Cheese Loaf Bread - Birthday Post

You might be wondering. A bread for birthday? No, we had cakes but i baked bread and there were birthdays.

25th & 26th were both my girlfriends' birthdays. They are my special people and that's all needed to be said. So happy birthday, you two. After knowing you for 20 years, I believe i'll still strive my best to give you a surprise birthday!

I took the recipe from Clockwork Lemon (a recipe I have wanted to try for so long), used Cheese instead and voila.

Black Tea Cake with Strawberry Tea Jam

There is one thing i can truly be proud of. I do not get sick. Germs hop away at the touch of my skin and in great fear. Which reminds me, I also know how to take care of sick people. Especially those stubborn ones, if you know what i'm sayin'.

Hence, when Jes says 3 cups, you gotta listen. 'less you want her to go down the crazy road. And you don't want her going there! You really don't. I'm just sayin'

 3 cups of Chinese herbal tea (not those served in your Dim Sum restaurant, those are a treat) a day. I assure you, you'd be thankful in the end. In return, when i'm feeling like less of a "devil" or when i couldn't sleep at the wee hours woken up by the exact thoughts of an awesome cake, you'll wake up to a slice of this. Deal?

This cake is one of my most random creations...who am i kidding, this is my most awesomest random creation that didn't turn out a disaster! May the little fur-less bunny rest in peace. 

I woke up at the strangest hour this morning, thinking up various flavours that will jingle all our tastebuds, as well as our eyes.

Marbled Cinnamon Ginger Almond Loaf Cake

Realising the arrival of December was a shock to me. No matter how much i've prepared for these last 4 weeks of 2011, I could never comprehend how my time went by. How did Christmas creep up so soon? Did i fulfill all the goals i've aimed for during this time last year? What will be my new goals then?

Once these questions popped, my thoughts were  in disarray and my heart begins to beats like an R&B song. I was worried, I was afraid, I was excited. And my eyes were blinking in jitters as if it was trying to replay what it has captured.

I thought about everything that happened. All the memories i should keep (because it tends to auto-delete), all the memories i should let go of. This year was a year of transition for me. Graduating from my Bachelor's degree, moving back to where i grew up, where i was born, working an office job, and revamping my blog to what it is now. I went though fearsome events, surprising events, remorseful events and happy joyous events.Going through all that change is never easy. I have a lot to forgive and forget, a lot more to be forgiven for and most of all to be thankful for. 

One of the most amazing joyous events I have went through, is how I improved my baking skills. I went through angel food cake, macaroons, cinnamon rolls, 6-layer cakes, rainbow cake, flaky crusts, swiss rolls and  mousse cakes. I now know what's creaming the butter, what's "mixing it like crazy" and what's "do not over mix". So, why not put that to use?

I'm not a big fan of ginger, how it tastes and how it smells. However, i'm the biggest fan of Gingey the gingerbread man (and i means "biggest" literally). Hence, when media shows its victory (once again) as i purchase this $25 can of ginger cookies, which i don't adore, i had to put it to use.

Immediately, pound cake came to my mind. I've never made one before and never succeeded in making cakes with that buttery, soft, yet dense texture. As far as my baking adventurist goes, I had to make one. Hence, when i saw this at Technicolor kitchen, I knew it was perfect for me. There wasn't too much ginger and the play of Almond with spices intrigued me.