Angel Cake

My mom taught me this recipe way back when I was still in high school. It's been my personal favorite because with Angel Cake, you can never go wrong. It still tastes yummy by itself. Very light and fluffy. You don't have to put frosting or icing on it to make it more tasty. Actually, when I think about it, I can't really identify any frosting that would go well with it. I guess it's better off without any.

This cake only uses the egg whites of the egg. And since I don't want to waste the eggyolks (it uses around 8-10 eggs depending on the size), then I make the eggyolks into Leche Flan (Custard) which also uses around that much egg yolks. So it's still a win-win for me. : )

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups egg whites

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 cups sugar

Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar and sift together three times. Beat egg whites, flavoring and salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until egg white form stiff peaks, but not dry. Add sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until sugar is well-blended. After last addition, beat until meringue is firm and holds stiff, straight peaks.

Place flour and sugar mixture in a sifter and sift about 4 tablespoons at a time over the entire surface of the meringue. Fold gently until blended. Push batter into an ungreased angel cake pan, careful not to stir it. Cut through the batter with a knife to break air bubbles.

Bake for 30-40 minutes in medium heat.

Mrs. Delfin's Best-selling Tarts

Still another recipe that I learned during my undergraduate days. This was shared by Mrs. Pinky Delfin who I consider as my mentor in baking. I didn't realize how flavorful raisins and walnuts are when mixed until I tried this.

Pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Mix all the ingredients together. Divide into 24 small balls. Press individually into small muffin cups.

Filling:

3 tbsps. butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

Stir in:

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped seedless raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Put 1 scant tablespoon into each cup. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Cupcakes

This is another recipe that I've tried from Yummy Mag. It has always been a favorite among my friends and co-workers when I bring this to office activities and other gatherings.

The recipe said that Prep Time is only 15 minutes. After trying this out for a couple of times, it usually takes about 25-35 mins of prep time for me. Cook time is approximately 20 mins. And it makes around 24-30 cupcakes.

The original recipe is actually called Belgian Chocolate Cupcakes since it uses Belgian Chocolate. Since I can't find Belgian Chocolate anywhere in Dumaguete, I have to settle for normal bittersweet chocolate. But it's still yummy anyways, so I don't mind.

1/2 cup butter, melted

100 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

• In a small pan, melt butter. Stir in chopped chocolate and whisk until blended. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs slowly and beat until creamy. Stir in cocoa powder and vanilla.
• Add melted chocolate.
• Combine dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture alternatively with milk.
• Beat until smooth (about 1 minute) then scoop into paper-lined muffin pans.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool before frosting.

For the chocolate ganache:

2 cups cream

400 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• Put cream in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Cool until thick and use to frost cupcakes.

Buco Pie (2 crusts)

Basic Pie Crust

1 cup flour

1/3 cup shortening

2-3 tbsps. tap water

1/2 tsp salt

Add softened shortening, water and salt to 2 tbsps. of the measured flour. Stir with fork to form a paste. Add the rest of the flour and stir with a fork until just blended. This forms a barely moistened dough.

Gather the dough into a ball by placing on a sheet of waxpaper. Place a second piece of waxpaper on top of the dough and flatten with a rolling pin. To roll, always start from the center of the mound of pie dough, flattening dough in four directions to keep the shape to fit the pan.

To transfer pie crust dough to pie pan, lift off the top piece of waxpaper and fit the sheeted dough onto the pie pan; press to the bottom and sides of the pan so as to fit the dough snugly.

Filling:

2 cups coconut meat, in slivers

3/4 cup refined sugar

1/2 cup coconut water

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/3 cup cornstarch

Blend ingredients together. Cook and stir continuously until thick. Pour in a pastry-lined pan. Top with the second crust. Brush with milk. Bake at 400 deg. F until brown. Serve cold.

Ciao Bella!

Delicious and delightful cupcakes. I got the recipe from Yummy mag. If you have very short patience, then don't even attempt to try this. Preparing this recipe involves a lot of patience because pressing the crust into the liner alone is really time-consuming, plus you have to roll each cupcake into the graham cracker crumbs after adding the frosting. However, you won't regret the result. Too yummy to even describe.

Crust:

1 cup crushed graham crackers

t tablespoon melted butter

Cupcake:

3 cups cake flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 bar cream cheese, softened

2 cups white sugar

1 cup oil

1/2 cup strawberry yogurt

3/4 cup buttermilk (I just used Alpine evaporated milk)

5 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla

zest of 1 lemon

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 bar cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into chunks

juice of half a lemon

Topping:

1 can strawberry pie filling

1/2 cup crushed graham crackers

1. Line two 3-ounce cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

2. Make the crust: In a bowl, mix butter and grahams. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each liner; press down with fingers. Place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

3. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 300 deg F. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. Beat the cream cheese at medium speed. Add the sugar. Beat at high speed fro 10 minutes or until smooth.

5. Lower the speed and blend in the oil, yogurt, buttermilk, egg yolks and vanilla. Increase speed for about 5 mins to get a smooth mixture.

6. Lower the speed and gradually mix in the flour mixture. Do not overbeat.

7. In another bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold it into the cake batter.

8. Take out cupcake pants from the freezer and fill with batter, about three-fourths full. Bake for 20 to 25 mins. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack.

9. Make the frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat powdered sugar and cream cheese on low speed. Increase the speed and add the butter and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. If the consistency is too soft for spreading, chill for at least 30 minutes.

10. Using a flat metal spatula, smear frosting on each cupcake. With a handful of crushed grahams in your hand, gentry roll the sides of the frosted top against your palm. Top with strawberry pie filling.

Makes 30-36 cupcakes for me.

Cookie Monster

Picture by my bff Rhoda Avanzado

This is a moist and creamy chocolate cake with natilla filling and bittersweet frosting - a very popular chocolate cake recipe here in Dumaguete City that most cake shops sell. Some would add boiled icing to pipe around the edges or to decorate it.

I'm only posting the ingredients because this is just a one-bowl method type of recipe.

Cake
Sift together:
3 cups cake flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 1/4 tbsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups milk (or 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1 1/2 cups water)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs

Chocolate Frosting:
7 tbsps. cocoa
4 1/4 tbsps flour
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. coffee
1/4 cup butter (optional)

Natilla Filling:
1 can condensed milk
1 cup eggyolks
Dissolve:
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water

Boiled Icing:
6 pcs. eggwhites
1 1/2 cups refined sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tbsps. glucose
6 tbsps. water

Favorite Carrot Cake

2 cups white sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 eggs
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup walnuts
1 cup buttermilk

• Sift three times all dry ingredients.
• One-bowl method.
• 350 deg. F for 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2-4 cups confectioners' sugar

Black Forest

I've tried this recipe a couple of times and it can do without the Chocolate Filling. However, the walnuts in the filling do add some crunch into it. So it really depends - if you love nuts then put in the Chocolate Filling.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsps. baking soda
3/4 cup margarine/butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla
4 eggs

Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 tbsps. Kirsch or brandy

Chocolate Filling:
2 100-gm bars milk chocolate
3/4 cup butter
3 tbsps. confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Filling:
2 250-gm packs whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
Maraschino cherries

1 100-gm bar milk chocolate for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Grease and line four 9-inch round layer pans. Set aside.
3. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating continually until completely blended.
5. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Cool slightly then remove from pans; transfer onto wire racks and cool thoroughly.
7. In a small saucepan, prepare syrup by blending sugar and water together. Bring to a boil. Lower flame and simmer for 1 minute.
8. Remove from fire and stir in Kirsch or brandy. Set aside.
9. Prepare Chocolate Filling: Melt two bars chocolate over double boiler. Cool. Cream butter; beat in melted chocolate; add confectioners' sugar; continue beating until smooth. Stir in nuts.
10. Beat whipping cream until thick. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and continue beating until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
11. To Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Brush top of cake with syrup. Spread half of the chocolate filling. Sprinkle some nuts. Top with another layer of cake, again brush top with syrup.
12. Spread half of the cream filling. Sprinkle with more nuts and some cherry slices. Repeat procedure for the last two cake layers. Cover the top and sides of the cake and the remaining cream.
13. Decorate with chocolate curls and cherries. Chill until ready to serve.

Custard Cake With Macapuno

A proven and tested recipe.

Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1 cup sweetened macapuno

Custard:
1 big can evaporated milk
8 eggyolks
1 can condensed milk

Cake:
3 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
6 eggyolks
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups eggwhites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

1. Caramelize sugar in two 9x9-inch baking pans.
2. Arrange sweetened macapuno in the pans. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 325 deg F.
4. Combine the ingredients for custard in a mixing bowl and stir.
5. Divide mixture into two and pour into the prepared pans by passing through a strainer. Set aside.
6. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add oil, eggyolks and water. Stir with a wire whip until smooth. Set aside.
7. Beat eggwhites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff. Fold in eggyolk mixture into the beaten eggwhites.
8. Divide batter into two and pour over custard mixture in the two pans; do not stir.
9. Place each pan in a bigger pan 1/4 filled with water (baine marie).
10. Bake for about 1 hour or until done. Slightly cool.
11. Run a knife continuously along inner sides of pan and invert pan onto serving platter.

Serves 16-20 per cake

Mango Cream Cake

I misplaced the instructions for this recipe. What I found was just the ingredients. When I make this, I figure out how to prepare it which is fine because the cake is prepared like Chiffon Cake, and the rest are easy to figure out. Anyway, it can be determined just by looking at the ingredients.

Cake:
6 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar

Mango Filling:
3-4 pcs. ripe mango, sliced crosswise into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup mango jam
2 tbsps. light syrup

Mango Frosting:
1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup mango ice cream

Topping:
1 tbsp. kalamansi or lemon juice
3 ripe mangoes, sliced crosswise into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup shredded white gulaman
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup mango juice
1 1/4 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in
1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Langkasoy Tarts

I got this recipe from my undergrad (nutrition and dietetic) days. It's a really delicious recipe with its not-too-sweet filling and flaky crust. But you just have to be careful not to over-knead the dough or else the crust will be rubbery. Ideally, it should be flaky.

Filling:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsps. brown sugar
3 tbsps. water
1/3 cup chopped langka
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsps. condensed milk
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour dissolved in
2 tbsps. water
3 eggyolks
1/3 cup chopped cashew nuts

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk

Boil water, sugar, water, langka and butter. Add milk. Boil until thick. Add dissolved flour, eggyolks and cashew nuts. Cook until of spreading consistency. Cool.

In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut shortening and butter until mealy. Add enough milk to bind the dough. If dough is dry, add some water.

Divide dough into balls then pass to fit sides and bottom of the tart molds. pre-bake at 375 deg F for 5-10 minutes. Put 2 teaspoons of filling on every crust. Return to oven and bake until set.

Cool then wrap in cellophane.