Puppy Love Deco Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cakes are typically baked in standard tubed pans.
But did you know…
You can also bake them in all sorts of exciting shapes or sizes and give them patterns or decorations created using the same cake batter as well.

These “Puppy Love Deco Chiffon Cakes” are pretty enough to stand alone as the centrepiece at a party and a perfect surprise gift for your loves one.

You can print this A4 template as a size guide

Template in an actual cake size is very important as a size guidelines, especially when cutting the cake details
Another thing that you will need to prepare is the pan or mould which as much as possible represents the shape of each puppies details. It can be baked in a variety of moulds, such as glass, metal, silicone and paper cones.

Various pans that I used for this project

For example, I will use some egg shape pans to create the mouth, feet, hands and ears. 

I also need shallow baking pans for baking the thin layer used for decorating purpose.
The size of the shallow pan that we used is depend on the decoration required, for example if very little decoration required then the smaller pan is used.

Another pans that we use here is 5-inch, 6 cm deep round pan for the head and also 750 ml stainless steel cup for the body (wonder mold doll cake which is similar to this works well too).

Make sure that you prepare all the pans in advance and preheat the oven so the batter won’t sit too long, allowing air bubbles to escape and deteriorate.

Vinegar to clean the bowl from grease

For meringue batter, I highly recommend to wipe the bowl and beater attachment with lemon juice of vinegar to make sure that it’s clean and grease free as the presence of grease may affect the foaming properties of the egg whites.

Invert the pan during cooling stage

Once it’s baked, it’s important to invert the pan immediately on the cooling rack layered with greaseproof paper and let them cool completely.
Moulds with a bigger volume are preferably inverted during the cooling stage so that gravity can help pull the cake to its maximum height before the cake structure stabilizes.
On the other hand smaller moulds, inverting does not make a difference to the height of the cooled cake.

Pockey stick and bubble tea straw as buffer to support the head

And because of the structure of chiffon cake not as strong as any other type of cake, it was a good idea if we can add some buffer around the body part to support the weight of the Puppie’s head.
how about some delicious pockey stick? since it was edible and sturdy enough (use pockey part which is covered with chocolate).

Another important tip, when it comes to stacking cakes I always use bubble tea straw in the middle as a centre pole to helps stabilize the cake structure (wooden chopstick works well too).

Always cover each part of chiffon cakes with plastic wrap during the process to prevent from drying out.

Handsome BOY!

OH.. MY lovely Puppy !!!

LOOK how gorgeous he is!

I’m sure that people will fall in love once they see him!

😊 😃 😀

The cake is so fluffy, low in sugar and very tasty, these are healthy treats suitable for people of all ages. It’s a very light and simple, yet delicious cake

🤤 SLURP….

I hope that once you recreating these recipe, you will have more confidence to create your own stunning design.
Thank you so much for staying with me…
LOVE YOU ALL!!


PUPPY LOVE DECO CHIFFON CAKE
Yield: 1 Deco Chiffon Cake (Width: 17 cm, Height: 25 cm)
Active time: 2 1/2 hours
Total time: 4 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS
Egg Yolk Batter:

  • 50 grams Egg Yolks
  • 25 grams Caster Sugar
  • 100 grams Vegetable Oil
  • 100 grams Water
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 150 grams Cake Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Meringue Batter:

  • 350 grams Egg Whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • 100 grams Castor Sugar
  • Food Colouring (soft pink, brown, black, yellow)

Pans/ Moulds:

  • 6 pieces Egg Pans (@50 ml)
  • 2 Rectangular Pan (22 cm x 10 cm) & (25 cm x 7,5 cm)
  • 1 Round Pan (12 cm diameter, 6 cm height)
  • 1 Wonder Pan (750 ml)

Edible Glue

  • 3 tablespoons Icing Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Water

INSTRUCTIONS
Pans

  1. Grease the bottom part of the 2 rectangular pan with some butter and layered with parchment paper for easy release.
  2. Don’t grease the Egg, Round and Wonder pan.


Cake Batter

  1. Preheat the oven to 150° C.
  2. Egg Yolks Batter
    In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale, thick and creamy (ribbon stage). Add in the oil, water and vanilla extract, mix well.
    Gradually add sifted flour along with salt, whisking until just evenly mixed, set aside.
  3. Meringue Batter
    Wipe the bowl and beater attachment with lemon juice of vinegar to make sure that it’s clean and grease free (the presence of grease may affect the foaming properties of the egg whites).
    Pour in the egg whites along with cream of tartar to the bowl, using electric hand mixer whisk at high speed until foamy. Add in half of the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
    Then add in the remaining sugar, continue whisking until it reach a stiff peaks.
  4. Fold the meringue into the egg yolk batter in 3 batches, gently fold it with hand whisk in one direction.
    Mix after each addition until no white streaks visible and well combined.
    Make sure there’s no egg yolk mixture left at the bottom of the bowl.
  5. To Colour and Bake
    FIRST BATCH (wonder and round pans);
    Draw the white part of the puppies body and head with some plain batter (please refer to the template) for about 1/2 cm thick (make sure it’s an even thickness) and bake them immediately in the preheated 150 °C oven for about 3 minutes.
    *I suggest to place the pan vertically while baking this, to make sure the batter stays in place.
    SECOND BATCH (2 rectangular pans);
    – Divide 22 cm x 10 cm rectangular pan into 2 equal sections, place soft pink and plain batter side by side for about 25 grams each.
    – Divide 25 cm x 7,5 cm rectangular pan into 3 equal sections, place soft brown, dark brown and black batter side by side for about 20 grams each.
    Tap the pans a few times to flatten the surface and then bake them immediately in the preheated 150°C oven for about 15-20 minutes or until it doesn’t stick to your hands when you touch it.
    * Once it baked, invert sheet cakes immediately onto a cooling rack layered with greaseproof paper and let it cool completely.
    THIRD BATCH (6 egg, wonder and round pans)
    Fill 3 egg shape pans with plain batter and another 3 with dark brown batter for about 20 grams each.
    Colour the rest of the batter with dark brown colour and divide them onto wonder and round pan.I suggest to fill the pan almost to the top rather than ¾ full so we can achieve full round head and body shapes.
    Tap the pan a bit to remove air bubbles and bake them in the preheated 150°C oven (please note the bigger the pan, the longer it will takes)
    – 25 minutes for egg pans
    – 35 minutes for round pan
    – 40 minutes for wonder pan, reduce the heat to 140°C and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    * Once it’s baked, invert them immediately on the cooling rack layered with greaseproof paper and let them cool completely.

Edible Glue
Simply mix icing sugar with water and mix until well combined.

To Unmold the Cake
Gently pull cake away from sides of pan to loosen the cake and peel greaseproof paper from the sheet cake.
* Always cover each part of chiffon cakes with plastic wrap during the process to prevent from drying out.

DETAILS & ASSEMBLY
Kindly follow template and instructions in the video (for the body buffer, use pockey stick which is covered with chocolate otherwise it will be mushy)

NOTES

  1. To colour the cake; try to use natural food colouring such as cocoa powder, charcoal or matcha powder as much as possible (diluted with a bit of hot water before adding to the batter).
  2. Cream of tartar is used for stabilising egg whites, it also helps to increase the volume of meringue.
    *You can substitute cream of tartar with lemon juice or vinegar (replace every ½ tsp cream of tartar with 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar).
  3. Chiffon cakes can be baked in a variety of moulds, such as glass, metal, silicone and paper cones.
    *Never use non-stick baking pan for chiffon cakes.
  4. Never grease the pan (except pans for baking the thin layer used for decorating purpose) coz this type of cake needs to cling to the sides of the pan to enable rising during baking.
  5. Moulds with a bigger volume are preferably inverted during the cooling stage so that gravity can help pull the cake to its maximum height before the cake structure stabilizes”
  6. Oven mays vary, if the chiffon cake browns, hiding the colour/pattern, try reducing the oven temperature by 10°C each time until you get the right temperature.
  7. To store
    Always keep chiffon cakes well wrapped up or in airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
    Store in airtight containers, chiffon cakes will keep up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days refrigerated.

Light Banana Layer Cake

“I still have a hard time resisting a piece of this first thing in the morning…“
Unlike the traditional dense banana bread, this one is so soft and fluffy, almost a cake-like texture.

Banana layer cake filled with creamy cream cheese frosting, they are also not overly sweet, if you are banana lover, this one really is a must-try.

Ripe banana which I used

When it comes to baking with bananas, most people like to use soft, overripe bananas with peels that are covered in brown spots are because they’re sweet and have a strong banana flavor.
I personally don’t like to use overripe banana because it will add the sweetness to the cake. Ripe bananas with a bit of dark spots just perfect for me.

Gorgeous banana batter

For this cake I wanted an airy, light, fluffy cake and not something resembling the texture of banana bread. I’m telling you, it does not disappoint!

Creamy cream cheese frosting

 It’s everything you love about cream cheese frosting– tangy and sweet, but not as tooth-decaying sweet as buttercream. Creamy, light, silky, smooth…. Yep, all of the above

Look! This is such a delicious cake, it’s light and moist.

You can serve it right away or refrigerate it for at least half hour for a cleaner cut.

Beautiful texture layer cake, intense banana flavour with a luscious homemade creamy frosting, it’s really a wonderful cake and disappeared in no time.
Happy baking!!

LIGHT BANANA LAYER CAKE
Yield: 25 cm x 16 cm pan
Active time: 1 hours
Total time: 2 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS
Banana Cake:

  • 60 grams Unsalted Butter (softened)
  • 30 grams Vegetable Oil
  • 100 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 50 grams Light Brown Sugar
  • 75 grams Eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 185 grams Mashed Ripe Bananas
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 215 grams All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 175 grams Butermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 120 grams Unsalted Butter
  • 120 grams Cream Cheese
  • 30 grams Icing Sugar


INSTRUCTIONS
Banana Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
  2. Grease the pan and line it with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  4. Place ripe bananas in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, mash it until smooth.
  5. In another bowl, combine the butter, half portion of vegetable oil, granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Whip on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Stir in the remaining vegetable oil and mix. Blend in the eggs and Vanilla extract. Add mashed banana, mix well
  6. Slowly add the flour mixture alternating with buttermilk in 3 separate batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; mixing just until combined after each addition.
  7. Once the batter is well combined, pour it into prepared pans, spread to an even layer.
  8. Bake it in the preheated 160 C oven for about 35 – 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  9. Take it off from the pan, peel the parchment paper allow it to cool completely on the cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl whip the cream cheese a while until it a bit fluffy.
  2. Add in the softened butter, and beat until creamy and well combined.
  3. Pour in the icing sugar and vanilla extract, continue mixing until smooth and no lumps remain.
  4. Put the frosting into the piping bag with a start tip and store it in the fridge for at least half hour so it will firm up a bit


ASSEMBLY
Cut the cake into 2 equal long pieces. Place the first layer onto long platter, pipe a layer of frosting on top of itand then place another layer on top of the frosting. Clean up the sides a bit, decorate the top of the layer cake with the remaining frosting.

NOTES

  1. You can use store-bought buttermilk or simply make your homemade buttermilk by mixing 170 grams of milk with 3/4 tablespoon of vinegar, let it sit 5 minutes before adding to the batter.
  2. If you use overripe banana, it will add the sweetness to the cake.
  3. To store: 3 days in the fridge, 1 month in the freezer;
    Please note that the texture of the cake may change slightly once thawed. Allow to rest at room temperature about 10 – 30 minutes before enjoying.

Marshmallow Cupcakes Candy

Soft, fluffy, pillowy and an entertainingly bouncy…
Homemade marshmallows may take a little time to prepare, but I’m sure once you spoil yourself with the homemade version, you may never go back to store-bought again. 

Can’t help bitting it!

These beautiful “Marshmallow Cupcakes Candy” are perfect for a birthday party, valentines day, baby shower, or even a wedding.

Thing that you will need to prepare in advance

And because marshmallow sets really quickly, it’s a good idea if we can prepare all things that we need in advance.
You can use hand mixer to make it, however stand mixer is the best choice in my opinion, it’s safer since we are working with a really hot sugar syrup.

Infrared Gun

Candy thermometer is important in making marshmallow candy, to check the correct temperature, or if you have infrared gun this also works well.

Why use silicone moulds?
Because it’s so much easier to remove your marshmallow from the moulds, any shape of silicone moulds works great.
Don’t forget to grease the silicone moulds with either baking spray, butter or oil for easy release.
I only dusted the moulds lightly with coating mixture, it just works great for me.

How to prevent the batter sets really quickly?
While you pour your marshmallow batter into the mould, we need to keep the batter stays liquid so it can fill up the entire space inside the mould.
I found that a double boiler method helps a lot.
So what I usually do is I place the bowl over the hot boiling water pot, by doing this, the steam stays trapped between the two pots will heats the marshmallow and liquefy the mixture.

The consistency of marshmallow when pouring into the mould need to be liquid

How to unmold?
Dust the work surface with generous amount of the coating mixture, then carefully peel the cupcake mould.

You might need to apply some coating mixure on your hands as well

Pop the pretty marshmallow out of the molds and give them a good dusting of coating mixture to cover completely.

Then gently pick up the marshmallow, pat the surface to remove excess coating.
If you still feel a bit too much coating, you can just brush it away especially on the folding sections.

Oh.. it’s really feels good, it’s bouncy and the texture so soft and pillowy.
It’s much creamier in texture and you can customize this recipe to make any flavor marshmallow you would like .
I do hope that you have a chance to make this, coz there are really nothing more pleasurable than bitting into a homemade marshmallow.

MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES CANDY
Yield: 5 medium cupcakes
Active time: 1 hours
Total time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
Coating:

  • 100 gr Icing Sugar
  • 70 gr Corn Flour

Marshmallow Batter:

  • 16 gr Gelatine Powder
  • 80 gr Cold Water
  • 100 gr Granulated Sugar
  • 60 gr Corn Syrup
  • 40 gr Cold Water
  • 60 gr Corn Syrup
  • Blue and Red Food Colouring

INSTRUCTIONS
Coating
Simply sift the icing sugar with some corn flour.

Prepare the Mould
Grease the cupcake silicone moulds with either baking spray, butter or oil for easy release (I just dusted the moulds lightly with coating mixture, it works great for me).

Marshmallow Batter

  1. To bloom gelatine
    Sprinkle the gelatine powder over 80 grams of cold water, give a little stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  2. Microwave the bloomed gelatine for 30 seconds so it will be liquid, then pour it into the mixer along with the first batch of the corn syrup.
    Put your mixer on low speed (Kitchen Aid speed 2) just to keep it moving while waiting for the sugar syrup.
  3. In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, second batch of corn syrup and 40 grams of cold water (you don’t need to stir it, the corn syrup will helps the sugar from crystallising).
    Place your candy thermometer and then cook over medium heat until it reach 116°C.
  4. When the sugar syrup reach 116°C, take it off from the heat, slowly and carefully drizzle the sugar syrup down the sides of the mixing bowl. Make sure that it doesn’t touch the whisk.
  5. Once you add in all your sugar syrup, turn the mixer to medium speed (Kitchen Aid speed 6) and set your timer for 5 minutes.
  6. After 5 minutes, speed up the mixer to medium high (Kitchen Aid speed 8) for another 2 minutes.
  7. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions, colour 1 batch with blue and another one with pink.
  8. Pop the pink mixture into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
  9. If the blue colour mixture start to sets hard before you piping it;
    Try to use double boiler method by placing the blue colour mixture bowl over the hot boiling water pot (the steam stays trapped between the two pots will heats the marshmallow and liquefy the mixture, keep stirring until you get the desired consistency.
  10. Pour the blue mixture into a piping bag, divide onto 5 cavities of the moulds evenly. Then working quickly, pipe the pink swirls mixture on top of the blue mixture.
  11. Sprinkle some sugar decoration or dragees before the marshmallow sets hard.
    Let the marshmallow sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 2 hours before coating.
  12. To Coat
    Using stainer, dust the work surface with generous amount of coating mixture (you might need to apply some on your hands as well).
    Carefully peel the cupcake mould, pop out the marshmallow onto the work surface, then give more coating mixture on top of the marshmallow.
    Gently pick up the marshmallow, pat the surface to remove excess coating.
    If you still feel a bit too much coating, you can use silicone brush just brush it away, especially on the folding sections.

NOTES

  1. You can substitute corn syrup with either glucose, golden syrup or even honey if you want.
  2. It’s really important not to boil the sugar syrup any further than 116°C, otherwise you will end up with chewing sugar syrup that’s really hard to work with.
  3. Weather does affect marshmallow making, the ideal weather is cooler, drier conditions.
    If you make this on a rainy day, they tend to take a little bit longer to set unless you can place them in an air conditioner room to speed up the process.
  4. If kept in a dry place at cool room temperature, they should keep for about a month in an airtight container.