Almond and Orange Blossom Cupcake

There's a mixture of feeling when I found my old classmates from the primary school at a community I join in. You can't really imagine how they look like now for all you know from the old memory was a pair of shorts, mischief, and the heat of the sun. Yes, there were lots of activities in the sun, boy-girl scouts, marching band, not to mention hiking or journeying into forests, barefooted. Mind you, I was always a jungle girl, felt earth on my feet and rain on my head. I love cycling and I love being with my friends.

I am just so glad that I've found them. It's a cliche feeling perhaps to remember what we did at school times. Not much to tell I suppose. How big was your memory when you were only 8 or 10 years old?

There are shadows, laughter, and yes... childhood food. And there's also friendship, tolerance, and solidarity. That's what I feel when I find my old classmates: solidarity. I still can feel it in the air, even when we're just sending emails of throwing jokes through chatterbox.

Pendopo92 is a website which unites all of us who has connection with this very village. It is the place where I was born, where I spent my primary years with lots of friends, where I was introduced to traditional food which I miss so much since I am really far away to the access. A hometown you might call it.

Pendopo is a very rural area in South Sumatra and had had its golden time back then. In the old days, it was well-known rich with 'black gold'. It has its own history, back in 1912 when it was found in a shallow depth of the earth's layer which then produced 800 barrel of oil a day, until later in 1922, the produce was up to 10,000-20,000 barrels per day. My father worked at that oil company which was named PT Stanvac Indonesia in the old times until these days it is called PT Medco Energi International.

And today, I suppose the oil is gone and people change the directions or plans although many of them have still been involved in oil matters. I am probably one of many who does not follow the next-generation of oil-mining workers and associates because I chose to be different.

Anyway, I am here to submit an entry to contribute Aparna's Sweet Celebration on her 1st blog anniversary. Blogging changes your life? Maybe so. Maybe we're just growing older with a growing group of friends. Maybe we're getting wiser from one oldest post to the latest. Maybe so.

Well, Happy Blogging Annivesary for Aparna At My Diverse Kitchen. Keep blogging, my friend and keep up your good works!

Almond and Orange Blossom Cakes

Source: Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 41, October/November 2008.

125g butter, softened

¾ cup (165g) caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup (250ml) plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder, sifted

¼ cup (30g) almond meal

½ cup (125ml) milk

2 tsps orange blossom water

sugar flowers, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 160C (320F). Beat butter, sugar and extract until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, and then almond meal, milk and orange blossom water (the recipe tells us to beat it, but I just fold it gently). Combine well. Spoon the mixture into 18 x ½ cup-capacity (125ml) muffin tins lined with paper cases (I ran out of paper cases and I used bigger size muffin tins, greased and floured, so I only get 6 cupcakes). Bake for 15 minutes or until springy to the touch. Remove from the tins and cool on the wire racks. When cooled, spoon the lemon icing on top of each cupcake and decorate with sugar flowers.

Lemon Icing

2 cups (320g) icing sugar mixture, sifted

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs boiling water

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. (You should sift the icing sugar to avoid lumps formed, although they may be 'melted' when all mixed with the boiling water and other liquid). Makes 18.