Mini Cream Cheese Cupcakes by Little Hands

~ Mini Cream Cheese Cupcakes ~

Baking has always been a great school holiday activity for us. We did it again this September school holiday. It keeps my little one occupied while I get to bake for the family all at the same time, a win-win situation? Or you call it killing two birds with one stone? However, I must ensure all ingredients are ready to begin as fast as lightning after the activity has been announced in order to avoid yakking from the little one. I am not sure if you have experienced this but I do all the time.

I think baking is definitely a great way to embark on as a child grows. It is closely associated with the skills in Mathematics and Science. Depending on recipes, the measurement in all ingredients, division of portions and balancing of structure may require different levels of knowledge in calculation. The variation in mixture preparation to the baking temperature of the main ingredients, often flour, fats, sugar and eggs, may send a wide variation to the baking results. There are so many factors in play. As a child’s degree of knowledge in both grows, the level of baking complexity that he/she could take on, grows too. How interesting!

Toddlers have the tendency of being short in attention span. So, a small, simple and straight forward recipe like this one will be ideal. As the child grow older and is able to take on more specific instructions, the level of complexity in a baking recipe grows in tandem. It is the same for adults. As the basic skills are mastered, we are able to take on a more and more complex baking recipes. For now, I am happy with baking muffins/cupcakes with my little girl.

This is a recipe which I have used a much reduced sugar level. It comes up to about 10% sugar content, suitable for most “sweet sensitive” taste buds. The muffins/cupcakes have a moist and densely baked texture, making it perfect for toddlers who do not take on dry baked food very well. These plain looking Cream Cheese Cupcakes make great snack at all times!

Mini Cream Cheese Cupcakes Recipe (Yields 7 cups, size 45mm x 37mm) :

A. Ingredients

1. 125 grams Butter (leave at room temperature & cut into small cubes)
2. 60 grams Sugar
3. 125 grams Cream Cheese (cubed)
4. 3 Eggs
5. 150 grams Top Flour

 B. Instruments

1. Weighing Scale
2. Cake Mixer
3. Muffin/Paper Cups 45mm x 37mm

AMC Baking Method :

1. Cream butter and sugar with a cake mixer on “level 4” out of 5. Add cream cheese and mix till light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, and mix evenly. Reduce cake mixer level to “level 1” and gradually add flour to the mixture. Scoop mixture into the paper cups, making about 3/4 full.
2. Preheat the pot unit with Navigenio heat level “3” to 50°C or “Meat Window”. Use Audiotherm as an indicator by turning it on, place on lid knob, indicating 50°C or “Meat Window”.
3. When Audiotherm beeps, turn off both Navigenio & Audiotherm. Remove lid and place pot unit on the up-turned lid. Place all cups to the preheated pot unit.
4. Cover pot unit with Navigenio turned upside down. Turn Navigenio on lower heat level “-“ with Audiotherm activated to bake for 10 minutes.
5. When Audiotherm beeps, turn off both Navigenio & Audiotherm. Remove all cupcakes from pot to cool on a cooling rack.

Tips : Believe it or not?! An AMC pot is the smallest and most efficient baking oven in the world. Instead of heating a baking oven with approx. 60 litres volume, you can bake cakes, pastries, cookies etc in an AMC pot (approx. 4.0 or 5.0 litres volume) on the Navigenio. You save up to 75% time and energy!