Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake

I mentioned in my earlier post that we baked him a cake. I found a recipe that is simple and nice to do - Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake. Therefore I informed my two daughters that we were going to make a cake for papa as his birthday cake this year.

In fact it is a steamed cake that is easy for people to do without oven. It looks great after removing from fire.

I have my two girls to decorate the cake by dusting the icing sugar, colourful balls, and chocolate chips. Pardon their first time in decorating the cake, it is my fault for not giving them a good training beforehand.

The cake was cut after keeping in the refrigerator for one day.

I would prefer the cake to be taller. I had used a pan which is too large for the cake.

Luckily, after he tried a slice of it, he wanted another slice. Awww! I was so happy that he likes the cake.

The cake was still very nice to eat after keeping for 2 days in the refrigerator. I am sure going to make this cake again.

Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake
Recipe is adapted with minor modification from Vivian Pang Kitchen.
Ingredients:~
(A)
180g butter
60g caster sugar
60g light brown sugar
200g full cream evaporated milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of rum (optional, I omitted this)
(B)
2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork
(C)
100g all-purpose flour
50g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
~Chocolate ganache topping
100g dark chocolate
100g dairy whipping cream
Some chocolate rice for sprinkle (I used colour balls, icing sugar and chocolate chips)
Methods:
1. Put all (A) ingredients into a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Remove from heat and allow to cold completely.
2. Add beaten eggs into (A) and stir till well mix.
3. Sift dry ingredients from (C) into a mixing bowl. Pour in butter egg mixture(from step 2) and whisk to combine.
4. Pour batter into a greased and lined 8 or 9 inch round baking pan. Bring a pot of water to rapid boil. Place the cake into the steamer and cover loosely with an aluminium foil. Lower the heat to medium and steam the cake for about 45 minutes.
5. Cool cake in pan before turning out for decoration.
6. Prepare ganache topping by cooking chocolate and cream over double boiler method. Once most of the chocolate melted remove from heat. Stir till smooth and pour the ganache over cake. Sprinkle top with some chocolate rice. Serve!

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Date on his Birthday's eve

Throwback on his Birthday's eve.

My fitness freak husband will only give me options of working out, cycling, or swimming as our date plan. On his birthday's eve, he surprised me by suggesting a lunch date with me at Korean BBQ restaurant, Che Go at AEON. It was a Monday, it was my off day, the girls were at school.

He ordered a hot pot of Seafood Kimchi with some traditional Korean side dishes. 

I was happy, as I couldn't remember when was the last time we had date like this. 

Seafood Kimchi hot spot

Fruit tea

I took all these food pictures to make my girls jealous of my date with their past life lover. lol!

The girls and me had made him a steamed chocolate moist cake on our own , he liked the cake very much. This was a very simple celebration we had together for his birthday. 

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Fitness is my passion

I have mentioned umpteens times that I love exercise and I am a gymaholic. Toned arms, firmed abs, squared shoulders, tight butts, lean, vibrant, flawless health. That's my passion for fitness. I achieve the benefits of staying fit, and I also give up hobbies and interests that I previous enjoyed.

Leading an active lifestyle, I have got benefits such as fit appearance, higher energy, better overall health, fewer food cravings due to balanced diet and exercise regime.On the other hand, I have also traded off the time to social with friends at gatherings, the commitment to pursue work advancement, the fun events with colleagues, the eat out at restaurant, the drinks at cafe, the cake at bakery, sleep an rest. That's my body and that's my choice. I just have to compromise to two principles:
1. If you want to make further changes to your body, you'll need to make further changes to your behaviors.
2. The less body fat you want to get, the more of your behaviors you'll have to change.

Me and my gym buddies

You spot me? I am at my Zumba lesson

Once a week at Sauna to let my sore muscle recover from workout. 

These are my animal prints collection. 

Digressing from the fitness topic. I just want to share here that my bikinis, my sauna bath ropes and my jumpsuit are animal prints. Hehehe!

I go to gym 4 times a week. I do Zumba 2 times a week. I go swimming, hiking and sauna, each once a week. I am still thinking of adding a yoga class on Sunday early morning before my family wakes up.

I still believe that I have the power to choose my priorities and goals. I am able to make the decisions to get the body I really need while still living the life I want.

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Weekends home cooked breakfast

I don't always make breakfast for my family. When I have mojo to make breakfast, my menu is usually American style breakfast.

The breakfast menu is sausage, sunny side up egg, toast, baked beans, cucumber and tomatoes.

Sometimes, it is depended on what I have in the fridge. I made French toast sandwiched with Nutella when I had left over bread. 

Pasta in tomatoes sauces is my daughters's most favourable breakfast menu.

I saw this recipe in FB. Flattening the left-over bread with dough roller, the recipe is using cheddar cheese, but I applied butter on the bread as I didn't have cheddar cheese. Wrapping hot dog with the bread, and dipping the bread roll into egg. Then, heat up oil for deep frying the hot dog rolls. It would be nicer to coat with bread crumbs before frying, but I didn't.

Flour, egg, milk and sugar are good enough to make pancakes like these. We love eating pancake plain without adding any topping.

Kneading steamed sweet potatoes with glutinous rice flour, sugar and oil, then deep frying them into sweet potatoes balls.

When the overnight Chinese tortoise bun had become hard, I would slice them into small pieces, dip into egg with sugar, then deep fry with melt butter. It is so nice to have these with a cup Kopi-O.

Home cooked food is the best, and it is even better if the children is involved in the food preparation. They will learn to appreciate food more. 

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