then they started coming in...

so the journey of making baked treat continues...

after my first fondant cake order, one of my good friends from high school ordered too after seeing the photos i posted in facebook. it was her daughter's first birthday and guess what the theme was... Hello Kitty! she said she was fine with the same design that i did, but her having a creative bone in her decided to send me a different one a couple of days after.

and since this was the second time i did it, there wasn't as much stress (...and panic attack) like the first one. i though it was even a simpler design but everyone else thought that it looks better. and without further ado, here's how it turned out:

yeah, maybe this one really looks more neat than the last one. but one thing is for sure, both of them were made with much love and sweat.

and then a couple of weeks ago, a colleague asked me to make the cupcakes for her son's baptism. she just wanted some that will go well with blue, white, and teddy bears. it was up for me to decide on the flavors. and since i have my housemate acting as a "liaison," she told me to make red velvets and salted caramels. i had thoughts of what to do but i had to brave what stuff it will require me to.

 it was a week long prep, but it was all worth it. i guess i'm getting the hang of this fondant stuff that i made little teddy toppers for my red velvet, and then i just had to get some of those teddy grahams to go with my salted caramel. and guess what? it came out a success!

 

 

 

we all had to fix the dessert table as it was poorly set up by the events place. we had to make do with what we have and make it as pleasing as it can get. and fortunately enough, we were able to pull it off even before the guests arrived.

it turned out pretty well since my friend gave me more than what i charged her for. she said it was for the effort that was put through the cupcakes and for fixing the desserts. she was just expecting simple bears and what i did was more than what she and her hubby was expected. another happy customer for me! so happy she's booked me for her son's birthday 9 months from now. :)

well, this journey never ceases to amaze me of what i can do. it just brings out whatever is in me whenever i make my creations, and trust me, my heart goes into each and every baked treat i make. and i will be thankful to our Creator for blessing me with this talent.

i finally did it!

fondant --- i guess this technique is every aspiring baker's dream (and nightmare).

i've often wondered how it's like to make them. some years back, a friend asked me if i can bake her a dozen cupcakes with a simple fondant topper. So I did, it was quite a task since I didn't have the tools yet back then. But I guess, they turned out pretty fine.

 

fast forward a few years, one of my peers ordered cupcakes for his life partner's birthday and particularly wanted them to made of fondant. and again, i was lucky enough to get a positive result.

it has been just cupcake toppers. until one of my good friends asked me to bake the cupcakes for his daughter's baptismal. four dozen pink and purple red velvets to go with the pink & purple theme which he and his wife liked very much. 

a couple months after, he then ordered spongebob theme for a nephew's 2nd birthday. much to my surprise, they looked pretty cute.

right after the event, my friend texted me that our next project would be his daughter's birthday and i just agreed since he was already a repeat customer. little did i know, that would open up an entirely different experience. he wanted fondant toppers for the cupcake, along with a CAKE! a FONDANT cake. i told him that i'm quite hesistant coz i haven't made one AT ALL but my friend was so supportive and he thought i'll be able to pull it off.

so after weeks of research, consultations, and preparations, the week of the event came. i started making the toppers which happened to be a breeze. i kinda had a project plan in mind just so i can finish on time. but i guess, since it was my first time, anything that could go wrong, went wrong. i had to have a panic attack at 3 o'clock in the morning (..thanks God for an amazing boyfriend and an awesome housemate/friend for helping me get through that). i had to stop, rest, and sleep for a couple of hours just to reset and refocus. after recharging, i started working on the project again. and much to my surprise, it was the prettiest project i've made so far.

so i guess all the effort, sweat, and tears were all worth it. everyone who saw it loved it. it was such a lovely feeling. plus, i got soft bookings for orders from a couple of friends and peers. a couple of weeks after, i had the chance of making another hello kitty cake.

i am just thankful for the God-given talent that i might have. i have no formal training, but then i was able to pull these projects off as best as i can. i guess it was God who's always by my side whenever i make these creations.

so i'm thinking, i guess it's time for me to save up for those fondant lessons. :)

matcha fulfillment

so i've been baking on and off for quite some time now. sometimes i'd bake just because i want to, sometimes i'd bake 'coz, apparently, there are those who trust me with these little creations for special moments in their lives.

 

lately, i've been baking at least once a week to try out some recipes, and maybe because i'm just plain happy and inspired. i've also updated my "portfolio" in my facebook account with photos of items i've baked in the past, mostly cupcakes.

 

i've tried out some recipes that i haven't baked yet.. luckily, all of them turned out not just edible but also a success. as to what these are, i've been joining the band wagon of trying popular flavors like salted caramel, coffee, to name a few. of course, it wouldn't be complete without MATCHA (japanese green tea).

 

i've been wanting to bake green tea cupcakes for as long as i can remember. but just like any other green tea afficionado would know, it's hard to find one you can use for baking. i tried searching sellers via google but to no success. but in one of my visits to chocolate lover , i found that they have them in large packs that costs around Php950-1,000. until one of my friends recently went to japan and i literally begged him to find me one while he was there. and so he did. (to those who'll ask me how much it was, all my friend had to say was that it was expensive. other than that, i wouldn't know)

i was so giddy to try it out as i've been waiting to grab a pack of green tea for at least 3 years. i googled for a quick and easy recipe and here's how they turned out:

 

 

they are one of, if not, the best recipes i have baked. they were really yummy. i am now paying it forward and sharing to those who are green tea lovers like me:

 

Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes

from www.matchasource.com

 

Ingredients

• 24 cupcake papers or 1/2 sheet pan / 350 degree oven 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 large egg yolks 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup milk 
• 2 tablespoons matcha tea 

Directions

Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs/egg yolks one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to batter and mix to combine. Mix matcha in with the milk. Add to the batter and mix until combine. Scoop batter into prepared into cupcake papers. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. 

 

Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting

from Oshii Treats Original

 

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp 
• 8oz cream cheese 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 2-3 tablespoons matcha powder (depends on how much green tea taste you like) 

Directions

In a electric mixer combine your butter and cream cheese and beat on high until smooth about 3 minutes.Add in your powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until full incorporated, adding in your milk to help thin it out.Mix in your matcha powder and whip on high until mixed throughly and fluffy about another 3-4 minutes.

 

satisfied craving

the amazing aloha has been one of my favorite burger since it was first launched sometime in the 90's.  it comes and goes in Jollibee's menu every so often. 

i would find myself craving for this burger and i had to get myself one when it became available just recently.  too bad though that it wasn't the same burger that i longed for, it no longer tastes like how i remember.

thanks to my nanay for teaching me how to cook, i need not depend on fastfood chains just so i can eat a decent aloha burger when i crave for it... i just feel i need to share this just in case there folks out there that think they deserve better burger for their money.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 kg ground beef 
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small pouch, food seasoning (lucky me namnam or maggi magic sarap)
1 tsp flour
   salt and pepper, taste
   lettuce leaves
   sliced pineapple, drained
   bacon strips
   cheese slices
   hamburger bun
   mayonnaise/honey mustard dressing (optional)

HOW TO:
1. Mix ground beef, onion, food seasoning, flour, salt and pepper.
2. Divide mixture into 3 equal portion and shape each portion into a patty. Set aside.
3. Heat pan and fry bacon (do not put oil) until crispy then set aside.
4. Fry burger patty in same pan where bacon was cooked. Cook both sides until brown for about 8-10 mins.
5. Remove patty from pan and immediately put cheese slice on top of patty then place it on bun.
6. Top with pineapple, lettuce, and bacon strips and place top of bun.

this recipe yielded 3 sandwiches and it cost me only PhP 240 (US$6), if i were to include 3 coke-in-cans, then it's about PhP 300(US$7.25). if my friends and i were to eat this at Jollibee, the burger alone is Php 99 for the burger alone, PhP 135 for a meal.  we can have the same burger at The Burger Project, but then again, each sandwich will cost about PhP 200.

i say, i'll just make one everytime i crave for one. :)

cake it away...

and so i've rekindled my love for baking.

with cupcakes being baked every so often, there are times when i just want to try out something else. and what better choice do i have but venture into the world of cakes.  much as i want to create fancy, whimsical cakes... i have to start from baby steps-- junior cakes.

the first attempt was for my former boss. i volunteered to bake the cake for our birthday surprise instead of just buying one.  since she fancied my red velvet cupcakes, why not a red velvet cake?! and so i did this mini-cupcake tower for her.

 

we didn't really get to eat it, but she shared the cuppies to some of our bosses.  she brought the cake home for her consumption but apparently, her kiddos demolished it. :-)

and then there was this attempt to make a chocolate cake.  one officemate, now housemate, loves chocolate cakes (even the frosting) which inspired me to make one.  i can't remember how i was able to bring it to the office since i didn't have that much baking stuff at home back then, but then again, i brought it--they destroyed it. ;-)  

how did it look like? here goes..

the most memorable cake i made was the rainbow cake for new year 2011.  why?! two reasons: (1) it was very colorful, it looks so nice; and (2) it was too sweet! who knew frostings can be so damn complicated.  thank God i have nephews who i can bully to eat and finish it all up. hehe.

up to this day, i plan to do it again but with a much better frosting.  look how simple yet colorful it is!

  

 

if there's new year's, there's also valentines.  two of my good friends celebrate their birthdays on February so i decided on giving them cake as a gift (not to mention they are also members of my quality control team -- the ones who gets to taste stuff i bake). it was simple but memorable, i guess it really was the thought that count.

nowadays, i haven't baked that much... especially trying out new designs for cakes.  but hopefully this year, i'd have more time for my passion and make bigger and better ones.

trip to memory lane -- my cuppy cakes

so i tried rummaging through my external drive and facebook albums in my attempt to put them all here... much as i want to tell the story for each, i pretty much forgot most of them (le sigh).

but where do i begin? ah! where else but with the sorts of cupcakes i've done since time in memoriam.

i remember i did an attempt to make smores cupcakes and luckily, my friends liked it.  one of them liked it so much that she ordered a couples of dozens from me, only to find out that she was to sell it in her condo unit (smart bitch! haha!). i didn't mind though since i thought it can just be something i'd do for extra cash plus i get to do what i love doing.  here's how they turned out.

Pink & blue

another friend asked me to bake stuff for her for her twin daughters' birthday.  i thought she was just kidding but little did i know, she was dead serious when she ordered a dozen each of pink and blue cupcakes that she'll bring to her hometown, davao.  i only had a couple of days to prepare but since i have ingredients in the cupboard at that time, i was able to pull it off in time for her flight.

oh! let me not forget my very supportive boss back then.  she was, i think, the first ones who got to taste my red velvet cupcakes and thought that it was worthy enough to be sold commercially.  she ordered red velvet by the dozens for her daughter's birthday, and for her Christmas 2010 giveaway.  

i was lucky enough to have very supportive friends.  it's either they themselves order or they refer me to their friends.  Some orders I got are for birthdays, baptisms, Christmas, etc.

 

and then there are just days when i want to try out some goodies and have my officemates munch on them since no one's gonna eat them at home.

  

  

these are just some, but there really was quite a number of orders that i didn't take pictures of any more.  but looking through these, i'd say i've come a long way since that very first batch of red velvet cupcakes i baked.  and here's hoping for a lot more in the future...

return of the comeback

finally got hold of my blog again... looking at my last entry, 'twas almost a year ago...

so much has happened over the passed months. i wish i can find time to go through my stuff and post 'em all here.. then again, i can only wish. :)

it has been one hell of a ride, the passed months, joy and hurt... glad i have the energy to suck them all up. where was this blog again when i needed to channel all those feelings? well, that was yesterday. i guess i just have to face what lies ahead.

so what kept me busy then, was able to travel, to cook, to do some readings, to do some crochet stuff, watched a lot of vids... sheesh! am i really that domesticated? guess not... hope not.

well... this is just going nowhere. time to park. til next post.