Red Velvet Cupcake

The all time favorite red velvet cupcake is very simple to do. On this recipe, I used buttermilk powder instead of my usual sour cream. The output is still the same soft and velvety cupcake. The perfect frosting for red velvet which is cream cheese frosting is also included in the recipe.

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder
1/2 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
3 cuos sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heart Shaped Sprinkles (optional)

Procedures:
For the cupcake:
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Dissolve buttermilk powder in water and set aside.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.In another bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients and stir into the batter until just blended. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Stir and pour into the batter and fold.
4. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake cups.Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Frost cooled cupcakes and add spinkles.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Frosting

Filipino Style Recipe: Red velvet cupcakes with Frosting is one of the most popular type of cupcake nowadays. This recipe has a nice dark red color and soft moist cupcakes topped with frosting.

Estimated time of preparation: 30 minutes
Estimated time of baking: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoon red food color
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
200 grams cream cheese, softened
60 grams butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A dash of salt

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda and salt then mix well. Set aside.

Part 2
1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (around 5 minutes).
2. Beat in eggs one at a time then mix in the sour cream, food color, and vanilla.
3. Add flour mixture gradually until just blended. (Do not overbeat as this will make the cupcake dry and hard.)

Part 3
1. In a muffin pan, line muffin cups then fill-in batter up to 2/3 of the muffin cup.
2. Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until done. (Cupcakes is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.). Let it cool.

Part 4
1. In a electric mixer, whip butter on medium speed for 5 minutes or until becomes creamy.
2. Add cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and salt then keep mixing for another 5 minutes or until becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add sugar then beat until smooth.
4. Scoop and spread the frosting on top of cupcakes. Refrigerate before serving.

Cookies and Cream Smoothie

Filipino Style Recipe: cookies and cream smoothie is another sweet, creamy and refreshing beverage. This is made up of crumbled chocolate cookies, vanilla ice cream, low-fat milk and chocolate syrup. Best to served during summer season.

Estimated time of preparation: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:
10 Oreo cookies or any chocolate cookies, crumbled
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/4 cup low-fat milk
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Procedures:
1. In a blender, combine milk, ice cream and chocolate syrup.
2. Add 1/2 of crumbled cookies then process until blended.
3. Pour into glasses then sprinkle with remaining cookies then serve immediately.

Banana-Cream Crepes

Filipino Style Recipe: Banana cream crepes is a popular dessert made of very thin pancakes originated from France. It is consists of flour, eggs, milk, vanilla and salt whisk together then chilled overnight. Cooked and swirl in hot pan with butter until almost set. I got this idea from one of the stall somewhere in Boracay last month, they served crepes with different variety of fillings. I used banana slices and vanilla ice cream in this recipe, but you may choose your own combination of fillings.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes(plus chilling time)
Estimated time of cooking: 5 minutes
Good for 6 crepes

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract(optional)
1 ripe plantain, sliced
vanilla ice cream

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour and eggs. Whisk well.
2. Add milk, vanilla extract, butter and salt. Mix until well combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Part 2
1. In a non-stick pan, melt butter then scoop and pour 1/4 cup of batter.
2. Swirl the batter then cook for 20 seconds or until almost set. Flip and cook the other side.
3.Transfer to serving plate then place the banana slices and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center.
4. Fold both side to form a triangle then serve.

Banana Split

Banana split is an ice cream-based dessert that served in a long dish called boat. This is one of the best dessert and popular around the world.

Estimated Time of Preparation: 10 minutes. Good for 1-2 person

INGREDIENTS:
1 banana, sliced lengthwise
1 scoop each vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream
marshmallow creme(optional)
whipped cream(optional)
strawberry syrup
chocolate syrup or hot fudge
cherry
nuts,chopped

PROCEDURES:
1. Place banana slices in a long skinny ice cream bowl.
2. Top with scoops of ice cream(vanilla, chocolate and strawberry).
3. Pour chocolate syrup on vanilla ice cream.
4. Pour strawberry syrup on strawberry ice cream.
5. Pour marshmallow creme on chocolate ice cream.
6. Top each with whipped cream.
7. Sprinkle with nuts
8. Top each with a cherry.

Notes:
1. Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt may use instead of whipped cream.
2. You may also use strawberry instead of cherry.
3. Caramel syrup is a good alternative for marshmallow creme.
4. Adding waffle stick like stick-O or sliced peaches makes your dessert much special.
3. Some added marshmallow, pineapple tidbits, pecans, choc bits and mini M&Ms bits as toppings.