Sugar-Free Gender Reveal Mango Pandan Coconut Sponge & Pudding Cake

 My friend requested for a sugar-free gender reveal cake and this was what I came up with!

Most gender reveal cakes involve cutting the cake and revealing either coloured sponges, buttercream or confetti sprinkles in the colour of the baby's gender. The content creator part of me wanted to film the reveal without having to destroy the cake so that I don't have to repair the cake/make another one after filming the reveal 🤭.

 That's why I came up with a simple reveal mechanism made of food-safe materials that I already have at home. I am surprised that this isn't the standard way reveal is done because it's so fun, dramatic, so simple to make, AND it doesn't destroy the cake!

The recipe I share can be made with regular white sugar although my friend requested for the use of sugar replacements omitting sugar altogether where possible. I made use of natural food sources as colouring where possible too! Such as the use of fresh red dragonfruit puree for making the hidden pink cake bites.

Pink cake bites in the shape of mini croissants and mini macarons

Cake composition:

- Red dragonfruit sugar-free chiffon cake bites with a little strawberry jelly

- Vanilla sugar-free chiffon cake bee

- Vanilla.pandan sugar-free chiffon cake sponge layers and white bubbles

- No-sugar-added mango pandan coconut pudding

- Fresh blueberries and red cherries as decorations

Here's a peek of the cake and hidden surprise before the cake topper is in place 

You may refer to my earlier blog post for the no-sugar-added mango pandan coconut pudding recipe. Here's the rest of the recipe for the various chiffon sponges. 

PINK/WHITE CHIFFON:
18g cake flour 
Pinch of salt
10g oil
20g liquid*

1 egg white (36-40g)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
16g sugar of choice*

STRAWBERRY JELLY GLUE:
5g strawberry jam 
1 toothpick dip of strawberry emulsion
14g water
2g gelatin

VANILLA PANDAN CHIFFON LAYERS:
(makes two 9" cakes):
8 egg yolks
96g oil
60g pandan water**
60g milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract 
164g cake flour

8 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
140g sugar of choice*

* Liquid:
Pink: 20g sieved red dragonfruit puree. Replace 1/4-1/2 with water if prefer lighter pink. Add a tiny dip of strawberry emulsion for a hint of berry fragrance 

White: 10g pandan water** + 10g milk+ a few drops of vanilla extract+ a few drops white colouring

* Sugar of choice:
I used a blend of sugar replacements & prebiotic soluble fibres to replace white sugar. Not able to disclose type & ratios as it's class material

**Boil a few pandan leaves in 500g of water. Simmer for 10 min. Discard leaves 
I used bloomed & melted gelatin as glue for the fresh fruit & chiffon parts in a ratio of 1:6 for gelatin : water

Please see this reel for the process and method:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ_O2RbSric/?igsh=eGdiZXh4MG5lNWJt

I will share the recipe for the bee, including a video tutorial for it in another post.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Chiikawa, Usagi and Hachiware Strawberry and Biscoff Macarons

 My friend requested for Chiikawa and friends macarons again for her daughter but this time round, I made the heads-only version.

Check out the full body version over here.

I filled the macarons with strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream and crunchy Biscoff.

To keep the macaron shells white/pastel, I added white powder colouring to the sifted dry ingredients and a tiny drop of purple to the egg whites for making the meringue. You may refer to this post for my default Swiss meringue method recipe.

Freshly baked shells!

With each passing year, decorating my bakes with fine facial details and multiple pieces gets more arduous due to inevitable ageing 😅. I usually make extras in case of accidental uglification.

See if you can spot the ones that look a little weird 🤭

See the process of making these macarons over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZlezvtSLZj/?igsh=MTd2NDE3aTc1dzZzbg==

I made brown sugar cookie version of these too which I will share in another post!

with love,

Phay Shing

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No-Sugar-Added Mango Pandan Coconut Pudding

 This is so refreshing, delicious and simple I felt it had to be a blog post on its own instead of being part of my upcoming mango sponge and pudding cake!

Father's Day is just around the corner and I thought this is perfect for dads who like a sweet (but not too sweet) refreshing treat that isn't harmful for health. Of course sugar can be added for dads who love it really sweet. But my family finds it unnecessary to add sugar when you choose really sweet and ripe mangoes.

This recipe is an adaptation of the pudding layer in pandan kaya cakes so the texture is like a soft steamed kueh which is different from the usual gelatin-based mango puddings. This recipe is suitable for vegans too as it doesn't contain gelatin or eggs. 

Feel free to scale the recipe up or down according to the portion size you want.

Ingredients:

A) 
80g coconut milk
180g mango puree (blended without sieving)
50g pandan water*
2g agar powder (about 3/4 tsp)
A pinch of salt (optional)

B)
18g corn starch
100g pandan water*

* Put 3 pandan leaves cut into shorter strips in about 500g water. Bring to a boil & simmer for 10 min. Discard the leaves. Cool to room temperature before using

Method:
1. Bloom agar in water in A) for 5 min in a saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients in A) into saucepan

2. Mix ingredients in B) in a jug. Set aside 

3. Bring 1. to boil, whisking constantly

4. Stir 2. until cornstarch is suspended again. Slowly pour in a thin stream into 3 while whisking constantly 

5. Keep cooking & whisking until pudding starts to boil again. Continue whisking & cooking for another minute before removing from heat. 

6. Sieve through a fine sieve before layering with sponge or pouring into molds. This is optional if you don't want the pudding to cool & set too quickly while you work. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before unmolding or serving

Go and look for some really ripe mangoes and whip up this treat for your dad!

Here's the video of the process:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZvyDIWSpVv/?igsh=MTd0eTR4OXZzOTRpYw==

Pardon the lack of photos because the video and photo of the pudding was taken in a hurry as I worked concurrently on the main bake/ videos for the main bake.

With love,

Phay Shing

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Matcha Strawberry Wedding Macarons

 I was tasked to make 80 wedding macarons with a very specific design and shade of green. This was what I made!

Matcha macarons filled with strawberry and matcha ganaches. The shells were decorated with royal icing and edible paint made from gold and silver dust. As these were meant to be gifts for guests to bring home, I made the fillings dairy-free and temperature stable without compromising the flavour.

A closer view from the side!

 Check out the feedback I got for the taste!

It has taken me many years and iterations to find a filling base that can accommodate different flavours and yet be practical enough for gifting in tropical Singapore. 

I made the macaron shells using my Swiss method recipe but with premium Matcha powder added.

Please see the reel for the process of making these macarons and for the recipe:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZdwe0ASXmK/?igsh=bmpwdGhkb2hrNnpy

with love,

Phay Shing 

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