My new driver!

The best thing about having a grown up daughter is that I have someone to drive me if I am too lazy to drive!  For the past few days my daughter has offered to drive me to work and I am so grateful for the opportunity of not having to drive in the traffic jam.

I know she is such a good daughter, I didnt ask her but she insisted, and I am very happy with that! LOL

Carrot Cupcakes

Ok, I must admit, I am so addicted of making cupcakes right now.  However, this is going to be my last post about cupcakes and I am not gonna do more recipes for a little while hehehe.

I found this cupcake recipe which was so easy to follow.   I think the recipe is for bigger cupcakes but I prefer mini cupcakes.  I dont like my cupcakes to be too big, I prefer smaller ones :)  Apart from looking really cute, you got to spread the mix into more cups which is always a good thing. 

Basically you can do it with your eyes closed.  Yes I am serious.  It IS that easy!  And it taste sssoooo good too.

Try it you wont regret it, I promised... lol

And here is the recipe.....

Ingredients


• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
• 8 ounces bar cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. In a bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and eggs.

2. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. Add flour; mix. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and coconut.

3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

5. Frost cupcakes, and garnish with shredded coconut.

The ingredient mixed together

Ready to go into the oven

Done and baked

My home made carrot cupcakes

Isnt it beautiful?

Chocolate Cupcakes

My urge or instinct to bake continues this weekend :)  Now my creation is Chocolate Cupcakes which proved to be as yummy as the red velvet.  I got the recipe from the internet and it turned out so well on my first try!

The Ingredients:

1/2 cup (50 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water
1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Chocolate Frosting:

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).

3. Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

5. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

On to some pictures of my baking!

The hot water mixed with the cocoa powder

The mixture of butter, flour and eggs

After the chocolate mixture pour into the flour mixture

The cake almost done

The finished product!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Out of the blue and since I had such a free weekend, I decided to bake some red velvet cupcakes!

I always love baking or cooking but I dont usually do it as often (esp baking)   But once in a while, I do bake and it always been a lovely feeling.  So I think I am gonna do it more often.  Or make a business out of it even.

Anyway, that special moment came and there... my red velvet cupcakes.  Yummy..

Let me share the recipe ok!

Cupcake recipe


Ingredient A

2 ½ cup Flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon bicarbonate soda


Ingredient B

2 cup Castor Sugar
2 eggs
1 tea spoon vanilla essence
1 tea spoon vinegar
1 table spoon red colouring
1 cup yogurt
2 ½ cup Corn Oil


Directions

Mix ingredient A and ayak 3 times
Beat sugar and egg then vanilla essence and beat again
Mix Ingredient B one by one
Then pour Ingredient A to the mixture
No need to blend the mixture, with spoon will do.
Pour the mixture into cups.
Bake for 15-20 minutes with temp of 180 degrees.
2 table spoon whip cream (its up to you on how smooth you want the cream, add more if you want)
1 tsp lemon juice


Whats a cupcake without cream cheese right?  Its a must! :)
Cream cheese frosting

Ingredient:

250g cream cheese (I usually use Philadelphia cream cheese)
60g butter
1-2 cups of icing sugar

Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter
Then mix everything else.


I assure you this cupcakes are not too sweet at all.  I gave the cupcakes to a few families and friends and everybody said so!

The mixture

Before baking

Just baked

The finished product

Yummy and so lovely...

Flooded Airport?

This has gone viral in the social media.  Brunei Airport was flooded last night because of the heavy rain for a few hours!  (And this news worth my time blogging about it lol..)

I found this so amusing.  At the same time kind of embarassing.  Have you ever heard a flooded airport?

Poor, poor Brunei.  I heard there was a late night flight arrival.  Imagine what those people thought when they encountered with ankle deep water.  At the airport!  I bet some of them had their cameras and took a few pictures!  And these pictures will end up at their home country!

How is that for a good Brunei reputation?

I hope this wont happen again.  And relevant authorities will do something about it.  Prompto!

Below picture was taken from someone's whatsapp. 

She is now 19...

Just want to remember today.  This is a very very special day.  The day when when my daughter turns 19.

This date 19 years ago, I gave birth to this wonderful and special little girl. The light of my life.  The reason for me to smile everyday.  

So thank you my sweetie.  You are the best thing that ever happened to me (And I think I've said that every year! :) Simply because its just so true!

 

So thank you for being a wonderful daughter. For giving me so many reasons to smile.  Thank you for our on-the-go fun times together.  And our talks and giggles together.

May Allah bless you with good health, abundance of happiness and joy.  Forever and ever.

Lots of love always.

From Your Mom