BAKING UP SUCCESS

Growing up, baking was one of my favourite things to do. While my family encouraged me to practise my interest, others found it quite odd. After all, baking in the 90’s wasn’t something most people did. If we wanted cake, there would be two options — the first would be a steamed cake that came in two flavours — chocolate or fruit. The other option entailed you buying a cake from a bakery that would be covered in whipped topping or margarine “buttercream”.

Of course things have changed today. In the last few years baking has become one of the country’s most popular past times. If you don’t agree, just check your Instagram. There are thousands of bakers online who are not only sharing pictures of their gorgeous baked goods, but they’re also selling them.

So if you don’t want to miss out on the chance to join your fellow Malaysians on this delicious movement, how about trying it out for yourself? Don’t be scared. There are rules that you can follow to ensure that your baked goods come out perfect — or at the very least, edible.

The first thing anyone should do when they decide to bake is to find a recipe. Now there are plenty of options online. Remember to choose the ones with the best reviews. The most important thing to do when you find the recipe is to follow it to a tee. I’ve been teaching Malaysians to bake for years and what I’ve discovered is that most of us don’t usually like following recipes; we prefer to However, a cake isn’t a curry.

(just do anything)

We can’t CAKE

2 eggs

210g sugar

135ml milk

75g butter

150g flour

2 ¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt

1 large orange

ORANGE GLAZE 150g icing Sugar 1 large orange

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C

2. Butter and line loaf tin with parchment paper.

Zest orange skin. Leave the orange for later.

In a mixer, beat eggs, sugar and orange zest until pale and fluffy — 10 to 15 minutes.

In a pot, heat milk and butter until the butter dissolves, making sure the milk doesn’t boil.

In a bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder until fully combined.

Pour milk mixture into the egg mixture and beat until fully combined. Then add in flour mixture until fully combined.

Pour mixture into loaf tin and bake for 20 — 30 minutes, or until skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely before starting on orange glaze.

10. To make the orange glaze, squeeze orange juice into a cup. Pour the orange juice little by little into the icing sugar until you get a thick liquid consistency. Stop before it gets too runny.

11. Pour the glaze onto the cake and

let it set.

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OPTIONAL (CANDIED ORANGE SLICES)

1. In a pot, boil two cups of sugar and two cups of water.

Slice oranges that have been zested to thin slices.

Place orange slices into the pot and simmer until the orange slices look translucent.

Remove slices from the syrup and let it dry on a cooling rack.

Place oranges onto the cake.

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