Soy Bean Cream Frosting

My dad, had a liver tumor and his gall bladder removed this March, hence he has to be on low fat diet.

He celebrated his 75th birthday last weekend. His favourite cake, as well as the family’s, is the sugee cake, which is extremely rich, and I have to resist myself from baking this for the occasion.

Just a few days before the weekend, I had a slice of boston cream pie at a neighbour’s. The cake was a very light sponge cake. The cake, without the cream, has very little fat, and hence something we can eat frequently without feeling guilty. She has kindly shared the recipe with me when I told her I would like to bake it for my father’s coming birthday.

To compliment the cake with a frosting which is low in fat, I searched around and found an extremely suitable frosting. It’s made with bean curd, and does not contain any oil, cream or butter at all, something those with special diet or those who wants a low fat cake can enjoy.

♥Recipe for Soy Bean Cream♥
Adapted from Okashi, Sweet Treats Made With Love, by Keiko Ishida
Make enough to frost a 20cm round cake

You’ll need :

150g Sugar free apple juice
½ tsp agar-agar powder
400g firm bean curd, drained and pat dry with paper towels
80g agave syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon grated for zest
Mehod

1) Combine apple juice and agar-agar powder in a small saucepan and heat until agar-agar powder until has melted completely while stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside
2) Place bean curd, agave syrup, vanilla and lemon zest into a food processor and blend well.
3) Add agar agar powder mixture and blend thoroughly
I had some grated baking chocolate sprinkled on top of the frosted cake, which enhances the taste and look.

I love cream and butter, and all things fatty. I was skeptical about the outcome of the cake. However, this turned out quite tasty for something which is so low in fat. The creamy frosting tasted more like something made with cream cheese than bean curd (the feedback I got from my nephews and nieces). Although it’s not as tasty as butter cream or other full fat frosting, this is something you can enjoy without feeling guilty.

Vanilla Cupcakes From the Primrose Bakery

I was glancing and flipping through cook books in the book shop (which is what I like to do when I go to the bookshop with my daughters). One of the books that caught my attention that day was Cupcakes From the Primrose Bakery.

The cover of the book caught my attention, and when I read on, it interest me further.

Primrose Bakery was opened in 2004, the founders, Martha Swift & Lisa Thomas, started baking cupcakes for children's party, and found that the adults love them too. They started out by supplying to local deli in London, but then gained popularity when orders came from U2, Kate Moss, Elton John. They now supply Selfridges food hall, Fortnum and Mason and Libertys besides the ever expanding private clients.

London, started baking cupcakes for children's party, Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason, I can relate to all these!

The cupcakes were all creamed tastefully in pastel, with minimum decorations, and yet they all look so beautiful and inviting.

I picked its vanilla cupcake recipe, and glanced through the ingredient. The recipe is very different from the common cupcake recipe that I used. I just have to try it.

So I baked a batch of it, and since my daughters loved green tea, I added macha (or green tea powder) to half the batter to get macha cup cakes.

♥Vanilla Cupcakes♥
Adapted from Cupcakes From the Primrose Bakery by Martha Swift & Lisa Thomas
Make about 25 mini cupcakes

You'll need

110g unsalted butter at room temparature
225g castor sugar
2 large eggs
150g self raising flour sifted
125g plain flour sifted
120ml semi skimmed milk at room temperature
1tsp good quality vanilla extra
1tsp good quality macha (optional)

Methods

1) Preheat oven to 160C

2) Cream butter and sugar until mixture is pale and smooth, 3~5mins. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.

3) Combine the two flours in a separate bowl. Add the vanilla into the milk.

4) Add one third of the flour to the creamed mixture, and beat well, pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.

5) I scope out half of this batter into another bowl, and in the original bowl with the other half of the batter, sifted in 1tsp of green tea powder or macha, and mix until combined.

6) Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake casses, filling them to about 2/3 full.

7) Bake in the oven for about 15mins or until slightly raised and golden brown. Check if it's done by inserted a skewer in the centre of one of the cake - it should come out clean.

The vanilla cupcakes didn't taste much difference from the ones that I usually baked from this recipe, except that it's milkier, less sweet, and very moist. The macha cupcakes, however, was a hit with the girls. They only wanted to eat the macha ones, and left the rest for the adults.

The next time I make these again, I'm going to omit the vanilla essence and add 1 tbs macha to the batter to get all macha cupcakes.