Lime Cupcake

 

This cake is so good that it drew me to make the second batch the next few days.  I personally love the cake a lot due to the tinge of lime in it.  Needless to say, the cake is soft, moist and fluffy.  Most importantly, the lime frosting just blends so well with the cake in that it never fails to perk up the palate and puts a smile on your face.

I got the recipe from Ann Low of Anncoo Journal when she posted it on Facebook.  The caption and photos were good enough to capture my eyes and before I knew it, I was already at the market talking to the vendor asking him to explain the different types of limes he sold.  Whipping up the cake was not at all difficult nor complicated.  So, if you are a newbie at baking or want to whip up a quick simple dessert for a potluck party, please seriously consider this recipe! 

While I was writing this blog (in McDonalds', my usual hangout spot after breakfast), suddenly I got interrupted by an old aunty whom I had recently made friend with.  Apparently, I had given her a piece of the cupcake before I settled myself down at my table.  She walked up to my table and this is what she uttered:

"Tan, I'm already 74 years old and this is my first time eating a cake made by a man.  See, I finished the cake.  Thank you, thank you sooo much!  God bless you!" 

When she walked away, I was still sitting at my table grinning like a Cheshire cat.  All I know, it is indeed a GOOD MORNING today!

The Recipe:

(by Ann Low of Anncoo Journal)

yields about 8-9 pcs

The Cake

• 2 large eggs
• 150g butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g yoghurt
• 115g self-raising flour
• zest of 2 limes
• ½ tbsp lime juice

 The Lime Frosting

• 100g icing sugar, sifted (too sweet for my taste bud, I recommend reducing to 80g)
• 70g butter, room temperature
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• zest of 1 lime

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160 deg C. Line muffin pan with 9 cupcake papers.
2. Lightly beat eggs, add butter and sugar, then mix until light and fluffy.
3. Add yoghurt and flour, stir to combine with a hand whisk. Add lime zest and lime juice, mix well again.
4. Divide the mixture evenly into the cake cases. Bake for 25-35 minutes until risen and golden brown. Allow to cool before icing.
5. Topping ~ Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients, mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, and spread onto cakes. Top with lime candy or decorate as desired.

No-baked Mango Yogurt Cheesecake

 

For those who love mangoes, then this cake can be a winner and is certainly worth trying!  To me, mango blends just well with cream cheese.  The aromatic smell of mangoes just lingers around giving a nice fruity smell to your kitchen.  

Well, this cake is not at all difficult to prepare.  Nothing complicated.  Pretty straight forward.  All that is needed is just measure, mix and pour.  So, it is suitable for any newbies who want to impress your guests or to prove to someone that you can actually bake.  Trust me, this cake will sure to blow them away.

 

Make sure you take it when it's chilled.  Believe me, the moment the cake sets in your mouth, the feeling is just heavenly so much so that your taste buds can't thank you enough!  Everything seems fall into place and your palate is suddenly perked up with all kinds of tastes and senses - sweet, salty, sourish, creamy, chilly, fruity and the list goes on!

This recipe is definitely a keeper.  I stumbled upon the recipe on Facebook, from Anncoo Journal.  My ravenous eyes were captivated by her photos which to me were just picture perfect.  The cake was standing gorgeous and irresistibly appetizing!  I strongly recommend that you take a look and visit her blog, here!

Ingredients:

   

  Cake base
     100g digestive biscuits
     80g melted butter

• Grease the sides of a 8 inch removable cake pan and line the bottom. Blend biscuits coarsely and mix well with melted butter (add little more butter if you find the crumbly biscuits are too dry). Pressing the biscuit crumbs with your hand at the bottom of the lined cake pan. Put the tin in the fridge for later use.

      Cheese filling:
      250g cream cheese, room temperature
      3 tbsp fresh milk
      3 tbsp icing sugar or to taste
      280g mango yogurt (about 2 small tubs)
      1/2 tbsp lemon juice
      150g fresh topping cream/non-dairy whipping cream
      1 fresh mango, cut into cubes
      1.5 tbsp gelatin + 2 tbsp water

      Mango Topping
      2 fresh mangoes, chopped , about 320g
      1 tbsp sugar or to taste
      1/2 tbsp lemon juice
      1 tbsp gelatin + 1 tbsp water

Method:

      Cheese filling: 

• Put gelatin and water in a bowl and soak for a while. Then place it in a double boiler until gelatin dissolved. Keep warm.
• Beat cream cheese and icing sugar at medium speed with 3 tablespoon of fresh milk until smooth. Pour in gelatin and mix well. Add mango yogurt and lemon juice into cheese mixture, continue beating until combined.
• Whisk fresh topping cream until soft peak and pour into the cheese mixture, fold well.
• Pour half of the cheese mixture into the prepared cake pan; add in mango cubes, followed by the remaining cheese mixture.  Set aside in the refrigerator.

      
       Mango topping

• Put gelatin and water in a bowl and soak for awhile. Then place it in a double boiler until gelatin dissolved. Keep warm.

 
  
  

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

It took me two years to regain my confidence, wake up and eventually try again making this cake after my first attempt which I considered as a complete disaster.  Today, I walk out tall and can go around telling the world that I can make a good cheesecake......YES, I holler again - a GOOD CHEESECAKE!  As I have always said, it's not that I am good but I am just lucky that I have with me a GOOD recipe shared by GOOD amazing people around.  All I did was - I  F-O-L-L-O-W-E-D!! As simple as that!

Yes, for those who are looking for a good cheesecake recipe that yields a cake so cottony soft, light and fluffy, then you are reading the correct post.  THIS is the recipe you should be trying and THIS is the recipe you should be keeping.

When you hear your kids bicker over the last piece as to who is to finish it, then you can claim that you have baked wonderfully. And if your little girl comes running to you hugging and telling you,

"Papa, I like the cake you baked.  Can you bake for me again some other day, please?  I love you very much and thank you, Papa!", 

then this tells you that this recipe is a priceless treasure that you must keep and share it out to the world.  So, friends, this is exactly what happened to me last weekend and so here I am sharing it with you.  Believe me, you go out and bake one today and you will come back for a second batch very soon!

 

So peeps, I hope that you like the post today.  Happy trying and have a nice day ahead!  Cheers!

A special cheer to Jeannie of Jeannietay's Blog, the kind-hearted soul who shared this amazing recipe!  I strongly suggest that you visit her post.  Amazing bakes with amazing photos!

The Recipe:

(yields an 8" round cake tin and 4" x 6" rectangular tin)

250g cream cheese (1 block)

6 egg yolks

70g castor sugar

60g butter (1/4 block)

100 ml full cream milk

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest (or lemon essence) (optional)

60g cake flour

20g cornflour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

70g castor sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (Top and bottom heat, no fan force)
2. Line bottom of the cake pans and grease the sides.
3. Whisk cream cheese and butter till smooth over a water bath or can do double boil method.
4. Add the sugar (70g) and whisk until dissolved. Remove from water bath
5. Add cold milk and whisk until combined.
6. Add egg yolks one at a time and whisk until smooth.
7. Add vanilla, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and whisk
8. Sift flour and fold into mixture. Set aside.
9. Whisk whites at low speed till foamy
10. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed till bubbles become very small but still visible
11. Gradually add sugar (70g) and beat till just before soft peaks 
12. Fold whites into batter 1/3 at a time. Set aside a couple of tablespoons. Divide batter into 2 portions and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into one portion together with the reserved meringue. Gently fold until combined.
13. Pour both batter alternately into prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles
14. Bake on the lowest rack in a preheated 200 degree C oven (top and bottom heat, no fan force) for 18min, lower to 160 degree C for 12 mins and turn off the oven and leave cake in the closed oven for 30 mins. Open the door of the oven slightly at the end of the baking for 10 mins for cake to cool. (I baked mine at 155C for 45 mins then 140C for another 15 mins then leave in oven for 30 mins with oven door closed)

Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

 

Personally, I love this cake a lot, from baking it, eating it or just by looking at it.  The texture, pattern and color combination are just too pleasing to the eyes and irresistibly indulging to the palate.  

I am never a fan of cheesecake as I find it too creamy and fattening and a lot of it is cloying but for this particular one, it just wins me over.  To me, chocolate and cheese is indeed a great combination, thus it never fails to make a great dessert.  The moment my eyes caught sight of the photo and recipe (by Ann Low of Anncoo Journal), I was all set and fired up to make my very own one.

Of course, it doesn't take too long to bake and the process itself is nothing complicated.  The ingredients used are pretty standard and predictable if you are used to making butter cake and cheesecake.  The only thing that caught me by surprise is the use of whipping cream instead of milk. I am not sure whether was it that the cream made the cake so soft and fluffy.  Whatever it is, this recipe is worth trying and definitely a keeper.  It certainly makes a great and presentable dessert for any potluck or home party.

Recipe:

Ingredients: 

(A)

250g Butter, softened

160g Caster sugar

4 large Eggs (about 70g each)

1tsp Vanilla extract

170g Self-raising flour plus 4tbsp cocoa powder, sift together into a bowl 

5tbsp Milk (I used whipping cream)

(B)

250g Cream cheese, room temperature

60g Caster sugar

3 tbsp Whipping cream (optional)

1 large Egg, about 70g

1tbsp Self-raising flour

      Method:

• Grease and line a 8 inch square cake pan. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
• Beat ingredients (B) till fluffy and set aside.
• From ingredients (A), beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add in eggs one at a time and mix well, add in vanilla extract and whipping cream, mix well.
• Fold in sifted flour and cocoa powder with a rubber spatula in 2 portions into butter mixture, mix well.
• Spread half portion of batter into pan, then spoon in cheese mixture (B), cover cheese mixture with the remaining portion of cake batter (total of 3 layers). Then use a chopstick to swirl through the batter to create the marbling effect.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes or skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

RICH! RICH! RICH! This is the only adjective that I can think of right now.  This is my first time baking and eating a flourless cake.  I baked this cake together with my cousin, Doreen when she came to visit me.  While she was whisking her soft fluffy orange cake, I was busy whipping this gorgeous little sweetie.  YES, we baked two cakes that morning.  You can image how my entire kitchen smelled like.

On a personal note, loved the cake a lot.  My son, who is never a cake lover was seen scampering back for a second slice.  As soon as the cake is out of the oven, the smell almost instantly wafted the entire kitchen and within seconds invaded the entire house.  Even cooling the cake for five minutes seemed too long a wait.  As soon as it was ready to be dug in, only then I remembered that I needed a photo shot.  So, this explains the rather messy and unorganised pictures. 

I particularly loved the texture of the cake.  The egg yolks and whites are separately whisked which gives the cake a slightly mousse-y consistency.  Be prepared, this cake is just goddamn smooth and moist.  It certainly has the melt-in-the-mouth effect but will turn a little denser after a day.  Having said that, it is still heavenly gracious!

I must credit this recipe to Christine of Christine's Recipes, whose cook book is currently selling like hot cakes within the Asian countries particularly Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.  

Recipe
(adapted from Christine's Recipes)

Ingredients:

• 250gm dark chocolate
• 5 eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 120gm caster sugar
• 150gm unsalted butter
• 50gm ground almond (almond meal), optional
• Icing sugar, for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170C (335F). Melt chocolate, butter and sugar in a bowl over a pot of hot water at low-medium heat. After melting all ingredients, remove from heat, stir thoroughly to combine.
2. Mix in ground almonds. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. (Note: Make sure the mixture is not too hot, as you don't want the egg yolks cooked at this stage.)
3. Beat egg whites with slow-speed electric mixer for 2 minutes. Then turn to high speed and beat until the egg whites become very stiff and peaked.
4. Fold in a few spoons of egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the rest with small amount at a time for 3 times just until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not beat.
5. Turn the mixture into a greased and floured 20cm round bakery tin. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Insert a needle to test the cake. If the needle comes out clean, it’s cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Soft Fluffy Orange Cake

I have been making orange cakes several times and this recipe is by far the best and the most satisfying one.

I whipped this cake when we had our sibling get-together session on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.  We have not been meeting each other for almost three months. Since the meet up was arranged during tea time at mom's house, I was thinking that perhaps a simple homemade cake would just go perfect with a cup of hot coffee.

Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this amazing recipe on Google+ while waiting for my sister's call.  I could not exactly recall what attracted me to this recipe but all I knew, this could be THE  recipe I was looking for and before I could say anything further, I was already in the kitchen whipping my magic.

Thankfully, everything turned out well and I was absolutely pleased with the results.  The cake rose and baked beautifully in the oven.  For the first time ever, in my baking history - No domed shape!  No cracked top!  No over-burned top!  What came out was - a soft, moist and fluffy little sweet treat, all ready to wow me and the entire family.

True enough, the cake was a winner that afternoon.  In fact, it's always a bliss to eat a cake while it's still warm, soft and fluffy.  That could be the reason everyone was going around ooh and ahh and subsequently complementing me and my wife.  Wait a minute, my WIFE?  What has she got to do with the cake?  Actually, what they meant was....."you are damn lucky to have such an amazing husband."  LOL!  Well, to me it was THE RECIPE that made me so-called AMAZING, okay!  I - JUST - FOLLOW! 

So, my dear friends, if you wanna be as AMAZING as I am, then FOLLOW the recipe below....(hehehe!)


The Recipe:
(adapted from Monica of  Lick The Bowl Good)

Note : For this recipe, I have reduced the amount of sugar both in the cake and in the orange glaze.  I find the sugar used in the orange glaze was a little crazy.

Cake:

• 1 cup (2 sticks/about 230g) unsalted butter, room temp.
• 1 cup granulated sugar (I reduced to 3/4 cup)
• 4 eggs, room temp.
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 7 Tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar (I reduced to 1 cup)
• 3 Tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest

The Method:

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 
2. Then butter the paper and set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar well, until it is very pale and thick - this will take quite a while.
4. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, then add the zest. Add the flour, baking powder and salt all at once, and beat well, then slowly add the orange juice until it is incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, and bake for 35-40 minutes - or until an inserted skewer comes out clean (slow is best, so don' t be afraid to cook it longer. If it starts to brown too much on the top, cover loosely with a sheet of buttered foil.)
6. Allow cake to cool in pan for 15-20 minutes on a wire rack. Then invert onto a plate, remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before glazing.
7. To make the icing, stir the orange juice into the icing sugar until you have the right spreading consistency. 
8. Pour the icing onto the cake and spread with a spatula or butter knife, allowing the icing to drip down the sides of the cake.
9. Leave the icing to set before cutting the cake into wedges or storing in an airtight container.

NOTE (from Monica) : I thought the glaze was rather sweet and needed more orange flavor so I suggest adding some grated orange zest to the glaze for more intense flavor.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Frankly, I have never eaten this cake before let alone baking one myself.  Of course, people around me have been lamenting how much they adore this cake and some even got hysterical and rhapsodic by just hearing its name, especially the words MOLTEN...LAVA!!

Certainly, I do concur that the name itself is already enticing enough to itch your taste buds and eventually making your mouth salivate and your heart yearn to try one.  That's what exactly happened to me.  I have been longing to try eating and baking one myself.

So, last weekend, I managed to squeeze some time out to do some readings trying to look out for a decent recipe.  Hey! The recipe is somehow pretty straightforward and not at all complicated.  The ingredients used are very basic and easily available.  The procedure is just a child's play as claimed by others.  Another shocking fact I found out from some of those who have made one - the bake was.........SHOCKINGLY EASY!!!  Any Tom Dick and Harry can whip one!

As easy as it has been said, this dunghead somehow failed on his first attempt.   Only on his second attempt then he realized that he was not cut out for this cake.  His third try was just as disastrous as the other two.  However, persistency wins at last.  Exactly, I finally succeeded on my fourth try!  The first three came out cakey and hard in that there was NO molten lava whatsoever sloshing out upon cutting.  Reason?  Easy,......I have overbaked it.  Even extra one minute counts and matters.  So, my advice for those of you who intend to bake one yourself, please make one piece first and see the outcome, only then you bake the remaining pieces.

So, what's my final verdict on the successful piece?  Frankly, I enjoyed better eating the failed cake which is hard and cakey.  So as my son, he loved the first three batches much more than the last successful one.  Though no lava, the cake just goes perfectly well with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream.  I somehow feel a tinge of guilt and uneasiness eating the seemingly 'uncooked' chocolate liquid that oozes out.  Anyway, that is just my personal intuition.  You may not agree with me.  I may be the odd ones! He he...

So, for those of you who want to try making one yourself, here you go babe, the recipe adapted from Foodie By Nature.


INGREDIENTS
(yields about 5-6 pcs)

• 4.5 ounces of dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 110 grams of butter
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup castor sugar-approximate 150 gms (I reduced to 100g)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour(35 grams)
• Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
• 5-6 moulds or ramekins depending on size
• Chocolate powder

METHOD

1. Preheat oven at 200 degrees C for half an hour
2. Butter moulds and dust with chocolate powder so it sticks to the butter..tap away excess
3. Put chocolate and butter in a double boiler whisking every now and then until melted. Add vanilla extract
4. In a bowl whisk together eggs,sugar and gradually flour until well blended. Slowly add melted and cooled chocolate-butter mixture
5. Pour mixture into moulds / ramekins and put in oven ( up and down grill on)
6. Place in center of oven and bake for approximate 12 mins or until sides leave moulds and top is cracked but wobbly.  The time will vary from oven to oven..start checking after 10 mins (Mine baked at 9 mins)
7. Remove and serve at once.have straight from the mould until u try it a couple of times..then you can start turning it upside down once you are more confident. Serve with vanilla ice- cream..

Chocolate Banana Cake

This simple cake really wowed me to the max.  It was indeed a real SURPRISE to see a bake that is soo soft and fluffy.  

Anyway, the moment the cake landed on my hands when I was unmoulding it, I already knew that it would be one hell of a good cake.  True enough, this babe is just gorgeously soft, light, moist and luscious.  Whatever it is, you just have got to try baking one to believe it.

After my successful and satisfying attempt trying her Chocolate Caramel Banana Upside-down Cake), I must give my credit, again to Joyce of Kitchen Flavours for sharing this amazing secret.  I am linking back her post and recipe here for your further read-up.   

Seriously, if you are free and want to find something to bake, do give this recipe a shot. Till then, have a great day ahead. 

Chocolate Banana Quick Cake
Makes one 9x5-inch loaf cake, serving 8

1-1/4 cups (5.3oz/151gm) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (0.8oz/23gm) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick/4oz/113gm) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7oz/200gm) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/3 cups (320ml) mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (4.2oz/121gm) sour cream (I use yoghurt)
4 ounces (113gm) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I use chocolate chips)


Method:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat at high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. At medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix at low speed until blended. Add the flour mixture at low speed in three additions, alternating it with the sour cream in two additions. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
4. Bake the cake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (except for any melted chocolate). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
5. Unmold the cake onto the rack, turn right side up, and cool completely.

Store at room temperature, covered in foil, for up to 5 days.

Chocolate Caramel Banana Upside-down Cake

This recipe is definitely a keeper.   If you love caramel, banana and chocolate just exactly like I do, then this cake is seriously for you.  Bring this to any potluck gathering and I am positively sure this secret indulgence will be a crowd pleaser.

To me, chocolate especially dark rich chocolate just goes perfectly well with any ripe bananas.  These two ingredients really make good cakes as the flavour and aroma are just crazy.  More so, when the cake is drizzled with a slosh of caramel, oh my goodness gracious, the whole thing is just devilishly sublime.

Anyway, this recipe came to me by chance.  I was scouring around the net for a bak chang (Chinese dumpling) recipe when I accidentally spotted this secret.  I must thank Joyce of Kitchen Flavours for sharing this wonderful treat.  I strongly encourage that you visit her post here to view some close-up photos.  Indeed, looking at the photos was sufficient enough to make me go bananas.  I had to divert my ravenous eyes away (eerr from my bak chang recipe searching) and subsequently clicked in and explored the secret further.

I am pleased that I baked this cake as it helps to add on to my favourite and to-die-for collection of cake recipes.  The cake is chocolaty rich, moist and more importantly not overly sweet despite the caramel drizzle.  Wife likes it a lot and daughter loves it dearly too! But to me, it would have been even more perfect if I had added in some mashed bananas and chocolate chips into the cake batter, making the cake look even moister and taste more flavorsome.  Eerm, definitely going to try this the next round.

That's it, here you go, the recipe...  

Chocolate Caramel Banana Upside-Down Cake

(adapted from Joyce of "Kitchen Flavours")
Serves 8

For The Topping :
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices


For The Cake :
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk (alternatively, you could also substitute it with 4-5 tablespoons milk and top up with homemade yoghurt to get 2/3 cup, as what Joyce had used)


Making the topping :

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round non-stick pan.
2. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat until foamy. Whisk in the brown sugar, turn the heat to low, and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the banana slices in concentric circles on top of the sugar mixture. Set aside.

Making The Cake :

1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the mixture is light and increased in volume, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer on low, stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Stir in 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk, ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the batter on high speed for 30 seconds.
5. Pour the batter over the bananas, gently spreading it into an even layer.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Holding the pan and a plate together with oven mitts, immediately invert the hot cake onto the plate. If necessary, replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes and serve warm, or serve at room temperature. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper, or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Apom Bokwa With Banana Gravy

This is indeed a typical Baba-Nyonya (Straits-born Chinese a.k.a the Peranakans) dessert that is stepping into 'extinction'.  I only got to eat this whenever my septuagenarian aunt (tua ee) makes it.  I reckon that to many, especially those born in the 80s and below, this dessert is a childhood food that is bound to take you stroll down memory lane.

As a matter of fact, not many nyonyas now know how to make this classic cake (and pardon me, I am referring to today's young modern nyonyas, k!).  So, this accounts for the fact that this traditional kueh (cake) is so hard to come by nowadays.  As a Baba who currently lives in Malacca and loves cooking, I feel called to revive this dying classic.

Well, it all started when I was browsing through my Facebook News Feed a couple of days ago and suddenly someone posted a photo of this dessert.  It caught my eyes almost instantly.  Scrolling down on the comments made me realize that there were so many, both Malaysians and Singaporeans still craving for this dessert.  At the drop of a hat, I googled for the recipe.  Surprisingly, not many I could find except for Amy Beh's, an iconic figure where nyonya food is concerned.

I could have asked my tua ee or even my mummy for the recipe but I doubted they have it written down.  One thing for sure, they will confuse me with their 'agak-agak' (roughly) statement.  Whatever it is, come to think of it, my hats off to these elder nyonyas, anyway.  They just have all their recipes stored in their head without having to refer to any cook books. Just imagine how many of them and if you are a Straits-born, you will agree with me that Peranakan dishes are relatively complicated to prepare incorporating varieties of ingredients and spices.  Even their methods are not that straightforward.  And yet, all these are cleverly stored in their grey matter. RESPECT! RESPECT!

So, how's the verdict of Auntie Beh's recipe and my labour of love?  Generally, I'm very satisfied with what came out.  Though a little complicated with lots of steps to follow, I am indeed pleased with the outcome.  What I heard and gathered from my aunt and a few other elders was that to know as to whether you have succeeded in making the apom (pancake) or not was to look at the the tiny punctures on the surface of the apom.  The more the holes, the better the pancake.

And taste wise? Well, it was surprisingly close, though not exactly the same to that of my auntie's apom.  There is a slight tinge of sourish in the apom.  It could be from the yeast (I guess so, maybe someone can shed some light here!).  From my observation, the longer the rice batter is fermented, the sourer the pancake turns out to be, and the more the holes will form!  Anyway, not to worry, when the apom is dipped and blended together with the sweet banana gravy, it neutralizes everything and the result............HEAVENLY!

So, here I come, bringing you Amy Beh in the house, virtually......
 
Ingredients
By Amy Beh

I) The Cake/Apom
    (A)  Mix these ingredients together and leave aside to soak for 10 minutes:
            - 500g rice flour (I reduced it to 300g.  500g is just too much making it impossible to soak)
            - 25g glutinous rice flour

This is EBU

            - 300ml coconut water

     (B) Mix these ingredients, leave aside for 15 minutes.  Cook over 
           low flame until it turns gluey to make "Ebu":
           - 50g rice flour
           - 150ml water

     (C) Mix these ingredients and leave aside to froth:
            - 1/4 cup lukewarm water
            - 1/4 tsp sugar
            - 1 tbsp instant yeast
    
      (D) - 160ml pati santan (thick coconut milk)

II) The Sauce: 

      (A) Prepare the syrup

             - 75g brown sugar

             - 50g gula melaka

             - 175ml water

             - 3 pandan (screwpine) leaves 

       (B) Mix these ingredients together and allow the rice to expand:

             - 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour

             - 25ml water

       (C) - 50ml pati santan

             - 1/4 tsp salt

         

       (D) - 3 rippen bananas

     

  Method:

Blend ingredients (a) and (b) together. Mixin 1/2 tsp salt and stir well with a hand whisk. Add in (c) and set aside for 30 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth for it to rise to double its size. 

Blend in (d) and proof for another 50 minutes. Heat a brass apom mould and grease lightly with corn oil.
 

Pour in enough batter to fill the mould three-quarters full and cook over medium heat. Cook till bubbles appear. Cover mould with a lid till the top part of the apom is cooked. Touch centre of apom with finger - if it is firm and not sticky, the apom is ready.
 

To make sauce: Bring (a) to a boil, strain the hot syrup into (b). Stir well and transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium low flame. Add in (c) and (d) and stir well till sauce thickens. Pour sauce into a small bowl and serve with apom bokwa.

HAPPY TRYING!