Friday, 4 October 2019

HOW TO BAKE A RICH FLUFFY VANILLA/SPONGE CAKE

Decorated Henry Danger Theme cake
Fluffy vanilla cream cake
Everyone loves cakes, trust me if someone tells you they don't love one, there's every possibility that he hasn't tasted a nice creamy yummy cake. Young people tend to go for really sweet cakes while the older ones love cakes with just the right amount of sweetness. 

Baking the right cake can be a herculean task, every baker have their own secret recipes and what method works best and so should you, be spontaneous and creative when baking, in trying new things you discover a lot and this in turn will improve your baking skills.  From experience I have discovered that Sugar helps in making cakes rise, so I always put this into consideration when I have clients who don't want sugar, I try as much as possible to look for alternatives, this helps my cakes stay fluffy and tasty all day long.
 
Lets go right ahead with the ingredients and steps.
INGREDIENTS. 8 inches cake. 8''
1. Flour - 500g
2. Margarine - 500g
3. Sugar - 500g
4. Eggs - 8 big eggs/500g
5. Baking Powder - 5tsp
6. Vanilla flavour - 3 cap full
7. Brandy
8. Parchment paper

Steps.
1. Measure out your margarine and sugar in your mixing bowl and start mixing on low speed and increase once sugar and margarine is fully incorporated, increase speed till the cake is off white.

2. Add eggs in batches of 4, mix till it's fully mixed on high speed, you know it's ready when the eggs and batter aren't separated.

I like to break my eggs one after another in a bowl before adding to the mixer, that way I am able to figure out which egg is bad, you know one bad egg can ruin the whole thing. I'll have to add that you should never be tempted to use those cracked eggs they sell in the market cos they are cheaper that's soooooo wrong!! Never say it's just one bad egg, I'm sure it won't ruin my cake, don't try it, you'll hate yourself and the smell....

3. Sieve out 500g of flour.

 I usually sieve while measuring that way I save time. Never sieve and store to use later, always use immediately after sieving, why you may ask? Apart from removing unwanted particles and dirt, the process also helps to lock-in air, yes you heard me right, this process helps in ensuring you have a lovely fluffy cake.

4. Pour in your measured baking powder to the flour and pour in the mixer in 3 batches on low speed so you don't have your face all covered with flour, in case you forget, don't forget to send in a picture so that we can all have a good laugh. lols!! 

5. Stop the mixer and use your spatula to mix properly, add your vanilla and brandy mix with your spatula, I love to include butterscotch, it always gives me this creamy taste.

6. Line your pan with a measured parchment paper and grease, I use vegetable oil to grease, others use brush, whichever works best for you, please do.

7. Pour batter in the lined pan, stop when batter is a little bit above the middle of pan and pour rest into another pan. 
 
8. Pre-heat your oven for 10 min and put in your cake in a batter for the next 45min, I love to check my cake once I begin to perceive the aroma, I use a skewer to check if it's ready, just poke a hole in the middle once it comes out clean without any batter, it means it's ready.

9. Use your oven gloves to take out the cake, use a pallet knife round the cake and turn upside down on a board, remove parchment paper and turn back immediately while hot to avoid the top sticking on the board.

You'll notice the top of the cake is usually sweeter that the lower part, that's because the sugar like I said earlier is a rising agent, if you are team fit-fam it'll be advisable you cut out the top and throw to the trash. 
I love to use my leveled cake remnant as cushion when stacking cakes in layer.

Send in your comments, questions and reviews, I'll be here to answer them all.

Feels good writing again after a very long time, my blog isn't your regular blog, this is me expressing myself.

xoxo!!!
                                           

Thursday, 21 January 2016

BUKKA Vs RESTAURANTS

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If you find this post offensive please port to another post, because this post is for REAL PEOPLE..
And so I was with a friend recently, we decided to get some food from the school cafe and she made a comment that got me  thinking ''I have to eat here I cannot afford to buy something less at an exorbitant price at...'' Apparently she got spaghetti, moi moi and a bottle of water for 3K and she was still hungry, that amount is enough to cook a small pot of rich soup.. you doubt me okay let's say for example we decide to prepare a pot of Egusi soup..

A cup of Egusi-N 300
Palm Oil-N 200 (one bottle)
crayfish-N 100
Okporo-N 200
Okpei-N 20
Cameroon pepper-N 30
Osu-N 50
Stock Fish-N 300(Cud)
Round Fish-N 500(Smoked Cat fish, and Mangala)
Pomo-N 100
Meat(Shaki)-N 1,000
Maggi-N 50
Transportation-N 150

When on a normal day she'll get a portion of rice-N 100, Meat-N 100, Moi-Moi-N 100, Plantain-N 50, & a bottle of water-N 50 Total Sum-N 400 gerege...
I am sure many of you would say, the amount is as result of the comfort you get, there's no argument about that, but what's the essence of buying food and you'll still be hungry...

Shout out to all them Mama-Put!!! They have been saving lives since time immemorial...

Bottom line is that you have a healthy and tummy filling meal...

ANONYMOUS READERS & COMMENTS

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So I noticed people visit this blog but don't comment....

How can you visit my blog and you leave without one comment, even if it's an insult I don't mind... Don't keep mute. Remember keeping quiet for too long makes one develop mouth odor: Remember that girl you've been crushing on; you finally get a chance to speak to her and Bam!! you notice she keeps turning her head sideways, taking few steps away from you and your mind keeps deceiving you that Ohhh!! she likes me, she's just shyyyyy.... heheheheh!! Brothers & Sisters in the Lord she/he is actually running away from your BAD BREATH!! that smells like you ate onion, garlic and ginger... Ewww!!!

Talking about Bad breath, here are a few tips on how one can get rid of those embarrassing smell.
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BRUSH TWICE A DAY.
Always try as much as possible to brush twice a day, most preferably Morning and Night. In severe cases it advisable to gargle with mouth wash to kill plaques, or better still you can use the oldest method of brushing i.e. Salt and warm water.

BREATHING
Breathing in and out with your mouth open helps to keep out the bad smell especially if you've been quiet for too long, Studies have shown that people who talk too much hardly have mouth odor. Always try as much as possible to talk, even if you don't talk, try to sing....

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple cider is known to have a lot of health benefits and one of them is the ability to get rid of MO, simply gargle with apple cider mixed with warm water.
I promise to do a post on apple cider, I tried some new recipes even though some of you might say it's not new, but I can assure you I tried it and it worked magic...

FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Fruits and vegetable help fight bad breaths, Carrots, apples, garden eggs, and cucumbers help cleanse the teeth, I remember when my brother was a baby and he had teething problems my mum always gave him garden eggs instead of using his hands, or clothes to scratch his gum.

Lemons are very effective, all you need to do is to squeeze in warm water and gargle; Did you know drinking lemon water first thing in the morning not only helps cleanse our body system, it also helps in weight reduction.


YOGURT
Yummy yogurt helps in dispelling bad breath as it contains a lot of good bacteria, As a lady it is very healthy to take yogurt once in a week, as it helps in cleansing the vagina. Say bye bye to itches and bad smell. I would be taking some as soon as I'm done with this post

PINEAPPLES
Eating Pineapples regularly also helps reduce bad breath.

Okay that does it, I started writing about anonymous readers and I ended up doing a post on Bad Breath...

Please drop your comments.

Friday, 15 January 2016

DIARY OF AN ANGRY GIRL

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I am having a really horrible day, in-fact month.... Dear January I thought we were friends how can you be treating me like this...

I've got some personal emotional issues, the book where i write my thoughts has gone missing, all my write-ups gone, a boss who's got serious temperamental moods, this minute she's happy the next she hauling and screaming like.... Geezzz!!!. My phone just started messing up and CM Trojan app can't seem to get rid of the 12 Viruses that have taken over my phone.. how bad can it get; I can't afford to get a new phone now... Oluwa help your baby..

No Boyfriend and I keep hearing you very pretty, sweet, humble, you'll make a great wife... helloooooo... I never see the ring, who fine girl help; Bad girls getting married to men that worship the ground they walk on, having fat bank accounts, going on summer trips, having cute kids and acting all married. And me the good girl... scratch that 'Bad girl'.

I wish I had lots of boyfriends in school, I'd probably be a pro by now in relationships.
I wish i went on adventurous trips with my friends instead of staying behind to read and submit assignment.. and to think I'll write assignments for people and even submit for them and what do I get in return a hand on my chin listening to them narrate their adventures while I narrate mine in dream land.
I wish I started a business in catering, hair dressing or even sewing instead of writing professional exams that till now I'm yet to get the certificate...choi... Nne you have seen something.

I wish! I wish!!

Thursday, 14 January 2016

FRUITS IN SEASON

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Now that the dust, and haze are gone; the heat is building up and the mosquitoes are everywhere and depositing malaria like its no man's business, the outbreak of Lassa fever isn't helping matters, please ensure you close all food stuff and eradicate all rats from your surroundings. Better safe than sorry.

We will be discussing about the fruits in season, I know some people will say fruits are expensive and I can't afford it, that's a very bad notion... you can't afford it because you crave for fruits that are out of season. Take for instance in the month of January Carrots, Tomatoes, & Star fruits are everywhere, meaning they can be gotten at very affordable prices as compared to when they are out of season.
If you are like me that eating carrots leads to hiccups that takes quite some time to stop... I try as much as possible to buy the carrots with lots of juice in them most preferable the smaller ones. Carrots has a lot of health benefits which include: 

NATURAL CLEANSERS-Acting as a natural cleanser that helps in removing dirt & plaque from teeth and gums; I bet you you never knew.

CLEAR SKIN-Here's my personal favorite Carrot helps to improve the quality of our skin Uhmmmm! do I hear the ladies in the house saying YEA! YEA!! , so the next time you see those Aboki's hawking, please patronize them. 
A note of warning too much carrots can lead to a condition called Carotenemia, which causes one's skin to turn yellowish orange...

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Our second fruit will be Tomatoes... Just imagine using this tomatoes, fresh pepper (red and green), big ball of Onion, 6 eggs hmm... egg sauce garnished with Gwagwalada yam, ripe Plantain, sweet and Irish potato gush that's the truth!!! 
To hell with the Tin tomatoes Fresh tomatoes are back, my pot of stew will be all fresh with lots of ginger to go with white rice and a ***coughs*** bottle of juice, malt, cold coke... side eyes to them healthy peeps... okay you win WATER.. na waaa OOO.
Tomatoes has a lot of health benefits, if you are like me that love them raw without injuries, you should see me and those aboki's struggling with tomatoes without blemish but they always play a fast one on me because I end up finding one or two balls with faults.

Tomatoes helps in controlling Diabetes, and it helps in weight loss etc.

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I happened to travel to the village for the new year's holiday and my uncle got me some very tasty Udara... Chineke I ate the whole fruit without bleeding my tongue, the only thing that fell to the floor was the seed.. Abia state grows one the most sweetest udara's in Nigeria. For the health benefits of Star apple I don't know of any but I am open to learn.. I make a research and I'll probably do a post.

BUKKA REVIEW aka Road side restaurant

 This would be my very first post; I pray i don't look back at this post and say to myself what the hell was I thinking... Happy New Year... No new year resolutions for me the one I made in the past was broken after a week... Oshisko, I'll take life as it comes..

 I read a lot on reviews of new restaurants from foodies like me... yes I said it I love food, and yes I am fat but I exercise... in my dreams.
You see blogs like Sisiyemie writing her experiences on her visit to different restaurants like Delta Pot and the likes, but have you ever read a review on Iya Basirat that sells hot Amala, ewedu garnished with plenty shaki, pomo, ogunfe, roundabout e.t.c. never but she's got a whole lot of customers, you even see situations where men in suit wash plates just to get food, did you just say god forbid issokay..

I am dedicating this post and subsequent ones to the road side buka's. Shout out to them for saving our lives since 19kiridim, with only N150 you can eat a 'healthy' meal of N70 rice, N30 beans, N50 beef.

First stop will be a woman I call Aunty Blessing, she sells really tasty meals in the Police barracks at Obalende. One thing I love about her is that she is very neat, she makes jollof rice, white rice, Fried rice with curry and green beans only... if you thinking of the one you eat in Tastee fried chicken, OYO is your case. Porridge beans, Macaroni mixed with Spaghetti. She also has one the baddest shaki in town, I wonder how she does it?

Her bad sides, she can be very mean when she wants to I really do not blame her, she is the only one, selling and doing the dishes that's no small task for one person. Also I'll advice you don't stay there to eat because she doesn't have a comfortable place where one can eat. Attached is a picture of one of the meals I had there.
Chielo food

Chielo food

Chielo Food

Chielo Food