friend who inspires me.

Recipe
adapted from Lynn from I'll Have What She's Having

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted (i used unsalted butter)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch (like me, i ran out of cornstarch. so i substituted with tapioca flour, works the same)
3 cups whole milk 3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Gelinotte Maple Liqueur (if unavailable use whisky or rum, or omit the alcohol; i opted for my mom's best scotch whisky)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare maple butterscotch:

1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Stir in the sugar, maple syrup and salt. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch/ tapioca flour with 1/4 cup of the milk until is completely dissolved. Whisk in the egg yolks.

3. Slowly pour the remaining milk into the butter and sugar, whisking constantly. Then add the cornstarch/ tapioca flour mixture.

4. Return the saucepan to the stove. Whisk constantly until the mixture starts to boil. Lower the heat and continue to whisk for one minute. The mixture should be quite thick.

5. Pour into 4 serving bowls and chill for at least four hours.

Note: I found some really cute Christmas theme mini cups to serve my butterscotch pudding. Since they were medium in size, I was able to fill 5 mini-medium sized cups.

Enjoy! 

xx