Mommy-daughter time spent baking Red Velvet Cupcakes

On Thursday Aisha (2) and I baked red velvet cupcakes.

Although these cakes have been around for eons , they really seem to have been trending for the past few years. I baked a batch a couple of years ago and, to be quite honest, although Mo and I loved them, the kids were not really too impressed. They preferred vanilla cupcakes with ordinary frosting (preferably in every colour of the rainbow).

Even after these became popular, the kids would often by-pass these at functions and reach for ordinary cupcakes instead.

But on Thursday, Aisha's brief was clear. She wanted red or pink cake and I dared not ignore her wishes (well, not without facing a full-on meltdown).

This time around I used a recipe from this website. From the reviews and comments it received, it seemed to be a sure winner.

And, I'm pleased to say, it did not disappoint.

Aisha, my little helper

Interesting-looking batter

 

Yes, I see it - Aisha doubled up on the cupcake holders

I used this frosting recipe, but you can also get a lovely one from here (I only saw this one after I'd already made the frosting)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese, room temperature
150g butter, room temperature
450g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

 

 

 The result was impressive. Even the kids loved them! Nuha (7) however, did not like the slight tanginess of the frosting, so she scraped hers off and enjoyed the cupcake by itself. (But, let this not in any way reflect on the taste of the frosting - she even complains if she tastes butter in the frosting of her vanilla cupcakes, so I usually just make these with icing sugar and milk to cater for her fussiness. How dull! ).

Finicky Nuha preferred hers without the icing

These red velvet cupcakes were light, moist and delicious.

I definitely will make them again.

Love and laughter with family (on Eid ul Fitr 2012)

So Eid ul Fitr 2012 has come and gone. After an exhausting few days of cooking, baking and decorating; mixing and matching of outfits and trying to obtain some kind of compromise between my outdated fashion sense and the kids' more adventurous ideas, life is returning to some measure of normalcy.

I must say that the constant hustle and bustle, though exhausting, was so rewarding and totally worth it.

On Friday night I baked the Eat-sum-mor biscuits, which turned out delightfully due to their melt-in-mouth lightness. On Saturday I made the romany creams, chocolate eclairs and a firm favourite of Mo's family - caramel, banana and nestle cream on a shortcrust base. Mo's mum sent chocolate cupcakes, date and walnut cake, snowballs and some savouries.

I also spent the night before Eid making the curry base for the prawn and crayfish curry so as to avoid having to rush on the day. Quite on the last minute, I remembered to defrost the leg of lamb to marinate the night before so that I could just pop it into the oven on Eid morning.

Just before midnight on Saturday night it became clear that I was falling behind, so Mo helped me by making the peppermint crisp pudding, as well as dipping the eclairs into and filling the biscuits with melted chocolate.

My 2 helpers

On Eid day we had a lovely breakfast after mosque (it was meant to happen before mosque, but we had been running late). We took the opportunity to have  (what turned out to be a very emotional) talk with the kids about the significance of the day and what the end of Ramadan signified.

Thanks to Elizabeth, our domestic worker, who hung curtains, washed couch covers and windows, and also scrubbed grubby paw prints and kiddies' artwork from walls, the dining room looked lovely. Unfortunately, though, you will just have to take my word for it, since I was much too busy running around to take pictures.

This year we popped around by my extended family (from my mum's side) first. As a result I was filled with joy at having had the opportunity to sit down and talk to my aunts and actually wished my Uncle for Eid (I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time in years that I'd done this). We fetched my mum to have lunch at our place. I must say that I returned home feeling really blessed at having had the opportunity to share so much love with the wonderful inspiring (older) members of my mum's family.

After lunch we enjoyed a rowdy jovial visit with my dad's family at my aunt's place (where I was also lucky enough to run into my paternal uncles and their families. I would have loved to stay longer, but we had to rush off to meet with Mo's family.

I must say that this was by far the most joyful and meaningful Eid I've had in a very long time. Although I did not get to capture most of this memorable day in pictures, I am sure that the warmth of these memories will remain with us for a long time to come.

 

My girls 

My four monkeys

Aisha (2)

Nuha (7)

Tharaa (10)

Shakeel (13)

Mommy with her monkeys

The six of us

Caught off-guard

Still bubbling with excitement at the end of a long day