Cakes & Cupcakes – Page 2 – Encouraging Treats

The Sweet Struggle

One of my favorite desserts at Starbucks is the sweet and creamy, mini Banoffee pie! It’s just one of those simple desserts that I can’t get enough of. The combination of bananas, crushed graham, chocolate, caramel, and cream works so well! Recently, I had the opportunity to prepare a Banoffee pie at home. I figured that it would take less than two hours to make it, so I started at around 4pm. But to my surprise, it was already around 10 pm when I finished making the dessert.

Why did it take me so long to prepare it? Well, it’s all because of the dulce de leche (caramel) in it. I read in a lot of Banoffee Pie recipes that we can actually make our own caramel by heating up the condensed milk until it has reached our desired consistency and color. However, it is crucial to remember that heating the condensed milk directly from the pan won’t be a good step since it would probably just burn the milk easily.

The other two fastest ways to cook/heat up the condensed milk are the ff:

Plan A: This includes simmering (or boiling with a medium heat) an unopened can of condensed milk that is submerged in a pot of water for 2 to 3 hours (or maybe more).

Plan B: This includes double broiling the condensed milk in a bowl on top of a small pot with simmering water, while mixing the milk constantly.

Of course, Plan A sounds easier, but I chose to do Plan B because of some precautions and warnings about Plan A that I read in some news articles. Apparently, some can manufacturers do not recommend cooking the milk in the unopened can to avoid accidents/problems such as: explosions due to overheating and health risks as some say that the cans may release chemicals to the milk once heated.

I started double broiling the condensed milk and actually enjoyed the first few minutes of it. But, when I saw that the color of the milk was still the same even after two hours of broiling, I started to get discouraged. I remember telling God how it seemed that it wasn’t such a good idea to do Plan B. In my mind, I was thinking of the time I was wasting because I was double broiling the milk. And it sort of frustrated me because I couldn’t see any results. The cream-colored condensed milk wasn’t getting thicker and wasn’t turning into brown.

I decided to get a glass of water to cool myself down and went back to the kitchen after a few minutes. When I went near the stove, I noticed a number of ants huddling around and enjoying the few drops of condensed milk on the countertop. At first, I shivered when I saw them because I am not a fan of insects. However, God still used that opportunity to speak to me.

He reminded me of how ants are described in the Bible: HARDWORKING and WISE. They persevere in preparing beforehand and they enjoy their harvest afterwards.

I was tempted not to finish cooking the dulce de leche, but God encouraged me to be faithful, like the ants, even in that simple task. He encouraged me to persevere and not to give in to the discouragements around me. But more importantly, He encouraged me to remember who He is (Faithful, Able, Gracious) at that time when I was struggling. :)

Psalm 105:4 “Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always.”

(One of my favorite verses in the Bible. :D)

I continued to double broil the condensed milk and decided to stop only when it already reached the caramel consistency and color. By God’s grace, after many hours, I was finally able to have my dulce de leche ready for the Banoffee Pie. Thank You, Lord! :)

“If the struggle you’re facing is slowly replacing your hope with despair.

Or the process is long and you’re losing your song in the night.

You can be sure that the Lord has His hand on you.

Safe and secure, He will never abandon you.

You are His treasure and He finds His pleasure in you.”

[Steve Green’s He Who Began a Good Work]

Encourage yourself one treat at a time! :)

Choosing to be Grateful

A few weeks ago, my dad asked me to try making one of our family’s favorites: Sansrival. But, because the recipes I found were either too complicated or expensive, I decided to try making Silvanas instead.

The first step included beating the egg whites until they were stiff. It was a challenge for me because I couldn’t use my broken, electric hand mixer. I had no choice but to manually whisk it.

I thought to myself, “If only I had a Kitchen Aid mixer right now (my dream mixer)…” I was tempted to complain because it would have been so much easier for me to whip it with a mixer. However, God reminded me to use what I had (my hands) at that time and do my best to work with the egg whites, instead.

After attempting to whisk them, I also asked help from my older brother, Michael, to assist me in producing the desired consistency of the whipped egg whites. By God’s grace, we were able to make a stiff batch of egg whites (with the perfect consistency for the meringue).

I continued to do the next steps in the recipe and prepared the different layers.

After making the layers, the only thing that I needed to do was to put finely crushed cashew nuts all over the Silvanas. The recipe suggested to use a food processor for the nuts, but, I didn’t have a food processor. And I found myself thinking about what I didn’t have again. “If only I had a food processor, this step would have been so much easier…”

But, God (being the awesome God that He is) gently rebuked me and said: “What’s up with you, Nic? Why do you focus on what you don’t have and keep on complaining? Have I not given you the things that you need?”

Right then and there, God showed me how foolish I was to practice that kind of attitude. I still have hands that I can use to bake/cook. And besides, even if I didn’t have a food processor, I could use the blender we have to easily crush the nuts for the Silvanas.

I realized that every time I choose to focus on what I don’t have and complain about it, I miss out on the privilege of being able to thank God — for who He is and for what He has given me. I remember reading this quote* in one of the images in Google: “What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?”

It was a good reminder for me to constantly have a grateful heart, not because I am afraid that God would take away what I already have (material things, relationships, etc.), but because God simply deserves the best. He deserves my best thanks and praise! :)

Moreover, it says in Hebrews 13:5:

“…be content with what you have, because God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

I like how God related ‘being content’ to ‘acknowledging His presence’ in our lives. I realized that one of the reasons why we aren’t content/grateful is because we forget how much our Father God loves us. We forget how He is more than enough for us.

What’s keeping us from being content? From being grateful?

I learned that we may not always get what we want, but God provides for us everything that we need for His good purposes to be fulfilled in our lives. Ultimately, He is all we need.

Encourage yourself one treat at a time! :)

*I still don’t know who said the statement I quoted earlier. If you do, please let me know, so I can properly cite him/her. Thank you! :)

The Maker’s Manual

If I had to choose between waffles and pancakes, I would definitely go with waffles! :) The sweet, crisp, golden brown treats sold in the market have always fascinated me. Moreover, I’ve always had the desire to try making them on my own. By God’s grace, I was able to purchase a Belgian Waffle Maker and produce the delicious treats at home! :)

The saleslady, who assisted me, gave me two important reminders: 1) Preheat and wait for the green light before pouring the batter on the pan; and 2) Read the manual. As I was going out of the store, I thought to myself: “Read the manual? Yeah, right. Hahaha. I might not have time for that anyway.”

At home, I immediately assembled the waffle maker and started preparing the ingredients. While I was waiting for the dough to rise, I suddenly remembered the manual which was in the box. At that time, I did not feel like reading the manual, but God gently rebuked me and encouraged me to scan through it. Surprisingly, after reading all of the instructions, I realized that a Product Manual is very important and that it is very similar to God’s Word – the Bible! :)

Why Do I Say So? Because a Product Manual…

Helps us Know the Company and the Product more

The company provided a detailed description of the waffle maker and appropriate photos (with labels) to help the readers understand the product and its uses more. Similarly, this reminded me of how God provided in His Word everything we need to know as we live the lives He has blessed us with.

Moreover, God reveals Himself to us whenever we read the Bible and it’s amazing because we never run out of things to learn about God. Through His Word, we are able to discover His different attributes, desires, plans and promises for us, His creations, the things He does not like and so much more! Also, through His Word, we are able to understand His purpose and love for us.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13

2. Helps Guide and Protect Us

I was supposed to test the waffle maker by preheating it and leaving it on for a while without any batter in it (just out of curiosity). But for some reason, God stopped me from doing so. And I thank God that He did because minutes later, I read one of the many “Do Not” instructions in the manual:

“Never run the appliance empty.”

Right then and there, I realized that manuals help protect us from experiencing harm or unnecessary pain. In the same way, whether we like it or not, God expresses His Do’s and Don’t’s in the Bible for our own good. Sometimes, people tell me how frustrating it is to live by God’s rules and standards in the Bible. I do understand where they are coming from because, of course, sometimes, it allows us to step out of our comfort zone.

But, at the same time, I also encourage them to view those instructions as “Because-I-Love-You Guidelines” instead. Why? Because God loves us so much not to let us experience what is less than best. And He does so by giving us limitations here and there and standards to live by according to His Word and good will for us.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8

3. Helps us Experience the Best

This instruction is one of the most crucial steps involved in the process of making waffles (as seen in the manual):

“Plug into socket. The red indication will illuminate. Allow the appliance to pre-heat: the green light comes on when the correct cooking temperature is reached.”

I remembered this instruction, which was also given to me by the saleslady, and carefully followed it after reading the manual. By God’s grace, with the help of my lovely waffle maker, I was able to produce these sweet, crisp, golden brown waffles! :)

If I did not preheat the pan and wait for the green light to come on, I would have ended up with weird, flat waffles. The pan needed to have the right temperature first before having contact with the batter. Generally speaking, when using waffle makers, we have to wait until the maker says it’s okay to pour the batter in (via light/sound). We just have to trust that the manufacturers know what is best.

God allowed me to realize that likewise, we have to wait until our Maker says it’s okay before we do something; before we make a decision. We have to seek God’s “green light”, approval and opinion first (Of course, through the Bible and prayer). Why? Because just like the manufacturers, God knows what is best for us and we just have to put our trust in Him.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

-Isaiah 55:8-9

It has been five years since the first time I seriously read and studied God’s word and it still feels great to learn some more from it! I actually did not expect myself to continue it when I started because there were times when I would feel lazy, be busy, or even feel weak spiritually.

However, by God’s grace, He continues to give me the desire to do it — from studying one verse to eventually meditating on a chapter every day. Through this, my heart continues to be satisfied and strengthened by God and I am continuously filled with hope — Hope that is found in Him. I look forward to learning and improving more for His glory as I read the Bible.

What’s hindering you from reading the Bible? Why don’t you give it a try? :)

Encourage yourself one VERSE at a time! :)

Celebrating with Strawberry Cake

Last Wednesday, I was thinking of baking Strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting for today’s blog entry. I wanted to bake a cake because it was my way of celebrating God’s goodness in my life. After eight months, He has answered one of my major prayer requests and I am very, very grateful! By God’s grace, today marks my first day at work! Woohoo!

After purchasing the ingredients last Wednesday, my mom and sister suggested that I bake on Thursday instead because it was already getting late. At first, I was hesitant because I wanted to bake already, however, I eventually agreed.

After a few minutes, I realized that I didn’t have parchment paper at home! I knew that I couldn’t bake the cake without it because the batter would just stick to the pan after baking and it would just end up in a mess. I was actually tempted to use wax paper; but, I knew that it would not stand the heat of the oven. It was obvious that in order for me to produce the best cake possible, I had to wait until the next day to buy parchment paper.

“Okay, Lord, I will wait.” I whispered before going to bed.

The next day, I immediately made phone calls and asked if certain stores were selling that type of paper. There was a time when I was already losing hope because it seemed like I was never going to get it. I told God something like this: “Lord, I really want to bake this cake today. I know that if it’s your will, you would provide the parchment paper. But, I thank you still, because I even have this opportunity to bake. Thank you, in advance, because I know that you will provide and make this a beautiful cake.”

I tried making a few more calls after praying and finally, I was able to find parchment paper in one of the nearby stores! Woohoo!

While I was already baking the cake, I was thanking God for being so awesome that day. Then, I realized that he actually allowed me to go through the “parchment paper hunting” experience to remind me of how the past eight months have been for me (and my job hunting). Talk about perfect timing!

I want to share snippets from my journal (conversations with God) about my job hunting experience, so you can understand my situation more. :P

November 8, 2011 12:04pm

…I’m feeling a bit sad because I still don’t have work… But, I thank you because even if I don’t see how things will work out, I still believe in your faithfulness…

December 8, 2011 4:00pm

…Sometimes, I’m still tempted to sulk and to compare myself to others. Some of my friends already have work and I wonder why I still don’t have a job. *sigh* But, you continue to remind me to trust in You and I do trust in you. Thank you for speaking to me again through your word and reminding me that I have hope in you. I just pray that I would continue to have the desire to love you more than anything/anyone else…

January 8, 2012

Pastor Peter asked us: “If you had one request to ask from God, what would it be?” Of course, I remembered my prayer request to have a job. However, you reminded me that that one request actually shows what is most important in my life. And Lord, more than asking for a job, I want to request that I may be more intimate with You in this waiting period. You are more important than my future job…

February 8, 2012 10:53am

…No work yet. But, by Your grace, I can say that I am actively waiting for the best first job you have for me. Thank you also for reminding me of your promises in the Bible and helping me dwell on your different characteristics…

March 8, 2012 10:15 am

I want to work… But, even if you don’t answer my prayer immediately, I still choose to thank you, Lord. I trust you so much. You are in control.

One of the things that I learned from 2 Samuel 2 today is to always seek your opinion first before making decisions. For the past months, I’ve had the opportunities to be interviewed by different companies, but somehow, you still haven’t given me the blessing. Please continue to give me wisdom…

April 8, 2012

(Our family was touring Singapore and sadly, I wasn’t able to write in my journal and read the Bible that day. Although I had some prayer time with God, I still missed the privilege of learning from his word. Looking back, I realized that God never changes. Even if I sometimes am unfaithful in my walk with Him, He still is faithful. He still loves me the same. What an amazing Father! :) )

May 8, 2012

There are times when I still feel pressured by the people around me, especially when they say something like this: “What? Wala ka pang work? Ang tagal mo nang naghahanap ah.” I just laugh when I remember those moments, but, of course, it still stings a bit when I think about it. *Sigh* But, I thank you because you continue to encourage me to continue doing my best in job hunting and to trust in You, my Hope. :)

I read this in my quiet time “Psalm 21:2 You have given him his heart’s desire” and it reminded me of how you answer prayers. Sometimes, I’m still tempted not to believe it. But, Lord, you are God and I am not. You can do anything.

June 8, 2012

7:23am

Thanks for today! I have an interview later. I’m kind of nervous but, Lord, I will get out of my bed, I will step out in faith and do my best later because I believe if it’s your will for me, you would provide this job for me. You are in control. I read psalm 49 this morning. Thank you for reminding me not to place my security on earthly things. You’re everything, Lord. You know I will praise You no matter what happens today. :)

4:30pm

WOW, LORD. I GOT THE JOB. WOW. WOOOOOOW. o_O Thank you!!! :”)

YESSSSSSS!!! After 8 months, more than 60 applications sent, a number of unsuccessful interviews/job applications, a rollercoaster ride (emotionally and spiritually), consultations with God and people around me, etc… God has answered my prayer request to have a job! :) Woohoooooo! :D :) :D :)

SO, TODAY, I CELEBRATE AND PRAISE GOD BECAUSE:

1. God is God – He is sovereign. He knows what He is doing. He knows what’s best for me.

2. God’s timing is always perfect – Even if I got the job eight months after my graduation, I can clearly see the reasons why He allowed it to happen; that this is His best for me; and that this is where he wants me to be now.

3. God understands – Throughout the past eight months, He has comforted me in so many ways and He has reassured me of His love for me, especially when I was at my lowest moments.

4. God is faithful – in spite of my unfaithfulness sometimes.

5. God answers prayers – He gave me the desires of my heart: to be more intimate with Him and to have a job. Interestingly, He gave the job to me when my heart was fully surrendered to Him. Only by His grace!

After baking the strawberry cake, I got so amused that I started doing research about strawberries more! According to www.whatscookingamerica.net, strawberries that have been harvested do not ripen. This means that it is important to wait for the strawberries to fully ripen before picking them.

That simple trivia reminded me of how God let me go through the long wait before picking me and placing me in the workplace that I am in right now. I guess He wanted me to be “ripe” first. He wanted me to focus more on Him and have my character molded by Him before giving me the privilege of having work.

Thank You, Lord! You are forever amazing… and I want everyone to know that! :D

Encourage yourself one treat at a time! :)

Recipe by: Brandi from www.lookimadethat.com

Category: Cakes & Cupcakes

The Sweet Struggle

Choosing to be Grateful

The Maker’s Manual

Celebrating with Strawberry Cake

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