Bandung Cupcakes & Rose-syrup Buttercream

 All you need is Love... and cupcakes to get rid of Monday Blues!

I thought of making these sweet-looking Bandung Cupcakes with Rose-Syrup Buttercream because hb and the kiddo love rose-syrup drink and we always have a bottle at home. Kiddo calls it "delicious drink". Personally I like bandung drink, but don't drink it often since it's so sweet and fattening :p

Anyways, I thought these adorable petite-size cupcakes are quite apt for Valentine's Day as well, which is tomorrow!

The cupcakes are baked using a basic vanilla cupcake recipe, just that instead of milk and vanilla extract, bandung drink is added. As for the frosting, initially I thought of my favourite chantilly cream with some rose syrup, but because I'm packing the cupcakes as a snack for the kiddo's recess, I reckon buttercream would last longer at room temperature than chantilly cream. And to make the cupcakes look even sweeter, I stamped cutesy little hearts out of strawberries and topped them onto the frosting.

 

For buttercream, I was considering between Swiss or Italian and in the end went for the Italian Meringue Buttercream that's used by the Koreans for their glossy buttercream flowers. I reckon I could make a bigger batch, freeze and practise on some Korean buttercream flower piping when I have more time.

Bandung Cupcakes and Rose-Syrup Buttercream
(makes 12 petite size cupcakes)

Ingredients

Bandung Cupcakes

• 90g cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 60g unsalted butter
• 80g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bandung drink (100g fresh milk + 2 tbsp rose syrup)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius, top and bottom heat. Prepare a 12-hole muffin tray and line with cupcake cases. Set aside.
2. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 5 mins, stopping to scrap the bowl as necessary, until creamy and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and beat till well-mixed.
5. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the bandung drink. Mix till just blended.
6. Using an ice-cream scoop, add the batter to the cupcake cases, to about 2/3 full.
7. Bake at 180 degree celsius for 15 mins.
8. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Rose-syrup Italian Meringue Buttercream
(reference from Korean Decorating Art recipe book, makes more than enough to frost the cupcakes)

• 2 egg whites (about 72g)
• 30g caster sugar
• 60g caster sugar
• 25g water
• 225g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Steps

1. Beat egg whites with 30g caster sugar using electric mixer, till peak stage.
2. Meanwhile, add 60g caster sugar and 25g water to a heavy saucepan, bring to boil till 120 degree celsius.
3. Turn the electric mixer to lowest speed and add the syrup to the meringue in a steady stream.
4. Whisk the meringue at high speed till the meringue cool down to room temperature.
5. Place the whole bowl of meringue into the fridge to chill until temperature reaches 10 degree celsius or lower.*
6. Place the bowl back to the electric mixer at medium speed, add butter piece by piece and then beat on high speed till well-blended and buttercream is formed.
7. For frosting of the cupcakes, mix 100g of buttercream with 2 tsp of rose syrup, stir till well-mixed.
8. For remaining buttercream, store in fridge for 1 week or freezer up to 3 months.

* The lower the temperature of meringue, the buttercream will turn more glossy.

It's all pinkish cuteness overload and lovey-dovey looking, isn't it?

The cupcakes smell really good, just like rose syrup. Taste-wise it's not as strong as bandung drink but the rose scent is rather distinct. I must say not bad at all!

Will add this cupcake flavour to my order list; if anyone's looking for pink cupcakes, this is the one to go for :)