Pumpkin Hazelnut Cupcake

Recently I am keen on baking cupcake, trying to find a recipe that Isaac love so that I can bake some for his friends on his birthday or kindy event. This is my 2nd attempt, recipe is grabbed from My Kitchen.

Ingredients:(around 24 cupcakes)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
250g Unsalted Butter
180g Castor Sugar
3 Large Eggs
150g Steamed Pumpkin, mashed
300g Self-raising Flour
20g Corn Flour
60g Milk
150g Pumpkin, peeled and diced
Pinch of salt
Raw Hazelnut (mash and bake in oven until it turns to light brown)
Pumpkin slices, for topping (optional)
Pineapple-cane Sugar (optional)

Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 175ºC. Line and grease the baking pan.
2. Cream butter together with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and cream until light and smooth or the colour turned pale.
3. Stir in mashed pumpkin and mix until well blended.
4. Sift together flours and salt, fold into the mixture alternate with milk. Mix until well combined then stir in diced pumpkin and baked hazelnut.
5. Line paper cups in muffin tray, transfer batter in to paper cups.
6. Arrange pumpkin slices on the surface and sprinkle with pineapple-cane sugar. You may also add some pumpkin seeds.
7. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until it is cooked. Cool on rack.


The appearance and taste was quite nice, however I still not satisfied with the result. It didn't raise as what I have expected, middle part is quite dense. After discussing with my colleagues, we concluded that: 1st, butter + sugar is not beat until pale and creamy. 2nd, flour should be sifted before use (I skipped this step as I thought this small action it will not make any different)

Cool, at least I know roughly where went wrong. I will give 3rd try during school holiday. Hope it success this time....

Bento #188 - Pussy Cat

Today is another quite bento, I fixed a wily pussy cat for my boy. The head of the cat was cut from purely egg york sheet whereas the body was from egg white mixed with some yolk, therefore it has light yellow effect. I packed some jackfruit for Isaac. Pretty simple bento huh...

Bento #187 - Egg Sandwich Bento

Can't think of a nice name for bento today, since it's egg filling, therefore just name it as 'Egg Sandwich'... kekeke.

I asked Isaac what jam he prefer for the bread tomorrow, he requested egg instead of jam. What I can think of is eggsheet with some chicken floss. But other than seal the bread using sandwich mould, there is no way for the chicken floss not to fall out. Hmm... I come out this idea, put the chicken floss onto eggsheet before the eggsheet is well cooked. Here is the picture of the eggsheet.


Colleague of my sister gave me a pack of jack fruit last night. While eating, I told Isaac it has been long long time I didn't eat jack fruit, it taste so nice. Isaac replied me with "Mummy, you are much better than me, this is my first time eating jack fruit".... (~.~) I grew up in small "Kampung" (village), jack fruit can easily find and it's free. But ever since I stay in KL, in my memory, I have never buy jack fruit and never think to buy it (wonder why....) (-_-)

Bento #186 - Egg Roses Bento

Another flower bento (*0*) Did your heart sing with joy because of the flowers (心花怒放）? Recently Isaac couldn't finish the bento I packed for him, obviuosly I have already reduce the size. Ever since he recovered from high fever, I realized his appetite reduced. Wonder is it too little time is given or get bored with bread. I believe all mummy will be happy to see thier kids have good appetite. To improve Isaac's appetite, today I packed food he loves, which is egg.

I prepared an eggsheet and make it into two roses. In fact with that eggsheet size, I can have three roses. I didn't forget to packed some tomato sauce to eat with the egg. There is a jelly in the bento box, I am sure Isaac gonna have a Happy Friday!

~~Here are some pictures on how to make the egg rose. Enjoy !! ~~

Bento #185 - Simple Flower

Very fast running out of idea. No, I should say I didn't do homework yesterday night (^.^) I made a small round chicken floss sandwich and top it with a cheese flower, packed one cheese sausage (cut into two) and some apple. Pretty simple right? Sometimes, simple is beautiful (life but not bento)... kekekekeke

Bento #184 - Shaun the Sheep

Do your know there is this cartoon in the market? It's OK if you don't know, especially if you have no kid. Unlike those days (when I was a little girl), cartoons were so limited, few popular one were Popoye the Sailor Man, Woody Woodpacker, Ultraman, Mickey Mouse and etc, really not many. But these days, the cartoons in the market is too many to enumerate.

Last weekend I went back home during lunch, Astro was showing this cartoon. The sheep drew my attention. It's so cute, just like the nursery rhyme - Baa Baa Black Sheep. I thought the sheep must have named 'Baa Baa', therefore asked Isaac to double confirm. In fact it is not, Isaac told me the sheep is called Shaun Sheep. "Sean? How to spell?" I asked. "S.H.A.U.N" He answered. I was doubted honestly (^.^).

I googled for 'Shaun Sheep' after back to office. Hey, it's corret! Cool, this is another bento idea, not too hard to fix.... hehehehe

~~ Are we look alike each other? ~~

Bento #183 - Sunny Boy

Isaac complained that not enough time was given for him to finish his bento. He bought back almost a complete bento back for me yesterday, only half of the cupcake was eaten. Therefore today I reduced the bread size, only packed half slice of sweet potato bread and some apple for him. The sunny boy was made from ham.

Do you realize that I have used the pick I bought yesterday? Now you know how much I love them, I just can't wait to use it.....

Abundant Harvest。。。

I was extremly happy yesterday night as I found the picks that I eager for. The moment I saw it, I was so excited and I told my hubby, I am so sorry, I can't resist myself from getting a set of all the picks. Without waiting for him to respond, I grabbed one each.

We stuck in bad traffic jam on the way home due to heavy rain. But my mood was extremly good (^.^) I kept showing the picks to my hubby and of course wanted him to agree that the picks are all awesome!!! kekekeke....

If you wish to get a set of all these picks, I am more than willing to do you a favour (provided still have stock). I am happy to see others are happy, just like me ....

These are few bento gadgets I bought two months ago....

Bento #182 - Raisin Hazelnut Butter Cupcake

Lots of blogger friends love baking, their "masterpiece" always make me drool with envy. Few month ago, newspaper published a recipe on how to make cupcake, it has detail photos shown. I kept that copy and decided to give a try yesterday after so long.

Silly me, I was expecting muffin but I got butter cake. By looking at the ingredients, should know it's butter cake right? kekekeke..... Have such result on first try I am quite satisfied (^.^) Isaac put some sprinker on few cupcakes, they are for himself and his cousins.

Ingredients:(around 16 cupcakes)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
230g Self Raising Flour
230g Butter, softened at room temperature
160g Castor Sugar
3 Eggs, at room temperature
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup of raisin
1/3 cup of hazelnut

Methods:
1. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Add eggs, beat until well combined.
3. Sift self raising flour over butter mixture and mix well.
4. Add in vanilla essence and raisin then mix well.
5. Preheat the oven to 175 degree.
6. Line 16 paper cups in muffin tray.
7. Put the mixture into muffin tray then put 3-4 hazelnut on top.
8. Bake the cake for 15 - 20 minutes until light golden.

Bento #181 - Mushroom in the Garden

Today I just prepared something simple for Isaac. In the box is a piece of carrot banana cake and some dragon fruits. Wonder why recently my mind is full of "flower", keep wanting to fix flower and I purposely fix a mushroom to serve as a foil to those little flowers (*.*)

Bento #180 - It's Spring ...

Spring is a busy season for bees, they are busy collecting nectar and then make them into honey. Today I sent two bees to assist thier gang in completing the task. But bad me, I forgot to put thier wings on!! Previous Bee Bento, I didn't realize the bees have no wing until Isaac asked me after back from school. Therefore this time I reminded myself not to forget the little wing. Hmm.... I am getting older... signnnnn..........


Postscript: Hapabento's May B.O.M.B Contest is flower. I think this bento is qualified to enter, I will summit it, it's my first time participating this type of contest... (^.^)

Bento #179 - Netherlands Tulip

In May, if you go Netherland, you will surely see noble and elegance tulip everywhere. August 2008, I attended a training in Netherland for three weeks. At that time I can also see tulips everywhere, but was wooden tulip and they were not in garden but inside souvenir shops (^_O). I saw those photos taken by lucky colleagues, I just can't imagine how nice the garden was.

I read from newspaper yesterday, one of the charity organization was selling tulip Netherland tulip on Mother's Day for raising fund. One of the tulip shown was black in colour. It's so elegant, that made me have the idea to fix a tulip bento (^-^).

Bento #178 - Little Red Indian

Since Isaac just recovered from high fever, I just packed him something light and simple. It's only bread with blueberry jam. I have manggo in my fridge, but I don't think he can eat it at this time as manggo might causes phlegm. I fixed a Red Indian using artificial crab meat. I don't think he wants any cheese today.

Why I have been quiet ...

Yes, I have been quiet for about a week because my little prince was having high fever, for 5 days and the highest record in the 5 days was 39.9 celsius. I didn't go to work for 2 days to take care of him day and night. That kind of worries, I believe all moms can feel it......

It started on Saturday evening at home town. Our home town(hubby and I are from same home town) is not far from KL but not near either, need to travel about 2.5 hours. Normally with that hours, using highway can reach Melacca (another state), but mine still within Selangor. We went back just to have dinner with my father-in-law, that day was his birthday. He can't really walk now, so we only have dinner at home.

We came back KL the next morning (normally we will come back in the afternoon or evening). I prefer to stay at own house, especially when my kid is sick, more confortable and convenient. Due to Labour Day, child specialist Isaac used to visit was close for two days. I consulted doctor on Monday morning. Doctor said was caused by his swelling throat, but seems like getting better, so didn't give any antibiotic as Isaac just taken a bottle of it last week (if you still remember, he almost missed his soccer field trip).

After a noon nap, Isaac's fever just shot up like rocket, went up to 39.9 celsius. I called the clicnic and asked for antibiotic and immediately insert medicine into his anus. Fever continued for another 2 days and thank god his body temperature was back to normal on Wednesday night, if not, I would have admitted him to hospital. I didn't send him to school on Thursday to monitor and make sure he is fully recovered.

I got a message from Deby, another bento mama, via Facebook. She realized that I MIA (missing in action) for so long, therefore sending me a message to see is everything going right with me. How caring she is.... Thanks Deby (*0*)

How to stop blogging? Especially it can brings you lovely and caring friends..... (^_^)