Archive for August 12th, 2008
Starry Night Cupcake – cupcake infused with earl grey tea topped with thick chocolate earl grey ganache and decorated with chocolate stars brushed with edible gold dust. Price available upon request.
Hail to the Earl
Everybody seems to be all agog about green tea these days that I decided to turn to one of its “less celebrated” but equally healthy cousins: the earl grey tea. Being used to the Lipton Yellow Label tea while growing up, I was unfamiliar with the earl grey tea until I came across a chocolate earl grey truffle recipe in Bon Appetit magazine a few years back. So while making these cupcakes, I thought about these truffles and how perfect they would be as topping. Earl grey tea is so fragrant; one whiff and you will want to empty your teacup at once, burning throat and all. It is now my tea of choice.
This cupcake is delicately flavored but I must say that it is the truffle topping that takes center stage as it is so flavorful. Bergamot, the key ingredient in earl grey tea is often used to treat depression so I thought that a sparkling star (chocolate brushed with edible gold dust) would be an apt decoration. Come to think of it, having a delicious cupcake can also drive the blues away, don’t you think?
Fact: Earl grey tea was named after Charles Grey, a British Prime Minister in the 1800s, who received the blended tea as a gift.
Fun trivia: Fictional characters who prefer earl grey tea include Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Bruce Wayne aka Batman, James Bond and Winnie the Pooh’s friend Piglet. (Source: Wikipedia).
August 12th, 2008
Mocha Latte Cupcake – buttery Kahlua-laced coffee cupcake with bits of chocolate coffee candies, topped with espresso-flavored whipped white chocolate ganache decorated with melted chocolate swirls and chocolate sprinkles. Price available upon request.
I want my coffee in a cupcake!
I am not a coffee drinker—a cup of java is just not my thing. However, I like its flavor in baked goods and confectionery. I have tried tons of coffee-flavored cupcake recipes but this version is the one I like best. It is buttery but there is the lingering taste of coffee. I use instant espresso granules and Kahlua for stronger flavor. There are also bits of chocolate coffee candies inside. Topping it is an espresso-flavored whipped white chocolate ganache. I added melted chocolate swirls on top of the ganache to simulate the decorative touch that baristas usually put on top of capuccinos.
August 12th, 2008
Ebony and Ivory Cupcakes – two-toned cupcakes, vanilla and chocolate, with bittersweet chocolate glaze and a squiggle of white chocolate. Price available upon request.
Perfect Pair
Chocolate and vanilla, vanilla and chocolate—they go hand in hand, right? When these two batters are combined in a cake, they are usually marbled. But having one flavor on one side and the second flavor on the other side can be a good thing to try, too. I admit this is a bit fiddly to make but there is a feeling of satisfaction when you see the baked cupcake with the two flavors staying put in their respective corners.
The flavors are mellow. The cupcake is tight-grained but when you bite into it, it seems to dissolve in the mouth giving it a feeling of lightness.
I initially used chocolate with 72% cocoa solids for the glaze but it was too bitter for the cupcake so I turned to my go-to bittersweet chocolate bar. What to make of the extra bittersweet ganache? I rolled them into truffles!
August 12th, 2008
A. First post
There are so many cupcake blogs around and I just love reading most of them. I admire those creative souls who churn out beautiful, inventive (and delicious, I imagine) little cakes. I also love their honesty in posting what went wrong in their tests and how they plan to improve on the recipe the next time around – such perseverance! But then, that is a trait that a dedicated baker must have.
And so, inspired by all those delicious blogs, here is my very own featuring my cupcake repertoire – available for orders! – and some anecdotes behind their creations. Many thanks to my friend H._ who urged me to jump into the blogging bandwagon!
For order inquiries, you can email me here or text or call 0917-6953441.
B. First cupcake
The very first cupcake I made was called “Anniversary Cake.” Why it was called that I have no idea. I got the recipe from my mother. It was originally a sheet cake but sometimes we bake it into cupcakes. It was like a brown sugar butter cake with raisins and nuts. It was very flavorful and soft and unfrosted. Things were still simple back then. Nowadays, cupcakes are all dressed prettily. Cupcakes are definitely back and are better than ever.
As what all baking gurus say, all ingredients must be of the superior kind so I only use the finest. I shy away from the overly sweet confectioner’s sugar-based buttercream icing. I am a ganache devotee so most of my cupcake offerings have this as topping. Decorating cupcakes is a challenge and I always look for inspiration around me. One thing I make sure is that all my decors are edible. I do not use fondant, though.
There are countless flavors I still want to try but for now, my cupcake repertoire racks up to 17 variants. I do hope you give them all a try!
August 12th, 2008
