No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

It's been a while since I've baked a Bundt cake.  As I need to finish up the Rum in the pantry, I surfed the internet for a Rum cake recipe without having to have a cake mix as one of the ingredients.  I managed to locate one, modified it a bit and here's the recipe which I am going to share with you today.  This cake is slightly dense but moist, full of Rum flavour and aromatic, but trust me you  won't get drunk after eating it! Rum & Raisin Bundt Cake  ~  朗姆酒和葡萄干蛋糕 (adapted from 'here' with modification) Ingredients 280 gm butter 250 gm caster sugar 4 'L' eggs 42 gm milk powder 320 gm plain flour (take out 2 Tbsp to mix with the raisins) 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup milk 3 Tbsp Rum 1 tsp vanilla 80 gm raisins soaked in 4 Tbsp Rum Rum Glaze 2 Tbsp water boiled with 3 Tbsp sugar till sugar is dissolved 2 Tbsp Rum, mix well Method Prepare a 10 cup Bundt pan.  Grease with butter and dus...

This a quick stir-fry dish of broccoli with baby oyster mushrooms.  Light and refreshing with white rice.  To make it a vegetarian dish, just omit the garlic and fry with the chopped ginger. Stir-fry Broccoli with Baby Oyster Mushrooms ~  西兰花与牡蛎蘑菇 Ingredients 300 gm baby oyster mushrooms, cut into 2 300 gm Broccoli, cut into florets 1 tsp chopped garlic and ginger 1 tsp vegetarian oyster sauce Salt, sugar and light soya sauce  to taste Method Stir-fry the oyster mushrooms without any oil.  Water will be released, and after a few minutes, once the water has evaporated, dish out the mushrooms. With some oil in a wok, saute the garlic and ginger till fragrant. Add in the broccoli, stir-fry for a few minutes, add some salt followed by the mushrooms. Add in the oyster sauce, a bit of light soya sauce. Give it a few stirs.  Fine tune to taste. Dish out and serve 

For a change I baked these hearty, healthy wholemeal muffins in a mini loaf pan.  I placed a slice of banana on top, added in a sprinkling of raw sugar thus resulting in a moist and slightly crunchy muffin.  These muffins are best enjoyed, warm. Banana Wholemeal Raisin Muffins  ~  香蕉葡萄干全麥玛芬 Ingredients 220 gm self-raising wholemeal flour 450 gm over-ripe bananas, smashed 50 gm raisins 80 gm caster sugar 2 'L' eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla a pinch of salt Extra bananas for topping Raw sugar to sprinkle  (optional) Method Whisk wholemeal flour with sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs and vegetable oil till pale, add in vanilla, mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Add in the smashed bananas and raisins.  Mix till just moistened.  Do not overmix. Using an icecream scoop, scoop batter into the greased and lightly flour dusted m...

Loaded with freshly sliced apples, this yoghurt apple cake is moist and slightly sweet.   Before serving I added a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top, which is the 'icing on the cake'! Yoghurt Apple Cake ~   酸奶苹果蛋糕 Ingredients (A) 4 'L' egg yolks 13 gm caster sugar 20 ml vegetable oil 54 gm plain yoghurt 67 gm plain flour (B) 4 egg whites 27 gm caster sugar 2 apples, cored and sliced without skin Method Sift the plain flour, set aside. Beat egg yolks with sugar, add in oil and yoghurt.  Mix well. Beat egg whites till frothy, gradually add in sugar and beat till stiff peaks, but not dry. Fold 1/3 egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then pour this into the remaining egg whites, mix in well. Pour the batter into an ungreased 8 inch springform pan, tap the pan to remove air  bubbles. Place and arrange the apple slices onto the cake. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 50 to 55 mins. till golden brown a...