Happy Birthday November!

Phew!

Amidst busy with exams and taking care of a sick child, I managed to bake and decorate this cake, as promised. A week earlier, I have promised a few 'November-babies' that I would contribute a simple cake for a birthday-bash-among-office-colleagues event.

So, a promise is a promise. I have to manage the time to be able to get it all done. Alhamdulillah, thanks to the support from my family, I did it!

Dalilah, my sick angel can be seen here, resting on the couch while waiting for her mama decorating the precious 11-inch chocolate moist cake, and later position the cake for the camera...
my poor baby (Dalilah)... and my lovely baby (the cake :))...

The cake, view from top. I am still on the vines-design mode. Love it!

Alhamdulillah, Dalilah is okay now.

Happy Birthday to all November babies who read this post ... (including yours truly :))

LOL!

We Are Friends Forever

It was great meeting old friends again especially those that you have not met for more than 20 years!

This carrot-orange-cupcakes-set was specially, lovingly made for the get-together at Subang Bestari. Thanks Jah for the venue, the delicious nasi dagang and the goodies.

Carrot orange cupcakes with buttercheese topping. It is easier to do a smooth topping compared to this 'wavy' design....

The cupcakes before the topping. I pricked the cupcakes with a toothpick and poured carrot+orange juice on the cakes to get tastier, yummier cakes. So yummy! Thanks Kak Zaleha for the recipe....

This is one on the pics at the event, which I stole from fb :). The half-finished cupcakes on the left, 'sitting' near a delicious carrot-walnut cake brought by Yan all the way from Pekan, Pahang. The other cake (ready-cut) is a butter cake with blueberry filling brought by Ita.

Indeed, it was a fun-filled gathering with lovely friends. Thanks Jah, Shada, Yan, Ita, Nin, Sham, Nora, Riz, Za and Ju for the friendship and for being there. For the rest who were not able to attend, we miss you. Hope we can meet again in the near future!

Luv u all!

Bon Voyage, Zafran!

This cake was requested by Haziq and friends for their friend who's going off to Egypt to continue his studies. Zafran is a future doctor, and he has just finished his 2-month-break at home.

His friends arranged a surprise going-off party at the airport (???) for him.

the simple chocolate moist cake ready to be taken to the airport at 6.00 am

I don't know why Zafran was called by this name.... I just wrote according to the script, prepared by Haziq...

Haziq requested a very simple (read: cheap) cake & design. Anyway, I didn't have much time to do a complicated design in a rushed order. Therefore, this cornelli design is enough...

I heard Zafran was really SURPRISED and touched by his friends' gesture.

The cake? It was finished in no time at all!

Bon Voyage, Zafran & Good Luck!

MIL's Open House

Aha! My mum-in-law's Open House! Two in one project! Not only that I could bring something for her Open House, this is a great opportunity for me to try the following:

1. Vanilla cake - usually I did cupcakes with the recipe
2. Use my store-brought blueberry filling, which, I'm dying to try
3. Use again my Cake Leveller for layered cakes. This is going to be a 2-layered cake
4. Try this vine design again. I tried it once before, and I like it!
5. Practise for a better-looking handwriting, and a neater design.

Need to practise more on my 'cake sides' designs...

I think my handwriting is getting better, if I may say so...hohoho

Hope the guests like it!

Corporate Cake - ATAREK

Wow! My first ever corporate cake!

With great trepidation, I planned, bought necessary ingredients (including a brand new 11-inch baking tin), carefully measured the ingredients, and mixed them all, all the while keeping in mind all the tips and tricks that I've learned.

With great suspense, I watched the oven (every 5-10 minutes, mind you) while baking because I was afraid the cake will not turn out as expected as this is the first time I baked an 11-inch squared choc moist cake.

With great excitement, I planned and designed the decoration, thinking that the working adults who didn't know me would be more critical in their judgement of the design. Usually, my own family, friends and children 'patronised' my cakes. Although they support me (a lot!), realistically, they can be a little bit biased... nothing bad about it though, he,he,he... I know they all adore me...ho, ho, ho!

Anyway, as careful as I can, I decorated this cake till 12.30 am on a working day! The most challenging part is the logo and the hand-written wordings. Ops, that's the only design ON the cake, anyway!

Ta-da! My first corporate cake! Purple theme!

Oh well, I still need to brush up on my writing skills... they looked a little
bit skewed hu, hu, hu...

Anyway, from Haziq's tetimonial, I heard ATAREK'S staff received the cake pretty well. Alhamdulillah...

Thanks Haziq dear, for giving me the chance to do this marvelous baking project. I really had fun doing it!

Don't hesitate to inform me if you have any baking projects in the future!

Colorful cakes

These are belated pictures on Raya cakes. Somehow I was in the mood of baking butter cakes with colors, either rainbow cakes or marble cakes. I've baked several of these for Ramadhan and Raya season.

The rainbow cake before cutting.

The rainbow cake after being cut... I love the colors... This cake had 3 colors only. Once I made with 4 or 5 colors. I had so much fun!

This marble cake is sometimes called 'zebra cake'.

The cakes can be beautiful without buttercream, royal icing or fondant! And they are less messy to decorate and to eat!

Happy Birthday Syafiq & Asyraf!

It was an honor to fulfill this order by Ina, Nisa's mom.

Quite a challenge to me since it was a last minute order. Ordered on Wednesday, to be picked-up on Thursday morning. Luckily I was still on Hari Raya leave, therefore I have just enough time to finish it before Ina came. Also, Ina did not require any specific design, therefore, I was given a free hand to unleash(?) my creativity. LOL!

However, I dare not show off my creativity much ... just KISS (keep it simple, sayang).

I am still in the mood of putting colorful candies on my creation...

Just added on some colorful rice deco for a 'celebration' effect... in line with
the kids theme

Hmm... on second thots, I think the candies should enough...

Oh well...

Hope Syafiq & Asyraf liked it! And (more importantly), Ina too!

Thanks Ina for your support!

Happy Belated Birthday Arissa!

Since darling Arissa's 4th Birthday fell on second day of Hari Raya, I can only manage to bake and decorate this cake 2 weeks after! Hope Arissa does not mind it!

I really enjoyed doing this doll cake. The pinkiest pink, as sweet as Arissa... my favourite color too!

Hope Arissa enjoy it!


p/s: first time using Wilton's Wonder Mold, thanks to my dear SIL...

Meeting with Ex-classmates - Green Theme

It was great meeting old friends
Half a day seemed very short
Sharing experiences and reminisce on those days long gone
Kids, families, careers, lost friends and current status
All mingling amidst laughter and good food
As though we were back in those school days
May we meet again soon!


Your truly's chocolate moist cupcakes in a green-themed box.














Inside the box, 12 chocolate moist cake with ganache toppings and buttercream icing.

Hastily done in the morning before the event, managed to do only half of the recipe!











Some of my friends, chattering with each other. The venue was at Burn's spacious bungalow house, situated somewhere behind Zoo Negara.

Thanks everybody for the great time!

Happy Birthday Az-Zahrah

Az-Zahrah deserves a tasty chocolate moist cake for her endurance and spunk.

This spunky girl is only one-year-old, but has endured 3 operations on her tiny feet, including 1 botched operation. Yet, she can still smiling and our heart warmed when we saw her.

a Ben Ten decorated cake (again!) with colorful candies....
I love doing this decoration...

from side view...

Happy Birthday, darling Az-Zahrah....

You are so lucky to have a loving and caring grand-aunt... Auntie Bird.

Thanks Auntie Bird... you know who you are....

Best Wishes To Kak Long & Ijal

I can't wait to use this new 'gadget' that I got from my SIL, a souvenir from her trip to Orlando recently... a Wilton Cake Leveler. Wow!

the cake leveler, thanks a lot Sis!

used the cake leveler to slice the cake into three - the butter chocolate cake, which is
a new recipe from my sister; thanks Sis!

here's the iced 3-layer cake - chocolate buttercream icing

ta-da! the finished decorated cake for Kak Long & Ijal

the cake, view from top

Congratulations Kak Long! A new doctor is in the making!

Happy Birthday Ijal! May Allah bless you!

School Hols Project

**
It's school holidays again!
It's time to be happy and merry.
Or, it's time to be bored and busy.
You choose which state you want to be.
You have the power to control and direct and propel yourself in whatever you set your mind on.
You can complaint and be grumpy.
Or you can smile and be happy/merry.
You can choose which state you want to be.
You and only you, have right to control your own mind.
Happy?
Sad?
Bored?
Pretty/Handsome?
Smart?
Lovely?
Likeable?
Rich?

You are what you think...
Again (I can't stress this enough), you are what you think...

Almond brownies for Kak Nana's makan-makan event last weekend...

A school hols team project by ibu, Hasif, Dalilah & Diana...

** this post is dedicated to my lovely children... and YOU!

Mickey Mouse Fan Club

I had two celebrations coming, so, another 2-in-1 cake.

One is Hasif's birthday and another is Zarif's UIA's acceptance to UIA's Asasi Program. Alhamdulliah... These two events were celebrated at my MIL's last weekend.

Together with Mother's Day celebration.

look at the Mickey Mouse... he looks like an angry mouse!

another picture of the mouse... my first try on hand-drawing on a cake....
hehehe

Mickey Mouse fancy cookies... another first for me....

the birthday boy and the handsome boy.... also the Mother's Day cake contributed by Ijal, their cousin.... thanks Ijal!

Again, Happy Birthday Hasif! Good Luck Zarif!
And Happy Belated Mother's Day to all mothers who read this entry!

Ben 10 Mania!

Today is Hasif's Birthday!

I baked a chocolate cake with Ben 10 theme for him to celebrate with his friends and teachers at kindergarten. My first big cake decorated with edible image!

picture taken without the colorful candies

picture taken after decorated with colorful candies... I like it!
looks more cheerful & suitable for little children

for certain reason, Hasif received a lot of Ben 10-themed presents this year...
sharpeners, Ben 10 cards, pencils and Wii CD games....
mostly from his brothers...

last but not least, Ben 10-themed fancy cookies for Hasif's friends,
my first attempt too.... (thanks to my dear SIL for the recipe :))

Happy Birthday, my darling Hasif...

Force 2 SSP

I brought this chocolatey chocolate moist cake to a reunion event at Azah's house. Azah is my classmate during high school.

I think next time I will put less roses on the cake.... this is too crowded...

My little beauty at the event....

The cake was put on a 'pedestal'! Err, I mean, the cake stand... thanks Azah! I love Azah's utensils. They are sooooo beautiful.....

(p/s: see the spaghetti & meat sauce? That was from me too... hehe)

I had a jolly good time meeting my old & treasured friends. And eating all those good food.

Must do this again....

Chocolate Banana Cake

This is a kinda late post.

Dalila's birthday is on early March and she celebrated it 3 times last month. The first was with her classmates at school, the second one was with her cousin and granddad at my parents house, and this cake is for the event celebrated together with her dad and elder brother, Zarif; at my in-laws house.

However, for the brother, March is not his birthday month. He just got his SPM results and passed with flying colours, Alhamdulillah...

As usual, 3-in-1 cake!

This cake is quite complicated to make; took me many,many hours in the kitchen. In the end, I was too tired to decorate it and just wrote their names on the cake :).

The names are in the order of seniority...:)

Picture of the birthday girl cutting the precious cake, helped by mom...:).
Pity, I didn't snap the pictures after it was cut; the 3-layered banana looked sooo beautiful..

Aaaargh! Need to improve on my handwriting!

Happy Belated Birthday, my lovely girl and other half.

Congratulations, my handsome boy.

Sorry Secret Recipe. I have found your secret...teee heee!

Happy Birthday, Ibu

No, this is not for my mum. Though I call my mum as 'ibu', so far I haven't got the chance to bake and decorate a birthday cake for her. Somebody has already beat me to it, or there were enough food stuff already or the event/time is not right for a 'birthday cake'.

These pictures are the ones that I have been waiting from Haziq, since last month. I didn't get the chance to take the pictures on that day. The cupcakes were whisked away while the reliable, simple, digital camera was 'away'.

But, it turned out to be okay, since these pics were taken by somebody else, and this somebody else used the err, whatchamacallit, errk, expensive SLR camera (sorry, this 'camera' topic is alien to me, hope this is the correct term, or at least the readers can understand what I mean), it gives a fresh view/perspective compared to those that I usually presented.

See it for yourself...






These cupcakes were ordered by Haziq's friend for her, who else, mum.

Hope the mum likes it. She's one lucky mum.

English Bouquet For Anita

It's been a long time that I haven't met Anita and her family. Due to our busy schedules, it's quite difficult to set a date to meet, not to mention a date including our families too.

We found it very challenging to meet, postponing several times, until her mother got sick, had a knee operation, and therefore was 'grounded'.

That did it.

So, during the recent Maulidur Rasul holiday, at last, my family and I (including my parents) got to visit Anita and her family at Shah Alam.

these are the cupcakes that I brought for the family

my current favourite design, English Bouquet

hope Anita & family like them.

Get well soon, Makcik Maznah! Miss your marvellous pineapple tarts and kuih bakar!

So glad we made it... really great to meet them all.