Orlando & New York City, USA

Orlando & New York City 4-17 Oct 2012, a set on Flickr.

Free & easy holiday in Orlando & New York City for the period 4 - 17 Oct 2012.

Vanilla Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by Liv butter.

I've been wanting to bake a nice vanilla flavoured cupcakes for a long time. Earlier this year, at my cousin's baby's first month celebration, I was asked to make chocolate cupcakes for his guests, and I did. My aunty tried the chocolate cupcake and said it was nice. However, she commented that she preferred vanilla taste. I promised her I'll try to bake a good vanilla cupcake next time for her.

Then came the opportunity. My dad invited his relatives to his place for a gathering. He usually do this once a year. I knew my aunty will be there. So I kept my promise. I tried Little Teochew's Vanilla Cupcakes. It was moist and crumbly, something that I like in a cupcake. My aunty liked it and commented that at least the butter taste wasn't prominent.

Recipe for Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes, adapted from The Little Teochew.
Makes approx. 36 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

85g Self-raising flour
70g Plain flour
113g Unsalted Liv butter, softened
130g caster sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
122g Whole milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean for even more intensity)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
6. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 18 minutes, or when the top turns golden brown.
8. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Browned Butter Cake

This post is sponsored by LIV butter.

Ever tried browned butter cake before? Someone asked me, where to buy brown butter? Another said brown sugar added to butter?

Actually browned butter means cooking the butter in a pan until it turned browned. The browning of butter gave out a hint of fruity smell.

Recipe for Browned Butter Cake
Makes a 5" round and two mini loaves (or a 8" round pan)

Ingredients:
250g Browned LIV salted butter
250g Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
180g Caster sugar (found it too sweet. can reduce to 160g)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
95g Whole milk
3 Eggs

Method:

1. To brown butter: Cook LIV salted butter over low heat in a pan, stirring occasionally until brown bits are formed. Let it cool before adding to the recipe. (Don't need to cool completely. Use it warm.)

2. Add flour, baking powder, sugar, browned butter, vanilla, milk and eggs to a mixer and beat on low speed for one minute. Then continue beating at medium speed for another two minutes.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake them in the preheated oven of 180C for 35-40mins. (If using a 8" cake pan, bake for approximately 60 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.)
4. Let it cool in the pan for about 10mins before removing it and cool completely on a wire rack.