Baking Recipe: Heavenly Mango Mousse Cake

Mango is in season, and every week lately there will be a basket full in my kitchen. How lucky am I? Frankly, mango is definitely one of my go to fruits whenever I've a craving for something sweet. It's rich, juicy and bursting with flavour.

I realised I've always been working with international fruits so much so that I decided it's time I worked with a fruit which is also grown locally and found in our local farmers market. Just in case you didn't know, mangoes are grown in Malaysia too, due to the beautiful tropical weather. In a way, we are pretty lucky people to be able to enjoy the fruit whole year round.

So over the weekend, I've been experimenting with mango. I have always wanted to try my hands on making a rich yet light mango cake. Bear in mind I do have a family who love their sweets but not too sweet. So it's always a challenge to find a perfect balance between sweetness and richness of a dessert without losing all it's elements. I baked a 3 layered cake with one layer sandwiched with mango mousse and another layer sandwiched with fresh cream and mango. Overall cake is frosted with light meringue butter cream.

Thus, what I have put together in the cake is what I feel in my opinion; arguably one of the best mango cake that you have ever taste. Although the recipes are not mine per say, however I always go to my trusted and tested recipes whenever I try to put a cake together. If you love mango plus it's another perfect summer treat, do read on for the recipe. I am sure your friends and family will be asking for seconds to third helpings. Enjoy!

Recipe

For white butter cake
adapted from Joy of Baking

Note: I tweaked the amount of milk, to get a moist butter cake. The recipe below is perfect for a 3 layered 6-inches cake.

2 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar, divided
1-2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 1tbsp milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

To prepare white butter cake:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees approx 177-180 Celsius. Grease 2 6-inches round cake pan and line with parchment paper. With a whisk and clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Then add in cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks forms. Transfer to another bowl, if you do not have a spare mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix cake flour, salt, and baking flour together. Next, change to a paddle attachment, beat butter and remainder of 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed until light, creamy and fluffy.

3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next, add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Divide cake flour mixture to 3 additions, starting with milk and ending with flour and continue mixing until well combined.

4. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in beaten egg whites into cake batter, and fold until well combine. Careful to not over mix and lose all the air. Otherwise cake will deflate.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool off completely.

For the mango mousse
adapted from Tartellete

Note: Use any mango that is available in your supermarket. It can be the Indian mango, Thai mango etc.
Preferably the Thai mango, if you must as it's naturally sweet and juicy. I made my own puree as I couldn't locate it in my supermarket.

To make your own puree, slice 1 mango into cubes. The flesh from the seed can be used too. However it has loads of fibre, therefore, try not to slice onto the seed. With a food processor or blender, puree the mango. Sieve it through a sieve and follow further instructions below to make your mango mousse.

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 tbsp water
4 oz (120gr) mango puree
2 tbsps sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream, cold

To prepare mango mousse:

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let it soften while you prepare the fruit.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the mango puree and sugar to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add in the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely melted.

3. Transfer the fruit puree to a large bowl and let it cool down to room temperature.

4. Using a whisk attachment attached to the mixer, whip the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the fruit puree to lighten it up (do not worry about losing air at this point). Carefully fold in the rest of the whipped cream. You will notice that the mixture appears a little runny. Cover mousse with cling film wrap. To help it set nicely to a spreading consistency, do chill it in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes before spreading it over the cake.

For fresh cream and mango chunks layer

1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 a mango, sliced into cubes

To prepare whipped cream:

1. With a whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peak forms.

For light meringue butter cream

2 large white eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
4-5 tsps lemon juice
1-2 tsp pure clear vanilla extract

To prepare meringue butter cream frosting:

1. Mix whites and sugar in a mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves for approx. 2-3 mins and mixture is warm.

2. Remove from heat. With a whisk attachment, whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, for about 5 minutes. Add butter, several cubes at a time, whisking after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla then beat for another 2 minutes, scrapping down sides of bowl when needed.

To assemble cake:

1. Slice one of the cake into half. Use the thicker baked cake as the base. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream. Layer cut mango cubes evenly on cake and top with remainder whipped cream.

2. Layer next layer of cake, and spread the mango mousse over the layer and finally layer with final layer of cake. With a cake spread, remove access mousse and whipped cream. Chill cake in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to allow mousse and whipped cream to set before frosting. Thaw before serving.

xx

Baking Recipe: Blueberry Muffin with Cream Cheese Filling & A Switchup

 

I was going through my collection recently, and realised that I have not shared with you my blueberry muffin with lemon cream cheese filling. Sometime ago, I had my hands on blueberries and I just couldn't resist from baking my family a batch of warm, soft berry muffins. This is a great weekend breakfast treat. Serve it with coffee, latte or milk and I assure you it's possibly the best way to kick start your weekend.

What is the switch up? I made some light vanilla bean cream [recipe] to frost some of the muffins, and turn them into blueberry cuppies. So at the end we have 2 choices. A plain blueberry muffin filled with all the goodies and a another one which is slightly sinful is a blueberry muffin or cuppies frosted with a tiny heap of light vanilla bean cream topped with a fresh berry.

Recipe

For the blueberry lemon cream cheese muffins
adapted from Two Peas and their Pod  (Yields about 9 muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup canola oil (or substitute with vegetable oil)
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)


Cream cheese filling:
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon sugar
**Some Turbinado sugar-for sprinkling on muffins before baking


To prepare muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan or line pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub sugar and zest together, until fragrant. Add to the flour mixture and whisk again.

4. In a separate medium bowl, mix canola oil, egg, milk, and vanilla together.

5. Incorporate the wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add slowly and do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy and thick. Gently fold in the blueberries.

6. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, lemon zest, and sugar until smooth. Fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Next, add about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling to each muffin cup. Cover each cup with remaining batter so you can't see the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar.

7. Bake muffins for 17-20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins cool on a cooking rack.

xx

Baking Recipe: For Dad (Moist Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream)

This is what was left of the cake..

Now that I recall back, I've not had the privilege to back for my dad last year. I know on and off I do cook or bake, but since now that I'm blogging, it has given me more reason to cook and bake. I get to write about it, you get to read about it and not forgetting a pure treat on a weekly basis. A win-win situation after all. And as for the reasons? If you're interested..

1. To blog and share with you tested recipes [didn't I say that earlier?LOLs]
2. To share with you the joy of indulgence
3. Most importantly; is seeing my dad who enjoys what I baked for him and hearing all the sweet sweet compliments.

If you're a chocolate lover, then you will love this recipe. I love this chocolate cake recipe to bits. It's my trusty companion. Apart from the Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe. Here's also another cake which I baked a couple months back using Martha's recipe. If you like creme de menthe buttercream with dark chocolate cake recipe, check out my Mr Persnickety Cake .

Whenever I'm craving for a chocolate cake, I either use Martha's or Hershey's recipe. Trust me, they will not fail you. To sum up, the recipe will give you a lusciously dark, moist, aromatic, melt in the mouth chocolate cake.

Recipe:

For the cake
adapted from Martha's Living Magazine
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for my own cake, I used 3/4 dark cocoa powder + 3/4 dutch cocoa powder)
1 1/2 cups cake flour/ all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sour cream (since I had buttermilk, I substituted with butter milk)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (for my own, I used approx. 2-3 tsp of vanilla extract)

To prepare dark moist chocolate cake:

1. Preheat over to 350 deg or approx 180 Celsius. Butter or use Wilton's cake release to coat an 8-by-12-inch cake pan. Line bottom with parchment.

2. Lightly whisk using a hand whisk to combine cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Then transfer to your stand mixer's mixing bowl. With a paddle attachment, mix in eggs, warm water, milk, sour cream or buttermilk, butter and vanilla extract. Keep mixing with medium speed until batter is smooth with no lumps.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool for a bit before transferring onto a wire rack to complete cooling.

For the frosting:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or replace it with chocolate chips or buttons)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1/3 stick salted butter
4 tbsp vegetable shortening
6-7 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 -1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To prepare frosting:

1. Place chopped chocolate, chocolate chips or buttons in a medium sized bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil.

2. Immediately pour cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let the ganache sit at room temperature until slightly firm (approx. 1 hour). With a whisk, whisk and beat the ganache until creamy smooth, light and stiff. Set a side.

3. Attach the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Beat salted and unsalted butter together with vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to mix until well combined.

4. Fold in vanilla extract; and with a rubber spatula fold in whipped chocolate frosting into butter cream mixture. Gently fold and mix until combine. Place cream in refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to set before spreading over the cake, if chocolate butter cream is too soft.

xx

Currently Coveting

1. Bake: From Cookies to Casseroles, Fresh from the Oven by Rachel Allen
2. The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
3. Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home by Nigella Lawson
4. Peggy's Favourite Cakes & Cookies by Peggy Porschen
5. Mad About Macarons!: Make Macarons Like the French by Jill Colonna
6. The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz
7. The Whoopie Pie Book by Claire Ptak
8. Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again by Ina Garten

Isn't there at times you just wish you could grab your hands on the items you desire? Be it a great dress, or chic table ware, baking utensils to cook books? Or even a place you would like to visit perhaps; to experience all the culinary culture and adventure?

I realised that I've always been secretly wishing tons of things, and right now I will gather my wishlisht and share them with you. So here's what I'm currently coveting on, and just maybe I might get one or couple of them soon..

xx

Baking Recipe: Robin's Egg Blue Wedding (White Chocolate Chip Butter Cake + Vanilla Orange Buttercream)

Don't you just love the colour blue? And I mean not any colour blue.. to be specific Robin's Egg Blue. I really love this colour and found it to be rather calm, relaxing and adds some vintage flare.

Before it slip off my mind, to digress.. Lisa from Sweet As Sugar Cookies have invited me to join in the Treats Party. I've linked up 2 desserts of mine (Creamy Lemon Cheesecake and Scrumptious Strawberry Tarts). So go check out Lisa's website too if you love to get a sugar rush like I do.

Okay, now back to where I left off.. Over the weekend, I had a tiny project. Originally was to bake a 2 tier wedding cake, but I decided to make it a small 6 inches single tier cake with other tiny cuppies. Have not made those little ones in a while now.

To be honest, I really had no idea on how to decorate. I sketched so many designs and at the end of the day, I didn't even stick to what I drew, typical of me...LOLs. Instead, I decided that the cake has to be rustic and full shabby chic-ness. No clue what to call the cake yet, but I thought "Robin's Egg Blue" sounds catchy. What do you think?

At the end, the designs were impromptu, and if you love a good white butter cake, read on for recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe

For white butter cake

adapted from Joy of Baking

2 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar, divided
1-2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup semi dark chocolate chips (optional)

To prepare white butter cake:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees approx 177-180 Celsius. Grease 2 6-inches round cake pan and line with parchment paper. With a whisk and clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Then add in cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks forms. Transfer to another bowl, if you do not have a spare mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix cake flour, salt, and baking flour together. Next, change to a paddle attachment, beat butter and remainder of 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed until light, creamy and fluffy.

3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Divide cake flour mixture to 3 additions, starting with milk and ending with flour and continue mixing until well combined.

4. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in beaten egg whites into cake batter, and fold until well combine. Toss in chocolate chips (optional) and careful to not over mix and lose all the air. Otherwise cake will deflate.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool off completely.

For vanilla butter cream with hint of orange flavour

4-5 tbsp of orange juice (freshly squeeze)
3-4 cups of icing sugar (or just enough for taste of frosting consistency)
1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 stick salted butter
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup milk
5 tbsp all purpose flour

To prepare orange vanilla butter cream:

1. With a paddle attachment, whisk butter until light, fluffy and creamy.

2. Add in icing sugar a little at a time, as you may not need 4 cups of icing sugar.

3. Turn speed down to slow to add in orange juice and vanilla extract. Then turn the speed up again and continue to whisk until frosting double in volume, as it'll be light and fluffy.

4. In a saucepan, heat up milk but not to boiling point. Let cool slightly, then toss in flour all at once and stir vigorously, until milk and flour is incorporated. You will notice that the liquid will thicken up and return to stove and let mixture simmer, while continue stirring.

5. Once liquid is thicker, let cool for a couple of minute. With a sieve, press the thicken liquid through into the butter cream. Discard the lumps. Turn the mixer back up and whisk the butter cream for the last time for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated.

xx

Baking Recipe: Creamy Lemon Cheesecake (Chilled)

Non dairy lovers, I suggest you look away now, because this cake is so lusciously creamy that I think you will be drooling over it. Therefore, you are not to blame me to convert you.. LOLs.

Today's my daddy dearest birthday, and ever since I was a kid; I knew his all time favourite cake has always been the cheesecake. Lets just say I have quite a lot of vague memories of us walking down the frozen or chilled section at a supermarket, and we never failed to pick up Sara Lee's Strawberry Cheesecake. That's also one of my very first encounter of this sinful treat.

Now that I'm older, I am not into all the frozen cakes unless I've got no choice or a craving. Otherwise, home made or baked from scratch is the way to go now for me. I dare say this Creamy Lemon Cheesecake is one of the best recipes and I hope you enjoy making it as much I did.. In my opinion this is a fantastic summer dessert too.

In a nutshell it is CREAMY. LIGHT. FLUFFY. LEMONY. MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH!!

Note: I've ran out of digestive biscuits, so I decided to bake the base of the cake. The base is an aromatic butter cookie base which is crumbly and melts in the mouth when you eat it. So take note that it's not a hard base where you have to chew with all your might.

Recipe

For the base
Do prepare base in advance before preparing the filling.

*Baked from scratch
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 tsp vanilla extract

**Using digestives
1/3 cup butter, melted
250g digestive biscuits, approx 1 packet or 8 ounces
2-4 tbsp powdered sugar (adjust according to your level of sweetness, but don't go overboard)
1-2 tsp vanilla extract

*To prepare biscuit base (baked from scratch):

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar and salt until moist crumbs form (this may take up to approx1-2 minutes).

2. Make sure to lightly grease pan with butter and sprinkle flour over the pan.

3. Transfer dough to a 9-inch spring form cake pan with a removable bottom.

4. With floured fingers, press dough evenly into pan and up sides. Dip a dry measuring cup in flour, and use it to press dough firmly into bottom and against sides of pan. Freeze crust until firm for about 10-15 minutes.

5. Using a form, prick crust all over. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes, pressing down gently once or twice with a spoon during baking if crust puffs up. Let cool completely in pan.

**To prepare biscuit base (using digestives):

1. With a food processor, blitz digestives until bread crumbs like texture. Make sure to not over blitz, otherwise you will get powdered biscuits.

2. Meanwhile in a microwave, melt butter for about 30secs or up to 1 minute if required.

3. In a mixing bowl, using a spatula mix butter, digestive crumbs, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well combined.

4. In a 9-inch spring form cake pan, press dough evenly, and chill in refrigerator until set.

For the filling:

500g philly cream cheese, 1 1/2 ounces
120g castor sugar, approx 1/3 cup
50ml lemon juice, approx 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
lemon zest, grated from 2 lemons (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp powdered gelatine, dissolved in 100ml cold or room temperature water
350ml thickened cream, whipped
1-2 tsp clear vanilla extract

To prepare filling:

1. With a wired whisk in a stand mixer, whip whipped cream until stiff peaks. Set aside.

2. Using the same mixing bowl with a paddle attachment at medium, cream cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Swith to low speed and pour in gelatine and vanilla extract until well combined. With a spatula, gently fold in whipped cream, making sure to not over beat it. Otherwise mixture will turn runny.

3. Pour mixture on to biscut base. Cover cake pan and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or over night. Thaw for about 1-2 minutes before serving.

xx