5th Anniversary

Happy birthday my blog, happy birthday my blog ...
It's been more than five years now since I started pounding the keyboard to breathe virtual electronic life to the recipes that were just filed in my folders. From the prolific output of about twice a week posts to a dearth of once a month, I still hang onto this beloved blog.

I felt that five years is a milestone enough to warrant changing of the blog template as you can see. I wish the main window is wider so I can post bigger pictures but this is a free template and I don't have Photoshopping powers to alter it. That's alright. I think it's cute and a nice change from the bright one I had before.

Please bear with me I haven't included all the links that I had in the old template. Plus I'm still in the process of tweaking it here and there. I have to say Blogger's new modular template style is much better than before. It makes it much easier to add things or what it calls 'widgets'.

Happy anniversary again to my blog ... here's to five more years of food blogging.

Grease Is The Word

My bundt cake pan saw first action today after languishing in my cupboard for the last 4 years. I've never done a recipe that requires one maybe because as they say out of sight out of mind? The apple monster requested another apple cake - as expected. Since I have a tub of sour cream about to expire I quickly trawled through the net to find recipes that would marry these two ingredients. The apple-sour cream concoctions I found were running on similar threads. Ingredients list are similar which only vary slightly in quantities. I printed off the two most promising and averaged the quantities. Lo and behold ! It was the best apple cake I've done ever and my family eagerly concurred.

However, the presentation was all ruined by a dearth of grease. If only I wasn't too lazy to put more butter in it. Besides, I was too stubborn to follow instructions to grease AND flour the darn bundt pan. So there you are - apple cake volcano - after the eruption !

Not wanting to be classified as an 'old dog', I resolved to make it again this time making sure I learn my new 'tricks'. Generous amount of grease went to the smallest crevasses of the bundt pan then floured it generously as well. Some cinnamon was added but even without the cinnamon it was still delicious. The second attempt was a success. Just look at those nice unblemished contours made by the bundt pan. And like the first time it had the loveliest flavours as well.

Apple Sour Cream Cake

1 cup butter - softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups coarsely chopped apples

*Filling: (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar - firmly packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts

*Glaze: (optional)
3 Tbsp icing sugar (confectioner's)
1-2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F.
2. Generously grease and flour a Bundt pan or cake pan. Set aside.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Mix all the filling mixture in another container. Set aside.
5. Beat the butter with 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a big bowl until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs one at a time making sure to beat well after each addition.
7. Add vanilla, mix well.
8. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream. Blend well.
9. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the chopped apples. Then stir the apples into the batter. Mix well making sure that the apples are well distributed.
10. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.
11. Sprinkle the filling mixture on top (if using).
12. Then pour the rest of the batter in the pan.
13. Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until a skewer poked all the way in the middle comes out clean.
14. Right after coming out of the oven, immediately turn the cake out on a rack or plate. Cool completely.
15. If using the glaze, mix just enough milk to the icing sugar to make a thin drizzling consistency.
16. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the cake.