MILO RECIPES WITH MILICIOUS INTENT!

FIRSTLY all puns intended!:)

My kids like many, love Milo. So I thought with winter coming up, I would round up these Milolicious recipes for you to try out. They have all been tried, tested in my kitchen, and devoured on the same day that I made them.

First up: "The best Vanilla Cake" I have ever tasted and no, it’s not my recipe. I happen to come across this recipe while doing research for a completely unrelated topic and just had to try it out! This recipe has been adapted from the Cupcake project blog. Thankyou so much Stef! 

It’s time you try it out for yourself….with my ever moist "Milo icing".

This Milo icing stays wet and doesn’t dry up even if you leave it out of the fridge for 2 days. Most of all, it is delicious! 

P.S. I have a bad habit of chucking cakes into the microwave instead of storing them in a container, so my family can easily access it. 

Ultimate Vanilla Cake with Milo Icing:

Vanilla Cake:

1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean ( I just omit this if I don’t have it)

1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour, not self-rising

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup (75 grams) full-fat sour cream (I used yoghurt, or milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (60 ml)

1 tablespoon pure (not imitation) vanilla extract

2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

In a small bowl, combine sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean.

Using the back of a spoon, move around the bowl and apply pressure to break up any clumps of seeds and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.

Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine crumb texture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid. (Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's supposed to be that way.)

For cupcakes:

Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.

Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done if you are doing cupcakes. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown.

If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes.

When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don't own a cooling rack) to cool.

For large cakes: divide evenly into two cake tins. Then bake at 175deg c for about 25-30mins. Check when done.

Milo Icing:

50 g butter

½ cup icing sugar

4 tblspoon Milo

4 tblspoon cocoa

enough milk to combine (add little at a time)

First mix icing sugar and butter till smooth, then add in the cocoa.

Make a paste with a little milk and the Milo and mix well.

Now add the Milo paste to the icing mixture and blend well, add milk, a tablespoon at a time mixing well till you get a soft icing consistency. Do not add too much milk, or you will have icing with dark brown spots that doesn’t taste as great.

Decorate your cake as desired and enjoy!

This cake is great for catering for when you need to cover with plastic icing...it doesn't dome in the oven.

Milo Mousse: 

1 level cup custard (ready made like Parmalat or Clover or even better homemade custard with or without sugar as Ready made has a very strong vanilla, artificial sugar taste)

2 level tablespoon Milo

½ cup fresh cream (beaten or whipped till creamy)

Mix Milo and custard well, then whisk in the fresh cream. Serve individually with Peppermint crisp or Aero crushed over, or use as topping for dessert.

Milo Balls: a classic

1 packet Marie biscuit or tennis biscuit( use a little less coconut if using tennis biscuit)

1 tin sweetened condensed milk

4 tblspoons Milo

½ cup coconut

extra coconut for rolling

Process the Marie biscuits a little at a time in processor or put into plastic bag and crush with rolling pin till crumby and fine.

Then mix the condensed milk, Milo, and coconut with crushed biscuit, until well combined.

Roll teaspoonsful into balls and then roll in coconut till well coated.

Milo Mudcakes: 

Great for serving guests!

165 g butter, coarsely chopped

100 g dark chocolate chopped coarsely,

1 and 1/3 cups castor or sugar,

2/3 cup water,

¼ cup fruit juice or milk,

2 tablespoons Milo,

1 cup plain flour,

2 tablespoons self raising flour

2 tablespoons cocoa,

1 egg

Preheat oven to 170deg c. line 12 hole std muffin tin.

Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, water, juice or milk and Milo in small saucepan, stirring over low heat till smooth.

Transfer mixture to medium bowl, cool 15 minutes. Whisk in sifted flours, and cocoa and then the egg just until combined. (do not whisk the egg first, you’ll get a normal cake instead of a mud cake which is dense and heavy like mud..lol)

Divide mixture among cupcake cases in muffin tin and bake for about 45-50 mins…

Once done and cakes cool, transfer to individual teacups.

Beat fresh cream. Add to top of each mudcake and the dust with cocoa and roughly chopped dark or milk chocolate. Serve with saucers and a spoon.

You can also use chocolate sauce or melted chocolate to make 4 or 5 circles over the cream each one smaller than the other and evenly spaced. Then use a skewer to pull the sauce from the center  of the cake to the rim of cup. Do many lines all around the circles and create a web or feathered effect.

Hope you try these recipes and concoct your own special desserts too! Remember Sharing is caring..:)

xoxo