Peanut Butter & Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes

CL's Birthday Cupcakes

A very very late post indeed.

The year 2009 has seen me being quite active (and productive) in the kitchen, testing out recipes from 500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly. Some were quite successful, some were rather a mess if not borderline disastrous.

Bakeover #3: Chocolate Stout & Black Bottom Cupcakes

Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

When it comes to chocolate, I'm pretty much sure 90% of us will be infatuated by this rich ingredient. From young kids to grown ups, many would indulge in the profound delight of chocolate.

I myself am a chocoholic -a rather picky one too. Dark chocolate makes me happy, and I simply detest white chocolate (which, IMHO, shouldn't even be called 'chocolate' as it doesn't contain any chocolate). Anyway, I love anything (dark) chocolate and wouldn't pass any offer of chocolatey dessert. Especially when they're spiked with alcohol.

Long Weekend Bakeover #2: Banana Chocolate Cupcakes & Matcha Roll Cake

As I've mentioned before on previous post, I've started doing bakeover sessions in CL's apartment, usually on the weekends. After the success of the first session, we decided to do another session the next day, on a lovely Sunday afternoon. Aside from the banana chocolate cupcakes recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, CL insisted on making matcha rollcake. 

Long Weekend Bakeover: The Hummingbird Bakery's Matcha Cupcakes

Well, I've been too busy (and too lazy) lately that I've neglected this blog for quite a while. Things have been quite crazy at work and it's gonna get crazier over the next few months, up til November. But in between, I try to squeeze in as much time as possible to play around in the kitchen -as a way to stay sane. Meanwhile, lots of pictures of baking projects and culinary adventures are abandoned, waiting to be edited and posted. 

'Alice in Wonderland' series #2: Lavender Cupcakes

I have never really liked the smell of lavender flowers. But an infatuation soon started after I read Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence. Rather metaphorically of course, since I'm still not too keen on the scent. But the thought of living amongst lavender fields are just too dreamy to resist.

So when I flipped over my current cupcake bible (500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly) and found a recipe for Lavender & Honey Cupcakes, I thought it would be nice to use the box of dried lavenders, which has been sitting in my fridge forever, as part of my 'Alice in Wonderland' cupcake series. Evan was very excited about it too.

'Alice in Wonderland' series #1: Rosewater Cupcakes

When I first read about recipes featuring rosewater as an ingredient, I thought of it as very girly, romantic, and somewhat seductive. Rosewater is a byproduct of rose oil and is a widely popular ingredient in Middle Eastern sweets. I purchased my bottle from Jones The Grocer, Singapore, during my last visit there in January. The bottle stood in my kitchen cupboard for months until I finally put it into good use last Sunday to bake some rosewater cupcakes.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

As my mom was away during the holiday and the maid went back to her hometown to celebrate Idul Fitri, I was left in charge of the house -meaning, I was forced to stay at home to 'guard' it. I'd go out and about all day, and went back home at night.. to an empty house.

Thus began the midnight baking session(s) which were meant to kill time.

The Domestic Goddes (Wannabe) Strikes Again

It's been a long long while since I last stepped in to the kitchen to whip up some magical stuffs (well, they're hardly magical, but I just like to think of it that way).

I stopped experimenting when I started working full time and moved out of my parents' house to live in a small rented space (called kos room) -which is similar to a dorm room and is not equipped with proper kitchen whatsoever.

That was around 3 years ago.