Kim Kardashian: Love Her or Hate Her?

Dear Readers, my blog has become the target of some sort of spamming mafia, which is attacking my previous post for some reason, and whoever they are they are located in the US. I'm trying to come up with another post to sort of remedy the situation, I know stupid remedy, but I've already reported it to Blogger I don't know what else to do. So here's an unlikely post from me anyway: Kim Kardashian.

I've also decided to let this be mainly a picture- heavy post. Maybe becuase I don't think there's much to say aboutther, I'm not aware of any great talents she may have,( No keeping up with the Kardashians doesn't count) or some great good she has done to world but she does look pretty, and is a fashionista, if nothing else...and there is a whole industry devoted to people like her- and they exist for a reason they fulfill a demand, or desires by the masses to be look like them, if not live like them. So without further ado lets have the pictures, which obviously, are more interesting to look at than a 1000 word post by me. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe- Best recipe ever!

My youngest sibling is a regular customer of The Hummigbird's Bakery, hence when he was over I asked what was his favourite cupcake and he said Red Velvet. He's their biggest fan and he loves most of their cupcakes, I was going to experiment with Chocolate Orange- but as he said that was flavour that he actually disliked- I decided to make Red Velvet Cupcakes from their recipe book Cake Days. Apparently the author Tarek Malouf, was having a book signing and festive frosting demo at John Lewis in London. I hope someone filmed or does an inspired youtube tutorial.

I followed the recipe to a tee, as I had to satisfy someone who had tasted the real thing! Everyone loved it. The cupcakes were moist, with a hint of chocolate and  the cream cheese frosting is divine! One cupcake is just no enoug I was eating 3 a day! ( Munch eat you heart out :-P)

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

Recipe text ©Tarek Malouf & The Hummingbird Bakers,
Photography: Mine!

For the red velvet cupcakes:
Makes 16 cupcakes

• 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 300g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 20g cocoa powder I used Hershey's Cocoa powder <3
• 40ml red food colouring (preferably Dr. Oetker's as red food colourings vary in strength)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240ml buttermilk (laban)
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 600g icing sugar, sifted
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 250g cream cheese, cold

You'll also need:

• 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with large cupcake cases

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.
2. Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. 

Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).

Bloody knife- good for Halloween?

Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk.

Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated.

Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture.

Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full (I use an ice cream scoop) and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 mins, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile for the cream cheese frosting: Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. In the beginning it will seem as though you have too much icing sugar, it helps if the butter is softened and melted this stage may take a while.

Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon over the cream cheese frosting on top., approx 2 tablespoons of frosting per cupcake.

Optional decorate with red sprinkles.

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Orange, Almond, and Yoghurt Loaf Recipe with photos

Dear Readers, this is my first recipe post, and for some reason I'm very excited!

First of all, let me say this recipe is taken from the Hummingbird bakery's cook book Cake Days; it was a sweet gift from a sibling who knows I spend too much time searching for recipes online, and I'd like some tried and tested ones. Well, this is the third recipe I've tried and the loaf turned out scrumptious, if I do say so myself,its been very well received.

P.S Sorry the photos turned out a bit dark, I need to work on my photography skills.

 So without further ado, let me get on with the actual recipe.

Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

190g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

190g plain flour, plus extra for dusting in my version I used brown flour, (to be healthy)

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

190g caster sugar, I just use regular sugar, the one we get here isn’t very coarse

3 large eggs

60g ground almonds

1tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

25g plain yoghurt if you are using white flour, 35g if you are using brown flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

10g flaked almonds.

One 8.5cm x 17.5 cm loaf tin with 7.5cm sides

OR One 3.5inches x 7 inches loaf tin with 3 inch sides

Method:

1.Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius/325 F/ Gas Mark 3, then grease loaf tin with butter and dust with flour. Don’t be skimp on the flour, it gives the loaf the beautiful brown crust on the outside.

 2. Using a hand held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachement, cream together butter, sugar, orange zest and until the mixture is soft and fluffy. 

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the eggs and better are properly mixed in.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour ground almonds, and baking powder and salt.

Almonds in grinder

Ground almonds

      Divide the dry ingredients into 2 bowls.

 

Tip the first bowl into the creamed mixture and whisk on slow speed until just incorporated. 

 

Repeat with the second bowl. Next mix in the yoghurt and vanilla essence.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle the flaked almonds on top.

 Place in the oven and bake for 50-60mins or until the sponge is firm on top and a skewer inserted into the centre turns out clean (it took me 63mins).

Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool a little before turning it out of the tin on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve on its own, or with a cup of tea, or mug of coffee.

Bon Appetit!

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out for you.