Fleur De Sel Cakelet

How does a midweek snack sound to you? Is it like music to the ears? So I will stick to a short post. If you have not had FLEUR DE SEL cakes before, then this might change your mind. I am really excited to share this recipe with you. The FLEUR DE SEL is very much inspired by a cake I had while I was in San Francisco. Except mine has a slight variation.

Baking Recipe: Bailey's Oreo Mousse Cake

I could still remember that very day I turned 21 and it sure feels like yesterday. I used to have this mind set thinking that being 21 means I am adult and that I would  have my own say and way to do things. Boy, was I wrong about that! Regardless the age I am now, whatever it is I will still be mom and dad's girl and my brother will sure be their young little boy in their eyes.

Who knew right.. time flies and that now my younger sibling is 21 years of age. It's time for him to spread those Vulcan wings and explore the possibilities in the world. With the right attitude and mind set, I sure hope he continues to develop his character, staying humble at all times and always be my cute loving brother whom I adore and pamper till this very day.

Let me tell you a little about him. My brother loves his OREOS to bits. From ice-cream to pop-tarts. As long it is cookies and cream involved, you will see him taking a huge glass of milk and dunking those little choc nuggets in it. There is never enough of OREOS in the house.

Naturally, the cake I baked for him has OREOS involved. No, it won't be OREO butter cream or cream cheese frosting. I wanted something lighter and fluffy to go along with my ultra dark chocolate cake covered with a layer of BAILEY'S Chocolate Milk syrup. Hence, I felt that the OREO mousse will work out perfectly. On the outer layer, the cake is covered with rich semi-sweet soft chocolate ganache frosting.

For recipe: Click on Image

Doesn't this cake make you drool? Isn't it perfect for a 21st Birthday? The flavours of the cake is the ultimate combo. In a single bite, you will first taste the luscious silky semi-sweet chocolate ganache, then a hint of Baileys, then followed by the ultra fluffy cookies and cream or OREOS mousse filling where it's balanced all together with the rich aroma of dark, dense and moist chocolate cake. Now peeps, that to me is heaven.


Before I bid adios, needless to say that this post is dedicated to my brother who is a young man now. HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!!! Do continue to support me okay? Even though I can be nasty.. LOL..

xx

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

Baking Recipe: Gerbera Daisy Cake (Dark Chocolate Cake with Light Mango Buttercream)

Gerbera Daisy cake? I think it's so pretty. Don't you? It is so pretty that I had to keep taking photos of this cake of mine [self gloating for one moment.. LOLS]. Gerbera daisy has always been one of my favourite flower. To me it has a sense of chic-ness and maybe adds some girly elements to it. Okay guys, I know this cake may not be macho enough but I dare say the flavour combination of the cake is good enough to make you melt over your knees.

I started out being really adventurous. I had this "smart" plan on decorating my cake, where I am going to melt chocolate etc.. Then the thought of washing up tons of utensils got me thinking again. Okay.. perhaps I was feeling a little lazy to frost the cream on my cake that I resulted by taking out out my piping bag and my trusty Wilton #104 tip and started piping like a manic person. However lazy I can be I am a person who's particular and every single thing I do has to be screaming perfection and just not mere perfection. It took me about 15-20 minutes or so and I was done! Now that's a time record breaking to me.

The cake is an ultra rich dark chocolate cake, where I 've used here, and here. This is a recipe I tested a couple of times and I assure you it has not fail me, other than just one time.. that one time I sort of miscalculated the amount of liquid. But hey.. who have not made a mistake in baking? All mistakes are forgivable. Just start again.. if time permits of course.

As for the frosting, it's a light, sweet and aromatic Mango Butter cream. You might think it's odd, but apparently it's not. There are quite a lot of dessert recipes out there where mango is paired with chocolate. So this is my own version of Mango Butter cream, as the challenge is to find a balance between the sweetness of mango flavour to merry the dark chocolate cake. Oh! as for the remainder cake which was sliced off since it gave me mountains on my cake, I thought it will be wasteful to throw them away. Instead, I made them into cake in a cup and paired it with some leftover Mango buttercream. Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy!!


Recipe:

Note: Recipe for dark chocolate cake is not doubled in amount. That's the original ingredient measure. The recipe is perfect for a 6-inches, 4 layered round cake or 8-inches, 2 layered round cake or 10-inches, single layered square cake.

For ultra rich dark chocolate cake recipe, click here.

For mango butter cream:

Note: I made my own mango puree. Slice 2 mangoes, and process it in a food processor. No sugar required. Sieve it through a sieve and discard any lumps or fibre.

1 1/3 cup mango puree
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
2-3 tsp lemon juice

To prepare mango butter cream:

1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached on medium speed, whip butter and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy.

2. Slow down the speed, then add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar at a time then followed by another 1/4 cup until it totals up to 2 cups.

3. Add in the mango puree, vanilla extract and lemon juice and continue to mix at medium speed until mixture is well combined.

4. Crank up the mixer back to high speed and whip for another minute or so until frosting is light and fluffy.

5. Chill frosting in the fridge for about 15 minutes and then it's ready to use.

xx