Cinnamon Roll Pancake

All his favourites in one, Birthday Cake.

My lil one turned 2 today and I am in denial. Its seems strange that me, who still cannot believe that she is married and a mum, has a toddler in his twos. Wow! Anyways, this post is not about my denials but about him  my superstar, lil Z. So like any other toddler, Z has a couple of things he loves. Wake him up in middle of the night and he will happy to devour them. His favourite foods and my guilty food cause I usually turn to them only when a) he is not eating anything else and b) because its all the "wrong foods" for him. Anyways, since this being a momentous occasion and all, after all you only turn 2 once, I decided to bake him a cake with all his favourites. So, what are his favourites you ask? Lemme list it for you.

1. Fruit loops
2. Cream cheese frosting
3. Chocolate chips
4. Sprinkles
5. Crayons ( Dont ask, I have crayons with bite marks on them all over the house)
6. Cupcakes

So then, I thought and thought and thought as to how I could incorporate all his favourites into one and voila..'All his favourite birthday Day' aka Rainbow cake with cream cheese frosting, decorated with fruit loops, sprinkles and liberally strewn with chocolate chips. 'I left the waxy crayons out and drew inspiration form their lovely colours. Needless to say, I think it was his best birthday yet. :)

Here is what you need,

• One packet white cake mix. Any box cake will do. I used a Pillsbury white cake mix
• Food colouring

For the frosting,

• 8 oz of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 stick of butter also at room temperature
• 2 cups of icing sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence

For extra garnish,

• 1 small box of Ferraro Rocher
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• Rainbow sprinkles
• Handful of fruit loops

Method:

1. Prepare the cake batter as per the instructions on the box.
2. Now divide them into 7 equal parts and add the food colouring of your choice and mix well.
3. Now, proceed to put on colour in to the baking tray and as it spreads in the tray, put the next colour on top. Keep putting all the colours in concentric circles ( the cake tray will resemble a dart board at this point) untill all the batter is in the tray.
4. Now bake it according to the instructions on the box.
5. While it is baking, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
6. Then add the icing sugar and continue to mix it using an electric whisk.
7. Now add the vanilla essence and whisk until fluffy.
8. Refrigerate the frosting to set a bit.
9. Once the cake is baked and cooled, proceed to frost the cake.
10. Then decorate it using any of the garnishes mentioned above or just about anything of your choice.

Breakfast bread pizza

Ok..So this is not a new recipe but there is something about standard classic dishes that is so romantic. Its brings about a wave of nostalgia, its surprisingly filling and its quick and simple to make. I can't think off a better example than Bread Pizza to point this out. If you have not tried it yet, go go go..try it and for those who have, let do it again.

Here is what you need,

• Few slices of bread
• Grated cheese, preferably Mozzarella
• Pizza sauce
• 3-4 Sliced mushroom
• 1 diced bell pepper.
• A pinch of pepper
• Butter

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
2. While the oven is preheating, spread the butter lightly on the bread.
3. Then spread the pizza sauce over it ( If you don't have pizza sauce then, either use garlic butter/spread instead of butter and then apply ketchup over it or heat a pan and saute a little bit of garlic paste very lightly, then quickly add ketchup to it. Mix well)
4. Now arrange a few slices of mushroom and diced pepper on top of it. (Actually, anything you like can be added on it, including thinly sliced sausages)
5. Now liberally spread grated Mozzarella on top
6. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is all melted.
7. Dig in!

See, it really cannot get more simpler than this now, does it. 

I know I have not been around a lot, but I surely hope this is gonna be my comeback post. 

Vanilla cupcakes with choco surprise and smarties

Every so often my little niece gets bitten by the baker bug and then she puts on her cute little Miley Cyrus apron, dusts a little bit of flour on her hair (apparently this makes her look professional or so she seems to think) and then pesters me to help around in the kitchen (read..do the actual baking) while she walks around shouting instructions (I have a feeling she has been watching Hell's Kitchen on the sly) and looking harried and busy! So, today she started pulling me to the kitchen, I decided to take the easy route and make cupcakes. The extremely simple vanilla cupcakes with choco surprise and a smattering of smarties on top. The smattering of smarties, courtesy the niece. This is absolutely simple for all that is required to make them is to drop all the ingredients into the food processor and blitz until smooth and then bake em. Very simple yet very very satisfying to eat. Here are the things you need,

• 1 1/4 cups of flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 125 grams butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• small slabs of chocolate (Diary Milk, Lindt..whatever you have in your purse or in the fridge)
• Handful of smarties

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven 200 degree Celsius
2. In a food processor, blitz together all the ingredients except milk until smooth.
3. Then pour in the milk at the end and pulse until it combines well
4. Scoop the batter into your cupcake mould and press in a slab of chocolate in the middle.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the cupcakes turn slightly golden on top
6. Remove and let it cool.
7. Sprinkle a few smarties on top
8. and then watch as your niece walks around telling everyone how difficult it was to bake the cupcakes but nonetheless how she did it on her OWN.
9. Sit back and smile!