6.24.2011

Happy 2nd Birthday Chocolate Strawberry Cupcake!



My baby CK turned two this week. She was born on the summer solstice / Father's Day two years ago. Time sure flies... It's been a superfast 2 years since she was born. Now she talks, eats normal food, gives me sloppy kisses, and already bosses me around. She is my sweet little baby doll, so I made her this special chocolate cupcake with seasonal strawberries. Strawberries... they really do taste so much better in the summer!

The recipe of the chocolate cake is actually from a Japanese recipe site. I'm rather proud of myself for sharing this amazing recipe! Now you can make a chocolate cake like a pro, I swear. The recipe is SO good and the instruction is SO well-written with all the details, that it's been repeated and reviewed over 6,000 times! Truly amazing - you'll see why when you try it yourself. This is my third time making it and it's just perfect every time! I did my best to translate the recipe and instruction as accurately as possible. But I did alter the original cake recipe a tiny bit. I decided to make it into cupcakes instead of a big cake.









I'm also showing off these gorgeous columbine flowers from our garden :) It was a lovely sunny day. CK actually managed to blow out both the candles all by herself. I wonder if she made any wishes...?


 

Chocolate Sponge: makes 12 cupcakes

4 large egg whites
160g granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
100g flour
30g corn starch
70cc milk
45g butter
30g  cocoa power


1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare the cupcake liners.

2. Beat the egg white with a hand mixer until it stiffens and then add half of the granulated sugar. Add the rest of the egg white and keep beating it until it becomes shiny and makes a peak.

3. Add the egg yolk.

4. Add the sifted flour and mix by gently folding the mixture into itself. Be careful not to overmix, or it will lose its air and become too starchy.

5. Melt the butter with the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then sift the cocoa powder in and mix well.

6. Add the cocoa butter into the sponge mixture. Again, mix by gently folding it.

7. Pour the cake mixture into the cupcake liners and drop it once from high up to remove extra air and to smooth the surface.

8. Bake in the oven for 30-40 min. at 350F.

9. Take it out of the oven and drop it once again so that the sponge won't shrink after it cools.



Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

3 egg whites
300g sifted confectioner's sugar
450g room temperature unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp of strawberry jam (cook 5 medium strawberries with half a cup of sugar and lemon juice in a pan, then blend it into the smooth jam)

Beat the egg whites until they stiffen.  Add half of the sugar, continuing to beat. Add the rest of the sugar and beat until the mixture shines. Mix the softened butter with the strawberry syrup and vanilla extract. Combine the mixtures and stir thoroughly.
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