If you haven't notice the side bar counter, I'm proud to announce that we have achieved one million hits to date! Phew! Thanks for all your support in clicking on the site, keep it up and hopefully you continue to enjoy the blog entries. To celebrate the momentous occasion, I thought cupcakes would be appropriate.
I have been hankering for a good buttery cupcake ever since I saw the pastel ones in Bisou. Knowing bought ones won't really contain butter but some artificial spread, I decided to make my own. Using the recipes I had learnt in Singapore, I made two types - Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and Chocolate Cupcakes. The Vanilla Bean one was my favourite - the crumb of the buttery cake was not too fine or too big. It was extremely buttery and fragrant with vanilla. Incidentally I noticed how the Queen's vanilla bean paste from Australia is not as good as the Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste I used this time round.
Instead of the usual butter and icing sugar type cream, I used the Swiss Meringue Buttercream method we were taught in class. This made a much creamier and smooth buttercream. I found it a bit too sweet hence I decided not to pipe swirls on the cupcakes but settled for stars instead. As you can see piping is not my forte at all, I just have to keep practising to get it perfect. To keep it simple, the ones which I piped swirls were just topped with Valrhona Crunchy Chocolate Pearls. My cake making wasn't too perfect either, I had overfilled my chocolate ones hence they spilled over the paper cups. I totally misjudged the recipe as it seems to expand more hence 1/2 filled batter was much better vs 2/3 filled batter. For the chocolate buttercream, I used melted Valrhona chocolate 55% cocoa mass which was not very bittersweet but gave a slight chocolate aroma. For the vanilla ones, I added vanilla bean paste to the buttercream hence the tiny black dots in the cream.
1 million hits
ReplyDeletecongratulations
i've been reading your blog , but its my first comment,
really enjoy your blog , keep it going
congratulations, boo!
ReplyDeleteAnd your cupcakes were delicious! Ate 3 in one go. *burp*
Congrats Boo!
ReplyDeleteWah, you have a very good camera - can see all those vanilla beans on the icing.
Ohhhhh....that's why!!!! Congrats! Yammmm Singgggggg....to Masak-masak! Thanks, will post your cupcakes pics too....
ReplyDeletethose look very delicious.
ReplyDeletethey would be perfect for our vanilla and choclate lovers here ;o)
Congrats to (over) 1 million hits!
Congrats!! Nice cup cakes!
ReplyDeletecongrats!..1 million hits..this is gonna take me way beyond years to achieve this..haha..
ReplyDeletepretty good looking cupcakes if u ask me..can bearly see any flaws...
CONGRATS BIG SISTA!!! And wishing you many many millions more to come!
ReplyDeleteI only tried the chocolate cupcakes cos I wasn't suppose to have any due to my flu and bad cough. It's yummy, moist and chocolatey. Tonite am going to attack the rest! Thanks!!!
Congrats Boo, keep up the good work and the fab recipes too! On the cupcakes ... eerrr, isn't it too much for you and Splashie Boy to consume ? *hint hint*
ReplyDelete*biggggg grin*
Congratulations, boo! Here's too a million more hits! :)
ReplyDeleteThxs Jan for the well wishes and the comment.
ReplyDeletelemongrass - glad u liked it and thxs so much for celebrating with us.
cat cat - thxs! I know I love those teeny weeny beans. So aromatic.
wmw - LOL, now you know! Actually not planned as I have been dying to eat cupcakes since I read LL's Bisou trip.
hiya sweeties - we missed u for WCB or were you late? Will go check out yr site now. Thxs for the well wishes. Wish we could send some to you.
dr ve thru - thxs!
joe - LOL, this is what I call hiding the flaws! Thxs so much for the well wishes.
Precious Pea - sorry I didn't get to see you and hope u get better.
Lianne - thxs! Oops, I sent all of the cupcakes to his office so none left in the fridge.
mycoffee - thxs my dear! but I can't imagine how long that will take since this one took forever.
Congrats Boo! 1 million hits is a great achievement, and I forsee it'll double-up in no time...=)))
ReplyDeletecongrats..more millions to come..aaahhh such lovely cupcakes..
ReplyDeleteCongratulations ~ ^_^
ReplyDeletebtw i also saw ur blog being featured in yesterday's Star newspaper...
the cupcakes looks so delicious ~
i want!!! :p
WOW, congratulations!!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!! well done.
ReplyDeleteby the way any cupcakes for us? :)
congrats on your 1mil hits!!!!
ReplyDeletei've been reading this blog for a while now. love the fantastic photos. i've also been to some of the places you have reviewed. (^ ^)
anyway, i can only drool at the photos since i'm on a diet/exercise regime.
keep up the good work!
congrats boo! such lovely and cute cupcakes! may i how u make those yummy toppings? cute!
ReplyDeleteby golly , the nearest local flogger is more than 3/4 million hits behind v believe ?
ReplyDeletecongratulations !
...nobody can come close now ..err Xcept...
congratulations on reaching 1 million hits!!! I think to celebrate this momentous occasion, you should bake MORE cupcakes and give me some! :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on reaching 1 mil, .... btw... i can't stop drooling at your pics of the cupcakes.. Me wants!!
ReplyDeletegasp, reli? i mean, the fact tht bought cupcakes don't contain butter, not the fact that ur blog has reached 1 mil hits ;p congrats boo!
ReplyDeletecongrds!
ReplyDeletecongratulation!恭喜!
ReplyDeletewonderful cupcakes~~~ may i have 1?
@_@"" one million!!!
ReplyDeleteI can have 5 cupcakes in a go...the icing/cream look so delish!
Woah.... one million hits.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot!
Well, congratulations Boo! Please continue to tantalise us with your tempting photos of food around Malaysia as well as your own lovely recipes.
:)
Wow! One million hits! Congragulations!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. I'm one of your regular visitors, often dropping by to drool over the pictures and get ideas to plan for my next makan trip ;p
jackson - hmmm, good idea to have a party for 2 million hits! That will be like, long long time more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sooyin esp for the vote of confidence.
kampungboycitygal - thanks so much!
ling239 - aiks! I also fell off my chair when I saw that. Linked you on King Crab.
fbb - congrats on being featured on NST!!! I was drooling over the lemon meringue pie in the car esp since I didn't get to eat a yummy dim sum brekkie.
bbo - thxs! Aiks, shy with Master Bakers who probably make yummier stuff than I do. Love the macaroons you made.
Hiya Angie. Sorry to hear abt the diet but I guess it means you get to eat more delish food after that. Thanks for the well wishes.
christine - thxs. I just piped them on using a star tip. Pretty easy and uses less buttercream so not so rich compared to swirling it.
the team - thxs! Am counting on you to beat the record?
paprika - thxs! Sorry no cupcakes anymore as they all went to KLCC to be eaten by Splashie Boy's colleagues. Next time I bake some more, will definitely ship some over to you.
neko him - thxs! Must admit they look pretty delicious hence I don't keep any with me or I will be eating them non stop.
jun - LOL, now you know why some taste yucky. Sad as I love just basic butter cakes as they're so aromatic on their own already.
teckiee - thxs!
chenboon - thxs! No more already though, sorry!
xiu long bao - thxs! Aiks, then you will need to use that Magic Belt of yours for a long time as it's pure and sinful buttercream!
J - thxs!
Jaded - ah, thxs! Hope you get lots of ideas on where to eat. Dim Sum is a good choice.
Am I too late to send you this congrat notes? Anyway, congratulations, and many millions come ahead....
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long does it take for me to reach that!!! Love reading your blog!!! And this is my 1st comment....
thxs new kid on the blog! Keep those comments coming and it takes a while to hit a million, almost 2 years plus.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! So when are you going to hit 10 million? =D
ReplyDeleteOoo.. Wow, congrats to Masak-Masak!
ReplyDeletewow, 1 mill.. congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing all your awesome food photos! :)
ReplyDeletebee nee - thxs! Er, I think 10 million is a bit difficult to hit though in the near future.
ReplyDeletethxs Jason!
blur mommy - that jelly shot always make me drool! Thxs for the congrats and that lovely pix to brighten up my day.
congratulations on your one millionth hit! wishing more yummilicious goodies coming our way :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the big hit!!! Would appreaciate if you send me recipes you use for your cupcake icings! So far I use the cream cheese icing, buttercream and royal icing... trying to collect a few more good ones!
ReplyDeleteThanks :D
thxs babe
ReplyDeletepinkity - it's just a normal swiss meringue buttercream but more complicated since it uses egg whites.
Alright! Thanks for the tip.. will try googling it! :D
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend!
Congrats Boo :-) Well done. When you making me a cupcake? ;-)
ReplyDeletelove your blog... i stumbled on it by accident! can you share the recipes? They look so good!!! thanks!
ReplyDeleteCould I ask where you get your vanilla bean paste?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Jolene