Blue Ocean Birthday Party

Last week I was so busy organized my son's 10th Birthday party. This time I planned a Birthday party with a theme: Blue Ocean. My son Desmond like sea animals eg killer whale, whale & etc. I started this party planning few months back, google for some blue ocean party ideas, then later have to shop the related party items (need time to shop items that related to blue), planned what foods to be prepared. On the beginning of last week, started to bake cookies, made pop corns, handmade invitation card & food tags, handmade banner and made the Birthday cake which my son said must have the Killer whale on the cake. I didn't disappointed him with a 3D killer whale on top of the cake.

Pink Ombre Cake with Rosette Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Today I just collected Lucas' IC (He is 12th now) and also celebrating my daughter's 15th years Birthday. Two of them considered adults now and i can no more save some money from entrance fee, ticket fee & etc, aiyah..

The other day i asked my daughter what type of Birthday cake she wants, she said chocolate cake. But I beg her for this cake because i wanted to make this cake for longer time. She said this cake look sweet and lovely but she said a lot of colouring ler, and i told her this is only once in a year and we just eating a small piece, it is ok lar, we will not die one, hahahaha..

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

After few experiments, i have came out with this Swiss Meringue Buttercream that can withstand in our hot and humid weather, also don't need to care much of the room temperature or need a thermometer. This recipe work for me very well, and I hope it works for you too.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

My daughter requsted me to make chocolate cupcakes yesterday as she would like to bring to school for her best friend's Birthday today.

Macarons with Blueberry Compote Buttercream

Yeah! I finally managed to make Macarons after two failed attempt (no feet) and can you imagine i have use 600g icing sugar and 600g caster sugar, total 1.2kg sugar !!.

Coffee Walnut Cake & Kahlua Buttercream

I baked this cake because I still have some balance Kahlua from the Macarons Tiramisu cake that I made earlier.

Coffee cake adapted from Jane's corner but omitted the cocoa powder, solely added coffee powder only. Since I don't really like to eat sweet cake, I just apply a thin layer of Kahlua buttercream, you may double up the buttercream recipe if you prefer sweeter.


Coffee Walnut Cake & Kahlua Buttercream
(printable recipe)

Coffee Cake
Ingredients
125g Butter
80g sugar
2 large eggs
125g cake flour
1tsp baking powder
2tbsp milk
1tbsp coffee powder
2tbsp hot water

1. Sift baking powder and cake flour together, set aside.
2. Melt coffee powder in hot water, set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add in egg one at a time, beat until just combined between additions.
5. Fold in flour and milk, mix well.
6. Last add in coffee mixture, well combined.
7. Pour mixture into a 7” round cake pan.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 30mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Kahlua Buttercream

50g Butter
100g Icing sugar / Confectioners sugar
1tsp Kahlua (Coffee flavored liqueur)
1tbsp heavy cream

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add in sugar, heavy cream and Kahlua, beat till well combined.

To assemble the cake- split cold cake in half. Spread Kahlua buttercream on one layer of cake. Top with other cake half, spread buttercream top and side of cake with remaining cream. Arrange 20pcs of toasted walnut halves over the cake.

A bite of coffee cake, walnut and Kahlua buttercream, they are just a perfect combination!!

HaPPY bAKing !!

Ocean Cake

This was the main cake that I baked for Lucas's 10 years old Birthday party. And it was really well received by all his friend,my relatives and friends..
I have been keeping this M&M Ocean cake recipe long time ago (can't remember where I got this), when I refer to M&M website, i couldn't find the link.

So I just copy and paste this recipe in here, I also made few changes on it:-

M&M Ocean Cake
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
•1 bag MILKY WAY® Brand Miniatures –I omitted this•1 bag M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies
•1 bag M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies
•2 18.25-oz. boxes favorite cake mix-use my own recipe, refer to basic sponge cake •3 cans vanilla frosting-use my own recipe, refer to Vanilla buttercream
•Food coloring (blue, green, red & yellow)
•1 cup Chinese noodles- I use Yee Mee
•2 cups ground cookie or cake crumbs
•3 8-inch round cake pans- I use 9” round cake pan

Directions
1.Unwrap the MILKY WAY® Brand Miniatures, and chop all but two of them.-I omitted this
2.Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. - I baked sponge cake
3.Fold in the chopped candy, before transferring the batter to 3 8-inch cake pans. .-I omitted this4.Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.- I baked sponge cake
5.Set 1/2 cup of vanilla frosting aside.-I prepared Vanilla buttercream6.Using blue food coloring, tint 1-1/2 cans of the remaining vanilla frosting to the desired shade of blue.
7.Once the cake layers are cooled, sandwich blue frosting between the layers
8.set one layer on a plate and frost its top; then set the second layer on top of the first layer and frost its top; then set the third layer on top of the second layer.- I only made two layers, apply a layer of blueberries jam
9.Spread the top and sides of the cake with swirls of both blue and white frosting, to give the cake a water-like color.
10.Swirl the frosting on the top of the cake with the back of a spoon, pulling each swirl so that it looks like a wave.
11.Decorate the side of the cake.
12.here are some suggestions:
13.* Divide the remaining can of vanilla frosting into three small bowls. Tint one bowl green, one red and one yellow. Transfer each color to a reasealable plastic bag. Snip the corner of each bag.
14.* Make the schools of M&M’S® fish:
15.- Press a school of about 4 or 5 green M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies into the side of the cake. Pipe fins and tails with green frosting.
16.- Press a school of 3 or 4 orange M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies, and pipe red fins and tails.
17.* M&M’S® lobsters: Use a red M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candy for the body. Then, place red M&M’S® for the tails and claws. Pipe the claw M&M’S® with red frosting to outline its detail.
18.* M&M’S® seahorse: Use a yellow M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candy for the body. Place a yellow M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candy to the top of the "body", and pipe a yellow frosting tail and snout.
19.* Sea grass & coral: Pipe green frosting onto the sides of the cake for sea grass. Then, press Chinese noodles into the sides of cake for coral.
20.Decorating the sea bottom:
21.* Sprinkle the cake with cookie crumbs all around like sand. Scatter M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies around the cookie crumbs.
22.* Make a treasure chest: Trim off the top of one MILKY WAY® Brand Miniature.- I omitted this23.Place a second MILKY WAY® Brand Miniature on top like the top of a chest, keeping the lid open.- I omitted this
24.Fill the center with yellow M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies as if they were gold!-I omitted this

**my note- you may also turn this to cup cake form, just place one decoration for each cup cake.

-sea horse, sea grass, coral (Chinese noodle)




-lobster

-fishes


-Ocean cup cakes and Ocean Birthday cake served on the party day !!

Happy Baking !!

Vanilla Prune Cup Cakes & Vanilla Buttercream

During the last school holidays, my daughter's classmates came over to my house as to do a school project together. I baked their favourite's pizza and cup cakes.

-I add prune (ready pack from Sunsweet brand) in this cup cake, I learnt from Sulianmama here. This cup cake is a bit sweet for my taste, but kids enjoy this very much especially the buttercream..

Vanilla Prunes Cup Cakes & Vanilla Buttercream
*makes 12 cup cakes

(printable recipe)

125g Butter
90g sugar
2 large eggs
150g cake flour
4tbsp milk
2tbsp heavy cream
1/4tsp vanilla essence
1/2tsp Baking powder
1/8tsp Baking soda
12pcs Lemon essence pitted prunes

1. Sift baking powder, baking soda and cake flour together, set aside.
2. Beat butter with the sugar until fluffy.
3. Add in egg one at a time, then add in vanilla essence, mixing well.
4. Fold in the flour, milk and heavy cream, combine well.
5. Pour ¼ mixture into a paper cup, place a piece of prune. Then pour the remaining 2/4 mixture.
6. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 20mins.

Vanilla Buttercream

50g Butter
100g Icing sugar
1/2tsp vanilla essence
1tbsp heavy cream

1. Cream the butter in a hand mixer till smooth
2. Add in sugar and vanilla, beat till fluffy.
3. Add in heavy cream, combine well.

HApPy BaKinG !!