Chocolate Condensed Milk Cake

 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain flour (sifted)

2 tbsp. cocoa powder (sifted)

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder (sifted)

1/4 cup condensed milk

1 tbsp. castor sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla essence

2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

Methods:

1. In a mixer bowl whisk egg with sugar until soft peaks.
2. Add vanilla essence and butter, and mix well.
3. In a bowl mix together sifted flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternately with milk, mixing gently until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into a 6-inch cake pan, lightly brushed with oil and sprinkled some flour.  This is to prevent the batter from sticking onto the cake pan.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 160 degree Celsius for 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted  comes out clean.
7. Cool, slice and serve!

I adapted this recipe from 'Yummy Recipes' with a slight adjustment to suit my baking preference.

Matcha Muffins

 

Ingredients:

180 g. plain flour (sifted)

1 1/2 tsp. Matcha powder (sifted)

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder (sifted)

1/4 tsp. salt

95 g. unsalted butter (melted)

90 g. castor sugar (add slightly more if you refers sweeter)

1 large egg (room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

175 g. buttermilk (room temperature)

sliced almonds (topping)

Methods:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together sifted flour, matcha powder, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
2. In a mixer bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until combined.  Add egg and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth.  Add the buttermilk and whisk again until combined.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and whisk until just combined.  Lumps and some flour bits are fine and will make your muffins fluffier.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the batter in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius and add paper liners to your muffin pan, leaving alternating spaces empty, (you will only have 6 liners in a 12-muffin pan) to allow space for airflow and big, puffy muffin tops.
6. When the batter has been chilled, use an ice-cream scooper to gently scoop out the batter.  Try not to disturb the batter too much - don't press it or stir it around.  It should be very spongey and you want to keep the air pockets intact.
7. Release the batter into your lined muffin pan, filling them at least 3/4 full or almost all the way full.  The more you fill your liners, the bigger your muffin tops will be.
8. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the batter. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched.  I use a skewer to taste the doneness. 
10. Remove from oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before lifting them out and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These muffins are so deliciously flavorful, soft and fluffy.  I adapted this recipe from 'teak & thyme' by Gail Ng with slight adjustment to suit my baking preference.