Heart of Mary

Pattern testing complete!

2012-01-30T15:58:00.002+11:00

Three out of four, at least. I don't know what happened to the fourth tester. After an initial email, I didn't hear from her again. Oh well.

Here are the finished bags of the ladies who so kindly volunteered for the job (and finished it!).

From Jenny

From Mimi

From Susan

Aren't those lovely?

I've already done a number of patterns/eBooks and tutorials before but this was the very first time I've had my pattern tested by someone else. What did I learn from this experience?

First of all, the comments and suggestions from these ladies were very helpful. There were a few steps and photos that I wouldn't have thought of fixing up had they not told me to do so. Overall, they did find the instructions clear and detailed and the photos very useful (which is a relief for me!). If you've ever bought any of my patterns or tried any tutorial on this site, you would surely know that I do not skimp on photos!

What I would probably try do the next time around is have a pattern tested by people I actually know. Like my friends here perhaps, or my sister in-law (who lives in the next suburb), or mums from my kids' schools. That way, as they sew, they can ask me and show me their work personally. It would definitely be easier to explain things especially when something is unclear or when something goes wrong. Sometimes, it is very hard to communicate via email alone and misunderstanding results from it.

Anyway, I am just about ready to release this eBook on "How to make a Cosmetic/Make-up Bag". This 34-page eBook includes patterns for two bag sizes and aside from instructions on how to sew the bag, I've also added instructions on how to make your own bias binding tape. It will be available shortly in my Etsy Shop and also on Simple Things.

Thank you once again to Jenny, Mimi and Susan. Thank you for taking time out from your busy life to help me out. Hope you learned something from me as I have from you.

Pattern testers please!

2012-01-17T22:25:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was a really good day.

Firstly, after a couple of months of anxiously waiting, my eldest son has been offered a place in his preferred university and at the course he really wanted. The news came as a great sigh of relief. The university, apart from being a reputable one, is just a 30-minute train ride from our home, making commuting super convenient. I was truly happy for my son! He is turning 18 in a few days, a milestone in itself, and this blessing is certainly a huge icing on his cake. Yay, we now have an Accountant in the making!

During the day too, I was in the mood to sew another cosmetic bag. Since I rarely get the urge (and the time) to sew these days, I really had to take advantage of the opportunity. I also had that strong feeling that I could "perfect" this pattern after a third attempt so I took out our camera and decided to take photos along the way.

And I was right! The bag turned out beautifully. The pattern seemed flawless. I was so satisfied with my sewing...and that doesn't happen very often!

Anyway, you know what comes with a pattern...the instructions, of course! I fixed up all my photos, typed up everything, read, reread and edited, then finally printed the whole thing as a PDF. Even I am surprised to have come up with a new eBook in such a short time.

Before I release the eBook, however, I do want the pattern tested. I had some difficulty constructing my sentences so I want to make sure my instructions are ultra clear.

Do you want to be a pattern tester?

To be considered, you must have some experience in sewing, particularly in installing zippers, bias binding, and sewing around curves. You must also commit to:

1. Finish the bag within a week after I email the PDF to you. (It only takes a couple of hours to make this from start to finish!)

2. Blog about the pattern if you have a blog then email me the link so I can post it here; or if you don't have a blog, send me a write-up with photos of your bag so I can share it here too.

Please express your interest in the comments section below. Do not forget to leave your name and email address.

I will choose up to three (3) pattern testers. Hopefully, there are a lot of volunteers out there so I will actually have people to choose from!

Anyone???

UPDATE (21/1/12): PATTERN TESTERS ALREADY CHOSEN. THANKS.

Just clowning around

2012-01-15T15:19:00.001+11:00

I enjoy making gumpaste cake toppers immensely. As a child, I do not recall being into moulding clay or playdough, so I guess I am sort of feeling like a child again. In the beginning, I relied very heavily on video tutorials and/or instructions from cake decorating books to make them. Now, I am a little more confident just looking at pictures then I mostly figure out the process by myself.

My current favourite cake topper is the most recent I made.

The inspiration for this clown came from here. The mom of the birthday boy wanted to match the cake with the theme of the playcentre where the party was to be held in.

A 12" vanilla chiffon filled with caramel custard and frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream.

I also made matching cupcakes to give away to the kiddie guests.

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.

These are the kinds of cakes that give me the most satisfaction. It makes me smile just looking at them.

In between baking and frosting these cakes and cupcakes, I was able to squeeze in some sewing too. Kind of a miracle because I never get to do these two things in the same day.

I made my second cosmetic bag, yippee! It was much easier this time because I already knew exactly what to do. I like the first one better though.

I can certainly see a third one coming soon. Maybe I will take some step by step photos next time...

That's all for now. Hope you had a fruitful week just like I did. Have a great new week ahead!

Project #1: Cosmetic Bag

2012-01-12T12:09:00.000+11:00

I have this old cosmetic bag which I bought just before we moved to Australia. Been wanting to sew a replica for the longest time because it wasn't like the usual zippered pouch that everyone makes. It's edges were finished with binding. But truth be told, me and binding are not friends so that explains why I have always resisted the idea of making one.

Yesterday, as I was rummaging through stuff in our garage, I stumbled upon my old bag. I held it in my hands and it just felt like it was about time.

Love that owls fabric!

Dimensions: 5" (H) by 7" (W) by 2.5" (D)

Completely lined and interfaced with fusible fleece too.

Nice-looking side!

Filled with toiletries I took home from the apartment we rented when we went to Gold Coast last June!

I started with this around 9pm last night. With some interruptions along the way, I finally completed it at 1am, binding and all. Just couldn't wait till morning. It was too darn cute to leave unfinished.

The bag is not perfect in some places but overall, I think it's great! Much better than the original even. I will attempt to do a few revisions to make it even better...so expect a new pouch here soon!

My 2011 Recap

2012-01-01T20:22:00.004+11:00

Happy 2012!

I don't want to sound like a killjoy, but ever since we moved to Australia (11 years ago this month), new year's eve and day have been pretty much ordinary days to us. We do not normally wait for 12 midnight on the 31st nor do we do anything extra special on the 1st (except go to mass). Occasionally, we do get invited elsewhere. Like today, we had lunch at a friend's house. I was requested to bring a mango cake.

The best cake for summer!

What do I look forward to or hope for this new year? One thing is that my eldest son is starting his university studies soon. Unlike in other countries, the kids here do not have to live on campus on their first year. And also, they usually go to universities within the state. The nearer to home, the better. That saves me the anxiety of a child leaving home, at least for now.

I do know I will be baking more cakes. In 2011, I had over a hundred cake orders! Not a bad effort for a homebaker, if I may say so myself. It wasn't something I ever expected to happen. I was also pleased to know that I've inspired a lot of stay at-home Filipino moms from all over the world to bake. Some of them have in fact started their own little homebaking businesses as well, making cakes using recipes I've shared on this blog.

Some of my favourite bakes in 2011.

Unfortunately, sewing was something I again ignored (though not completely) in 2011. I managed to sew a few things during the first half of the year: baby stuff, the errand clutch, the prince charming suit, laptop sleeve, more baby stuff, toddler jacket, toddler coat, and a travel wallet. Around August though, baking totally ruled over my life. So sorry to admit that I have abandoned making the travel wallet pattern for now. Hopefully, I will get into the right frame of mind soon. Within this year???? Let's just wait and see.

I did squeeze in some sewing just before 2011 ended. Bought the hobo bag pattern from Sweet Pea Totes and made a bag in this matryoshka print for my daughter as part of her Christmas present.

And then, I quickly followed it up with another one in this sweet owls print for a young mom/friend.

I wanted to do more sewing but I think my overeagerness got the best of me, so some of my other attempts didn't go too well. My confidence level in sewing seems to have completely gone down, having been away from it for a long time.

Anyway, that's about it for my past year, crafting wise. Personal life? Well, it certainly wasn't as colourful or as varied. More than anything, it was challenging and confronting. There is some hard work ahead.

How did yours go?

Missing Christmas

2011-12-25T12:10:00.001+11:00

A blessed Christmas to all.

It has been very difficult for me to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I went through the motion of buying presents for everyone just because. A couple of weeks ago, I was entering this online competition and had to answer in 25 words or less the question, "What makes Christmas special to you and why?" I stared at the computer screen for a long time, not knowing what to write. Ended up with nothing. How pathetic.

I miss Christmases of my childhood so much. Sometimes I just cry reminiscing about them.

We always got to wear brand new clothes and shoes for Christmas eve mass. And the "feast" we had afterwards...it was the only time of the year we got to eat lots of ham, apples, walnuts, special cheese....

We had special, battery-operated toys that my parents only brought out during the Christmas season. As soon as the season was over, the toys got packed up and stored until the next Christmas. We never got tired of those toys. The mere sight of my mom opening a fresh pack of batteries excited us.

We were a big family so there were definitely lots of presents too. I didn't mind getting clothes instead of toys.

Christmas day lunch was spent at my aunties' house. They had a huge house and they always cooked the best food and baked the greatest cakes and pastries. After lunch, we always played Black Jack. We had great fun. Of course, more presents followed from my grandparents and aunties. They always handed newly printed money, fresh from the bank!

Here is a photo of my big family, taken Christmas day of 1982. (I am 4th from the right, back row.) Since then, 6 of those in the photo have already passed away. I miss them all very much.

These days, Christmas is totally different. The anticipation, the excitement, the time spent with our extended family, relatives and friends are just not the same. The kids today do not seem to have that same spirit that we had. I wish I could give my own children a better Christmas experience...one they can look back to and smile about when they're older. I just don't know how.

I am just tired, I guess. I've been baking nonstop...I've had no time to pause and reflect. I do long to experience real Christmas joy.

Before I go, here's the cake I made for our celebration today. I opted for a safe flavour, chocolate. Made the gumpaste decorations a week ago as I did not want to stress out at the last minute. Yesterday, my husband accidentally sat on my poinsettia centerpiece and three of the petals broke. I nearly died. Repaired them with edible glue and covered up the cracks with petal dust. Not too happy but it will do.

Again, have a blessed Christmas! Peace, joy, love, and hope to all.

Coconut (Buko) Pandan Chiffon Cake

2011-12-04T09:44:00.000+11:00

I know it's nearly Christmas...

...because I just made my very first Christmas-themed cake and cupcakes for the year!

This gumpaste Nativity centerpiece was inspired by a cake in Karen Davies' A Cake for Christmas Part 2. Isn't it lovely? I just wanted the figures and not the fondant-covered cake.

My sister in-law wanted a big cake and some matching cupcakes, preferably in red and/or green colours. I suggested pandan chiffon for the cake and she decided on red velvet for the cupcakes.

The coconut pandan chiffon cake recipe I use is basically the same old chiffon recipe you see here over and over, only a different flavour. Here it is, as you might want to try it out for your own Christmas cakes! Frost it your way - either in buttercream (as in the cake above) or in whipped cream. Then fill the cake with young coconut strips or with macapuno for added coconut goodness!

PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE (recipe suitable for two 9" by 2 1/2" round pans, or one 10" by 3" round pan)

{A}
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar

{B}
1/2 cup corn/canola oil
7 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup water, coconut juice or coconut milk (your choice)
1 teaspoon pandan paste **

{C}
7 eggwhites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
3/4 cup white sugar

**You can replace this with 1 teaspoon clear pandan extract plus 1/2 teaspoon green gel paste

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line bottom of baking pan/s with parchment paper. Do not grease.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar in {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into baking pan. If using two 9" pans, divide the batter equally.
4. Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from, carefully run a think knife around sides of pan, then invert. For easier handling, wrap your cake very well in cling film, then refrigerate overnight before frosting.

Happy Christmas baking!

PS. Here's a buko pandan cake I frosted with my usual whipped cream frosting and decorated very similarly to the ube macapuno cake. Tastes just like the buko pandan salad Filipinos love!

Mango and Cream Cake

2011-11-07T10:06:00.002+11:00

I've been asked many times to share the recipe I use for my mango cake. I have not (till now), because, in order to make a good mango cake (meaning, using fresh mangoes only and not canned!), I have to patiently wait for the mango season here. Unlike in the Philippines where I grew up, mangoes, even during the summer months here in Australia, are not as readily and as cheaply available.

Anyway, with some luck, I found relatively inexpensive, good-sized mangoes at Aldi. They were 99 cents a piece. Still not as cheap as I would have wanted but the price should go down more in the coming months.

Made this for my brother's advanced birthday celebration.

There is nothing extra special about this kind of cake. For me, it all simply comes together beautifully because of the mangoes. The cake is just a basic chiffon flavoured with vanilla and a little of something citrus like lemon or orange (just like the caramel cake). The frosting is again my favourite whipped cream frosting (used in both the purple yam and cookies and cream cakes).

MANGO AND CREAM CAKE (recipe suitable for two 9" by 2 1/2" round pans, or one 10" by 3" round pan)

Chiffon Cake:

{A}

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white sugar

{B}

1/2 cup corn/canola oil

7 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup water **

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon or orange extract

{C}

7 eggwhites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}

3/4 cup white sugar

**In my earlier attempts at making this cake, I used mango nectar/juice (instead of water ) to give flavour to the cake, but found the resulting cake colour unappealing to me. So I just ditched it and put the mango goodness to work on the frosting instead. Much better, I would definitely say.

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line bottom of baking pans with parchment paper. Do not grease pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into baking pans. If using two 9" pans, divide the batter equally.

4. Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.

5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan, then invert. For easier handling, wrap your cake very well in cling film, then refrigerate overnight before frosting.

Mango Whipped Cream Frosting:

2 cups whipping or thickened cream, very cold

1 250g bar of cream cheese, softened (but not too much!)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

about 3 medium-sized mangoes (more if you love mangoes!)

*Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters for the whipped cream are all well chilled to achieve better volume.

Puree mango meat of one mango. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.

In your chilled bowl and using clean beaters, beat the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until the mixture is at soft peaks stage. Beat the mixture until stiff. Gently fold in the cream cheese then beat again at high speed for a few seconds or just until everything is well combined. Be careful not to overbeat. Carefully fold in the mango puree.

To assemble:

Cut up the rest of your mangoes into small cubes or thin slices (whichever you prefer) to use for the filling and for garnishing.

Place one cake layer on your cake board, top side up. Use some of the frosting to fill the cake. Scatter the mango cubes/slices all over the filling. Place the top cake layer over the bottom layer, bottom side up. Frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream frosting, decorate as desired and garnish with more mango cubes/slices.

Now that's one refreshing summer cake!

Best served cold. Enjoy!

PS. You can substitute the mangoes with peaches and have a Peaches and Cream cake instead! Just as yummy!

One more time for the caramel cake

2011-10-31T12:14:00.001+11:00

I know I already posted a caramel cake recipe here not too long ago. It was a recipe that I was, in fact, happy with. But if you were in my place, how would you feel when someone tells you that your cake isn't close to the cake you are trying to copy?

I don't know if 'disappointed' is the right word because I knew all along, that while the icing tasted good, it wasn't exactly IT. The simple truth was that the "right" icing was supposed to be poured and not spread. The icing should be super smooth on the cake surface rather than marred with spatula marks.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to ask around the net for ideas from people who've uploaded their caramel cake photos, particularly those with icing that appeared to have the right consistency. I wasn't exactly asking for their recipes, just opinions on what I can do to improve mine. I get lots of emails from people asking for my recipes and for advice, and without exaggeration, I do respond to every single email. So in a way, I expected answers myself, even just to tell me that they are sorry they can't help me. Sadly, only one had the courtesy to respond to me. The one recipe shared with me, unfortunately, was a spreadable icing too. Still, I gave it a try.

Sorry to say, I wasn't very happy with the outcome. The taste was alright but the icing was pale in colour (due to the lack of caramelized sugar) and it was thick and difficult to spread smooth. However, the good news is that, it gave me an idea on how to revise my recipe.

The next thing to do was, of course, bake another caramel cake. I made one for my late mother's birthday last October 27. I changed the proportions of my ingredients and hoped for the best. And I prayed to my mom to help me make it right. After all, the cake was for her.

How was it, you ask? I think the photos will speak for themselves.

I am very happy to say that I think I have finally got it right! Whether or not this tastes like THAT CAKE, I really don't care now because it was the right sweetness for me and the consistency was completely pourable. Except for some tiny air bubbles (which I know is avoidable), the cake surface was smooth. I did not need to do any spreading.

Here it is then...the revised (and hopefully, much better version) of the caramel icing recipe. The procedure is the same as the original one. Just take note of the changes in ingredients and quantities.

CARAMEL ICING (enough to frost and fill an 8" round cake)

2 eggyolks
1/2 cup white sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (one 375 ml can), divided
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk the eggyolks with 1/8 cup (or 2 tablespoons) of the sugar in a small bowl/jug. Add in 1/4 cup of the evaporated milk and cornstarch. Mix well, then set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, over low to medium heat, caramelize the remaining (3/8 cup) sugar. When sugar is completely melted and a golden brown colour, add boiling water. Bring back to a boil, making sure all the caramel is incorporated into the water. Carefully add in the rest of the evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups). Heat ;mixture just until it starts to boil. Without turning off the heat, pour a little of the caramel/milk mixture into the eggyolk mixture to temper the eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour this back into the remaining caramel/milk mixture in the saucepan. Mix until icing reaches a thick consistency. Off the fire, add in butter and vanilla extract. Let cool just a little bit, whisking once in while. The mixture will thicken more. Pour onto cake while still warm.

NOTE: This icing is pourable. Let it flow smoothly over the top and sides of the cake. Put strips of baking paper under your cake to catch the drips.

Enjoy! Hope you will be happy with this as well.

Birthdays

2011-10-15T11:04:00.001+11:00

Matthew, my youngest son, turned 10 last October 12. This year, we decided to celebrate his birthday simply with an all-kids, all-boys party. Matthew only invited 7 of his closest school friends. They played fun games and as always, had a homemade pinata filled with sweet treats. It was so much easier to have a small party like this. Aside from the fact that I did not have to prepare any kind of fancy food, I know that Matthew enjoyed it more to have his friends around rather than us inviting our own adult friends over.

Red velvet cake filled and frosted with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream.

For the occasion, I chose to make a photo cake. I ordered the edible icing image from a reputable cake decorating shop. It cost me $25 (including postage) for this 7.5" round image alone! Expensive, isn't it? I figured, since I was making the cake myself anyway, it was still worth the expense. I've purchased edible icing images before for half the price but the quality wasn't all that good. This particular photo of Matthew was printed really clearly and I did not have a problem removing the image from its backing paper.

Now, I'm really contemplating on buying a printer, edible inks, and frosting sheets so I can print these images myself. I've already done my research and I've learned that it really doesn't cost that much to invest in these things. So hopefully very soon, I will have a new toy to play with!

There are a couple more birthdays today that we've been invited to and for which, I was asked to make cakes too.

A Power Ranger-themed cake for a 4 year old boy...

Mocha chiffon filled and frosted with coffee Swiss Meringue buttercream.

Gumpaste red power ranger topper.

And also one for a first birthday...

Chocolate chiffon filled and frosted with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream.

I would say this cake is the one I am most happy with and proud of to date! I based the topper from the design of the birthday invitation (which also had a photo of the birthday girl wearing this polka dot pinafore). I particularly like the birds holding the candle and the balloon.

Cake topper made from gumpaste.

Well, so much for birthdays. Until the next one comes along.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Practice makes perfect

2011-10-02T10:00:00.000+11:00

I gave up on trying to learn how to pipe buttercream roses many months ago. It seemed that no matter what I did, I just couldn't get them right. Couldn't figure out if it was because of my technique or if the consistency of my frosting was just wrong. Making gumpaste roses, though considerably more time consuming, worked out better for me. So I stuck with it for a while.

Until I made the caramel cake recently. I gave it another shot and the roses turned out quite acceptable.

I tried again shortly after that, this time for an old-fashioned chocolate cake. Still not the best...but at least, my confidence level was definitely up.

Looked like I was getting the hang of it...so why not try again, right?

Those were for a Christening cake I finished last night.

The cake is a 12" ube macapuno chiffon filled and frosted with an ube flavoured Swiss Meringue buttercream.

I was given just a day to make this cake, from baking, to making the gumpaste decorations, to frosting and decorating. I think the cross topper came out pretty well considering the little time I had.

Cross topper made from gumpaste. Embossed with flower prints and painted with edible gold paint.

My buttercream roses are still far from perfect but I know I'm getting there....

Caramel Cake

2011-09-20T14:32:00.017+10:00

IMPORTANT UPDATE: After reading the following post, please go to a follow-up post here.

Filipino-style caramel cake is far different from most caramel cakes. The cake base is chiffon, either in vanilla or mocha, and it is filled and frosted with a caramel icing that is not overly sweet. The icing can be described as more like a cross between caramel and custard and tastes very much like leche flan or creme caramel.

In the Philippines, the most popular caramel cakes are made by Estrel's. They have kept their cakes very traditional over the years and the caramel cake recipe they are using today is the same since they started in the 1940s.

Surprisingly, it is very hard to find a recipe for this kind of caramel icing paired with the chiffon cake. For a long time, I've searched and searched over the internet and found nothing. Most of the caramel icing recipes on the net are ones that are loaded with so much sugar and the kind that crust after a short while. The recipe I am about to share here came from my 85-year old aunt. I must say, however, it is a tweaked version of what she used many, many years ago in the family bakeshop. I've replaced some of the water content in her original recipe with milk to make it creamier and lessened the amount cornstarch. I also added vanilla extract (although my aunt suggests maple extract as better). I don't really know if this tastes like Estrel's because truthfully, I've never tasted their caramel cake. But what I am certain about is that this ticks all the boxes - the creaminess, the not-too-sweet taste, the pourable consistency. For all I know, it might even be better.

Anyway, on to the recipe. The cake consists of three components - the chiffon cake, the caramel icing, and the buttercream. If you want your cake base to be mocha, the recipe for the mocha chiffon cake can be found in this post. The Swiss meringue buttercream recipe (to be used to for the borders and flowers) is also found on the same post. Of course, you can use your own favourite buttercream recipe if you want to.

FILIPINO-STYLE CARAMEL CAKE

VANILLA CHIFFON CAKE (recipe suitable for an 8” round, 3” high pan)

{A}
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons white sugar

{B}
¼ cup corn/canola oil
4 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

{C}
4 eggwhites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
6 tablespoons white sugar

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 8” round, 3” high pan.
4. Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto a large serving plate. **Tip: For easier handling, wrap your cake very well in cling film, then refrigerate overnight before frosting.

CARAMEL ICING (enough to frost and fill 8” round cake)

3 eggyolks (set aside eggwhites for the Swiss Meringue buttercream)
1 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons full cream milk, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use 1/8 teaspoon maple oil flavour)

Combine egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, ½ cup of the full cream milk and 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl/jug. Mix well, then set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, over low to medium heat, caramelize (melt) the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. When sugar is completely melted and a golden brown colour, add boiling water. Bring back to a boil, making sure all the caramel is incorporated into the water. Carefully add in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons full cream milk. Heat mixture just until it starts to boil. Pour a little of the caramel/milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour this back into the remaining caramel/milk mixture in the saucepan. Mix until icing reaches a thick and spreadable consistency. Off the fire, add in butter and vanilla extract. Strain mixture, if necessary.

Let the icing cool down then spread it all over the cake surface.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM - One recipe is more than enough. Use the eggwhites that you set aside from the caramel icing.

To decorate: Cut your cake horizontally in half. Invert top layer onto your cake board. Spread a thin layer of caramel icing over your cake half, then top with other cake layer, cut side down. Spread the rest of the caramel icing over the cake. Pipe out buttercream borders and decorate with buttercream roses/flowers as desired.

Happy baking!

PS. Wanted to also share with you two other recent cakes I made.

Another ube cake, this time with ube-flavoured Swiss meringue buttercream.

A Transformers-themed cake I made for an 8th birthday.

Half-success

2011-09-09T17:34:00.003+10:00

Sometimes I just get sick of baking and baking and baking. Like last week, when I had to make six ube macapuno cakes over three days. It may not sound much but for a one-woman team like me, it does get pretty tiring.

For this week, however, I had only one cake lined up. Last Tuesday, my sister in-law asked me to make this mocha chiffon birthday cake for her boss. It was a small cake and it was a breeze to make.

I know it's crazy...but now that I'm not baking anything, I have been getting the constant urge to bake something. So instead of taking a needed break, I took the opportunity to try this thing that I've been wanting to try for a long time....make my usual ube cake into a roll.

I would call this attempt a half-success because, although the taste was as delicious as always, it was a long way from perfection. First of all, my cake cracked a bit when I unrolled it (after it cooled down). I was thinking of giving up at that point but I had already made my frosting and I didn't want to waste it. (I'm glad I did proceed cause the frosting held the cake together despite the cracks.) Secondly, I think I filled up the cake with too much frosting, hence, I could not roll the cake tightly. It was just like one big roll. Maybe it would have been better if I started rolling from the short rather than the long end?

See what I mean?

Anyway, perfection or not, and for the benefit of those interested, I will describe in brief how I made this cake roll:

1. I made up HALF the ube cake recipe found here. Used 4 eggs.
2. I used a jelly roll pan measuring 10" by 14", greased it and lined the bottom with baking paper.
3. Baked the cake for about 25 minutes. As soon as I took it out of the oven, I dusted the cake surface with icing/powdered sugar then inverted it into a sheet of baking paper. Peeled off the baking paper that was now on top of the cake. Then I rolled it and allowed it to cool down completely.
4. I unrolled the cooled cake and cut off about an inch wide strip from both short ends. I then crumbled the strips to use as cake topping later.
5. Filled the cake with frosting, rolled the cake once again, then covered the surface with frosting and cake crumbs. Used the rest of the frosting to pipe rosettes on the cake roll top. Finished off the cake with macapuno balls.

Whether I did the right things or not, I really cannot say for sure. Please do not trust me on this one. If you do decide to make a cake roll yourself, please let me know how it went. I'd be happy to compare notes and learn from you!

Addicted...

2011-08-21T10:09:00.009+10:00

...to reruns of Grey's Anatomy, that is. Funny cause this show's been going on for seven seasons (I think) but I only recently 'discovered' the reruns on cable TV. And now I can't seem to stop watching it. I'm still on Season 2, imagine that. It's a good thing it's shown Mondays thru Fridays so I don't have to suffer and wait long for the next episode. Grey's Anatomy reminds me so much of ER (George Clooney days), which I absolutely loved. I guess medical dramas are my kind of thing. I wonder if I could have been a doctor...

Recently, I got really hooked on watching Cake Boss too. We used to not have the Food Channel with our cable TV package so when we finally got it, I've been following every (old) episode, day and night, 7 days a week. I'm not much of a fondant lover but I've definitely been learning a lot of cake decorating tricks from the show.

These past few days, I've noticed I've been neglecting Cake Boss though. Maybe I'm getting tired of Buddy Valastro. I told my daughter I'd gladly exchange Buddy for Patrick Dempsey anytime....lol.

You know what? I just realized how I actually have time now to sit down and watch TV. And I really enjoy it. This was next to impossible before, when my four kids were still very young. Now, though still busy looking after them, I have a little bit more time for myself...to do the things I want to do. With no guilt feelings attached. That's not a bad thing, is it?

Before I end, here are two cakes I finished late last night. Both are red velvet (again).

Made this for a Collingwood Magpies supporter, hence, the black and white colours.

Close-up of the gumpaste bow.

For a young girl's birthday.

And lastly, what I did with an extra layer of red velvet cake and leftover frosting...

This one's just for us!

Have a good weekend and a great week ahead!

Copyright

2011-08-05T11:29:00.007+10:00

I have just added a Copyright Notice on my sidebar. Never thought the day would come when I would need to put one on this blog.

On an innocent Google search for ube (purple yam) cake images, I discovered not one, but several sites, using my cake photos for advertisement. It's shocking (and shameful)...Bakeshops using photos of cake that they did not even make.

To use someone else's photos is one thing, but to put your watermark on them and claim them as your own is just taking it to another level.

Image credit: from the webpage that used my photos. My original photos are here.

Upsetting, isn't it? I do not understand why anyone would think this is okay.

Access to the two web pages which were on Facebook have already been removed. Another one in another site has also been deleted. I am in the process of dealing with the last one.

I believe I have been generous enough to let people use my tutorials and recipes freely. The eBooks I sell are the only ones I have copyrighted as I don't want them distributed in any way. I have always allowed people to even sell their finished products when most pattern makers won't.

I thank those who contact me to ask permission when needed and for giving acknowledgement where it is due.

I suppose there's other copyright violations out there that I may never find out about. To be honest, I really don't want to make this my problem. So please, read my Copyright Notice and respect it.

6 Ladies and red velvet cake

2011-08-01T10:24:00.014+10:00

Three weekends ago, my sister in-law (let's call her Lady #1), asked me to make a red velvet cake for an 18th birthday. She said the birthday girl loved budgies and that it would be great to have that represented on the cake.

I loved the pastel colours on this cake!

Cute yellow budgies, aren't they?

The celebrant's mum, Lady #2, brought leftover cake to a second gathering the next day. Lady #3, who was at that gathering, got to taste the cake and she loved it. She emailed me to order another red velvet cake for her husband's 50th birthday the following Sunday.

The cake top was rather simple but I think the red velvet cake crumbs brightened it up.

A few days later, I received another email, this time from Lady #4. She asked if, by any chance, I made a red velvet cake for someone's birthday the past weekend. I told her about the 50th birthday. Apparently, Lady #3's sister in-law, Lady #5, is her workmate and Lady #5 brought cake to work the Monday after the birthday and she got to eat some. Lady #4's daughter's 4th birthday was coming up and she thought of having red velvet cake (again) and cupcakes for the party (which was last Saturday).

The 4th birthday party had a princess theme.

The birthday girl wore a Cinderella costume.

Used the vine from the Wilton pattern press set to make the decorations for the side of the cake.

The matching cupcakes.

In an entirely separate incident, a 6th lady ordered a purple yam cake from me for Sunday (yesterday). Funny thing, it turns out, Lady #5 and Lady #6 are best friends. When she told Lady #5 that she ordered a cake from somewhere and was picking it up, Lady #5 asked where. When Lady #6 mentioned our suburb, Lady #5 said, "That's Corinne, isn't it? You should have ordered red velvet!"

Confusing??? To tell you the truth, I don't even know most of these ladies. It's such a small world. It just amazes me how word gets around. And I'm just ecstatic to know how my humble cakes speak for themselves.

Red velvet seems to make the world go round, doesn't it?

Gifts

2011-07-15T21:34:00.002+10:00

My dad and mother in-law share the same birthday. Both of them are celebrating milestones this year, on the 27th of September - my dad is turning 85 while my mother in-law will be 70.

It's always difficult to think of what to give people who are at this stage in their lives. Certainly, material things are the least of their needs.

I decided to make two special rosaries from kits I purchased from this online shop. What I know for sure are that both celebrants to-be, both prayerful persons, will appreciate these rosaries and be able to use them. With carpal tunnel syndrome on both of my hands, I struggled quite a bit and had to stop every couple of beads. Still, I managed to finish the two rosaries in a few hours. Not a bad job (though not all my loops were as rounded as I used to do them).

For my dad, I chose sapphire glass beads, pewter crucifix and center with blue stones. I had the back of the crucifix engraved with 'DAD' and the date of his birthday.

For my mother in-law, I used mother of pearl beads with matching gold pewter crucifix and center.

I gave my own mother a similar rosary a couple of years before she passed away in 2009. When we laid her to rest, she held that rosary in her hand. Although I know that the rosary is just buried under the ground and most likely all rusty by now, I still feel that my mother has brought it with her to heaven and she is always praying for me.

I wish I could fly back home to give the rosaries personally, especially to my father, but circumstances do not allow me to do so at this time. My husband will though, as he has been planning his trip and reunion with his family for some time now. I will be asking him to bring them for me.

So...that's about it for now. For those who have been anticipating the release of my travel wallet pattern, I am embarrassed to admit that I have not quite done it yet. Promise....I'll get to that soon.

A Travel Wallet...finally

2011-06-06T12:32:00.007+10:00

Ever since I opened my Etsy shop, I have found myself needing to constantly come up with new things to sew. I suppose always having some new pattern is the only way I can keep people interested in coming back to the shop. It can be frustrating at times. Ideas do run out. At least, for me.

The idea of making a travel wallet has been on my mind since last year. I've sat down countless times, drawn up pages and pages of layouts, only to end up shelving the project for another day. Thankfully, not this time around.

I literally forced myself to complete this task. I had little baking to do last week and had to take advantage of the spare time. Finally, it all came together on the weekend. I am pretty pleased with what I came up with.

The closed wallet is about 4 3/4" by 8 1/2".

Opened, showing how organized everything can be.

For me, a travel wallet should carry all the essentials while at the airport and while in-transit. To come up with the design, I listed down what I normally did and needed when I travelled, especially overseas.

First of all, at check-in, I am asked to present my passport, my eTicket and usually the credit card I used to pay for it. After that, I am given my boarding pass and this card that I have to fill in before I proceed to immigration. This is when a pen comes in handy.

The left side has two angled pockets, one for the passport and one for the airline ticket and boarding pass. It also has an elastic pen loop.

When everything's done, I usually walk around the airport to pass the time. Sometimes I need a little cash to buy a magazine or a snack.

The right side has an ID window, some card slots, two long pockets for cash and a key holder.

While in-transit, before I reach my destination, I need my pen again to fill up a customs declaration form. Upon arrival, I have to have my lock key ready just in case I am asked to open up my luggage. Sometimes I also need to have foreign currency with me to pay for something at the airport.

Basically, that's it. Did I forget anything? I reckon with this kind of wallet, I would have everything organized for a smooth travel. I must say that while it looks good, the ID window is actually unnecessary. I just might ditch that when I make the final pattern. Also, I didn't find a zippered pocket for cash important because I wouldn't really think of keeping lots of money in here.

I have a few more travel-themed fabrics on hand so I will definitely be making more of this. Just have to give my fingers a bit of a rest....they're quite sore from hand sewing the bias tape through those thick layers! I will also work on the pattern and instructions next. If you could tell me what you think of it, I'd appreciate it a lot.

Hurray for something new!

Bread Heaven

2011-05-30T14:43:00.005+10:00

The pork floss bun from Breadtop is one of my all-time favourites. I don't get to buy it often though cause the only branch I ever get to go to is in the city (Melbourne) and we hardly go there (even if it is just about 20-30 minutes away). So when I chanced upon a jar of pork floss in our local Asian grocery, I excitedly bought it. That was a couple of months ago (sigh). Unfortunately, I had not had the time to bake bread. Everytime I opened our cupboard and saw the jar, I would find myself checking the 'best before date' to make sure the pork floss won't go to waste.

Well, today was to be the day! To be able to finally recreate this bread just made me so happy.

I used my dinner roll recipe for this. It just yields the softest, lightest bread ever. And yes, the smell that permeates the whole house while they are baking is just absolutely wonderful.

I baked the rolls in the same way except that I brushed them with eggwash to give their surface some shine. After the rolls had cooled down a bit, I halved each so I can spread a little mayonnaise inside. To finish, I spread some mayonnaise again on top so the pork floss will stick.

Can't wait to share these with the family later. Try them yourself!

My kind of Cookies and Cream

2011-05-18T23:00:00.012+10:00

My youngest son received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time tonight. As with all other sacraments, it was, of course, very special.

Being a school day, we didn't plan any big celebration. In fact, we had to rush and eat a quick dinner as we had to be at church before 7:00 pm. But, we did have cake afterwards.

A Cookies and Cream cake.

The way I did this is a bit different from my other version. Because I had very little time on my hands this morning, I decided to combine the crushed cookies with the whole batch of frosting. The end result might not look as fancy but does it really matter?

The frosting looks just like it's ice cream counterpart!

I only made a small 8" cake because, believe it or not, we are not big cake eaters. (The cakes you see here are usually not for us). When we do have cake, I usually give away some slices to friends just so it would be finished while still fresh. If not, the cake would stay for days in our fridge. This Cookies and Cream one proved to be different though.

As soon as we arrived home, everyone immediately started lining up to get a slice. And we nearly finished the whole thing in one go. It was very light on the tummy, just the right sweetness, delicious. One of my sons later said of the three remaining slices, "Mom, don't give this away, ok?"

I've been asked to share this recipe long before. Thanks for patiently waiting. Here it is. Enjoy!

COOKIES AND CREAM CAKE (recipe suitable for an 8" round, 3" high pan)

Chocolate Chiffon cake

Ingredients:
A}
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coffee powder *optional
1/3 cup sugar

B}
4 egg yolks (from extra large eggs, room temperature)
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

{C}
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
1/2 cup sugar

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 8” round, 3” high pan.
4. Bake for about 50 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert onto your cake board or plate.

**Just a note: This cake is very light and not as chocolatey as you might prefer so feel free to use your favourite chocolate cake recipe instead!

Cookies and Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
125g cream cheese (1/2 bar)
about 15 Oreo cookies

1. Remove the cream center from 4-5 cookies then crush the cookies in a food processor. (It's up to you if you want your crumbs to be coarse or fine. I prefer them to be quite fine so I can pipe out my frosting). Set aside.
2. On a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.
3. Using chilled bowl and beaters, beat the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks. Carefully fold in the cream cheese then beat mixture on high speed for a few seconds or just until everything is combined. Do not overbeat.
3. Lastly, fold in the crushed cookies. The frosting should look much like cookies and cream ice cream. The tiny crumbs should still be quite distinct from the whipped cream.

Another note: I actually made a full batch of this recipe (double the amounts given here) but had a lot of leftover after I was done frosting the cake. If you are a whipped cream frosting lover, you might consider making the full batch.

To assemble cake:
Slice cake horizontally into 2 equal layers. Invert cake top such that the cut side is facing up. Spread a generous amount of frosting then top with the remaining cake layer, cut side down. Use remaining frosting to cover the entire cake surface. Pipe out borders if desired and top with remaining Oreo cookies.

To make a larger 10" cake, just double the recipe.

As always, if you ever get to try this cake recipe, I would be very glad to know how it turned out for you. Feel free to email me for questions and also, to send me photos of your cakes! Happy baking!

Red Velvet Chiffon Cake

2011-05-09T12:58:00.013+10:00

It is getting more and more obvious that my favourite kind of cake is chiffon, right? I would definitely choose a soft and light cake over a rich, dense, and heavy one any day.

While I enjoy eating traditional red velvet cake, I have forever been wondering if there was a chiffon version of it. The only red velvet chiffon cake recipe available online seems to be that of Cooks Illustrated. To view their recipe, however, one has to be a (paying) member. Luckily, the site offers a 14-day free trial and so, I did the natural thing and signed up.

The recipe for red velvet chiffon cake turned out to be rather strange to me. Of course, I know that this recipe had surely been tried and tested before it was published. Compared to the basic chiffon cake recipe I am used to, the amount of cake flour was considerably less for the same amount of sugar, eggs, oil, etc. (Again, as I've always said it, my understanding on how these ingredients work together is very limited so I can only wonder why.) Also, some of the eggs were left whole and beaten with the dry ingredients. All of the site's chiffon cake recipes actually followed the same basic ingredient proportions and procedure.

I decided in the end, I would rather risk experimenting on my own recipe than using theirs (even if it meant I could fail). And so for Mother's day, I whipped up a batch of my own version of red velvet chiffon cake.

Two layers of cake frosted and filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with pecans and coconut flakes. Sides are covered with cake crumbs.

What can I say...this cake turned out beautiful! Imagine the same great red velvet cake taste, only lighter, fluffier and less sweet. I did try my best to stay true to the original ingredients of traditional red velvet cake. If there is probably one thing I would alter or try later, it would be to add a little bit more cocoa powder to bring out more of the chocolate taste.

For the cream cheese frosting, I used the one from Joy of Baking. I skipped the mascarpone cheese and just used two bars of cream cheese. This frosting is also much less sweet compared to other cream cheese frosting recipes as it only has 1 cup powdered sugar.

Here's the recipe for you to try. Hopefully, you would enjoy it as much!

RED VELVET CHIFFON CAKE (suitable for one 10" round, 3" high pan, or two 9" round, 2 1/2" high pans)

A}
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar

B}
7 egg yolks (from extra large eggs, room temperature)
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons liquid red food colouring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

{C}
7 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
3/4 cup sugar

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 10” round, 3” high pan (or whatever pan you're using).
4. Bake for about 60 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto a large serving plate. Frost and decorate as desired.

PS. A belated Happy Mother's day to all you moms out there!

Ube (Purple Yam) Macapuno Cake...Revisited

2011-05-06T14:18:00.004+10:00

I have just finished making the Ube Macapuno cake pictured above and thought this would be a good time to make a post about what I have been doing to improve on the recipe I originally uploaded here sometime ago. Don't get me wrong...that first recipe works perfectly fine. However, I've gotten a lot of questions about it thus moving me to experiment a little.

Just remember that everything I will say here is based on my observations alone. I am not a food chemistry expert and have limited knowledge on how ingredients work together in cooking/baking. Also, I will not be writing the recipe again so please refer to my original post here if you need to.

Cake flour

Unfortunately, cake flour is not very common in Australian supermarkets. In fact, I have only ever found one brand, sold in boxes of just 1 kg and it is so much more expensive compared to plain flour.

The box does not even specifically say "Cake Flour" but I know that it is one because it says "soft, low protein" which is exactly what cake flour is.

Many have asked me if cake flour can be replaced with plain or all-purpose flour. In the book 'Baking' by James Peterson, the recipe for chiffon cake suggests the use of either 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or 2 1/4 cups cake flour. The author seems to even prefer all-purpose flour over cake flour because he says that all-purpose flour gives the chiffon cake a much deeper flavour.

I baked an ube cake using 1 3/4 cups plain flour last Easter and it turned out very, very light and soft. I do love super soft cakes. However, because it seemed so delicate, I had to be extra careful in handling it. Also, I observed that the cake had the tendency to sink a little bit more than usual. (Remember, I do not use a tube pan for this cake, only a regular round pan. The cake always sinks just a little bit). In terms of taste though, the cake was as delicious as ever.

For the cake above, I tried something else. I used a combination of plain flour and cornstarch. The usual substitution for cake flour is this - for every cup of plain flour, replace two tablespoons with cornstarch. In essence, this means 1 cup of cake flour equals 7/8 cup plain flour plus 1/8 cup cornstarch.

For the chiffon cake recipe, 2 1/4 cups cake flour translates to:

1 3/4 cup + 3 1/3 Tablespoons plain flour PLUS

1/4 cup + 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch

The result? I could hardly tell the difference from the cakes that used cake flour. Cakes with cake flour do have a finer crumb but personally, I don't think it even matters because the cake with the plain flour and cornstarch is still as soft, with great texture and taste. I'm pretty sure no one else will even notice or care.

My recommendation then is to go with the plain flour/cornstarch combination if you cannot find cake flour. Both ingredients are easy to find and will come out much cheaper than cake flour (at least here in Australia!).

Other ingredients

Milk. Someone had told me before that the cake batter prior to folding in the eggwhites was too thick and hard to mix. For this problem, a little bit more milk would do the trick. I've tried increasing it from 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup and it was fine.

Ube. As much as possible, use only fresh grated ube, frozen grated ube or powdered ube for this cake. A reader had commented once that she used the bottled jam and her cake turned out great just the same. If you have no other option, then I would just suggest you find a good quality brand. Some brands taste nothing like ube. They look purple but taste like crap. Also, you might want to lessen the sugar a bit as the jam is already sweet. Experiment if you must.

Ube flavouring. If you cannot find this, just omit it altogether or use vanilla extract to replace. You might want to increase the violet gel paste by a bit to achieve the vibrant purple colour as the use of ube flavouring does add to the overall colour.

Whipped cream frosting

Some found the whipped cream frosting too soft for piping. While the recipe generally worked for me, this same thing has happened to me a few times too, prompting me to change the method with which I made my frosting.

Firstly, be sure your whipping cream as well as your mixing bowl and beaters are all well chilled. And the cream cheese shouldn't be too soft. In this other method, you will be beating the cream cheese and the whipping cream separately.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.

In your chilled bowl and using clean beaters, beat the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until the mixture is stiff. Gently fold in the cream cheese then beat again at high speed for a few seconds or just until everything is well combined. Be careful not to overbeat.

Your frosting should be firm and perfect for piping those rosettes.

**************
If you follow everything I've suggested, I see no reason for you not to make a perfect ube macapuno cake. Really, I have done this cake a million times. You can certainly make the same beautiful cake as pictured above as well.

Till next. Happy baking!

Cakes and more cakes

2011-05-01T23:09:00.011+10:00

It's been a while, hasn't it? Honestly, I am losing the desire to blog because I seem to be just so uninteresting all the time. I don't know what to talk about anymore apart from my baking and sewing. I am not much of a creative writer either so I don't blame you if you are finding that this is really getting quite boring.

Like now...all I have to share are photos of more cakes. Lately, I have been spending more and more time making them. I don't really know how I got to this point and how I will be able to keep up. As I've said many times before, I have not attended any course in both baking and cake decorating. It's hard. People seem to be expecting bigger and better things from me. It's like I have to outdo my last cake every time.

I try my best though. I think I am my worst critic. I don't get satisfied easily. And the only time I start feeling good is when I actually hear it from people that I did a good job and that the cake tasted delicious.

Bear with me then as I share with you my cake photos and a little story about each of them. Or you can skip reading altogether. It's perfectly ok.

Fireman Cake

Lemon chiffon cake filled and frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

I absolutely had no idea on how to do the decorations at first and had to look at images of fireman themed cakes over the net.

I started off with just the helmet and then as I was having a bit of fun, added the other components one by one...the hose, then the axe, then the fire hydrant candle holder, then the water droplets. I had to stop only because it was already getting way too crowded. What touched the celebrant was that I even put the logo of his workplace on the helmet. Customizing cakes means putting such attention to details after all, isn't it? By the way, I used a leaf tip to pipe out the flames. I had red, yellow, and orange coloured buttercream in one piping bag to achieve that effect.

Princess Barbie cake

This cake was for a three-year old birthday girl for whom I had earlier sewn this jacket. I had to buy a new Barbie doll as I had already given away all of my daughter's old Barbies. Underneath the skirt were three layers of chocolate cake, 2 8" rounds and 1 dome-shaped which I baked on my KitchenAid mixing bowl.

The doll actually had a glittery bodice already painted on it but I covered it up with purple gumpaste anyway to add some colour. I used a ruffle tip #88 for the skirt.

I couldn't resist sewing up something else for this special girl so as an additional birthday present, I made her this wool coat based on this pattern. I think I may be spoiling her way too much...

Debutante's cake

A big red velvet cake filled with cream cheese and frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

I was shown a picture of the debutante with the dress she was going to wear on the night of her party so my girl figurine was based on that. (Well, it's a cartoony version of her anyway.) She wanted pink and purple flowers around her too and of course, the 18 candles. Plus I had to make 48 red velvet cupcakes to match the cake as well.

Matching red velvet cupcakes.

Buzz Lightyear cake

Ube chiffon cake filled and frosted with creamy vanilla frosting.

To make a Buzz Lightyear gumpaste figure is surely way out of my league so it was a choice between using an actual toy figure or an edible icing image. I settled for the icing image because I was pressed for time but really, I don't like edible icing images as they are a pain to remove from the backing paper. This Buzz Lightyear one I ordered online was no exception. I had followed all the suggested methods on how to remove the image but it wouldn't come off. As the edges were starting to crack, I gave up and just cut the circle and placed the image (with its backing sheet) onto the cake. Had to warn the celebrant's mom about it of course. Other than that, I was pretty happy with the finished look of the cake. I especially liked the candle holders with the Buzz Lightyear colours.

18th birthday cake

This cake was for a boy. There were no specific requests for the decorations so what else could I have done but put a few flowers?

Chocolate chiffon with chocolate ganache filling. Frosted with Swiss Meringue buttercream.

I thought chocolate roses were the safest so that's what I did. They're also better cause they're good enough to eat. Tastes just like Tootsie Roll! Gumpaste roses...I never encourage anyone to eat them.

Moulded from modelling chocolate. I know my roses aren't very realistic but that's how I actually like them.

So...that's about it. Hope I didn't put you to sleep (or make you hungry?) with all that boring cake talk. Well actually, I kinda enjoyed typing up this post. Hopefully, I'll be back sooner than later. Till next post!

Cool "Caking" Gadgets

2011-04-13T09:11:00.003+10:00

Adjustable Cake Ring...

Ever since I saw this in a baking book, I've been wanting to have one.

It's basically a stainless steel round, the diameter of which can easily be adjusted to the cake size you want. It's what pastry chefs use to achieve their perfectly shaped layered cakes and pastries.

A friend had recently gifted me with a Target card and so I went off and rewarded myself with a Sunbeam coffee maker and this cake ring. I couldn't wait to try it on a cake idea I've had on my mind for sometime.

This is my cake version of a Filipino favourite, Buko (Coconut) Pandan, traditionally served as a salad/dessert with pandan jelly cubes and strips of young coconut in a creamy dressing.

Two-layered pandan chiffon cake, filled with whipped cream and coconut, sides covered with cake crumbs and topped with a layer of pandan flavoured gelatin.

I assembled the whole thing in the cake ring and left about 1/4" space at the top for the gelatin.

My whipped cream layer at the cake top was uneven, hence that white spot.

We couldn't wait to unmold the cake and eat it, so as soon as the gelatin set, I carefully removed the cake ring and sliced up the cake.

Yummy!

Clay Extruder...

As the name suggests, this handy thing is really for clay but is widely being used for fondant as well, to easily create hair, grass, ribbons, bows, vines, letters, blocks, etc. It's quite expensive but I reckon, is a pretty good investment if you are into moulding for toppers and other cake decorations.

Comes with 20 disc designs!

I tried the extruder yesterday and it was fun, just like playing! My youngest son kept asking if he could try it. The only thing I didn't enjoy about using it was that I had to clean it afterwards. Can't leave any traces of fondant/gumpaste inside the tube or they will dry hard.

I used the extractor to make the hose and the lines on the helmet. This topper is for a fireman themed cake I'm currently working on.

I'm sure I'll have lots more uses for these cool gadgets in the future. Can't wait!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Mocha Chiffon Cake

2011-04-01T14:14:00.002+11:00

Another cake done, this one for a 70th birthday. I wanted to decorate the cake with something special, something I've never tried before. Thought a fondant bow would be nice.

With the help of this tutorial, I came up with this gumpaste bow to use as my topper. To achieve this particular look, I embossed some embroidery prints on the gumpaste then brushed it with gold shimmer dust before cutting the strips for the loops. After each loop had dried, I thought of experimenting by painting over the prints with antique gold edible paint. That made the prints stand out more, don't you think?

I had a bit of trouble assembling the loops though. I used royal icing at first to "glue" them altogether but even after a day, the royal icing remained soft. Rather than take the risk of it not hardening, I took the bow apart again, cleaned off the royal icing and used melted white chocolate instead. It ended up kinda messy around the center...and that explains why I decided to add some roses. They're there to conceal the mess.

The final cake is a two-tiered (6" and 10") mocha chiffon frosted and filled with Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I may have rolled out my gumpaste a little too thick because my bow was quite heavy. I had to put it on top of a small cardboard round supported with straws underneath.

Speaking of mocha chiffon...I've been getting tons of emails requesting for a copy of the recipe I use. Instead of emailing them one by one, here it is now for everybody's convenience. For frosting, I usually make Swiss Meringue Buttercream but you can use any buttercream recipe of your choice. Add a bit of coffee dissolved in a little boiling water to make your frosting mocha flavoured as well.

Enjoy!

MOCHA CHIFFON CAKE (recipe suitable for an 8” round, 3” high pan)

{A}
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons white sugar for egg yolks
{B}
¼ cup corn/canola oil
4 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons water*
2 teaspoons coffee powder*
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
{C}
4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
{D}
6 tablespoons white sugar for egg whites
*dissolve the coffee in a little boiling water, then top up to have a total of 6 tablespoons of water/coffee mixture.

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 8” round, 3” high pan.
4. Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto a cake board.
6. Cut cake in half horizontally. Fill and frost with buttercream and decorate as desired.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM (adapted from Shelly Kaldunski's Cupcakes book)

3 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the eggwhites and sugar. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer), about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the eggwhite mixture until it is fluffy, cooled to room temperature, and holds stiff peaks (the mixture should not look dry), about 6 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and the butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter has been added, continue to beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy, 3-5 minutes more. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Jacket for the cutest little girl

2011-03-28T12:05:00.000+11:00

I know this girl...she's the most adorable little thing ever. She is the kind that makes you wish you had small kids again. When I learned she was going to turn 3 in April, my first thought was that I wanted to make her a special birthday cake. But of course, I wanted to give her some other present apart from the cake and when I found this pattern on Etsy, I knew this was going to be what I would be making for her.

My first try was supposed to be some sort of practice jacket, using only remnants and other materials that I already had in my stash but it turned out beautifully that I would say, it's more than good enough to be a gift.

Pink polar fleece lined with a floral Japanese cotton fabric. Perfect for the coming winter!

Heart applique with fabric matching the lining

I ditched the ribbons (as with the original design) and instead, added a couple of heart appliques to match the lining. The jacket is no longer reversible but that's perfectly ok. It all came together very easily. The only tricky part was sewing the outer sleeve to its lining along its small opening. It took me a while to figure out how to correctly do it. Overall, I would highly recommend the pattern to anyone wanting to make something like this.

Now, I'm thinking of making another one. Or should I do one with a hood this time?

Baking burnout

2011-03-12T16:23:00.005+11:00

I baked and decorated 4 cakes and 48 cupcakes in a span of four days and I am feeling absolutely exhausted. I love what I do but it does take its toll on me when it's this hectic. I only took pictures of two of the cakes cause the others weren't anything out of the ordinary.

For a 37th wedding anniversary. It's mocha chiffon filled with caramel custard and frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Close-up gumpaste roses. I love using embossing sticks to make designs on my topper.

A beyblade-themed 7th birthday cake. Again, it's mocha chiffon (as requested by the celebrant's dad), filled and frosted with Swiss Meringue buttercream.

My kids don't own any beyblades so I just kinda invented my own. They're not that great though.

I am earning a fair bit with this homebaking thing but honestly, I am not really after the money. Every cent actually goes to loved ones back home who need the money more. I am not saying this to brag or to give credit to myself. All these cake orders are but blessings for which I am really grateful. To have an unselfish purpose simply gives more meaning to all the hard work. At the end of the day, after all the measuring, mixing, baking, washing, and decorating, I rest knowing that I am doing a good thing and this truly gives me great joy in my heart. What better reward is there?

So...inspite of the burnout....I am more than welcoming new baking opportunities. Keep them coming!

My First "Wedding" Cake

2011-03-06T10:08:00.003+11:00

The reason for the " " is because the cake is not actually for a wedding. It is for a marriage enrichment program culminating in a renewal of vows. It is, in fact, not just for one couple but for 40.

I was given just a week to think about how to go about doing this cake. I've never done a wedding cake before so the apprehension was definitely there. When I was given a rather small budget, my first thought was it was enough to make a decent two-tiered cake. Clearly, I was so clueless as to how much wedding cakes cost! When I saw this and this, I knew my cake was going to be a huge bargain.

But as my son aptly put it, even if I wasn't going to get paid for this, I'd still give it my all. True. So here it is...just finished it early this morning...my first ever two-tiered wedding cake!

The top tier is an 8" chocolate chiffon and the bottom tier is an 11" mocha chiffon. The cakes are filled and frosted with Magnolia Bakery's creamy vanilla frosting. All the decorations were made from gumpaste.

I got the idea of the bride and groom topper from a Carol Deacon book. I borrowed the book from the library months ago and photocopied some of the pages that I thought might come in handy for me in the future. I really had a blast making this topper!

So that's it for another new thing for me. Would I want to do this again? Certainly! The experience caused me a bit of anxiety but it was all worth it in the end.

You all know that I am just a self-taught homebaker, right? I've never attended any baking class whatsoever. So...if I can create something like this from scratch, all of you out there with dreams of making and selling beautiful cakes from your own home kitchen, can do so too. Go ahead and chase your dream!

Prince Charming Suit

2011-02-28T10:20:00.003+11:00

I generally like being challenged into making things I've never made before...but sometimes, I get myself into these difficult situations just because I find it so hard to say 'no' to people.

I recently met this young mom in the baby shower I attended a few weeks ago. One day, I got a very unexpected phone call from her. She said she was so impressed with the handmade baby presents I brought to the shower that she thought I could help her with something. Her son is turning one year old in April and she was wondering if I could make a Prince Charming costume for him to wear on his birthday party.

I've sewn just a few clothes for my youngest when he was a toddler. They weren't very good at all. But then again, that was years ago and my sewing skills weren't that good either. So I thought, why not? I'd give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, at least, I tried. The timing was in a way perfect cause I just got myself a second-hand overlocker/serger from eBay. This was a great opportunity to try the machine out.

She sent me a link to this awesome tutorial and provided me with Size 1 top and pants to base my patterns from. I got to work right away. Three days into the project and not without much frustration, I managed to finish it.

The royal blue colour was the mom's choice as she had already purchased a hat/crown to match. I used satin for both the coat and the pants. It wasn't the easiest of fabrics to work with but I reckoned it was the most appropriate and the most comfortable for a baby. The trims on the pants, collar and belt, as well as the frill on the shoulder (the epaulettes) are all gold (but look yellow on the photos). The tutorial was a huge help though I changed some things to make the whole process easier. Having the overlocker was great! The seams were all nice and neat.

Would you have asked to be paid for making this suit? I didn't, inspite of everyone around me telling me to do so. I asked payment for the materials alone. I am not a professional seamstress and I don't want people to expect me to do a flawless job just because I am being paid for it. I did my best and that's enough satisfaction for me.

Would I do this again? Maybe not. I sew my own shorts because they're pretty easy to do but baby clothes??? My son was joking me that soon, people will be asking me to make wedding gowns. Oh please!!!!

Speaking of weddings, here's a sneak peek into another challenge I got myself into...

Will keep you posted on how that went! Wish me luck...

Alone again

2011-02-08T10:57:00.005+11:00

I never would have thought that watching re-runs of Dragonball Z and That's So Raven with my four kids nearly every single night for the past two months would make me miss them as they all went back to school. While in the past, I would look forward to being alone again after the lengthy vacation, this time around, it's like a big part of me had gone missing.

We didn't do anything much out of the ordinary during the school holidays. It's summer and we didn't even go to the beach, not even once! Personally though, I feel my family bonded a lot more by staying home . We played boardgames and ping pong, watched our favourite TV shows and laughed together, stayed up late every single night. Considering three of my kids are teenagers, I think doing these things with them was priceless and worth much more than any trip to the beach.

So now, I should get back to normality, to my old routine and to faithfully doing my chores (which I slightly neglected when my kids were around). I surely am looking forward to more sewing, baking and more computer time too!

Before I end, here's a simple laptop sleeve I recently sewed up for my daughter. I made her a laptop bag at the beginning of the school year last year but after using it for sometime, she found it difficult for her to be carrying that plus her heavy backpack. This one, she can just chuck in her backpack along with her other stuff.

I used the leftover denim from the laptop bag and appliqued a couple of flowers which are actually cutouts from a curtain material I found at the Op Shop a long time ago. I lined the denim with fusible fleece and used pre-quilted material for the inside (again, a leftover from the laptop bag).

The laptop fit rather snugly because of the thickness of the bag layers but I think the snug fit is actually a good thing.

Close-up of applique. I think the blanket stitch really adds a nice look to it!

That's about it for now. It seems I'm getting distracted again. There's so much to do around the house. I better get moving.

Have a good week!

P.S.

My patchwork pillow tutorial has been featured in Sew, Mama, Sew!'s Pillow Tutorial Round-up along with a bunch of other cool tutorials! Stop on by and check out all the links!

More baby gifts

2011-02-03T12:11:00.002+11:00

Baby changing pad, nappy/wipes clutch, and bath mitt (I hope you're not getting tired of seeing this bird fabric yet!)

I used the tutorials here and here to make the baby changing pad and the bath mitt. For the changing pad, I used two layers of fusible fleece and quilted the flannel myself instead of buying a pre-quilted one. For someone who nearly hated bias binding just a while back, I can even say I thoroughly enjoyed making these! Seriously...I think I'm even beginning to love bias binding. It makes everything look so neat.

The baby shower was yesterday. I brought along these baby items plus the baby bibs I made earlier. Can you believe it, the two moms-to-be aren't even my close friends? They're my sister in-law's. I haven't even met one of them till yesterday. But it really didn't matter. I had a great time making presents!

And this cake,too...

Purple yam cake (Ube macapuno) as requested

Chocolate Chunk Pizza Cookie

2011-01-29T08:26:00.001+11:00

Been avoiding baking calorie-laden snacks lately for fear of tempting myself...but with four kids still on vacation, a mom's got to give in sometime, right?

Enjoy this chocolate chip cookie with a twist...it's like pizza!

CHOCOLATE CHUNK PIZZA COOKIE (recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping)

Ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (I used a combination of dark and white chocolate chips)
1/2 cup cashew nuts or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 190 deg C / 375 deg F. Grease or line a baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, sugars, vanilla and egg. Mix in the flour mixture, chocolate chunks and nuts.
4. Place the mixture at the center of the baking sheet. Flatten and spread into an 8-inch circle using a spatula.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooke is golden brown along the edges. Cool for 5 minutes then slice.

Crunchy edges, chewy center!

Baby bib crazy

2011-01-27T11:52:00.008+11:00

As soon as I learned I was going to a baby shower next week, I was excited. Not quite excited for the shower itself, but rather, for the prospect of handmaking something. There were tons of projects to choose from...burp cloths, receiving blankets, baby washers, diaper pouch, changing pad, nappy bag, nursing cover. The wisest choice in the end though was baby bibs. Having everything already on hand - assorted printed fabrics, cotton towelling, flannel, snaps - meant no new expense. Perfect.

I downloaded the small bib pattern from here. My initial plan was to make 5 bibs. Then I added one more...and then another....and then I just had to make it 10.

You can never have too many bibs anyway, can you?

These were addicting to make. So fun and easy!

I added a flannel middle layer and used cotton towelling for the backing for extra thickness and absorbency.

Of the ten, my favourites are these 2...

Made from Moda charm squares (PURE by Sweetwater and It's a Hoot by MoMo) and natural linen.

I especially adore this one because it aptly describes what babies are...

Pure and simple...pure happiness...pure laughter...pure joy...pure excitement...pure bliss...pure love...pure grace...

I enjoy making baby stuff cause I never got to make anything for my kids when they were newborns. I didn't have the resources then. I really wish I did.

So now that I have most things within my reach, I am more than happy to jump at every opportunity to sew up anything for a baby. Hmm...I just might make something else before the baby shower.

Disappointed

2011-01-20T23:28:00.002+11:00

I wish I could have done a better job. After all, this cake was for my eldest son.

Francis turned 17 today. I decided to make a basketball-themed cake for him since basketball is his favourite sport and it is the sport he plays. Last year's one was an Orlando Magic cake. This year, I wanted him to be the "star" of the cake.

That's him with the #6 jersey he wears for his local basketball club.

The gumpaste centerpiece was all right. More than just all right in fact. It wasn't the problem. My problem was the chocolate frosting. It was too soft and it curdled. I am not sure if I didn't beat it enough or if I beat it too much.

My idea was for the top of the cake to look like a basketball and the sides like a basketball ring (with net). But because of difficulties with piping, I ended up making a mess and had to cover up my mistakes with stars. Not at all how I originally planned it.

Sigh.

Oh well. It still tasted good despite. We still enjoyed it.

Happy birthday, Francis!

The Errand Clutch

2011-01-14T15:41:00.002+11:00

Didn't expect me to be back so soon, did you? Even I suprised myself!

I tried my pouch again today. And...I am happy to say that this time, it turned out just as I had envisioned it.

I love this fabric! It's even much more beautiful in person.

Looks small but is actually quite roomy. The flex frame closure will keep everything secure inside.

The bottom is darted rather than boxed.

I think I got it right with this one...from the shape down to the size. Just right for bringing along keys, mobile phone, driver's license and some cash for those quick trips.

Now, to work on my pattern...I think I'm going to call this my Errand Clutch. Be back with that soon!

Where has the sewing mojo gone?

2011-01-13T17:25:00.001+11:00

I promised myself I wouldn't be posting again until I come up with a new sewing project. I have really been wanting to find some use for a bunch of flex frames I had. I was hoping today would be the day I would do just that. I tried....spent a few hours making a simple pattern, cutting up fabric, ironing, and sewing.

But, alas, I think my sewing mojo is gone...

I was uninspired. I was impatient to get it over with. My finished project was lame.

I wanted this pouch to be sort of an errand bag, like what you can bring when you just need to make a quick trip to the supermarket or the bank or when taking the kids to school. I suppose it's not as bad as I think but still...

I will do this again...hopefully soon.

At least, my cakes are still turning out well.

I whipped this up for my birthday last week. It seemed like I've been waiting forever for the price of mango to go down this summer. If it hadn't been for a trip to Costco, I could not have made this cake.

Hope to be back with my confidence up.

2010 Recap

2010-12-31T13:04:00.003+11:00

In 2010...

Baking took up most of my time, especially during the last couple of months. I never ever imagined I would be asked to make a cake for someone outside my family, much more, get paid for it. Now I don't even have time to bake for them! I learned a lot of new techniques and honed my cake decorating skills a litte bit more.

Just a few of the cakes I made during the year. The top row are the cakes which I am most proud of!

I think my most popular post for the year was the one with the Ube Macapuno Cake recipe. I received heaps of emails asking for help and advice, as well as, messages of thanks for sharing my recipe. Really, this is one popular cake among Filipinos!

Sadly, sewing had to take a back seat. I wish I had more time and more new ideas. I came out with only two new patterns for my Etsy shop. But definitely, sales were better than ever before. Thank you to those who bought eBooks from me. I hope you all were completely satisfied with your purchases. Keep on sewing!

Digital camera and toilet paper roll cozies

I just had a trip to Spotlight and purchased some great materials. My fabric stash is growing and really needs to get moving. Hopefully, inspiration will set in very soon.

I finished a few more sewing projects but the two I absolutely loved were my daughter's school laptop bag and my black mini messenger bag.

I sewed the mini messenger bag back in September and have been using it everyday since.

Overall, 2010 was a very good year. I am grateful and thankful for everything, despite the fact that I lost one of my brothers in May. I am aware that I am not getting any younger (and will in fact turn another year older in a few days) but I am more fulfilled now than in years past. I have a loving and supportive family. They are very happy with my little successes as I am with theirs. We are all healthy and materially blessed as well. I need not ask for more.

I know we all have things to thank for and lots to look forward to. May we all have a blessed 2011!

Christmas greetings

2010-12-26T08:33:00.005+11:00

From my family to yours...

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Thank you for a great crafting and baking year!

PS. Here are a few pics of the Christmas cake I made for my family.

I am really getting a hang of (and enjoying) gumpaste moulding! I love how my Santa turned out and how he sits on a golden base.

Modesty aside, I'd say this is a remarkable improvement from last year's cake!

Giveaway day winner

2010-12-20T15:37:00.007+11:00

The response to Giveaway Day was overwhelming! My iPhone's Wi-fi actually broke down and I believe it was because of the tremendous amount of email notifications (for every comment posted) that were being pushed from the server to the phone! Anyhow, a big thank you for taking time to participate. Hopping from one blog to another was quite fun, wasn't it?

Thank you, too, for sharing with me your personal Christmas wishes. I love the fact that many of you weren't asking for anything material.

It's been a tough past few days for me, having to finish several cake orders over the weekend and also having to deal with my youngest son being sick since Friday. He's been feverish due to a throat infection and has also been vomiting. As he is always the life of our home, seeing him weak, in pain, and very quiet just breaks my heart.

In a big way, my son's sickness is helping me see this Christmas for its true meaning. I have momentarily forgotten about the presents and have been concentrating on nursing my child back to good health and assuring him that he will be well real soon. Having a healthy and happy family (as some of you expressed in your comment) is definitely greater than any material thing anyone can offer!

So now, going back to the giveaway, I am happy to announce the lucky new owner of my patchwork pouch, as determined by the random number integer...

And comment #54 was...

Congratulations, Stefanie! I will be getting in touch with you shortly. I do hope your Christmas wish comes true!

Before I go, let me just share with you this one cake I made this past weekend...a Lightning McQueen cake! It was for a 2-year old boy's birthday.

I actually received this cake order way back in early November, so it really seems I have been thinking about it forever. I had several ideas in mind but in the end, I opted for simple gumpaste decorations...a round base with a black and white checkered pattern, flags with letters spelling out the birthday boy's name, and a trophy candle holder.

As usual, making the decorations were pretty much a trial and error thing for me. I knew my skills would not be able to handle making a gumpaste Lightning McQueen so I played it safe and used a real toy instead (which the birthday boy got to keep afterwards). I really liked making the Piston Cup candle holder. It was my first time painting over gumpaste and the gold colour turned out pretty neat.

So, there you go. Another Giveaway Day over. Another crafting year to look forward to. Till then, I've still got some more cakes to bake for Christmas.

Enjoy your week! And just in case I don't get to do another post before Saturday, I want to wish you now a very Merry Christmas! Peace, love and joy to you all!

Giveaway Day 2010

2010-12-13T06:50:00.003+11:00

It's that time of the year again. I've actually been anticipating this day for the past couple of months now but when I finally found out at Sew Mama Sew! when it was actually going to be, I caught myself unprepared.

I've been so busy baking cakes lately that I have not found time to do anything specifically for this purpose. If only I could ship you one of my cakes, I would.....but Giveaway Day must go on and so, for this year, I am sharing something I have made and showed you in the past instead. I am pretty sure many of you will be interested in this one...

I blogged about this pretty patchwork pouch sometime ago here. I couldn't decide if I wanted to sell it or keep it for myself, but here it is now, up for grabs!

To have a chance to win this, just leave your name in the comments section and please don't forget to include any form of contact information (blog URL, email address) so I can easily reach you in the event that you win. While at it, why don't you share with me what present you guys wish to receive this Christmas? As for me, anything I can use for my baking/cake decorating or sewing would be most appreciated!

Giveaway starts on the 13th and will run until Sunday, the 19th. Everyone and anyone can join...I am willing to ship to anywhere worldwide! Winner will be determined through random number generator next Monday and will be posted here shortly after.

Have fun and join as many giveaways as you can! For a complete list of all Giveaway Day participants, click here. Hope you all win something!

P.S. While you're here, you might also want to sign up to be a Heart of Mary follower (if you aren't already). Browse around a little longer...you just might find something of interest to you!

ENTRIES NOW CLOSED. WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY, THANKS.

Isabella Rose...

2010-12-04T17:39:00.002+11:00

If not for her, I wouldn't have dared to try making anything with fondant or gumpaste.

Earlier this year, I was asked to make cupcakes for this little girl's baptism. The baby booties topper was my first taste of modelling with fondant/gumpaste.

Since then, I've tried to mould several other things from gumpaste. Not much really...mostly just flowers...but I welcomed each learning experience with much eagerness.

Even though I was given such a short notice to make a birthday cake for Isabella Rose's first birthday, I happily accepted. I could have just made a very simple cake but I wanted to make this one quite memorable.

This is my FIRST ever gumpaste figure. Inspiration for this came from this video. I was apprehensive to do it at first but it all worked out great!

To support the skirt while it dried, I put a small single muffin mould underneath.

Below is the finished cake which I absolutely am very thrilled about. Apart from the candle (which I stuck into a rose), everything is edible. I actually placed a small inverted cupcake under the girl's skirt for added support.

I've never met Isabella Rose. I've just seen pictures of her. But I will forever remember her as she grows older because of what I've learned and accomplished as I made cakes for her!

Mini Tutorial: How to Make a KitchenAid Mixer Cover

2010-11-30T23:00:00.003+11:00

Last week, my sister in-law invited me to their home so I could teach her how to successfully bake a chiffon cake. As she has a KitchenAid mixer, I wanted to show her how easy it was to beat the eggwhites stiff. She bought her mixer early this year but has not done much with it really.

I had always seen her mixer uncovered and her birthday is in a couple of days...so guess what I decided to make for her?

There's no mixer underneath. The cover is so thick and sturdy, it holds its shape perfectly and stands up on its own.

My fabric has directional prints, so as you can see, the design on the main body is upside down on this side. I should have taken the photo from the other side!

This is one of those things I wish I could keep for myself, not only because the cover turned out very pretty, but mainly because of the amount of work I put into it. First of all, I am not a quilter so I was quite impatient with the quilting part of the process. And why on earth I did so many lines when I could have done less, I really don't know. Another thing is that I have a fear of bias binding and I also don't quite enjoy hand sewing. I have in fact avoided having to deal with bias binding for the longest time. Having said that though, it turned out there was nothing to fear after all. (But I did prick my fingers a few times.)

What made the whole project easier was that I already had an existing pattern. If you remember, I made a cover for my own KitchenAid mixer sometime ago. The way I made that one is actually different (this new one is way better), but the fabric pieces are basically the same.

So, ok. The title of this post suggests that I have a tutorial for this mixer cover. I call it a mini tutorial because I did not take photos as I sewed. This will not be as detailed as my other tutorials so some experience in sewing is quite vital. I am afraid beginners might get lost somewhere. Basically, I will just be providing you with the pattern, the material requirements, and the general steps on how to make your own cover. Please take note that my cover was made for a 5 quart KitchenAid ARTISAN mixer.

MINI TUTORIAL: How to Make a KitchenAid Mixer Cover

Requirements:

1 meter quilting weight cotton fabric for outer cover (non-directional prints preferred)
1 meter quilting weight cotton fabric for lining **
1 meter sew-in cotton or polyester batting
quilt basting spray
about 5 meters double fold bias tape in coordinating colour
matching thread
other sewing essentials such as scissors, needles, ruler, marker, pins, sewing machine, etc.

** This cover is reversible. If you want a change in look every now and then, choose a pretty lining fabric.

Procedure:

1. Download pattern for the front/back panel here. With Page Scaling set to NONE, print out the pattern pages. Cut out the pattern pieces just outside the thick black lines and glue together as instructed.

Please take note that since the patterns were drawn with thick marker, you may find slight discrepancies in the measurements. Please countercheck with indicated measurements and adjust accordingly, if necessary.

After assembling the pattern pieces, you should have something like this:

This is the complete pattern for the front/back panels of the mixer cover.

2. From main fabric, lining, and batting, cut the following:

2 pieces each - 16"(L) by 11"(W) for the front and back panels
1 piece each - 36"(L) by 16"(W) for the main body

3. For the front, back and main body panels, sandwich batting between the lining (wrong side up) and the main fabric (right side up). Following the manufacturer's instructions, use quilt basting spray to temporarily adhere layers together.

4. Quilt panels as desired. (In my cover, the horizontal and vertical lines are about 1 1/4" apart.)

5. Using the pattern piece as a guide, cut the front and back panels to size. Trim the main body to 34 3/4" (L) by 15" (W).

6. To assemble the cover:

Start with the front panel. Find and mark the center of the curved top. With lining sides together, match the center of one long edge of the main body panel with the center of the front panel. Pin together starting from the top, then go down the sides. Machine sew using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Do the same with the back panel.

7. Apply bias tape to the front and back seams. (I machine sewed the bias tape on one side and hand sewed the other side for a neat finish.)

8. Finish off by applying bias tape along the bottom edges.

Was that understandable? Frankly, I am not used to writing a tutorial without loads of pictures to go with it, so I hope that was clear enough. The structure of the mixer cover is really very simple. Quilting and bias binding did complicate the whole thing just a bit. You may opt not to quilt or maybe you can use stiff interfacing instead of batting. It's up to you.

Anyway you choose, hope these instructions will be of some help. Happy sewing! And happy baking too!

Purple, Green, and Pink

2010-11-15T11:59:00.005+11:00

Whew! Thank goodness the super busy weekend's finally over. Yes, I survived it and got everything done...and done well, if I may say so myself. Four cakes delivered in one day!

Three of the cakes were Ube Macapuno. Filipinos do not seem to get enough of this...and understandably so. The fourth cake was for the surprise masquerade themed birthday party of my niece. It was a two-layered mocha chiffon with creamy vanilla frosting. I had a lot of fun making it.

Except for the candle and the skewers, everything else on the cake was edible.

I was really proud of this gumpaste masquerade mask. I got the idea on how to make it from this forum.

Nearly everybody's initial reaction upon seeing the cake was "You made that???????". I really took that as a compliment (rather than a downplay of my capabilities) because it only shows that a self-taught homebaker like me can produce something that looks quite professionally made.

The colour combination on the cake ended up like that first of all, because my niece's favourite colour is purple. And then, I made the mask green because I only had green lustre dust on hand and I wanted the mask to have that extra glow. The pink, I added last, and only because I've seen the three colours combined in fabric.

The fabrics on this pincushion (my latest) was from a vintage fabric roll that came with 25 lengths of six different prints. I reckoned that if the fabric makers thought this combination was good then it probably would look good as well on my cake! Do you think so too?

Enjoy the week ahead!

Work in progress

2010-11-08T11:33:00.003+11:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, my niece, Claire, is turning 13 soon (on Saturday, the 13th, to be exact). Her mom has been organizing for her a surprise masquerade themed party. She has requested me to make the birthday cake, if possible, to coincide with the said theme. Having no idea what to do (like always), where else can I turn to but the web? It's amazing what one can learn so quickly from the internet.

Currently on my work table are these....waiting to harden and dry...

The green lustre dust is not so obvious in the photo, but in person, especially under the lights, the mask has a pearly glow.

Except for the skewers, everything else is edible. Those little shiny beads are cachous.

Should I attach feathers to the mask? My daughter reckons I shouldn't bother, but then, all the masquerade mask photos I see on the net have feathers. What do you think?

I'm still planning how to lay these gumpaste toppers out on the cake. I'm actually a little stressed out cause I have two other cakes to make for that same day plus it's my husband's birthday on the 13th as well. I might not have time to make him a cake!

Fingers crossed, hopefully, I will get everything done. Till then, have a great week ahead!

Cuteness

2010-11-05T12:29:00.013+11:00

Here are a few cute shopping finds and things I've recently made that I'd like to share with you!

Have you seen this around?

They're not ordinary nesting dolls....they're called M-cups, you know why?

Because...they are matryoshkas made to measure!

Each Russian doll half represents a different measure...starting from a quarter cup up to one whole cup. I found it at a bookstore (of all places) while I was browsing through baking books. I ended up buying it instead of a book. I don't think I would actually use it though...it just seems too pretty to make dirty.

You can find out more about M-cups and other similar products here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If you follow Pink Penguin, then surely you've already seen and drooled over her pincushions. It's so inspiring to see what great things one can do with little fabric scraps which will otherwise just be thrown out.

I'm not a quilter and I've never done a log cabin patchwork block before. I needed to research on how to do that first and then I had to make up my own measurements for the strips. It was quite easy and I ended up sewing two pincushions yesterday!

The fabrics aren't very much coordinated on my first pincushion but I think it turned out lovely just the same. Just for information, I started out with a 1.5" square in the center and ended up with a 5.5" square block.

The second one I made turned out more adorable. As much as I would like to keep it, I can't, because it's for my niece who is turning 13 very soon. She has recently taken a keen interest in sewing and is in fact asking her parents for a sewing machine this coming Christmas.

The ribbon on the side says "SEWING Original Handmade". It's from Japan (where else?) and I found it on Etsy.

I'm planning to give my niece more bits and pieces for her sewing...maybe some pins and thread, and this thing which I had bought a while back...

Can you guess what this little guy is?

It's a retractable tape measure! How cute is that????

It's one of those things I bought on a whim and not because I needed it. I actually have three more retractable tape measures.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lastly, here's a pirate-themed cake I recently made for a gorgeous little boy's 4th birthday party. It's a four-layered chocolate cake and as per the mom's request, it's eggless. My decorations were kinda messy but thankfully, it was still a hit!

One of these days, I will share with you the recipe for this eggless cake. My husband and kids actually like it better than the one with eggs.

I've always had difficulty with piping out letters but I think I did a pretty decent job with this one...

Ok, that's about it for now. I'm off to put my washing up on the clothesline. It's a nice, sunny day today here in Melbourne!

Still watching over me

2010-10-27T22:21:00.004+11:00

Most of you already know that my mother passed away in early 2009. October 27 last year, on the occasion of her birthday, we had a very simple celebration to remember her by. That day was the day I baked my very first batch of red velvet cupcakes. Everyone in the family loved this new thing. Little did I know that those cupcakes would change the course of my life in the coming year.

After I gave boxed red velvet cupcakes as presents last Christmas, my family and friends were quite impressed that they began urging me to start a home-based cupcake business. I was hesitant of course...I didn't have the confidence nor the skill to bake for people other than my family. My sister in-law gave me a needed push by handing me my very first cake order. That was around January. Since then, I've gotten 24 more...first from just friends, then from friends of friends, and on few occasions, from someone I didn't even know. Not bad.

My confidence level is still low though. I tend to look at photos of other people's cakes and then frown upon mine. There is certainly still so much more to learn and improve on. What keeps me going is the belief that home-baking is always best. And even if my cakes and cupcakes do not look as professional as those from the bake shops, the homemade goodness does speak for itself.

It was not a coincidence that this all started on my mother's birthday. She's still watching my back...from up there. I will forever be her little girl.

I know that she's pleased that after years and years of searching for what I wanted to do with my life, it certainly looks like I finally found it.

The cake's for you, mom. I love you. Thank you for watching over me.

No-fuss (and absolutely delicious!) Banana Loaf

2010-10-18T17:34:00.002+11:00

I was not really in the mood to bake today but I had 3 over ripe bananas that I didn't want to go to waste. Thought I might as well do something with them.

I actually use the following recipe for my banana cupcakes but this time, I tried loaves instead, just for a bit of change. I also added some chopped pecans and chocolate chips on top to dress it up a little.

It didn't look pretty as a whole loaf...

but when I sliced it...just lovely...

My daughter couldn't stop eating them. And one of my friends, to whom I shared one loaf, immediately sent me a text message as her family was snacking on the cake. They loved it so much she wanted to order some...

No kidding. For something so easy to make (no mixer needed), it's seriously good. I also love this recipe because the resulting banana cake is really soft and cakey rather than the usual heavy and dense.

Ready to try it? The recipe yields two large loaves but as cupcakes, would make about 24 to 30.

BANANA LOAF

Ingredients:

3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk *
1 1/2 cups banana puree**
optional: 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

*to make homemade buttermilk: In a measuring jug, put 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Leave for about 15 minutes until thick and curdled.
**mash about 3 medium-sized over ripe bananas with a fork or in food processor (I prefer it really smooth)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C. Prepare 2 large loaf pans (28cm) by lining bottoms with baking paper. Note: I do not really find greasing the pans necessary.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
4. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, in three batches, just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Fold in mashed bananas.
6. Divide batter equally into prepared pans. Top with chopped pecans and chocolate chips, if using.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into cake center.
8. Cool in wire racks before slicing.

Enjoy!

Happy birthday Matthew!

2010-10-12T11:43:00.006+11:00

Today is my youngest son's birthday. Even at 9, Matthew remains the "baby" of the family. Everybody still dotes on him (especially me) and I think, that will forever be the case.

We celebrated Matthew's birthday two days early (on Sunday) and invited a few family friends over. We gave him his present in advance as well, so he can assemble it and play with it with his friends on the day.

For the occasion, I prepared a simple mocha chiffon birthday cake with a Super Mario edible icing image.

In the Philippines, mocha cake, along with vanilla and chocolate, are traditional for birthdays. But while mocha flavour is mostly synonymous to a combination of coffee and chocolate, the Filipino version is just coffee.

My daughter and I made a piñata dedicated to our favourite AFL club (which incidentally won the premiership flag just over a week ago!). The kids went crazy grabbing the most lollies for themselves.

Today, being a school day, my son went to school bringing a giveaway for his classmates. I didn't want him handing out the usual lolly treat bags, so I made something different this year.

I found the idea of lollipop cupcakes in this book. I followed the vanilla cupcake recipe and the resulting mini cupcakes turned out as I like it, soft and moist. However, because they were soft, the lollipop sticks went right through the top of the cupcake.

To solve this problem, I had to think of a way to strengthen the cupcake top. I melted some chocolate (I only had white), then I dipped the tops of the cupcakes into it and next into a bowl of 100s and 1000s. I let the chocolate set in the fridge for a few minutes.

Before inserting the lollipop sticks into the cupcakes, I also dipped the ends into the melted chocolate. This process more or less sealed the holes on the cupcake bottom where the sticks were inserted.

I let the lollipop cupcakes chill again for a few more minutes before wrapping each in a piece of cling wrap then finally finishing it off with a ribbon.

What do you think? Aren't those great? I am really hoping my son's friends will enjoy this unique treat. Hopefully, too, I have given you a new idea to use for your kid's next birthday party!

Have a great day!

Dulce de leche cake

2010-10-02T22:27:00.008+10:00

A friend of mine from way back my university days (whom I haven't seen in like 13 years!) was in town with her son this past week. We invited them over for lunch today before they headed back to Brisbane. I know I said I would be resting from baking for a bit but then I wanted to prepare something quite special for them.

I searched the net for cake ideas and this kind of cake caught my fancy. I've not made dulce de leche ever before but since I had sweetened condensed milk in my pantry anyway and it seemed easy to follow the instructions on how to make one, I decided to give it a go. My son was teasing me, saying I was out to impress my friend. If I had really wanted to impress her, I would have stuck to a cake I was already used to making, but I was actually setting myself up for failure here by experimenting on a new thing. In the end, the risk was all worth it.

Here's my version of the Dulce de Leche Cake....layers of chiffon cake, filled with creamy custard, frosted with dulce de leche swiss meringue buttercream, sides covered with toasted cake crumbs, topped with dulce de leche and chocolate clusters...

Too many components in this cake, you reckon? Next time I just might omit some of them, like maybe the custard filling. My custard was actually a little runny and some of it absorbed into the cake.

But let me just say that the dulce de leche was fantastic! And adding a mere half a cup of that stuff to the Swiss meringue buttercream did wonders to the frosting. Nothing like I've ever tasted before. Certainly a good result for a first try.

Have a great weekend!

A Week-long of baking

2010-09-28T11:26:00.001+10:00

I had a wonderful week of preparing four cakes. It was surprising to receive one order after another and I consider that a great blessing. Three of the cakes had chocolate chiffon bases but had varying fillings and frostings.

First one was for my husband's workmate's birthday. This is the fourth cake their office has ordered from me within a few months. I was told this was the best so far. The hero in this cake is really the wonderful frosting.

Chocolate chiffon with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting and Filling

I learned how to fan the strawberry from the show Junior Masterchef!

Up next was another Ube Macapuno Cake. This kind of cake is fast becoming my signature cake! I have made this more times than any other cake in the recent months.

Instead of making a 9" round, 3-layered cake, I made a 10" round, 2-layer one which was just as good.

Third cake was for my son's friend's 9th birthday. The boy loves Pokemon, hence, the cake topper. I love this one because it is very clean and simple. And of course, the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream is so, so good.

Last cake, which I finished just today is frosted this time with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The one who ordered this requested for flower decorations and nut topping. I used toasted macadamia nuts...I think I may have just overdone it a bit....let's just hope they like macadamia...

I moulded the gumpaste roses a few days ago. They turned out quite well despite the fact that I opted not to use any flower cutters or forming tools.

Well, that's it for my cakes. I hope to take a break from baking for a while unless another order comes in soon. That is most welcome of course....

Super Mario character cupcakes

2010-09-18T15:28:00.002+10:00

A family friend's son is having his 7th birthday party today. The parents had earlier ordered a Super Mario themed birthday cake from the local bakeshop but had later decided they wanted cupcakes for the party as well. Yesterday, at the last minute, the boy's mom asked me if she could order 24 red velvet cupcakes from me, preferably with the mushroom character from Super Mario as topper. Given the short notice, I really wanted to decline but I just couldn't and didn't have the heart to. You see, the birthday boy has actually become quite close to me as he rides with us from school everyday and I wanted him, of course, to have a fun party. So yeah, I said yes.

Frankly, I had no idea what to do. I thought I could model the figures with gumpaste but then, given my poor knowledge in this area of cake decorating, how could I pull it off in so short a time? I tried to remember a few techniques I have learned from my frequent visits to cake decorating websites.

Luckily, I had some coloured gumpaste ready, plus I had the tools needed. Yesterday afternoon, in between doing the laundry, picking my kids up from school and feeding them, I came up with these...

The mushroom figures actually turned out pretty straightforward to do. Not perfect, I know, but then, I didn't expect perfect. Early this morning, I baked the cupcakes and before lunch, had all of them frosted, done and ready to go!

I could only hope the birthday boy likes them. As for me, it was a pleasure making the toppers. I always enjoy learning something new.

Project: My recipe journal

2010-09-14T17:04:00.003+10:00

When it comes to my cooking, my kids are my biggest fans. Although I do not cook anything fancy, they nevertheless look forward to most meals because they know I would cook up something they would love to eat. And the dessert...that makes them even happier. One of the things I would want to pass on to them are, of course, the recipes. I would love for my children to learn to cook the food that they grew up with and be able to share them with their own families in the future.

For this reason, I have started an important project...my recipe journal. At the moment, the recipes I use are all over the place -- in cookbooks, computer printouts, handwritten notes, etc. My dream is to have a single compilation of my family's most loved recipes. It would include recipes that have been handed down to me as well by my own mother and my aunts.

I would like it to be very personal. It is certainly much easier to type up the recipes on the computer but I would rather have them handwritten. So when my children would read through the recipes, they would have memories not only of the food but of me.

Today, I bought myself a hardbound notebook and then I dressed it up with my fabric journal cover.

I purchased the fabrics from Spotlight a while back. You've seen glimpses of them in my patchwork zippered pouch but this recipe journal is a more suitable use for them.

I haven't started writing a recipe down yet. I have to do this with patience to make sure it will be a beautiful legacy. The first page I will be reserving as a dedication page so my kids will know that this was lovingly done for them.

Can't wait to get this project going.

CLASSIC Mini Messenger Bag

2010-09-11T14:09:00.005+10:00

I remember hearing it on Oprah, in one of the makeover shows. They were discussing about bags and one of the fashion experts said that a printed bag for everyday use is a big 'no-no'. I'm no fashion-conscious person and have definitely been using printed bags that do not even match my clothes.

When the zipper on my everyday bag broke a couple of weeks ago, I knew I had to replace it with a solid/neutral-coloured bag. I didn't have any fabric on hand and put off making a new bag until I saw this fabric yesterday, on sale at $4 for a 2 meter bundle.

Black with CLASSIC written all over it. The colour is actually a much deeper black in person.

Classic...but you might also say, boring. I didn't even know what kind of fabric it was. It's silky smooth but thick. I was also unsure if it was appropriate material. But I had a bag idea in my mind and so went ahead and purchased it just the same. A few hours later, I proudly had this...

My mini messenger bag!

Front view, flap open, showing zip top closure and two pockets

Inside, with pre-quilted lining (leftover from this project)

The difference with this design and the original mini messenger bag is that I used an all-purpose zipper instead of an open-end one. The zipper is 10" long and the end is just covered with a fabric tab. I didn't have to make a new strap...the long strap here was saved from an old bag.

Close-up of tab

The great thing about using black (aside from the fact that it will match anything) is that all my sewing imperfections are not obvious! It's been a long time since I last made a messenger bag so my skills are definitely a little rusty. Overall though, I am really happy with what I've accomplished. And since there's a lot of this fabric left, I can foresee more bags to come. Yay!

Have a good weekend!

Losing weight by sewing

2010-09-08T12:10:00.007+10:00

I spent some time sewing before I went to bed last night. I managed to finish the zippered pouch I started the other day (the one with scraps from my wallet).

This pouch is about 5" by 7", smaller than the other one I made.

Although I finished it, I was not completely happy with it, firstly because I wasn't too interested in the fabrics I chose and secondly, because I encountered several problems while making it. Not that it was hard...I just wasn't as focused as I needed to be.

I used the patchwork stitch to quilt the pouch this time.

That ladybird lining fabric looks familiar, doesn't it?

I like spending hours and hours sewing, you know why? When I'm sewing, I completely forget about eating or snacking unnecessarily.

It's that time of the year again when I have to shed off some weight. My kids always say I'm not fat. Well, it's true, I'm not. When I gain weight though, I don't like the feeling of being heavy or bloated. Come to think of it, I actually eat healthily (most times anyway). But the problem is, I've given up on exercising...

I know it's not right but this is just the way it always goes for me. I get to my goal weight quickly (within a few weeks) then I gradually gain the weight back throughout the year. I think I gained the most this year because of all the baking I've been doing. Last night, I made some carrot cupcakes for my kids to take to school today and now I have to resist eating one!

Oh well, I'll let you know in a few weeks how it all went for me. For now, I have to think of things to sew!

Discovering corn dogs

2010-09-05T15:47:00.002+10:00

Pardon my ignorance, but until recently, I never knew why corn dogs were called such. Where I came from, these were mostly called "hotdogs on a stick" and the batter used to coat the hotdogs were not much different from pancake batter (maybe only a little bit thicker). This was how I've been cooking our version of corn dogs ever since.

But having discovered from a google search that corn dogs actually had cornmeal (I should have known!), I will never go back to cooking these the old way again. Cornmeal seems to be an unusual find in Australian supermarkets. I was lucky I found an organic one in the health food aisle of Coles. Polenta seems to be more readily available. I wonder if it will work the same way? It's also cornmeal, isn't it? It does look exactly the same....

Aren't these just beautiful?

I don't know if the recipe I used is an authentic corn dog recipe but who cares? We love, love, love these. I usually use cocktail franks instead of the bigger franks or hotdogs because they are easier to handle and also because it saves me from using so much oil for deep frying.

Try them!

CORN DOGS (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 cup maize (corn) meal

1 cup plain flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

vegetable oil for deep frying

cornflour for coating

32 skinless cocktail franks (2 packs of 310 grams each)

32 small bamboo skewers

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in egg and milk.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat.

3. Dry off the franks on paper towels then toss them in cornflour, coating them completely. (This is necessary to ensure that the batter will stick to the franks.) Insert a bamboo skewer into each frank.

4. Scoop some of the cornmeal batter into a small, narrow glass or cup. Dip the frank into the batter and swirl to coat it evenly. Let the excess drip off.

5. Deep fry 2 or 3 corndogs at a time until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.

One more time

2010-09-02T18:44:00.000+10:00

I don't know why...but everytime I am so happy with something I sew, I end up making a second one, even though I do not really need to. I just can't seem to stop at one.

Yes, you guessed it...I made another wallet.

As you can see, I've already transferred my stuff into this one. I actually like the fabrics on the first wallet more and I've done better stitching on that one too. This wallet, however, is much sturdier, owing to the fact that I used heavier interfacing. I like it better that way, hence, the change. The good thing is, I've now got an extra wallet on reserve!

I was in the process of making another pouch from the leftover fabrics as well, but then my machine's stitches started going awry (I don't why) and I just had to stop, else I'll just be frustrated. That would have to wait for now.

Tomorrow, I will be working on another cake order and then another one on Sunday. I'm really very grateful and blessed that I am able to do this, as well as have my small Etsy shop, whilst being a stay at home mom. It seems I am doing pretty ok...

A wallet and a pouch

2010-08-30T09:16:00.002+10:00

What a tiring couple of days I had. Apart from the usual things, I had to make a cake plus cupcakes for a birthday. Baking is fun but it always becomes a bit stressful for me when I am getting paid for it. I have come down with a cold and have a slight toothache as well. But here's something that has brightened my weekend inspite...I have a new wallet!

I've been needing to make a new one and have been procrastinating for a while now. So yay, I'm happy I finally got it done.

I used my own long wallet pattern, but since it's been a long time since I last made a wallet like this, I had to bring out my print-out of the instructions!

I totally love this owl fabric but am a little worried it will get dirty right away.

I had some leftover fabric from the two fat quarters I used and found inspiration over at Pink Penguin's to make a patchwork zippered pouch. I didn't use her tutorial though since I am already used to my own way of sewing up a pouch like this...

How cute is that?

I skipped the strap because the pouch turned out a little bigger than I originally wanted it to be. The finished size is about 6 1/4" (H) by 8 1/4" (W).

I know my son wouldn't use this for his DSi XL (though it's certainly a perfect fit), thus I have decided to list this on my Etsy shop instead. I don't usually sell the things I sew, so here's your chance. If you're interested to have it, just head on over here!

Hope you all have a great week ahead!

Giveaway Winner(s)

2010-08-26T12:20:00.001+10:00

It's a brand new day and things certainly started so much better for me. Remember the girl who left that comment on my messenger bag tutorial? She emailed me early this morning to humbly apologize. She sincerely accepted her mistake. According to her, her guilt feelings led her to check back on this blog and then she saw my post yesterday and read how her action had affected me as well as the responses you had left. It turns out, all that reading and writing you did not only helped me, but her too. Doesn't that make you feel good for speaking up? What else can I say but a big thank you for all your loving support! And you might want to know too that she actually finished her bag, is happy with it, and has now left a positive comment on the tutorial!

As for the other lady...sadly, I cannot say the same. I got another bashing from her last night. I could sense she knew she had made an error but was too proud to admit it. So instead of focusing on the eBay transaction itself, she just continued to call me a blasphemer and an unfair Christian! Wow. I am not letting her bother me anymore.

Anyway, I believe the only way to "fight" acts of unkindess is through acts of goodness. And so, for my giveway, since there are only 13 who participated, I have decided to give a free copy of my new eBook to all 13! If you had left your email address along with your comment, I will be sending the link to the downloadable file to you shortly. For the others who left links to their blogs instead, please, please email me directly so I can simply reply to you (the email link is located above the clock on the right hand side of this blog). The sooner you do so, the sooner you'll receive your prize.

Well, that's it for now. Enjoy the rest of your day (or night)!

When people are just rude

2010-08-25T13:16:00.008+10:00

I am feeling quite low today, having received two rather shocking emails so early in the morning. The first one was actually a comment made on my Messenger Bag tutorial post. I had deleted it because I felt it had a toxic effect, but just for the purpose of discussion, here it is:

I would have preferred to contact this person personally but she had left no means of getting in touch with her. I would have asked her what problems she encountered in her sewing. That particular tutorial is the most accessed out of all my free tutorials in this site. I have received a whole lot of emails from people who have successfully made their bags using the instructions. The problem with some people is that they do not bother to read through the whole procedure before they start sewing. I particularly stated in the beginning of that tutorial that "as a prerequisite to this project, you need to know how to install magnetic snaps and make zippered pockets". I deliberately omitted these parts because explaining them would make the whole thing too long. To compensate, I did include links to other tutorials tackling the things I skipped. If anything else was missing or unclear, all she had to do was ask and I would have helped. Am I to blame then that her expensive fabric went to waste?

The messenger bag tutorial was one of the very first I ever made (more than two years ago). I was not an expert sewer then and still, am not an expert sewer now. My assumption has always been that, if I can do it, you can too. Ultimately though, you are the best judge of your own skill level.

The second blow I got today was from an eBay seller from the US. Yesterday, I excitedly received my auction win in the mail.

According to the eBay listing, this cake pan set was supposedly made in the USA by CM Products, Illinois. I inspected and inspected the box and the contents but nowhere was it marked as such. What I found instead was this small sticker...

Made in Taiwan, ROC. Not that I had any problem with that...the pans seemed of good quality anyway. I felt though that I had to let the seller know. I gave her a neutral rating with a feedback saying: "Item very well packed and received quickly, however, description was inaccurate". Was that unfair? Should I have just given her a positive rating despite? Maybe I shouldn't have left any feedback at all.

I immediately sent the seller an email to explain why I gave her the neutral rating.

"Just wanted to explain why I gave you a neutral feedback rating. The cake pan set is not made by CM Products, Illinois, as indicated in the listing. Nowhere in the box does it say that. There's a small sticker on the divider that says Made in Taiwan, which explains why the writing on the box had a lot of grammatical errors and wrong spelling! It does make a difference to me if it were made in the USA.

The cake pan set seems good quality anyhow and would hopefully withstand years of baking. Thanks for shipping quickly."

- heartofmary

Did that in any way sound offensive to you? Because I didn't mean to be at all. To tell you the truth, I wasn't prepared for the reply I got...

"The Immaculate Heart of Mary is very dear to my heart and my family ....

I am upset that you actually use her name and then make up lies about my product .... You received the item EXACTLY as pictured ... at a very REASONABLE price ... PACKAGED and SHIPPED PROPERLY .... I did not make up the words CM ENTERPRISES ... this is the information provided on either the product or the box ...

Your words are BLASPHEMY because you purchased it using the name of our LADY ....

You LIED for everyone to see and did not give me a chance to respond to your problem.... I would have refunded you 100% and let you keep the pan....... Honest sellers in this new age of eBay are at the mercy of buyers .....

I ship at least one item a week Down Under and have NEVER EVER been so disrespected from any of your countryman .....

My husband is a U.S. MARINE and spent some time in you beautiful country on his way HOME from combat in Viet Nam .....

I can not express how hurt I am that you could not have been up front with your problem on something that is as simple as a cake pan ....

We are 71 years old .... the money we make supplements my husbands retirement pay from the U.S.MARINE CORPS .....

GO BACK and look at my listing .... does it in anyway say that I was dishonest or trying to trick you ???

God Bless You and I pray you be more upfront with folks who are honest Sellers on eBay ..."

I could not imagine that a 71-year old would speak to me that way. First of all, my eBay username "heartofmary" (as is the title of this blog), has absolutely no reference to the Virgin Mary. My real name is Maria Corazon, which are Spanish for "Mary" and "Heart". Secondly, never did I accuse her of being a liar, of being dishonest or trying to trick people. Yes, the item was as pictured. Yes, I won it at a reasonable price. And yes, it was properly packaged and shipped. What I only pointed out was the inaccuracy in the description. Why would I lie about those things? What for? Except for the sticker, there truly wasn't any indication of any manufacturer's name on the box or on the cake pans. I will never ask for a refund because as I said, the pans seem of good quality (regardless of where it's made) and I will bake with them all I want!

So sorry I had to bombard you with all that. I had to let my feelings out and there's no one here to talk to at the moment. All of a sudden, I am missing my family back home...and my mom...and am just getting all teary-eyed. Tell me, why can people be so rude?

PS. Last day to enter the GIVEAWAY!

Cookies and Cream (plus GIVEAWAY extended)

2010-08-21T07:23:00.008+10:00

Today is Federal Election day here in Australia. I'm up early, hoping to cast my vote as soon as the polling place opens this morning. But before I do that, let me just share a few things with you!

I finally got my own copy of The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum from Amazon and am having a blast reading through it. Although I've read conflicting reviews about this book, it does seem to be a must-have for any baking enthusiast. I've been purchasing a lot of cake and cupcake books the past year and have already learned a lot but I'm sure there's still so much more to gain. I do think my self-studying have done my cake baking and decorating a whole lot of good. When I see pictures of cakes I have made for my kids' birthdays years ago, it just makes me smile to think how things have improved!

I admit that it's not just been books that I've been buying a lot of. I have heaps of caking tools now which I, of course, think are valuable to making beautiful cakes. I also have loads of these...

I did some cleaning up yesterday and surprisingly found out how much baking cups I already have. It filled the whole 6-liter container! I reckon this will last me a lifetime!

The other night, I made a Cookies and Cream Cake, an order I got from my husband's workmate. Was really very pleased with how it turned out...too bad I couldn't even get a slice of it!

It was a good thing the Oreo cookies were on sale at the supermarket this week because I had to use a whole box!

To use up the leftover frosting, I baked some chocolate cupcakes yesterday. I had some mini Oreos in the pantry to go with them as well. Instant cookies and cream cupcakes for us!

Well, I better start making breakfast now so I can head on off to vote. Before I end, let me just remind you about the GIVEAWAY from my last post. The participation thus far has been dismal. Makes me think that maybe no one is really interested in my Toilet Paper Roll Cozy pattern (?). Where have my readers gone? Come on, just join in! There's nothing to lose! (Do I sound desperate?) Anyway, I've extended the giveway till middle of next week. Hopefully, I will get more comments in.

Thanks and have a lovely day!