Vanilla Pudding

Thick enough to pipe and hold its shape, though I haven't tested how long it will hold its shape unsupported. Use as filling for cupcakes/ layers or served in a bowl when lightened with a touch of whipped cream.

500ml milk
160g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 egg yolks
13.5 g cornstarch
30g flour
1/2 vanilla bean/ 1 tbsp vanilla essence
50g butter

same procedure as standard pastry cream.

Double Chocolate Pudding

Creamy, thick, can be super intense if made with bittersweet chocolate or mild if made with milk chocolate. Works well as cupcake/ cake filling or just by itself, in a bowl. Adapted from Martha Stewarts recipe of the same name.

500ml milk
140g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
20g cocoa
25g cornstarch
1 tbsp vanilla essence
125g chopped chocolate
50g chopped butter

Whisk the yolks, cocoa and cornstarch together in a medium sized metal bowl with a splash of milk.
Combine remaining milk with sugar and salt and heat on medium till it simmers.
Temper the egg yolk mixture, then incorporate and cook till thickened, whisking well towards the end.
Simmer for 30 seconds to cook out the starch.
Place the vanilla, chocolate and butter in the metal bowl, pour the pudding over and whisk till chocolate is dissolved. Press plastic wrap and chill till cool. Thickens overnight.

Chocolate Cupcake

Moist chocolate cupcake without venturing into gummy, mushy territory. Also good as layers.  Heavily adapted from the Hersheys recipe thats so popular.

1200g sugar
135g dutched cocoa
636g flour
4.5 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vanilla essence
1 tbsp orange essence
1 3/4 cups oil
3 cups water
6 large eggs
500 ml milk

Place all the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl and paddle till combined.
Add all the wet ingredients and paddle till batter is smooth.
Portion and bake at 350F.
Batter can be made and held up to 2 days ahead.

Vanilla Cupcake

A very good, basic vanilla cupcake that uses regular ingredients easily found. Results in a fluffy, light, not-overly-sweet cake with a medium crumb and almost no crust. Does not dome too much but that works well for frosting a cupcake or even stacking a layer cake. Developed at Cupcakes Amore.

8 large eggs
700 g sugar
1 tsp salt
570g flour
4.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vanilla essence
1 3/4 cup water
2 cups oil


Whip the eggs and salt till foamy. Add the sugar gradually and whip till thick, fluffy and lightened in color.
Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add half this mixture to the eggs and whip on low for 1 minute to develop structure.
Stream in the water and vanilla on medium just till incorporated. Stop and scrape the mixer bowl.
Stream in the oil steadily on medium.
Incorporate remaining flour mixture till combined, scrapping bowl as needed.
Portion and bake at 350F.