What's With The Cupcakes & The Weather?

Good morning!

These past few days has got me under the weather. With the hot weather and the haze, it's actually no surprise... We need to take extra care on our health at time like this. Or we'll be prone to all the ailments that entitles with it. I for one, has caught the flu. With the watery eyes and a running nose, not much can be done. Wrong. Guess what I've been up to this week despite the lack of updates?

Earlier this week, I made some chocolate cupcakes *again?!* with green tea buttercream just for fun. My sister got to bring back a few with her to share with her house mates. I have to confess that I LOVE the combination of chocolate and green tea. Not just the color contrast, but also the taste. 

The dark brown of the cakes and light green of the buttercream was very appealing. Whilst the chocolate cupcakes had not been so sweet in taste, they're perfectly balanced with the lightly sweetened green tea buttercream making the cupcakes a much more adult choice. Since the buttercream slightly sweetened, I heaped them on the cupcakes like an ice cream sundae which we all very much love except for my dad. *He's not that into buttercream. So anything more than a spoonful is too much.* 

Nonetheless, my dad loves it since it's not like the normal much-more-sweeter cupcakes I've made. The fact that I haven't compromised my little brother's sweet tooth was a plus too! He's not complaining and could down the cupcakes so quick I haven't finished mine he'd already asked for a second! A win-win situation we could say...

And yesterday was my dad's birthday. Of course I've got to bake cupcakes again...*I've an excuse this time!* We baked vanilla cupcakes with chocolate ganache topping and sprinkles of crushed almonds! *All of my dad's favorite in a cup!* The cupcakes was so soft and airy and because I've used a real vanilla from the pod itself *a gift from my sweet friend*  in the batter, the smell of vanilla was more pronounced compared from the bottled ones.  

The tester cake. Notice the tiny specks of vanilla on the cake?

With a drizzle of hot chocolate ganache...

The cake was outstanding by itself. But when topped with rich chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of crushed almonds, it was another dimension entirely! Dare I say that with just one bite, you'll have your toes curl and your eyes closed with bliss! Hahahah... ;) Click here for the recipe!

Ready for the drill...

Party time!!!

Bon appetit!