[Easy to Succeed] Basic Cocoa Sponge Cake 容易成功的基础巧克力海绵蛋糕

After baking my first easy to succeed Sponge Cake [see this post] which was good and given to my MIL, the urge to bake another is so strong.  Why not bake another with cocoa flavour, then?

Again, I succeeded to bake this lovely cocoa flavour sponge cake.  The cake didn't crack, or shrink and I was able to remove it from the pan with bare hands.

Tasted good.  Soft, moist and fluffy.  But this cake is going to my mum's house. I tasted the cake there, hehehe!  Does that mean I have to bake another?

Recipe Source - Cook.Bake.Love [with slight modifications]

Ingredients
[use 7" loose base round baking tin]
4 medium egg yolks
40 gm castor sugar
40 gm melted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence [optional]
80 gm cake flour - sifted
26 gm cocoa powder - sifted
4 medium egg whites
65 gm castor sugar 

1. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until light, add in melted butter and vanilla essence.  Mix well.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg whites till frothy and add sugar in 3 additions.  Beat until soft peaks.
3. Fold 1/3 of meringue into egg yolk mixture and mix well.  Return the batter to meringue, fold in using a rubber spatula.
4. Sieve in flour and cocoa powder.  Fold in using a rubber spatula.
5. Pour into prepared tin, baked in preheated oven at 140 degrees C for 25 minutes, then increase to 170 degrees C and bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until cake is done [Angel baked the cake for 30 minutes at 175 degrees C].
6. Remove cake and drop the pan from a height of 20 cm onto table top [this is to prevent the cake from shrinking when cooled].  Invert cake to cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
7. Slice cake to serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

Notes:

1. The height of this cake using 7" pan is 6 cm.
2. Use loose bottom baking tin, no need to line of grease.
3. Add 1/2 tsp of baking powder to the flour - optional.
4. Can use 8" round cake pan or two 6" round pan - as per Angel's recipe.

I'm submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up June 2014 Event - Butter

hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen

[Easy to Succeed] Basic Sponge Cake 容易成功的基础海绵蛋糕

 

I was attracted by Angel's lovely cake [here] when I was looking for an easy to succeed Sponge Cake recipe.  Like her, baking sponge cake is something I fear compared to other cakes.  I was afraid the cake may not be soft, fluffy or even rise.  She gave me the inspiration to try baking this cake using her recipe which she saw from this Chinese food Blog [君之].  

It was a success for me as the cake turned out well, no cracks and I could remove the cake from the pan with bare hands. My hubby requested for the cake to be given to my mother in-law, why? Only good cakes can be given to his mother, lol!   So if you happen to see that the cake is for my MIL, then the recipe is a keeper.   But each of us stole a piece to try, hehehe! Perfect.  

The cake is spongy, soft and moist.  The sweetness is alright to me.  I'll be trying another with chocolate flavour.

Recipe Source - Cook.Bake.Love [with slight modifications]

Ingredients
[use 7" loose base round baking tin]
4 medium egg yolks
40 gm castor sugar
40 gm melted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence [optional]
106 gm cake flour - sifted
4 medium egg whites
65 gm castor sugar 

1. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until light, add in melted butter and vanilla essence.  Mix well.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg whites till frothy and add sugar in 3 additions.  Beat until soft peaks.
3. Fold 1/3 of meringue into egg yolk mixture and mix well.  Return the batter to meringue, fold in using a rubber spatula.
4. Sieve in flour and fold in using a rubber spatula.
5. Pour into prepared tin, baked in preheated oven at 140 degrees C for 25 minutes, then increase to 170 degrees C and bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until cake is done [Angel baked the cake for 30 minutes at 175 degrees C].
6. Remove cake and drop the pan from a height of 20 cm onto table top [this is to prevent the cake from shrinking when cooled].  Invert cake to cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
7. Slice cake to serve.
   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   

   

Notes:

1. The height of this cake using 7" pan is 6 cm.
2. Use loose bottom baking tin, no need to line of grease.
3. Add 1/2 tsp of baking powder to the flour - optional.
4. For chocolate flavour, replace flour with 26 gm cocoa powder.
5. Can use 8" round cake pan or two 6" round pan - as per Angel's recipe.

I'm submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up June 2014 Event - Butter

hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen

Steamed Black Beans Spare Ribs

 

During the hot scorching weather, I started looking through recipe books for recipes that are delicious and easy to cook, best without sweating out in the kitchen.  I found this recipe which is simple and only requires steaming.  In the original recipe, the pork ribs are steamed together with rice in individual serving bowls.

This pork rib dish is appetising, tasty and good served with rice and an easy to cook vegetable soup [EZ Nutritious Watercress Soup].

I complained about the hot weather and my hubby daren't complain about the meal,  just a meat dish, soup and rice.  Hope, this isn't too simple a meal for the family.

Recipe Source - Yum Yum Magazine No. 78 [with slight modifications]

Ingredients

[serves 3]

300 gm pork ribs - cut into small pieces

1 tbsp fermented black beans - soaked for 5 minutes, drained and coarsely chopped

2-3 dried chillies - soaked and cut small pieces

some chopped spring onions

Marinade

3 pips garlic - chopped

1 small piece ginger - chopped

1 tbsp cooking wine

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp each of sesame oil and sugar

dash of pepper

1 tsp cornstarch

1. Soak pork ribs with 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and some water for 1/2 an hour.  Rinse and drain.
2. Marinate pork ribs with the marinade for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Arrange pork ribs in a steaming bowl with marinade, black beans and dried chillies.
4. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until ribs are tender.
5. Sprinkle spring onions over ribs before serving.
   
   
   

   

I'm also sharing this post to Cook Your Books #13 Event hosted by 

Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Coffee Date Loaf

With the Muslim fasting month around the corner, dried dates from various countries are now available in many supermarkets.  I received some dried dates from a friend and thought it's time that I bake this cake.  The original recipe was from A Busy Gran's Kitchen.   

As described by busy gran, this coffee date loaf is soft, moist and not so sweet.  It's healthy and delicious.  The cake was so aromatic while baking in the oven. The cake slices can be served on its' own or with a spread of butter or cream cheese.

Ingredients

[use 9" x 3" loaf tin lined and lightly grease the sides]

1 cup chopped dates

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

250 ml hot water mixed with 1 heap teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 large egg [1 used 2 medium eggs]

1 tbsp butter - softened [30 gm]

50 gm castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

225 gm self raising flour - sifted

1. Place dates in a bowl.  Add in bicarbonate of soda then pour in hot water.  Mix and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk butter, sugar and eggs.  Add in vanilla essence and fold in the flour.  The batter is very thick.
3. Gradually pour in the dates and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed until well combined.
4. Pour into the prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 35-40 minutes or until cake is done when tested with a skewer.
6. Remove to cool on wire rack before slicing to serve.  Eat cake on its' own or spread some butter or cream cheese.
   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   

   

I'm submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up June 2014 Event - Butter 

hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen