Orange & Poppy Seed Cupcakes

 Orange & Poppy Seed Cupcakes

I read this recipe from the Malaysian Women's Weekly for quite

some time now and decided to bake it only recently.  This cupcake is dense,

not oily, and the taste is great.  To those who do not like dense cupcakes,

then I suggest you not to follow this recipe.   I think you will like this cupcake

 if you eat it together with your favourite beverage.  I shared it with

my colleagues and the outcome is split.  Some preferred dense 

and some didn't prefer dense cupcakes.  Well, I can't satisfy both sides but

at least I have tried this recipe and at the end, there is no wastage.

 125g butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup caster sugar / 1 tsp vanilla essence

2 eggs (room temperature)

2 cups self raising flour (sift)

1/4 cup milk / 1/4 cup orange juice

2 tbsp poppy seeds / Grated zest 1 orange

Syrup : 3/4 cup orange juice / 1/2 cups caster sugar / Grated zest 1 orange

(Note  :  I omitted the syrup)

 Preheat oven at 180 Degree Celsius.  

Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper patty cases.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence until pale and creamy.

 Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

 Add flour alternating with combined milk and juice,

beginning and ending with flour.

 Add poppy seeds and zest.

Mix well.

Scoop evenly until 3/4 full.   Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Once the cupcakes are done, cool cupcakes before transferring to

rack over a baking tray.

If you opt for the syrup, please find below method :-

Combine juice and sugar. Bring to boil on high fire, stirring.

Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.  Add zest and cook for

5 minutes, then remove.  Pierce cupcakes in several places.

Spoon a little syrup over each cupcakes.  Allow to soak in.

Serve with remaining syrup.

Lovely photo?  

If you are brave enough to bake it, you will be the judge for this recipe.

I am submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up event

with this month theme "Orange" organised by

Zoe, Bake for Happy Kids,

Doreen, My Little Favourite DIY and

hosted by Ann, Anncoo Journal.

I am submitting this post to Cook Your Books #11 hosted by

Joyce, Kitchen Flavours.

Pumpkin Seed Cupcake

 Pumpkin Seed Cupcake

Now we are in the month of November.  

Less than 7 weeks and it'll be goodbye Year 2013 and hello Year 2014!  

Are you scared? No, I am not scared, to me, it is just another year.

A lot of people will be saying, aahh..I did not do this, aahh..I did not do that,

what have I achieved, why time flies so fast and etc etc.

I told my husband that I wanted to do patchwork again.  
Yeap! Besides baking and cooking, patchwork is also one of my hobbies.

Well, it is still undecided whether to do it or not to do it.

 Now let's start my recipe of Pumpkin Seed Cupcake.

This one is great for breakfast, snack, tea time or supper.

For me, I had it for my lunch.

It is fluffy and not oily, any health conscious person will like it surely.

 100g of toasted Pumpkin Seed

 For the ingredients and method before adding the Pumpkin Seed, 

please click here.

For your information, I double the ingredients.

 Once your Pumpkin Seed well combined.  Scoop into paper lined tray.

 Baked at 180 Degree Celsius until done.

 Once baked, take it out from the oven to cool for 10 minutes and 

then take out the cupcakes from the tray to cool further.

 Hmmm so nice smell and delicious to eat.

Have a happy wonderful weekend with your family, loved ones and friends.

Quote :  The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who

you are, and not who people think you are.

Orange Sponge Cupcake

Orange Sponge Cupcake

You must bake this.  It is soft, spongy, light and delicious.

This recipe from Sonia from Nasi Lemak Lover.

Thanks to Sonia.  From her recipe, my son got to eat this lovely cupcake.

Orange is one of his favourite fruits.

For the recipe and method, please visit Sonia's blog at Nasi Lemak Lover.

Do remember to read her instructions and tips clearly before you embark

your baking journey. 

With the movie on Despicable Me 2, adults are crazy buying

Minion from McD and our Minion is crazy with the Orange Sponge Cupcake.

This movie is hilarious, you and family should watch it, DON'T miss it.

Lastly, our family not the crazy adults queuing early in the morning for the

Minion.  Last week, my son and I happen to be in KLIA, waiting for my husband

arriving from Hong Kong and then suddenly my son said why don't we check 

out at McD, KLIA for the Minion.  It is just a breeze buying it. No waiting, 

no shoving, no yelling, no property damage and etc.

If you or your family or your friend wanted this Minion life and death, 

just go to KLIA.  Since that day, friends to my son go there to buy it.

They said "No Stress At All".

:)

Did you eat the cut cupcake?

He he he....not me!  Somebody stole it from me.

Now you see it, now it's gone.

Sssh....nobody is watching me.

Now I can dive into this lovely Orange Sponge Cupcake.

Bye and Happy Baking                 

Poppy Seed Cupcake

Poppy Seed Cupcake

I baked this cupcake on last Sunday to bring to

work the next day cause our office cafeteria will be closed.

I know some of my colleagues has forgotten that it will be closed on that day. 

I pity people very easily.  Wanted to share this morning incident

at the market with you.  While I was there, I saw

one man with a 6 years old child selling toy cars.  I noticed

them immediately cause this man does not have one hand. 

Upon seeing them, I was thinking: what a pity, this man is 

trying to make a living without one hand.  I walked over to them

and asked them how much per toy car and he said RM5 and

told him I wanted 2 car toys and started conversation "your grandson?"

and he said no, "my son" and then I said "baiknya anak tolong

bapa jual barang" (good boy helping father to sell toys) and then gave 

him RM50 and he told me that he has no change and 

I told him to keep the change and bid them farewell.

He kept on thanking me and I replied to him 

to buy some books for his son, don't want him to feel bad about the 

extra money that I gave him.

Later, had breakfast with son before he goes off to college

for revision and asked my son whether he has any friends

who has small brother or sister.  He asked me why and I told him

about this incident and moreover both of my kids are adults....they

won't be playing these car toys.  

I'm having a headache now wondering who to pass these car toys to and

am having wonderful feeling that I have indirectly helped this man, 

even though it is a small amount.

340g Butter (room temperature)

200g Caster Sugar

6 Eggs (room temperature)

340g Self Raising Flour

3 tablespoons Poppy Seed

1 tablespoon Vanilla Essence

Put butter, caster sugar and self raising flour into the mixing bowl.

And then all the eggs into the mixing bowl.

Beat everything until well combined.

Then pour in the Poppy Seed and Vanilla Essence and

beat until well combined.

Look like this when it is well combined.

Scoop the batter into cupcake paper liner with ice cream

scoop.  (Remember that your oven has to be pre-heated

before you start beating those batter).

Bake for 30 minutes 

at 180-190 Degree Celsius (depends on your oven).

Freshly baked from the oven.

My daughter said it is milky and not that sweet.

The taste and texture are wonderful.

Happy a Happy & Contented Weekend!

Almond Cupcake

Almond Cupcake

This is the best cupcake ever.  Even though you said you are on a diet,

you won't stop after the first bite or until your stomach is satisfied.

Last week, I came back from my trip to Bandung, Indonesia with 

my wonderful colleagues (from left to right), 

Irene Lee, Elly Chong, Me and Stephanie Chua.

The picture above taken at Kawah Putih, it is not an ocean, it is an inactive

volcano.  The water is so beautiful but you cannot swim in it because it

is full of sulphur.  The scenery is very beautiful.

This is another inactive volcano that we went to, called

Gunung Tangkuban Parahu.  We walked 300 meters from

the top.  I can't believe that we all did it.  By the time

we reached here, we are breathless, especially me! Hahaha but

it is worth it.   I enjoyed my travelling with them, shhhh.....

don't tell my husband (sure he will jealous).

Ok, enough of my story telling, back to my recipe.

100g of Almond.  (You can put more)

Diced it.

Toast it for cooked. 

I toasted it for 15 minutes at 180 Degree Celsius.

On and off, you have to stir it.  Once done, leave it at one side to cool it.

170g Butter (room temperature).

100g Caster Sugar.

3 Eggs (room temperature).

170g Self Raising Flour.

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence.

For the method, please click here for it.

Once done, look like this.

Get ready your muffin baking tray lined with paper cups.

Scoop the batter by using ice cream scoop which is way easier.

Bake at 180 Degree Celsius.  (Make sure your oven is pre-heated

before you start baking your cupcakes)  for 30 minutes or 

until done.

Look delicious?  Of course, hahaha, my face so thick skinned!

Let it cool for 10 minutes and then take it out and place

in a serving plate to cool it down further.

This wonderful cupcakes are for my birthday which is today.

Ummmh, I am older by another year and wishing myself

 good health, longevity, great with happiness and joy,

and prosperity. :)

Cocoa Cupcakes

Cocoa Cupcakes

You can have your cupcakes any time of the day.

I have to bake something cause my two children requested for some 

baked food in the house when I'm going to work tomorrow.

Well, this is the easiest bake and it also won't go wrong.

Look at the pictures and you will surely say that I am right.

To all the drivers out there, please use your indicators when you want

to make a turn and brake when you are required to.

I've noticed that nowadays drivers do not like to use indicators or brake.

Maybe their instructors did not teach them or maybe they are from planet Mars.

I hate those drivers who do not use indicator or brake.

For safety for you, your family or your passengers, please use it.

225g Butter (room temperature).

225g Self Raising Flour (shifted).

4 Eggs (room temperature).

1 tsp Vanilla Extract.

4 tbsp Cocoa powder.

1 tsp Baking Powder.

225g Caster Sugar.

Placed all the ingredients into the bowl

and beat until combined.

Look like this after less than 2 minutes.

Beat further.

Look like this after well combined.

Line your muffin tray with cupcake paper cases.

Use ice cream scoop and scoop the batter into the

cupcake paper cases until 3/4.

Do not fill up fully, it will over flow while baking.

Bake for 185 Degree Celsius for 30 minutes or 

until skewer come out clean.

Yum! Yum! Yummy!

My daughter said it is not oily (they do not like cake to be oily),

fluffy and taste is great.  Told me to add more cocoa for next try.

My answer to her .....add more cocoa? I am afraid it will be bitter!!!

My son had three of this cupcake when he came back

from college for extra class.

My dear husband, I know you will be jealous upon reading

this blog....will bake for you when you are back.

Wishing all for a goodie weekend.