Learning Again.

My last post was back in February. Happy that it did not take me a year before writing another entry.

I have no other excuse but that life is indeed hectic. Every now and then, I find time to relax but the time is spent either sleeping or bumming around.

Yes... a lot of things has happened already. Big things. I hope to enumerate them in several posts. I might end up not actually blogging about them but will try my very best.

One recent thing that has made me be in touch with my creative self again is baking.

I had my kitchen re-done which meant buying a new oven. Of course, the idea is for me/us to use it.

But the inspiration really came from Gemma, a UK-based colleague from my ex-office. She was here on a 6-month assignment and had been baking whilst she was here in Manila, sharing her finished products to everyone in the office. She grew up in a place where baking is like cooking, anybody can just do it without any degree or extreme passion. All you need is be interested, a bit of research, some tools and ingredients.

I have attempted twice already. Both successful. I don't think I am a talented baker but I can do this, just like cooking, and come up with decent products that will certainly satisfy the diners inside our homey home.

My first legit baking - Chocolate Cupcakes. The recipe, I found in this link.

Ingredients 
Serves: 16 

• 1 1/3 cups (170g) plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
• pinch salt

• 50g butter, softened
• 1½ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ teaspoon (7ml) vanilla essence
• 1 cup (250ml) milk

Directions
Prep:25min  ›  Cook:15min  ›  Extra time:5min  ›  Ready in:45min 

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a muffin pan with patty cups.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Ice with your favourite icing when cool.

And after, Choco Banana Cupcake which was a big success. All consumed in 5 hours by the kids and adults.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup mini chocolate chips

sugar for sprinking on top

I added: 1/4 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine bananas, oil, egg large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate large bowl, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder (and the pinch of salt). Add to banana mixture. (Add the vanilla). Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees F.

The second time felt easier with me baking much faster. I think I will be doing this for a while. 

Butter or vanilla cupcake, next?