Red Velvet Cupcakes

Bitten by the baking bug again. This time i'm onto Red Velvet Cupcakes. It's supposed to taste a bit chocolatey-sour and this recipe i found is just heavenly. I made a previous batch from Paula Deen and it's very yucky and not as beautiful looking.

I made a few tweaks to the sugar because i find most ang-moh recipes to be too sweet. (my comments in RED).

Makes 24 large, or 30 medium cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I use all-purpose)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups sugar (REDUCED TO 2 cups)
• 4 eggs (I find Singapore and China eggs small compared to ang-moh eggs so add 1 more to the recipe)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice) (I put 1 table spoon of vinegar in 1 cup, and then top it up with milk to 1 cup exactly and let stand for 5 mins)
• 1 ounce red food coloring** (okay, that is a lot of red food coloring!) It doesn’t change the taste, so I only use 1 teaspoon unless the red color is really important to me. (I used Wilton's NO TASTE Red and it's good!)
• 4 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting (This has been revised to show the cream cheese and butter cold, resulting in a less runny frosting.) If you want the piled high frosting, like the picture, make 1 1/2 the recipe of frosting and pipe it on with a piping bag or ziploc bag (do not try to spread it with a knife).

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold
• 1/4 cup butter, cold
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar (I only used 1 cup++, 16 ounces will be ridiculously sweet IMO)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
3. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Gently remove from oven (these are super-moist, and will collapse if you aren’t careful). Cool in pans on wire rack at least 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. (Do not frost until totally cooled, or the frosting will slide off!)
4. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: With a high powered mixer (stand up mixer if you have one) beat cold cream cheese, butter, sour cream and Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl, and beat again. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Once smooth, turn beaters to high (I use my Kitchenaid) and whip on high for 5 minutes, until very fluffy. I am frequently asked how I get the piled high frosting. I do this with a piping bag, or a Ziploc bag with a 1 inch hole cut out of the corner will work perfectly. I always pipe the frosting on, instead of spreading it with a knife. That is how I get the tall pile of frosting. IF you do want the tall pile, I recommend doing 1 1/2 the recipe for frosting, to make sure you have enough.
5. Frost the cupcakes generously, and serve at room temperature! If you make these, I hope you will drop me a comment and let me know how they turned out!
6. In response to the comments who have had trouble with the frosting…These are the exact proportions I use. I do not add more sugar, or it will be very sweet, but it is important that the cream cheese and sour cream are cold. If the frosting is too runny, I recommend putting the frosting in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before piping it on. Also, your cupcakes MUST be totally cooled. The frosting may seem a little too moist at first, but if you can get it to form a pile, and leave the cupcake uncovered for 1 hour or so, it will form a slightly dry crust (not a bad crust, I promise), so it won’t seem so gooey. (I don't have a kitchen aid, my mixer is $30 from 5 years ago. It's gonna be hard and all the cheese will get stuck to the mixer but persevere!)

An eastie again

I lived in the east from the age of 10 till I moved to china in 06. Got married and became a serangoonite but the heart never left the east.

Our option for a walk up apartment was accepted yesterday and we will soon be proud owners of our very first piece of property.

Although we won't be living there so soon I'm looking forward to the overhaul n renovations!

Sent from my iPhone

Osim Dream

New purchase this weekend. 60%off, made in Japan and massages like real hands. Looks like a damn spaceship n takes up a lot of space but can't pass up a good deal. Mountain man had been wanting a massage chair for sometime now.

Chocolate cupcakes

I maintain that the best recipes come from the back of ingredient packs. These came from the Hershey's cocoa powder box. I usually hate my own baking but these are not that bad. I halved the portions because I didn't want 30 cupcakes!

Fun at Chaoyang Park

Best thing about living out of Singapore is experiencing the four seasons. I didn't see snow until i was 15, didn't see snowfall until i graduated from the uni, didn't ski until 5 years ago. My son has done it all before the age of 3.

This was us enjoying the slopes at Chaoyang Park. 

The climb is hard....

But the thrill of coming down makes it all worthwhile. 

This photo is quite funny. It shoes him in midair jumping out of the buoy. 

To visit the Chaoyang Ski Park/Snow Slopes, go to Chaoyang Park Main East Gate (Gate No.6) and walk straight in (do not pass go do not collect 200, just walk straight in else u'll get lost and end up in south gate). 

13 and 14

Another accident happened yesterday, another 2 stitches. He just lost his balance and hit against the edge of the coffee table. The same dr William Chickering who sewed him up last year did his 2 stitches. This time he was awake during the procedure and he kept screaming "I wan go home" and "I want water" while in tight restraints. Heartbreaking!

Anyway mountain man said that mountain boy and I finally have something in common. See the scar between my eyes?

Mistaken identity

After sending mountain boy to school I head to H&M to exchange an item I got the previous day. A woman thought I was the salesgirl! I gave her the look, I was hoping she would come to realization herself. I mean come on I'm wearing a givenchy cashmere jacket with sequins on my shoulders do I friggin look like I work here? She didn't understand why I was silent.

Eventually I stated the obvious and gave her the "you're dead to me" look. She was apologetic and embarrassed but I had already looked away in disdain.

Ok I promise to have a better sense of humour next time.. But I hope bird poopoo falls on her head today.

Sent from my iPhone

Happy 3 months Lilybuff!

You are getting sooo cute nowadays! You laugh and smile a lot and so very talkative! Such an angel to look after. Now that mountain boy goes to full day school we can finally spend time together！

Ta-daaaa (updated)

Trinity mini earrings to match the trinity ring I got 2 yrs ago (which I lost n then got a replacement for my birthday last year).

I love Cartier jewelry. There's some seriously brilliant design and thought into each piece. The trinity ring with tri-colour is just so elegant and fun. There's a special way of wearing so it doesn't get all tangled up.

The Love series is just as brilliant, i like the fact that the bangle needs a screwdriver to remove, how crazy interesting is that? And it's not all that expensive! A silver piece from the blue box can easily cost S$400 dollars, I mean why pay for silver?

The diamonds selected by Cartier are IMO of a much higher quality than the blue box, at least from the brilliance observed by the naked eye.  I think the reason why the blue box is so highly sought after is good marketing, that's all, IMO.

Told Mountain Man that anything he selects from Cartier makes a good gift. Haha!

Who cares about the little blue box....

... When theres the red and gold box! My first Valentines day present in 6 years. After that vacuum cleaner I got for Christmas last year (which I insist is for the family not for me alone) I harp about mountain mans lack of romanticism. He made it up and he made it up good....

I will reveal what it is shortly. Thanks mountain man!

Decoding Mountain Boy Part 2

At bedtime:

Mountain Boy: Mama, I want blue pancake. 

Me: Blue pancakes? Where did you learn that? 

Mountain Boy: BLOO PANCAKES (like i was hard of hearing). 

Me: Context baby context... I don't understand. Blue Band Aids? 

Mountain Boy(frustrated) : I find... 

He walked from his bed to behind his toy shelf to pull out the blue blanket. 

Decoding Mountain Boy

Mountain Boy is learning more advanced english these days. I think he finally just got the gist of the difference between YOU and ME. Most recently he is unto the word "because". He knows that it is a response that usually comes after "WHY?".

Eg:
Me: Why did you step on Mei mei?
Mountain Boy: Because mei mei!

Me: Do you know why you cannot eat food from the floor?
Mountain Boy: Because! Because! (looking all proud)

Lily inspired: Wear Sunscreen

No actually, avoid the sun like a vampire if you can. 

When i was in my teens and early adulthood i loved the sun. Hours and hours i'll spend sun bathing, no SPF. In fact I used sun tan lotion not sunscreen. I got a lot of compliments on my tan, i meekly boast that i don't get sun burns and i tend to tan evenly.

Mid-twenties came. Uhm, the skin starts to sallow and yellow due to late nights (work, parties, surfing the net etc). I realize i needed more and more make up to make myself look better. And because i was tanned and always a different shade, my powder was never the right shade. And powder on dark skin looks gray. I started investing in skincare. No more supermarket products, give me the caviar, gold flakes, highly scientific pitera mambo jumbo. 

And then late twenties. On my wedding day the make-up-artiste told me that the best way to keep our skin looking fresh is to go a shade lighter. You'll look younger, make up will look better, wrinkles will look less obvious. The chinese has a saying, a shade of white covers three shades of ugly "一白遮三丑". Wish I knew that earlier! Think Scarlet Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett!


Then... the big 30 came. I had your brother, then i had you. Freckles started to appear. These dust-sized flecks may look adorable sprinkled on the cheeks of a teenager, but when they become snowflakes on an old lady no amount of concealer can cover it.

If you have my genes then "lucky you". But if you have your dad's genes and you go sun tanning, chances are you'll turn red like a lobster, peel like a shrimp and then become pale again. And btw, your dad has freckles too so you can't escape these brown little flakes. 

So my dear daughter no matter how tempted you are to flaunt your figure at the beach (then again if you have my genes there goes the flaunting), at the very least wear sunscreen. 

请问。。。

Did i ever say that i have the "ask me for directions" face? Whether i'm pregnant, with kid or alone minding my own business, i'm surprised at the frequency i get stopped by strangers to ask for directions. Do i look local? Or perhaps i look particularly kind-hearted enough to stop and help those in need.

Either way i take it as a compliment to myself.

But to be honest, i won't ask me for directions. I've led my friends cars and my driver astray so many times that i'm embarrassed. Mountain Man won't let me book hotels for holidays anymore because we'd end up in the suburban projects. North South East West are nothing but mahjong seating positions to me. It took me almost 4 years of marriage before i get my bearings of my in-laws' estate.

So yeah... don't ask me for directions ever.

The Water Dragon

We got back from Singapore about 4 days ago. Seems like an eternity because our nanny hasn't returned from her hometown. Makes me realize how much she contributes to this household and we appreciate her even more now.

Anyway Singapore was great. Big thanks to my in-laws who washed and cleaned up after us, if you're reading we couldn't have done it without you.

Here are some choice pictures from our Singaporean Lunar New Year.

Family from Jakarta came to Singapore. It's so nice to see the children play together. It's even nicer that we don't have to watch Mountain Boy like a hawk because the older jiejies do a fine job. 

 Akhim! There's a better picture of her not squirming but it took forever to upload this one. 

The only family photo we took on the Singapore Duck Tour. 

Lilybuff just looks adorable here. 

And here too. She is photogenic isn't she.

The cousins meet again! The last night they hung out till WAAAAy past their bedtime. 

2 men and 3 babies.

Lily Inspired: Daddy's Girl

You are my muse. Because of you, I've decided i'm going to start a new "label" on the blog called Lily Inspired where i'll capture all the advice a mother can give to her baby daughter. 

I think it'll be fun. Right now you're kind of like a tortilla wrap who smiles back but can't talk yet (that's what 2.5 months old babies do fyi), so this will be like me time traveling to the future and talking to you like a friend. Sounds good right? yay!

Okay where do i begin. 

Your dad... He is the sweetest to you. He has been telling everyone that your brother can go sow the wild oats when he grows older but he wants to put a chastity belt on you. Very protective he is. I don't know if he notices but when he plays with you he puts on this gentle smile like you're this piece of eggshell he is afraid to drop, with the older brother he's like growl here and growl there, tickle and throw in the air type of thing. I think he is apprehensive about having you, in a good way. 

I once read that a daughter's relationship with her father will determine the kind of husband she finds. The closer she is to her dad, the greater her expectations of her husband. I guess it's quite similar to the notion that men tend to find wives who embody qualities of their mothers. 

Anyway, i can't wait to start this journey with you. Already you are melting my heart all the time. 

OMG why why...

Itchy backside me went to click the button for new blogger interface now i don't know how to go back to the good old ways.

Don't give me new technology, i'm a laggard. I like uploading photos one by one, i like knowing where each button leads to even though it's 10 times slower. I cannot handle tech support people because they speak in alienish. HELP.

First post from iPhone

I've been enjoying my new toy past couple of days.