To make Soft Moist Banana Cake - Bakerlicious

To make Soft Moist Banana Cake

http://bakericious.blogspot.com/2010/08/soft-and-moist-banana-cake.html

Ingredients: ( for one 8" x 3.5" x 3" & one 9" x 4" x 3")
250g salted butter
[172g] 1 1/2 cups castor sugar (I will reduce the sugar depending on what type of banana that I used and how ripe the bananas are)  [1 cup according to Jess=115g]
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 del monte bananas)
2 cups plain flour (sift together with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp baking powder)




Half Recipe:


125g salted butter
86g  castor sugar (I will reduce the sugar depending on what type of banana that I used and how ripe the bananas are)  [1 cup according to Jess=115g]
2 eggs
1/2  tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp milk
3/4  cups mashed banana (about 1 1/2  del monte bananas)
1 cups plain flour (sift together with 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1/2  tsp baking powder)


Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in eggs, vanilla essence and milk and mix well.
3. Add mashed banana into the mixture and mix well.
4. Finally add in sifted flour and mix well and pour into a cake tin.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg C for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the top layer turns brown after 15 minutes, cover it with a piece of aluminium foil.
6. Cool cakes in the pan then remove. Use a sharp knife to slice and serve

FAQ on cake problem

http://www.landolakes.com/TestKitchen/TipsAndTechniques/FAQ/cakes.aspx

A Soggy Layer or Streak on Bottom
Under mixing of ingredients
Too much liquid
Eggs too big (most recipes are developed for large eggs)
Butter too soft
Too much sugar
Too much leavening
Not baked long enough
Sponge cakes-too many eggs or under beaten yolks

Fine Butter Cake By Angel Cook Bake Love

Fine Butter Cake by Angel Cook Bake Love
http://angelcookbakelove.blogspot.com/2010/04/fine-butter-cake.html

150g Golden Churn butter (I used SCS butter)

1 tbsp corn oil/olive oil

110g sugar

1/3 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

140g cake flour

40g corn starch

1/3 tsp baking powder

3 - 5 tbsp whipping cream/milk (I used 5 tbsp milk)

Method:

1) Mix cake flour, corn starch and baking powder together. Sieve twice into a large mixing bowl.

2) Cream butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and salt till pale and fluffy.

3) Beat in eggs one at time, beat well after each addition.

4) Add in the flour mixture and mix at low speed till well blended.

5) Stir in the whipping cream/milk.

6) Pour batter into a lined loaf pan and bake at 180C for 35 - 45 minutes or till cooked (I used a 9”x5” black steel pan, bake at 165C for 40 minutes. For a taller and better looking cake, a smaller pan should be used).

Light, moist butter cake by Angelcook

To make:


Blueberry yogurt butter cake
http://angelcookbakelove.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-one-blueberry-yogurt-butter.html


Angel cook bake love recipe for a blueberry yogurt butter cake.
She blogs that this recipe is a lighter version, but moist and buttery.

Ingredients:
(A)
125g butter
160g sugar  [

(B)3 eggs

(C) – sift flour,baking powder,salt
2 cups plain flour [
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

(D)
1 small tub yogurt (125g-150g) + milk = 1 cup OR 1 cup yogurt (either plain or flavoured is fine)
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
(E)1½ cups fresh blueberries

Method:
1) Beat (A) butter and sugar till creamy and fluffy.
2) Add (B) eggs, one at a time, mix well before each addition.
3) Fold in (C) flour mixture alternate with (D) in 3 to 4 additions, beat till just incorporated. Do not over mix.
4) Pour the batter in a greased 9"x5" loaf pan..
5)  Arrange (E) blueberry on top if any. Do not press.
5) Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 50-60 mins or until a skewer inserted and comes out clean (mine was cooked in 55 mins). Cool on wire rack.

Note:
1) If I were to make this cake again I will probably add more lemon juice because I like to have it to be a bit tangy. I didn't want to add lemon zest because I didn't want it to overwhelm the blueberries.

2) I used a non-stick black loaf pan. As heat will be absorbed more quickly with dark colour non-stick surface, I baked at 180C for the first 5 mins and reduced to 160C-155C thereafter. I usually reduce the oven temperature 20C to 25C lower when baking with this pan

Yummylittlecook sultana cake

To make : Raisin butter cake
http://yummylittlecooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/sultana-cake.html
Origin of this recipe is from Alex Goh cookbook


Ingredients:


(A)
280 gm butter


230 gm sugar ( yummy use 180gm )


(B)


5 eggs


(C)
1 tbsp glycerine


(D)


200 gm flour


1/2tbsp baking powder


1tbsp milk powder


(E)


250gm sultanas


60gm high protein flour( I used all purpose flour)




Steps:
1.  Sieve flour and baking powder


2.  Cream (A) - butter and sugar


3.  Add (B) Eggs slowly one at a time


4. Add (C) glycerine and (D) sieved flour + milk 
powder - mix till well blended


5. Add the mixed sultanas


6. Pour into lined pans


7. Bake at 180 Deg c for 50mins

Baking Tips for cheesecakes

http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/bakingtips.cheesecakes/Cheesecakes.cfm




These tips are obtained direct from the source above. 1) do not overbeat the batter
2) When remove from the oven, loosen the edge of the cake to allow the cake to pull away from tin when cooled.


How to prevent cracks?
3) Bake the cheesecake in a water bath to keep the oven moisture high and the heat gentle. (A water bath is using a larger pan containing water in which to place the smaller cheesecake baking pan.)
Use a water bath - wrap the bottom of your springform pan in aluminum foil and place it in a larger pan with water in it, just halfway up the outside of the springform pan. This will allow the cheesecake to cook more slowly and evenly. see right below:


4) How to avoid cracks then? Be sure to mix your cheesecake batter well, eliminating all possible lumps in the cream cheese BEFORE you add the eggs. It is the eggs that will hold air in the batter, so add them last, and mix as little as possible once they are in the mix.


5)Cheesecakes with cornstarch or flour added to the batter do not crack as easily from overbaking. The starch molecules will actually get in between the egg proteins preventing them from over-coagulating. No over-coagulating, no cracks!! Some bakers add extra insurance to a cheesecake recipe that doesn't contain cornstarch or flour, by simply adding 1 tablespoon to1/4 cup of cornstarch to the batter with the sugar.


Water Bath in detail:

A "water bath" is a method that will help keep your cheesecake from cracking while baking.

Instructions For Water Bath

First, take heavy aluminum foil, and wrap it around sides and bottom of your springform pan or cheesecake pan with removable bottom. This prevents leakage while baking your cheesecake.

Place your springform pan or cheesecake pan (filled with cheesecake batter and crust) into a larger deep baking pan* that it will fit into easily.

*Note: The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth.

Place in pre-heated oven. With a kettle filled with very hot water, pour water into the larger pan about halfway up, or approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

Bake cheesecake as directed. When cheesecake is done, remove springform pan or cheesecake pan (if using) from "water bath" in oven. Carefully remove larger pan with water in it from oven. It will be very hot. Discard water when it has cooled.

Remove aluminim foil from sides and bottom of pan after your cheescake has cooled completely in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to release sides of springform pan, or remove cheesecake from a cheesecake pan with removable bottom (if using) and cheescake has cooled in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight; this is the best time to remove aluminum foil.

Dark non stick tins

From Forum:
http://jodeli.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cakerecipes&action=display&thread=912

- The middle part of the cake is not cook! Can someone pls tell me why ? 

from your picture i guess you took it out when the top looked cooked. you did not test with a skewer. Poke into the thickest part of the cake . if it comes out clean, its cooked.

you are also using dark non stick baking tins. they absorb and give off heat easily compared to normal aluminium/tin baking tins. the cake browns/cooks faster on the outside compared to the inside. So it looks cooked but the inside isn't. try reducing the temperature by 10 to 15 C and bake for the same time or longer. Check using the skewer.

Steam Egg Cake

I ate 3 pieces. oh my! This is my favorite cake and it's the first time I've made this cake ;
much thanks to http://bits-of-taste.blogspot.com/2009/06/steamed-egg-cake.html

My cake didn't turn out perfect looking; but I must say the taste is good. I'll need to perfect my steaming skill - the top of the cake came out damp; and I took much longer to steam the cake.

Here's the recipe from bits-of-taste:

Ingredients:
3 eggs (Grade A)    [i used 4 normal size egg-weigh around 206gm total; calculated 3 Grade A would
                             weigh around 180gm. My 3 normal size egg weigh 156gm]


100gm Castor sugar
150gm Cake flour / Superfine flour
1 tsp Baking Powder   
4 - 5 tbsp Milk                   [I used 2 tbsp milk plus 2 tbsp ice cream soda]
20cm bamboo steaming tray / rice cooker steaming tray
Baking paper

Methods:
1. Line a 20cm bamboo steaming tray / rice cooker steaming tray with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Whisk sugar & eggs with hand whisk for 15 mins or until batter turns fluffy with creamy lemon colour.
[i had to whisk for around 25 mins for the mixture to turn stiffer and fluffier]





3. Sieve flour with baking powder together.
4. Pour half portion of flour mixture into egg batter. Mix and stir well.
5. Repeat with the other half portion.
[I slowly pour in the flour mixture into the egg batter and fold it in]


6. Add in milk and stir well. Adjust milk amount according to the thickness of the batter. If you find that batter is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.
[i used 2 tbsp of milk; then added in 2 tbsp of ice cream soda - ]


7. Pour batter into bamboo steaming tray. 
8.Steam egg cake at high heat for 15 mins
[7,8.  Meantime, i had set on a pot of boiling water with the pan inside. I pour the steam egg mixture into the pan and steam at high heat. it took me almost 25 mins to steam]


9. If you cover the steaming tray with another lid or a stainless steel plate, steam for 25 mins (I didn't cover with double lids for this recipe).
10. Open lids, test with a skewer, if the skewer comes out clean. The cake is done.
11. Remove egg cake immediately from the steaming pot. Let cool, then cut into pieces and enjoy!

Risen quite high; but the top got damp.

This is from the smaller pan. I had cut away the damp top.

Pancake Nian Gao

To make: 


Recipe source as below:

http://vivianpangkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/nian-gao-pancake.html

Can be filled with beans, cheese, tuna, etc

Source: 阿芳的3杯面粉

Ingredients: yields 12 pieces

(A)

3 cups plain flour

2 tbsp castor sugar

1½ tsp yeast

1 cup water

(B) Filling

12 slices of nian gao

Methods:

1. Put all the ingredients (A) into a bowl. Stir with chopstick till all the flour coated with liquid.

2. Start to knead till form smooth dough.

3. Cover and rest for 25-30 minutes.

4. Transfer to working surface. Divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into balls and rest for 10 minutes.

5. Wrap each ball with a slice of nian gao. Shape into round and flatten. Rest the pancake for 10 minutes.

6. Heat up a wok (prefer nonstick or thick base wok). Coat the wok surface with little oil. Arrange the pancake inside the wok. Cook on low heat about 4-5 minutes each side. Enjoy

MILKY MANTOU (鮮奶饅頭)

 http://chia-lishen.blogspot.com/2009/07/milky-mantou-bread-maker-recipe.htmlThe original recipe is from  周老師的美食教室 in traditional Chinese. http://blog.yam.com/homeeconomics/article/1670381




This is the original ingredients list. I use half the recipe to do the baking.


Original recipe:
milk......................150g               
oil........................1 Tbsp          
sugar ...................3 Tbsp          
plain flour ............300g              


yeast....................1/2 Tbsp    
    

Some flour for kneading


Instruction:
1. Put yeast, sugar, flour, milk and oil in the bread maker in order.
    [I put in order into the pan :
           milk
           oil
           sugar
           flour
           yeast ]    

2. Select "dough" menu. My bread maker takes 2.30 hrs for dough function.
    [I use only the knead function of the breadmaker. Once the knead finishes, i remove the pan from the pan and continued to knead for another 15 mins or so]










3.  I then put the dough into a bowl into the cold oven, to proof for about 40 mins. Around the bowl, i put 4 cups of just boiled water to steam up the oven.












4. After 40 mins, I punch down the dough, then put it back into the oven to proof for another 20 mins.


5. This is how the dough then looks like. Look at the dent when the finger is pressed in.

6) Divide the dough into even halves.
7) Roll them out into a flat, thin rectangular shape.
8) Place the other dough onto another.
5)Roll up the dough as shown in the picture.








                                                                          (diagram from liria's blog)                                                                  


6)Use knife to cut up into pieces.  
Put the two end bits together, just roll up as a round-shaped mantou.              





7)Your mantou should have the spiral layers on both sides.
  

4. Before steaming. Leave the mantous at a warm place for 40 minutes to raise. (I leave them in oven at very low heat.)




5. Use cold water to start steaming, each mantou should takes about 7-8 minutes to steam. Line a piece of baking paper under each mantou to stop it from sticking onto the steamer.



6. Place the steamed mantou on a dry, clean tea towel. Eat fresh

Huat Kueh

This is the huat keuh recipe using a combination of HK and rice flour.

source from:
http://www.asiarecipe.com/sindesserts.html#Huet

Huat Kueh (Fatt Koh)

Ingredients

• 200g muscovado or dark brown sugar
• 400ml water
• 300g Hong Kong flour (low gluten flour used in Chinese pastries, substitute with cake flour if unavailable)
• 60g rice flour
• 4 tsp double acting baking powder

Directions

Bring the 400ml water to a boil and add sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolve. Leave the sugar solution to cool.
Arrange Chinese tea cups or a 12 bun ½ cup muffin tin in a wok. Add water to the wok and bring it to a boil. At the same time the tea cups will be heated up by the steam.
 
Sieve the Hong Kong flour, rice flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the sugar solution into the flour, using a whisk to mix. Alternatively, if you are lazy like I am, use a standmixer. Make sure that there are no lumps in the batter.
Make sure water in the wok is at a roaring boil. Pour the batter into the hot tea cups to at least 80% full. If using muffin tin, place cupcake liners in the tin before pouring the batter. Steam for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the cake. Do not open the lid for the first 10 minutes however or the cake may go flat.
Don't mean to toot my own horn but these home made huat kueh are the best I have ever tasted. They are fluffy, moist and have that intense flavour of muscovado sugar which I love

Char Siu Pau

Ingredients

Water dough
• 200g plain flour
• 20g castor sugar
• 55g shortening
• 120ml water
Oil dough
• 155g plain flour
• 115g shortening
Filling
• 250g pork char siu with fat (store-bought char siu), diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp frozen green peas, thawed
Seasoning
• A little Shao Xing wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp thick soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 tbsp castor sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp water
Thickening (combined)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp water
Glaze
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

To prepare filling: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick saucepan and fry onion until fragrant. Add char siu and sprinkle in Shao Xing wine. Toss and fry well. Add in remaining seasoning ingredients. Fry until filling is fairly dry. Drizzle in a little thickening and continue to fry for a while. Dish out and leave to cool completely or preferably chill in the refrigerator before use. To prepare water dough: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Knead until soft and smooth. Leave aside for 10 minutes. For the oil dough: Combine flour and shortening into a smooth dough. Leave aside for 10 minutes. Divide oil and water dough into equal portions of 20g each. Wrap each piece of water dough with a piece of oil dough in the centre. Form into a ball then roll out into an oblong shape. Roll up Swiss Roll-style. Roll out into a thin round. Wrap a tablespoon of prepared filling in the centre. Pleat the edge into a Siu Pau shape.Arrange each Siu Pau into a paper cup and brush with glaze. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes or until golden or done. Serve warm

Foochow Red Wine Chicken

http://www.kuali.com/recipes/view.aspx?r=4035

Ingredients

• 1 kampong chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 whole bulb garlic, peeled
• 150g old ginger, shredded
• 4-5 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp Chinese red wine dregs
• 3 tbsp Chinese white rice wine (mei gui loe)
• 200ml water or stock
• 2-3 tbsp light soy sauce

Method

Heat sesame oil in a wok and fry ginger and garlic until aromatic. Add chicken and continue to sear until chicken is lightly brown.Add wine and stir through until fragrant. Add wine dregs and fry for a while.Add water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until chicken is cooked. Add light soy sauce and simmer for 4-5 minutes.Serve hot.

Steam Rice Kueh

To make:


Chinese Rice Cake:


From 
http://mykitchen.cookingmomster.com/?p=8


Ingredients :

250gm rice flour
150gm sugar
300ml waterPublish Post
1 tbsp dried yeast
2 tsp ENO salt
Few drops of red colouring

Method :
1. Mix rice flour, yeast, sugar and water in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a cling film and keep for 1 day to fregment outside room temperature.
2. Once it is fremented the batter will double up the size. Use a spoon and give it a good stir and add in few drops of red colouring. Then add in ENO salt and mixed well.
3. Line a paper cups in a muffin cup. Fill the cup with the batter at almost full. Then use a knife and cut a cross on top of the batter.
4. Steam the Fatt Koh for 20 minutes over hot boiling water

Mantou to make

Recipe from :

食譜來自：孟老師的中式麵食

Original Recipe ServingWater 260 g

即溶酵母5克（1tsp + 1/4tsp） Instant yeast 5 g (1tsp + 1/4tsp)

包粉500克 Pack 500g Hong Kong Flour

幼糖25克 Caster sugar 25 g

玉米油5克 Corn oil 5 g


Half Recipe
Water                120g
Corn Oil             2.5g
Granulated sugar 12.5g
HK Flour            250g
Yeast                  1 tsp


1.  水、酵母混合後再和剩餘的材料混合。 Water, yeast mixture and the remaining material after mixing.

1. 使用刮刀將所有材料攪拌至水份消失。 Use spatula to stir until all the material moisture disappears.
2. 繼續用手將鬆散的麵團揉成光滑狀。 Continue to knead the dough by hand to smooth the loose shape.

step 1 - 3 : Put into bread machine and let it knead
Check if the dough is too dry - add little water.
Continue kneading (50 times) after taking out the dough from m/c.


4.    麵團鬆弛5分鐘。 The dough relax for 5 minutes.
5.   將麵團分割成10份，滾圓後即可開始整形。 Split the dough into 10 parts, rounded, you can start shaping.
6.  整形後的麵團放在防沾蠟紙上，接著排入蒸籠內，蓋好。 After shaping the dough on waxed paper on anti-stick, then into the steamer, cover.


7.  發酵20分鐘。 Fermentation for 20 minutes.


8. 鍋中放冷水，將蒸籠放在鍋上，熱水沸騰後算起，以中火蒸約15分鐘（從冷水蒸起，全程約需20分鐘）
    Steam in medium heat.
    If steam from cold water - process takes 20mins
    If steam from hot water - steam for 15 mins


9. 蒸鍋蓋掀開一小縫，待3～5分鐘後，再完全打開鍋蓋。
    After the flame switch off, open the lid slightly to let the steam off for 3 to 5 minutes.

How to make cake flour

Baking hints:

from http://mintyskitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Cakes

Mintyskitchen blogs about how she made her own cake flour by mixing 85g shifted plain flour with 15g cornflour - shifting them well at least 3 times to get 1 cup of shifted cake flour/