New Year's Cupcakes

Hey Everyone,
I couldn't resist making these new year's cupcakes. I coudln't decide what flavour to make them but i setttled on vanilla and almond. (recipe on my previous blog, Rspca cupcakes and just add a teaspoon a almond extract) I wish everyone a blessed and Happy New Year!! with love, Elena.

Peanut butter cookies

Hey all, these biscuits are a family favourite and my brother is absolutely in love with them. ( so is Butch, my dog lol, hes hopeful) They stick to the roof of your mouth so best to have a coffee/milo with it :)

One of my hearts desires it to own my own cupcake bakery one day. When i made cupcakes for the Rspca i really loved it. I figure if i can make cupcakes for my job and love it , why not.


Peanut butter biscuit recipe:
Ingredients:
* one small tub of crunchy peanut butter
*170g butter, at room temp
*1 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1 egg
*200g brown sugar
*1 1/2 cups plain flour
*1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:
1. pre-heat the oven to 200°C, line two trays with baking paper.
2.Combine peanut butter,butter,vanilla and egg in a bowl of an electric mixer and mix until soft and creamy.
Then add the sugar,flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly.
3.roll into balls , flatten slightly, place on trays and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Cheesecake

Hey again,
I made this Baked Cheesecake for Christmas dessert, everyone loved it and was going back for seconds.
The relo's asked for me to post it on my blog so they could have the recipe, must have been good ;)
You could use this cheesecake as a base recipe and vary it for chocolate by adding half a cup of cocoa and an extra quarter cup of sugar. Or any other flavour you like, its up to your imagination!

Ingredients (serves 12):

• 1 x 250g pkt Arnott's Nice biscuits
• 140g butter, melted
• 2 x 250g pkts cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 x 300g ctn sour cream
• 155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp vanilla essence
• strawberries (for decoration)
• pink writing icing (opt)

Method:

1.  Line the base of a 22cm round spring form pan with non-stick baking paper, allowing the edges to overhang. 
2. Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer to the lined pan. Use the back of a spoon or a straight-sided glass to spread and press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base and side of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160°C. Place the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in the clean bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process until well combined.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until just set in the centre. Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the door slightly ajar, until cooled completely (this will prevent the cake from cracking). Place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the pan, decorate with chopped strawberries and serve.

Christmas Cookies

Hey again, I made these cookies just after i got out of hospital ( had my gallbladder out, at the age of 15!) Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit than baking and decorating cookies. Have a go :)

Ingredients

• 250g chilled unsalted butter, chopped
• 2 cups (300g) plain flour
• 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• royal icing
• food colouring
• couchous
• mini m&ms
• writing icing

Method

1. Whiz butter and flour in a food processor until mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add caster sugar and pulse to combine. Add egg and process until mixture comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute or until smooth. Divide in half, press into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. Roll dough out on a floured surface to 4-5mm thick. Using an 8cm gingerbread man cutter,and any other cutter you have cut shapes from dough and place on trays. Re-roll dough scraps and cut more shapes. Bake for 8-10 minutes until light golden. Cool on trays
3. kneed royal icing and separate into colour, kneed the colours in then roll out to 3-4mm thick. Cut out shapes and press and mould into cookies, if not sticking brush with a bit of water.
4. pipe the face and pattern with the writing icing and stick on the couchous and m&ms
5. Share them with family and watch them disappear.

Black Forest Cake

I made this cake last week, everyone loved it. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, It looks complicated but its easy and very forgiving. Have a go :)

Ingredients (serves 8) 

• 3/4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup SR flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk  ( or milk if don't have buttermilk)
• 2 eggs
• 125g butter, melted, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 x 670g jar morello cherries
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 600ml thickened cream
• 2 tbs boiling water
• 2 tbs caster sugar, extra
• half a packet of milk or dark chocolate chips.

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
1. Sift flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Combine buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla in a bowl. Make a well in centre of flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk mixture. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes or until thick and creamy.
2. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3.  Use a large serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers. ( or 2 )
4. Drain the cherries, reserving 160ml (2/3 cup) of the juice. Reserve 10 cherries to decorate. Place the remaining cherries and the reserved juice in a saucepan with the sugar and cornflour. Stir over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
5. Use an electric beater to beat cream in a medium bowl until firm peaks form.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate . Spread with half of the cherry mixture and a thin layer of the cream. Repeat with the remaining cake,  cherry mixture and cream, finishing with a layer of cake.
7. Spread some of the remaining cream over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top.
8. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake.
9. Arrange the reserved cherries around the cake between the cream rosettes. Cut the cake into wedges, serve and ENJOY :)

Oat Slice

This slice is great for kids lunch box's or just for a treat for the kids.

Makes: 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (115g) caster sugar
• 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
• 125g butter, chopped
• 1 tbs golden syrup
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 16cm x 26cm baking pan and line with non-stick baking paper. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add sugar and rolled oats.
2. Stir the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat until melted. Add to dry ingredients with the egg and stir to combine.
3. Spoon into pan and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool, then cut into rectangles to serve.

Fairybread cupcakes

These cupcakes are good for kids parties, baby showers or just as a treat for the little ones. You could colour the cupcakes in any colours you like, i chose pink and green.

Makes:24
Ingredients:

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk
• Food colouring
• Cream cheese or icing sugar icing.
• hundred and thousands

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven. Line muffin or mini-muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the flour. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until combined.
3. Place half the mixture in another bowl and add food colouring. Place one tablespoon of blue colouring in the patty cases and top with the other colour, use a skewer to swirl the colours together.
4. Bake for 15-20 mins
5. Once cooled ice the cupcakes and dip in hundreds and thousands.

Condensed milk biscuits

Hey all,
These biscuits are one of the nicest biscuits you will ever try. Almost everyone has condensed milk in their cupboard so i figured this would be a good one to do.

Makes:55

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• can condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup plain flour, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale. Add condensed milk and vanilla and beat for a further 1 minute.
3. Add  flours. Stir with a large metal spoon until well-combined. Roll mixture into small walnut-sized balls. Place onto prepared baking trays, allowing room for biscuits to spread.
4. Gently press biscuits with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake, 2 trays at a time, for 12 to 15 minutes, swapping trays halfway through. Stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Variations: You can add raisins, choc chips, smarties or anything you like to this recipe.

First Decorated Cake

hey again,

This is my first ever decorated cake i made back in the beginning of the year. I went to a cake decorating weekend course where you learn how to make fondant flowers and how to cover a cake in fondant so i made the cake during the course.

I made the little flowers and butterfly sticks out of coloured fondant with a flower and butterfly cutter.
I used a tool called "dog bone tool" and made the indents in the flowers and butterflies.

I also iced on the swirls and border by hand and put little silver baubles on the flowers.

Teenage Gourmet xo

Dad's Birthday Cake

Hey again,

This is the Cake i made for my Dad's birthday in July. The cake itself was a chocolate mud cake but i don't recommend the recipe because it tasted terrible, You could just use a chocolate sponge. '
For the decorations i used Chocolate Icing, green icing and coloured fondant which i cut into stars.
My Dad didn't say anything about the taste, but my mum is my best critic and she didn't hold back on her opinion, so the recipe went in the bin :)

Cupcakes

Hello all,
These are the cupcakes i made for my birthday party, My theme was pink, brown and white.
All the girls at my party loved them.
I used Pink brown and white icing, pink mini marshmallows , pink writing icing and brown writing icing for the decoration.
Hopefully this inspires you to make your own cupcake creations :)

The recipes i used are on my previous blog (Rspca cupcakes)

Rspca Cupcakes

Hey all,

These are the cupcakes i made for the Rspca cupcake day, i ended up raising $265 which was fantastic. total of 152 cupcakes.

I Made chocolate, vanilla and coffee flavours and when people ordered they could choose which flavour they wanted.

For the decoration i decorated them in Lions,monkeys,pigs,sheep,cats and dogs.

For the Lion i used : orange frosting, caramel popcorn for the mane, 2 mini brown m&m's for the eyes and black writing icing for the nose and mouth.

For the Monkey i used: Chocolate icing, Light Chocolate icing for the muzzle, white mini marshmallow's squashed for the eyes, chocolate melts for the ears, and black writing icing for the nose, mouth and eyeballs.

For the Pig i used: Pink icing, strawberry rollup cut into triangles for the ears, 2 brown mini m&m's for the eyes and 2 red mini m&m's turned sideways for the nostrils.

For the Dog i used : Butter cream icing, 2 mini brown m&m's for the eye and nose, 1 chocolate melt for the eye, one yellow m&m for the eye and brown writing icing for the mouth and ear.

For the Sheep i used:  White icing, Pink icing for the muzzle, white mini marshmallows for the wool, 2 brown mini m&m's for the eyes and one red mini m&m for the nose.

For the Cat i used: White icing,2 blue mini m&m's for eyes (you could use any colour), orange mini m&m for nose, Liquorice roll cut into triangles for ears, liquorice roll cut into strips for whiskers and black writing icing for mouth.

Recipes:

Vanilla Cupcakes:
 Ingredients :

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven. Line muffin or mini-muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the flour. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until combined.
3. Spoon mixture into patty pans and bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Variations:
Coffee Cupcakes: Replace 1/2 cup of milk with buttermilk and add 8 teaspoons of instant coffee, a pinch of salt and another teaspoon of vanilla.
Chocolate cupcakes: Add 1/2 cup more sugar, add 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, add another 1/2 a cup of milk

Butter cream icing:
Ingredients :

• 185g butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups icing sugar mixture
• 2 tablespoons milk

Method:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

For the chocolate icing just about about 2 tablespoons of cocoa and a dash more of milk.

Birthday Cake

Hey all,
this is the birthday cake i made for my birthday.

This is my second attempt at making a decorated cake. I got high marks from my family for this cake, some of the comments were " really moist and delicous and " this is like 5 star dining"
The bottom layer is vanilla cake and the top is chocolate cake. i used chocolate icing to ice (recipe follows), strips of pink and white fondant for ribbons, pink and white fondant flowers that i cut out and pink writing icing for the drawn on flowers/swirls.

Vanilla Cake recipe:

Ingredients (serves 15)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 300g butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack.

Chocolate Cake + Chocolate icing:

Ingredients (serves 8)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 270g (1 1/3 cups, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 125g butter, cubed
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• Chocolate icing :
• 195g (11/4 cups) pure icing sugar
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 10g (2 tsp) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbs boiling water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a deep, square, 19cm (base measurement) cake pan (see tip below) with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the sugar, milk and butter in a large saucepan. Use a fine sieve to sift the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda over the mixture. Place the pan over medium-low heat and use a whisk to stir until the mixture is smooth (don't boil the mixture). (See microwave tip.) Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Use a sieve to sift half of each the self-raising and plain flours into the pan. Use the whisk to stir until the mixture is smooth. Repeat with the remaining flours. Add the eggs and continue to stir until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and gently tap the pan on a bench to release any large air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Set aside for 1 3/4 hours or until completely cool.
5. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl. Add the butter and water, and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Use the back of a spoon or palette knife to spread the icing evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Set aside for about 50 minutes or until the icing is firm

My First Blog

Hi all!, my first blog...how exciting.
Well... im 15 years old and i love to bake/cook. My dream is to own my own cafe, baking fresh cakes/desserts everyday, so will be posting a few of my future recipes.
I recently lost a lot of weight (24 kilos) on bodytrim, which is like a high protein low carb diet , i went from a size 14 to a size 8.
I am in year 9, and started my first job at a fast food outlet about 6 weeks ago.
I love animals and the ironic thing is im allergic to them, if i come in contact with an animal i break out in a rash and have to wash it off before it spreads. Doesn't stop me though ;)
I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, Butch is one of our dogs, hes a staffy x border collie (7yrs old). Lady is our other dog, shes a tan english staffy (1 year). Our cats are Sparkles (7), hidy (9), precious.(3)
I have two older brothers,one is married and one still lives at home.

Elena
Xxox