Dairy Free chocolate cupcake

There are some of the requests that I really want to answer. One of them is when some one want to bake a cake or cookie for children who allergic to dairy products.

We are not the same, there are a lot of children (and adults) who can't enjoy simple cake just because there are dairy in the ingredient list.
So this recipe is for people who want to have a delicious chocolate cupcake without fear. I use Shortening (I use non-hydrogenated shortening) instead of butter and replace milk with soy milk (you can use almond milk, and don't forget to look at the package because some brands of nut milk add dairy product too). I don't have unsweetened one on hand so I create the recipe base on the sweetened soy milk, but if you use the unsweetened one, just increase the sugar. 
After using this method for making the Pound cake I think it's easy and the result is very good, you will get smooth and lovely batter for sure ^^.
If you like you can serve this cake with buttercream (yes, it's dairy free too), it's delicious and easy to prepare. For this recipe, I really recommend to use the best cocoa powder that you can find as it's the key flavour of the cake.

Dairy Free chocolate cupcake 

Makes 12 cupcakes

130g ............................... All purpose flour
1/2tsp ............................. Baking powder
1/2tsp ............................. Salt
150g ............................... Shortening (I use non-hydrogenated shortening)
1 ..................................... Egg
3/4cup ............................ Soy milk* (I use sweetened one)
45g ................................. Cocoa powder
90g ................................. Brown sugar
80g ................................. Granulated sugar
1tsp ................................ Vanilla extract
* If use unsweetened soy milk increase the granulated sugar to 90-100g

Chocolate buttercream 
200g .............................. Shortening (I use non-hydrogenated shortening)
170g ............................ Icing sugar
30g .............................. Cocoa powder
1/4tsp ......................... Salt
1 1/2 tsp ..................... Vanilla extract

I use this Shortening  (non-hydrogenated shortening).

Preheat an oven to 180C.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Put paper cups in muffin pans.
Beat the shortening until soften and smooth.
Pour the flour mixture into the bowl, beat on low speed until moisten then increase the speed and beat until fluffy.

Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, then mix with both kinds of sugar.
Pour egg and soy milk into a bowl, beat until smooth.

Pour the cocoa mixture into a shortening bowl, beat until smooth.

The mixture will be very smooth.

Divide between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a bamboo sticks insert into the centre come out with few crumbs.
Remove from the pans, and let the cakes cool on a wire rack.

Make the chocolate buttercream:
Sift the cocoa powder, salt and icing sugar together, then beat in the shortening and vanilla.
Beat until smooth.

Dairy Free chocolate cupcake 

Basic Vanilla Pound Cake

 Because my sister and my nephew stay with me right now, my cakes, cookies or whatever I made gone quicker than normal.
And I'm so happy about it, but sometimes I didn't have a chance to take a photo, haha. Actually this cake is almost gone by the time that I grasp a camera. 
This cake is so simple but the fact that I used new method for making it, is the reason that I want to share the recipe with you. Most of the time when making pound cake we use butter sugar method: by beating the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. But for this recipe, we start by beating the butter with flour until light instead. By beating the flour and butter together, you add the air into the batter and cover the flour with fat, sugar is mixed with egg until fully combine, then mix into the butter mixture, the result is beautiful cake with very fine crumbs.
You can serve it plain, with whipped cream, berry sauce or even a scoop of ice cream, it's so good that you don't have to think much, just enjoy it that way you want. 

 Basic Vanilla Pound Cake

Makes 22cm Bundt cake

260g .................................. Unsalted butter
........................................... Pinch of salt
1 1/2tsp ............................. Vanilla bean paste
260g .................................. Cake flour
1tsp ................................... Baking powder
220g .................................. Eggs (about 4)
260g .................................. Superfine sugar

Preheat an oven to 180C
Butter and flour 22cm Bundt pan, set aside.
Sift the flour and baking powder together, set aside.

 Beat the butter with vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt until soft.
Add the flour mixture, beat on low speed until moisten, then increase the speed and beat until light in colour.

 The mixture will be fluffy and light in colour.

 Beat the eggs and sugar together until smooth.
Pour the egg mixture into the butter bowl.

 Beat until smooth.

Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the bamboo stick insert in a centre comes out with few crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove from the pan, and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.

Basic Vanilla Pound Cake

No egg Mascarpone chocolate rare cheesecake

 I don't make cheesecake often, even I love it, I still think it's too heavy to eat too many of it.
But right now, my sister and nephew come to stay with me, I have more people to share, so it's time for some cheesecake, hehe. There are many recipe for rare cheesecake, today I choose the one that made from Mascarpone cheese, rich and sweet it's my favourite. This recipe is very easy to make, and don't contain egg, so if you don't want to eat raw egg, this one is for you. 
If you can buy greek yogurt (firm yogurt), it's will be easier but making yogurt cheese is not hard, all you have to do is removing the liquid out of the yogurt by draining it overnight. 
If you don't want to make small cake you can use 7inch round cake pan instead ^^.

No egg Mascarpone chocolate rare cheesecake

Makes 6 (5.5cm cake)

1tsp ................................... Gelatine powder
1 1/2tbsp ............................ Water
90g ..................................... Dark chocolate
250g ................................... Mascarpone cheese
38g ..................................... Granulated sugar
1/2tsp ................................. Vanilla bean paste
100g ................................... Greek yogurt (or yogurt cheese made from 250g plain yogurt*)
1tbsp .................................. Creme de cocoa, plus more for sprinkle over the cake
20ml ................................... Whipping cream (a)
20ml ................................... Whipping cream (b)
1 recipe of Basic Chocolate Sponge Cake

For decoration
20g ..................................... Dark chocolate
20g ..................................... Whipping cream

*If making yogurt cheese follow this method: Fit a sieve over a bowl and line it with two layers of cheesecloth (I use 1 layer of clean kitchen towel). Pour the yogurt into the lined sieve, cover with plastic warp, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours to drain. Discard the liquid and measure about 100g of strained yogurt.

 Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the water and let the gelatine softened.
Mix the mascarpone cheese, sugar, vanilla bean paste, Greek yogurt and Creme de cocoa together.
Heat the gelatine mixture in the microwave on low power until melted.
Pour the gelatine into the bowl.

 Whisk to combine.

 Melt the chocolate by putting in a bowl and place the bowl over a bowl of hot water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water), stir until melted.
Spoon 200g of the mascarpone mixture into the bowl with whipping cream (a), fold to combine.
Mix the whipping cream (b) into the rest of the mascarpone mixture.

 Spoon the chocolate mixture into a piping bag.

 Cut the sponge into 12 round pieces.
Place 1 piece of the sponge into each mould.
Sprinkle with creme de cocoa.
Pipe the chocolate mixture into the moulds.
Place another piece of the sponge on the chocolate mixture press lightly, and sprinkle with creme de cocoa.

Spoon the mascarpone mixture over the sponge and smooth the top.
Refrigerate until firm (at least 4 hours).
Remove from the mould.
Melt the chocolate and whipping cream together and pipe over the cake before serving.

No egg Mascarpone chocolate rare cheesecake

Easy Macadamia Shortbread

 Last week, I had my kitchen wall fixed, so I didn't do anything much and it's a bit bored, haha. Well, after a week, my kitchen returned to normal again.
I spent most of my time reading, playing game and eating out with my friend. It's not easy for me to be away from my kitchen, it's my castle. But it's a good opportunity, because I had a good time finding new idea and recipe when eating out too.  
Even I have a lot of fancy idea or recipe, I always think that baking something easy is the best, it takes less time so you can bake many things in 1 day, ^^ and most of them are family's favourite. Many kinds of cake or cookie can be bake in less than 30 minutes. 
Today I make one of the easiest cookie "shortbread". You don't have to beat the butter or sift the flour mixture, just whisk and mix, that's all. Macadamia goes well with buttery taste, it makes this shortbread rich and nutty in a good way. 
When making shortbread, I like to cut and prick it before baking and do it again when it almost done. Prick it before putting it in the oven prevent the cookie to puff up and the pre-cut line make it easier to cut into beautiful pieces when finish. 
This recipe seen a lot but it's not, it's so additive and you can't stop eating it when you start. Serve it with tea, coffee, milk or even a glass of water, it will be delicious anyway, haha.

Easy Macadamia Shortbread 

Make 20x20cm  

90g .......................... Granulated sugar
80g .......................... Corn starch
260g ........................ All purpose flour
1/4 tsp ..................... Salt
100g ........................ Macadamia nuts, toasted and finely chopped
250g ........................ Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1tsp ......................... Vanilla extract
................................. Superfine sugar, for sprinkle over the cookies

Preheat the oven to 170 C, fan forced or 190C convention oven.
Line 20x20cm cake pan with baking paper.
  

 Put flour, sugar, salt, corn starch, macadamia nuts into a bowl, whisk to combine.

Pour the melted butter and vanilla extract into the bowl.

 Mix to combine.

 Until fully combined.

 Press the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the surface.
Cut into pieces and prick with fork and sprinkle with superfine sugar.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cut into pieces and prick with fork again.
Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with superfine sugar and let the shortbread cool completely in a pan on a wire rack.

Easy Macadamia Shortbread