Lemon Lust Cake

My youngest sister dropped me a bombshell - a lemon cake for her birthday. I went "what?!?!?!" It was a challenge as I've not tried a fully frosted lemon cake. Panick sank in. Challenge sprang up.

I flipped through my cakes recipe books one by one. Looking for "THE" recipe. Nope, this won't do...that wasn't good enough... Then BINGO! This looked like the ideal one. I re-read the recipe, okay... Looked like quite a fair bit of work to be done, though it seemed manageable. Good.

Presenting to you, Lemon Lust Cake, adapted from "The Cake Book".

I must say I'm very happy with the overall taste and texture. However, there were mixed comments from my family members. Half of my family members, including my birthday sister, love the zesty sour taste. The other half found the taste too sour, and would prefer it to be sweeter. For me, I love the tangy prominent lemon taste. However, all of us agreed that the cake would definitely appeal more if it is lighter and fluffier (aka chiffon style).

Introducing the "characters" from this cake.

Recipe for Lemon Lust Cake, slight modificiation from "The Cake Book" by Tish Boyle.

Ingredients:

Lemon Cake
342g Top flour (original is Cake flour)
2 1/2tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp Salt
227g Unsalted butter, softened
240g Fine sugar
5 Medium eggs (original is 4 large eggs)
2 tsp Lemon zest, finely grated
60ml Fresh lemon juice, strained (approx. 1 large lemon)
160ml Whole milk

Method:

1. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9" round cake pans.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 30 secs.
3. Gradually add the sugar and beat at high speed until well blended and light, about 3 mins.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and mixing until blended.
6. Beat in the lemon zest and lemon juice until blended. (My batter curdles when this was added. However, the final batter turned out to be thick and creamy. So it was still alright.)
7. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating it with milk in two additions and mixing until just blended.
8. Scape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly, and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
9. Bake the cakes at 180C for 22 mins, until they are golden brown around the edges and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 15 mins. Then invert the cakes onto the wire racks and let it cool completely.

Lemon Curd
(Makes 480ml)

10 Medium eggs yolks (original 8 large eggs. My eggs weigh approx 50g without shells)
180g Fine sugar (original is 250g)
2tsps Lemon zest, finely grated
180ml Fresh lemon juice (approx. 3 large lemons)
Pinch of salt
113g Unsalted butter, cubed

Method:

1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, whish together the egg yolks and sugar until blended.
3. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, salt and butter and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 7 to 10 mins (do not let the custard boil, or it will curdle).
4. The mixture should leave a path on the back of a wooden spoon when you draw your finger across it.
5. Immediately strain the mixture through the sieve, pressing it through.
6. Set the bowl containing the lemon mixture in a large bowl filled about one-third of the way with ice water (be care that the water doesn't splash into the lemon mixture).
7. Stir the mixture frequently until it is slightly chilled, about 15 mins.
8. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lemon Soaking Syrup
(Left about 1/3 after I generously brush on four cake layers. Therefore, you can safely make 3/4 of this recipe.)
80ml Water
60ml Fresh lemon juice, strained (approx. 1 large lemon)
60g Fine sugar (original is 100g)

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, lemon juice, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool until room temperature.

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
180ml Whipping cream
113g Cream cheese, softened (I dumped in my remaining 135g)
1/2tsp Vanilla extract
240ml Lemon Curd

Method:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream at high speed until firm peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a smaller bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. In the same mixer bowl (no need to wash it), using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until very creamy, about 2 mins.
3. On low speed, beat in the vanilla extract.
4. Add the lemon curd and beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth, about 1 min.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, using a spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream until almost completely blended.
6. Cover the bowl and refridgerate until ready to use.

Lemon Buttercream
(Left about 1/3 of the buttercream after I coat the cake thinly, and piped big rosettes. Will use the remaining buttercream to spread on breads. :))
340g Unsalted butter, softened
240ml Lemon curd
Pinch of salt

100g Almonds slices, toasted (optional)
2 Lemon slices, quartered (optional)

Method:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 mins.
2. At medium speed, gradually add the lemon curd, a large spoonful at a time, then add the salt and beat at medium speed until creamy and light, about 1.5 mins.
3. Set aside at room temperature while you assemble the cake.

Assembling the cake

1. Using a long serrated knife, trim off the domed tops of the cakes so that they are even (save any cake pieces and crumbs for snacking).
2. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers.
3. Reserve one of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake.
4. Place a cake layer on a cake board.
5. Generously brush with some of the lemon syrup.
6. Spoon the fillings onto the cake, using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2" border around the edge of the cake.
7. Top with another cake layer and repeat #5 & #6, and for the rest of the cake layers.
8. Frost the sides and top of the cake with buttercream.
9. Coat the sides with almond slices.
10. Pipe rosettes onto the top, and decorate with lemon slices. Refrigerate.
11. To serve, let it stand at room temperature for about 30mins before serving.

Warning: This lemon cake is dense, thick, rich and tangy. You have have been warned. Create at your own risk!

Looking at the recipe that I made, you can understand why it's tangy and zesty because I cut down on all the sugars used. If you like it to be sweeter, go ahead to add in more sugars. Now, I understand why some bloggers like Ju and Shirley love their lemon curds! When I tried the lemon curd, I was totally blown away! I wondered why I hadn't try this much earlier!

I'm also submitting this to the Aspiring Bakers #5 Fruity March.

Bacon & Mushrooms Quiche

When I saw Anncoo's Ham & Spinach Quiche, I told myself I want to make quiche again. She is right to say that you can make quiche with whatever you have in the fridge. It's just so versatile. Since I have some "back bacons" in the freezer, brown button mushrooms in the chiller, I decided on baking Bacon & Mushroom Quiche last Saturday.

I extracted the shortcrust recipe from Exclusively Food. The crust was easy to manage and really crispy with distinct layers.

Recipe for Bacon & Mushroom Quiche.
Makes for 10 individual portion.

Shortcrust (extracted from Exclusively Food)
Ingredients:
550g Plain flour
300g Cold salted butter, cubed
20g Ice cold water
2 Eggs

Method:
1. Using a scraper, chop the butter and flour together. Or you can rub the butter and flour together with your fingertips. However, take care not to let the butter melt.
2. Mix the cold water with the eggs. Then incorporate the liquid ingredients into the butter and flour.
3. Gather the dough together, and knead lightly.
4. Separate into three plastic bags and rest it in the fridge for at least 30mins.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out to fit your pans. I used 10 cookwares of different sizes.
6. Bake it at 200C for 20mins, or until light brown. Remove from oven.

Fillings
Ingredients:
400g Back bacon
2 packets Brown button mushrooms, washed & sliced
1 packet French beans, washed and cut horzonally
Some chopped garlic
Cooking oil

10 Eggs
300g Whipping cream
Pepper
Salt

Method:
1. Heat some oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add bacons and cooked until browned and crispy.
2. Remove the bacons from the saucepan. With the remaining oil, add garlic to fry till fragrant.
3. Add mushrooms, sauteed until soft, then add french beans and cook.
4. When the vegetables are cooked, remove from the saucepan.
5. While the pastry is baking, place eggs and whipping cream, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk together.
6. Cut the bacon into strips, and divide the portion into the various baked crust pans.
7. Repeat the same for the vegetables.
8. Pour the egg mixture into the pans until it's totally covered.
9. Bake in a preheat oven of 200C for 20-25mins, or until the surface is browned.
10. Cool slightly before serving.

I realised that sprinkling some chilli powder on the quiche tasted really good. Do try it if you have some!

Red Bean Wholemeal Buns

Using the same dough recipe as my Mushroom & Cheese Buns, I made some Red Bean Buns last weekend. The red bean were left over from making the mochi.

I managed to make 13 buns. I usually make quite a lot on Saturdays so that I can give some to my parents and my siblings. I used 25g red bean paste for each dough. Rolled them up like swiss rolls and flatten them. Then cut 3 slits in the centre, and twist them. Then, let them proof. I brushed them with milk and sprinkle black sesame seeds on it before baking. After baking, I realised each of them have their own designs, quite unique actually.

[Afternote: I realised 25g of red bean paste is not enough. Feedback from my siblings is that red bean paste not prominent. Therefore, it'll be better to increase it to 40g per dough to have that real red bean taste!]

Strawberry & Red Bean Mochi

It was the same day I baked the Okashi's Black Sesame Chiffon Cake, I made Okashi's Strawberry & Red Bean Mochi. Okashi seemed to have conquer my Sunday. Before I decided to make the Strawberry & Red Bean Mochi, I recalled I have seen it somewhere before. Then I realised it was at Shirley's blog.

When I read the recipe, I thought it looked pretty easy. Being ambitious, I wanted to make 5x of the recipe, so that I can give away as a birthday present to my sister-in-law. However, I was wrong. It was truly not easy to do the moulding and rolling! In the end, I only managed out 3x of the recipe, making only 13 pieces in total! Here's sharing my experience on the making this "looks-easy-but-hard-to-perfect" mochi!

Original recipe for Strawberry & Red Bean Mochi, extracted from "Okashi" by Keiko Ishida

(Makes 4)

Ingredients:

160g Red Bean paste

70g Glutinous rice flour

110g Water
Potato starch for coating

4 Strawberries, small, washed and hulled

Method:

1. Combine glutinous rice flour and water in a bowl. Mix well. Microwave at 600W for 1 min. Stir the mixture again. Microwave again for 1 min.
2. Divide dough into 4 portions. Coat dough with potato starch, then flatten using hands.
3. Weigh out 40g of red bean and wrap a strawberry with it completely.
4. Place each filling ball in the middle of each piece of dough. Cover the filling and gently using your fingers, stretch the dough over to cover the fillings.
5. Coat rice ball with potato starch and serve immediately.

Notes and tips:

1. You can make more than one recipe. However, stick to one recipe of the glutinous rice when you heat up. Meaning, if you make 2 recipes, weigh out two times and heat up separately. So that it remained warm when you roll it up.

2. On the other hand, the glutinuous rice dough is not easy to roll up when it's too hot. Dust with too much potato flour, it won't expand and stick. Too little, you'll have it stick to your fingers and hands easily. Go 'light" with potato flour. Feel the dough yourself to decide how much flour to add.

3. With one recipe of the rice dough, the recipe stated to divide into 4 portions. However, I found that the portions were too thick. I felt that 5-6 portions should be just right to cover the fillings.

4. I used ready made red bean paste. The recipe called for 40g, however, I used about 23g as I didn't want the mochi to "grow" too huge. Then, I realised that my dough was too thick and the fillings were not sufficient, resulting in the mochi being bland. So it might be good to use at least 30g of red bean paste.

5. It'll be better to use really small strawberries though. The strawberries I used were relatively small, however after wrapping, the mochi became very huge! It's almost like 3/4 of my fist! You defintely cannot put the whole mochi into the mouth!

6. The mochi is best consumed immediately, or at most, keep it in the fridge and consumed the following day. Otherwise, the washed strawberry will produce water and make the paste watery.

I'm submitting this to the Aspiring Bakers #5 Fruity March hosted by Bakericious.

Black Sesame Chiffon Cake

When I saw Swee San's post on Black Seasame Chiffon Cake, I realised I also have the "Okashi" book. I bought it a few months ago and it was still sitting in my cabinet. Sometimes, my recipe books can be sitting there for quite sometime before I "rediscover" them. Why? Because internet simply have too many good recipes to try. There are just too many good food bloggers out there, who are willing to share new recipes. Therefore, many of us also benefited. :)

Anyway, I decided to bake this cake for my boss since his birthday is end of this week. I hope he like this cake since it was my first attempt.

You can get the recipe here.

Oreo Marble Cake

When I was resting at home last Monday, I decided to bake a simple cake. When I saw Ellena's post on the marble cake, I felt like having some. The recipe was in fact from Ju. Without hesitation, I got my kitchen accessories and ingredients and started baking.

Since I still have some crushed oreos in my cupboard, I decided to replace the cocoa powder with my crushed oreos.

Recipe for Oreo Marble Cake, modified from Ju's Marble Cake.
(Makes a 7" cake)

Ingredients:
225g Unsalted butter, softened
185g Caster sugar
4 Eggs
225g Self-raising flour
3 tbsp Whole milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
40g Ground Oreos

Method:
1. Line the bottom of a 7" cake tin with a greaseproof paper.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Fold in the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
4. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Add the crushed oreos into one of the bowls and mix well.
5. Alternate the two batters. Otherwise, just pour one batter in and add the other one.
6. When all the mixture has been used up, take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.
7. Bake the cake at 180C for 65 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool.

The cake turned out to be really nice and solid. It's not too crumbly. The cake tasted even better the next day. This is definitely a keeper for me!