Cooking with my Air Fryer | Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

My son turned 12 yesterday, and for this year's birthday, I took it upon myself to cook everything on my own for his (simple) birthday dinner. No take-outs, no food deliveries, no 'paluto' from other restaurants, including the birthday cake. Yes, even the birthday cake! I think this has got to be one of the highlights of my airfryer experiments - baking a cake from scratch. I feel so accomplished, haha!

I baked the cake on the eve of his birthday (November 11th), while Typhoon Ulysses (international name Vanco) was starting to cause havoc in the country. It was raining heavily that night, with roaring winds and all, and I was awfully worried that the power might go out any minute. Thankfully, I was able to finish the cake without a hitch, despite the power fluctuations here and there.

I was dead tired after baking this cake, and my arms were stiff from all that grating (tip: use a box grater to make your life easier), but I wasn't able to sleep soundly that night because of the strong typhoon. I was afraid that the roof might start leaking, or worse, be blown off by the strong winds. Good thing none of those happened, and we were able to celebrate Yue's birthday at home with a simple dinner of tuna pasta, roast chicken, and this carrot cake. Sharing with you the cake recipe inspired by InspiredTaste, and my own version of the buttercream frosting. :) 

Carrot Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

4 large eggs 

3 cups grated peeled carrots 

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup softened butter

3/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup Nestle All-Purpose Cream (chilled)

2 cups powdered sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat the airfryer to 190° Celsius. Grease two round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease the top of the parchment paper. (I used an 8" springform pan and cooked two batches since I only have one pan.)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well-blended.

3. In another bowl, whisk the oils, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.

4. Using a spatula, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.

5. Fold in the carrots and walnuts.

Carrots and walnuts!

6. Pour the batter into the cake pans.

7. Set the airfryer to Bake mode and bake at 170° Celsius for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake is springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted to the center of the cake comes out clean.

8. Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper and cool off completely before frosting.

Buttercream frosting, before chilling. 

9. To make the frosting, whisk the butter, cream cheese, and Nestle All-Purpose Cream. Add the powdered sugar in four batches, whisking the mixture until thick and smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

10. To assemble, spread frosting on one part of the cake and place the other part to sandwich the frosting. Spread frosting on all sides of the cake. Top with extra chopped walnuts. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. (I refrigerated mine overnight.)

My first-ever carrot cake! Neighbors loved it! :)

P.S. Many thanks to everyone who greeted Yue on his birthday! He truly appreciated all the greetings and well-wishes! :)

A Day at St. Martin De Porres' Kids Home.

And just like that, my Mum's two-week holiday has finally come to an end.

Mum came home for a quick vacay to celebrate her birthday. But unlike the previous years when she'd throw a huge party or the entire family would go on a beach trip, this year, she chose to celebrate her birthday differently - more meaningful, if I may say. Mum celebrated her 57th birthday (yes, that's how young she is) with the kids of St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home.

Not even the rain can stop us from visiting St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home!

My siblings and I had extended help to SMDP KH previously by sending some toiletries, toys, and pre-loved books for the kids. Mum learned about our 'mini charity work' belatedly, so she pledged her birthday to SMDP KH instead.

Welcome to St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home!

Founded in 1997 by Rev. Fr. Gregorio Raymundo OP (+), St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home is a non-stock, non-profit educational and charitable institution in San Pablo City. It serves as a transitional home for male street children who have been neglected, abused, orphaned, maltreated, unsupervised, and uncared for.

Kuya Jorelle warming up to the kids. 

The shelter is located at Brgy. Concepcion, a ten-minute drive from the city proper, and currently houses 16 kids, with the youngest kid at just three years old.

Getting to know the kids.

Our visit to St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home was slated on a Sunday, from 11 am to 1 pm. It was raining heavily that day, but not even the bad weather could stop us from spending time with the kids.

Having fun...

It was so nice of our dear friend Jorelle (who is a balikbayan himself) to come along with us. He's a pro when it comes to children's parties, and he made our visit to SMDP KH more fun by entertaining the kids with some pep talk and parlor games.

Playing games...

No party would be complete without food, of course, and nothing says party like a hearty meal of Jollibee Chickenjoy. :)

Sharing food and smiles!

Aside from the fast food, we also brought grocery items and other food stuff for the shelter. The kids were so nice and appreciative, and it was such a humbling experience to see how positive they are about life.

Morgan had the most fun with the kids of St. Martin de Porres. :)

Mum with Ate Sally, who looks after the kids of SMDP KH.

Truly, it was a birthday made more meaningful for Mum, and a weekend well-spent for all us, especially the three kids (Yue, Maggie, and Morgan). The entire family is looking forward to doing this again with the kids of St. Martin de Porres.

Thank you, St. Martin de Porres kids for having us! 

They say we should always be a blessing to others, and yes, you too can be a blessing to these kids. :)

St. Martin de Porres Kids' Home

Purok 3, Brgy. Concepcion, 

San Pablo City

(049) 562 5288

6 Awesome Birthday Gift Ideas For Your Girlfriend.

Your girlfriend's birthday is coming up but still don't know what gift to give? Make her birthday memorable and exceptional with lots of love and one (or maybe all) of these gift ideas. Choose from this list of awesome birthday gift ideas for girlfriend and surprise her on her special day. These wonderful gifts will definitely make her special day even more special and truly unforgettable.

Kim Jae Wook and Park Min Young in Her Private Life (2019).

'What I Love About You' Diary
Fill this diary about all the things that you love about your girlfriend and surprise her with it. This is a lovable and a cute personalized gift that you can give for her birthday. It lets you express all the things that you love about her that made you fall in love. It also has some interesting fill-in-the-blanks questions about your relationship, and you can answer them in such a way that will allow you to express your thoughts and emotions and make your girlfriend feel truly loved.

What I Love About You (By Me).

Pillow with Love Message
Another beautiful birthday gift for your girlfriend is this pillow with a love message. Unique and personalized, this pillow allows you to express your love for girlfriend with words of your own. She can sleep thinking about you, or use it as a decoration and be reminded of your love. This is a sweet gift to make your girlfriend think about you when you are not around.

Pillow with Love Message.

Couples Card Game

An interesting birthday gift for your girlfriend is this Couples Card Game. This game has fun and exciting activities, and ice-breaker, conversation-starter questions. It can help you get intimate with your girlfriend and bring you closer to each other. With the element of fun, this card game also gives you an opportunity to learn a lot about each other, your likes, dislikes, choices, and everything else.

Couples Card Game.

Wooden Picture Frame with Love Message.
Express your feelings with words! This wooden picture frame has a space not just for a photo, but also for a sweet love message. This contemporary picture frame features a heart-shaped pattern made with cotton, a space on the side for your photo with your girlfriend, and another space in the middle for your sweet birthday message. This frame can be hung on the wall or placed on a table - a great gift that looks good as a room decor for your office or home, and a nice reminder of your love for your girlfriend.

Wooden Picture with Love Message.

Playful Checkbook for the Bedroom.
If playful gifts are your thing, here's something that you and your sweetheart will love - a checkbook that you can fill with sweet, fun, and naughty things. This gift will enhance the romance and closeness between you two, and will make your lives together even more interesting with the witty advices and playful activities. Some are simple, some are complex, but in all of it, there is fun. Your girlfriend will love this gift on her birthday. This is a creative gift that channelizes your emotions and gets you even closer to her.

Playful Checkbook.

Spa Basket with Lavender Bath Items.

Finally, we have this spa basket filled with lavender bath items. This set has a bath comb, bubble bath, body scrub, bath salt and more. Surprise your girlfriend with this gift basket, and let her indulge and pamper herself with these bath and body products. Each item in this spa basket has the aroma of lavender, which can soothe her body, set the mood, and keep your girl in a happy state of mind.
Your girlfriend will definitely love this very thoughtful gift basket.

Spa Basket with Lavender Bath Items.

Hope this list has given you an idea for your girlfriend's birthday!
These are some impressive and unique gift ideas, guaranteed to make the recipient (aka your girlfriend) truly happy. For more wonderful gift ideas and party ideas, visit Birthdayinspire.com.

Wordless Wednesday #122 | Happy Birthday, Mum!

Mum may be miles away, but we celebrated her birthday anyway!
The kids blew the candles for her. :)

Wordless Wednesday #120 | Happy Birthday Elmo!

Happy Birthday to my most favorite muppet of all time! :)

Wordless Wednesday #112 | Happy Birthday to Me!

I turned 33 last Sunday, and yes, I have no qualms about revealing my age. :)
Despite the bad weather brought about by Typhoon Hagupit, I was able to celebrate my birthday at home, with my family.

With my little man and my princess niece. :)

Big thanks to my fambam, my friends, my colleagues, and Chael Sonnen (he sent me a birthday greeting via Twitter, how freaking awesome is that) for making my day super special. :)

Make a wish! :)

Oh, and here's a close-up shot of my birthday cake. My sister got my KPop groups mixed up, and baked me an EXO cake! Haha, the irony! But who cares about the design, as long as it tastes great, right?

My EXO birthday cake courtesy of Bake it Away.

Wordless Wednesday #109 | A Cowabunga Birthday!

Simple celebration at home, with the family.

Hello, birthday boy!

Michaelangelo cake from Bake It Away.

Make a wish, baby! :)

Wordless Wednesday #108 | Happy Birthday, Yue!

The little man turns six today!
Happy Birthday, my Moon Angel!
We love you! :)

Shakey's Birthday Party | Heroes, Pizza, Fun!

Yue's friend, Chiara, turned seven a few days ago. To celebrate the occasion, she had a party at Shakey's, where Yue (and I), and the rest of the Grade 1 class (and the moms, of course) had been invited. I wanted to blog about the experience, because truth be told, it's our first time to attend a Shakey's Birthday Party. Haha!

Happy Birthday Chiara!

The function room at Shakey's San Pablo can accommodate 70-80 guests. This was how the place looked like when set-up.

Birthday set-up. :)

At present, Shakey's has only one party theme available - Justice League Unlimited. Chiara, however, wanted a Frozen-themed birthday party. The staff at Shakey's San Pablo were kind enough to grant Chiara's request. The Frozen balloons, the cake, and the party favors were provided by Chiara's family, while the Justice League stuff are included in Shakey's party package.

Yue with Chiara, in her Anna costume.

Aside from the usual party hats, the kids were given super hero capes, which I thought was pretty cool. The boys got Batman, while the girls got Wonder Woman capes.

Game prizes and party favors.

Frozen balloons and Justice League loot bags.

Shakey's balloons.

Elsa birthday cake + cake pops.

Of course, no children's party would be complete without parlor games...

Yue having the time of his life. Hahaha!

Kids having fun!

And a mascot appearance, too!

Chiara and Captain Shakey's.

Photo op with the kids.

Pandemonium, lol!

Captain Shakey's even went table-hopping. :)

Oh, and the food! Shakey's has four food packages, with prices ranging from Php 155 to Php 225.

Spaghetti, chicken, mojos, garlic bread, and pizza + a glass of cola.

A Shakey's birthday party runs for two hours. They are pretty strict when it comes to time, and they charge extra in excess of the allotted time. Prior to the party, Chiara's mom (who also happens to be my friend) gave us guests a gentle reminder to arrive on time because of the tight schedule. If you're planning to throw a Shakey's birthday party, I suggest you do the same with your guests to avoid the hassle. :)

With the birthday girl.

Happy campers! :)

Yue enjoyed the party so much that I'm considering Shakey's for his seventh birthday party next year. (Aside from the fact that the little man loves their Mojos and Chicken to bits!) Hopefully, they'll have more party theme options by then. :)