At the beginning of 2016, I told you about my little hiatus for the year. And now here we are, 12 months on... I've done plenty but for all that I managed to accomplish, I am most blessed and grateful for the new addition to my family - my baby no.3.
At first I thought my days of baking may well be over. I sort of recalled with my two older kids, I was either constantly nursing or up to eyeballs in laundry and diapers. Let's not even start on sleepless nights and dozy days. Add two older boys to the mix, I'd be lucky if I had any me-time at all. I just couldn't fathom juggling a newborn, two older kids and still find the time to cover a cake with fondant!
My baby is 7 months old now and I'm baking again.
In truth, I can't help but bake. Life's also been particularly good to me, my new bundle is an easy-going baby and although she zaps up a lot of my energy and the hours, days and weeks just fly by, I'm lovingly rewarded in many ways. I got back into the groove of things pretty quickly because she's been amazingly agreeable. Being a mummy makes me soooo tired but I'm soooooooo happy :) And when I'm happy, I bake!
Baking this year with such limited time to indulge got me thinking about cakes I love to eat. I found myself going back to basics with traditional recipes that is all about taste and texture.
First of, I'm very happy to say I finally found the ultimate BUTTER CAKE recipe. I finally mastered it, and with consistency. I make mine with a tender crumb that is full of buttery goodness and a texture that can only be described as 'plouffy' - it's light yet rich, the sort of yumminess that leaves you with buttery fingers!
I also rediscovered my love for childhood favourites like SWISS ROLL and PANDAN CAKE. I'm really delighted to find a recipe for Swiss Roll that is light and tender, and most importantly, rolls without cracking! Then there's the green pandan cake, part chiffon, part kueh and all so yummy in layers. I make mine with a special topping - Ondeh Ondeh (pandan flavoured glutinous rice balls filled with palm sugar). You can't have too much of a good thing :)
I'm happy to take orders for any of these homemade goodies in the new year. Just drop me a note. I'm also happy to share the recipe if anyone is up for some old fashioned baking.
Happy New Year!
