Swiss Chocolate Cream Cake

Recipe No: 300
On May 10th 2012 ‘A Tasty Challenge’ celebrated its 2nd birthday. I have a great satisfaction when I think of the very first post I published two years back. I thank all my friends and family who supported me in this venture….

This is also the 300th recipe I am posting, (Including the ones that I left uncounted when I did the 262 recipe challenge) and to make the occasion special I made this Swiss Chocolate Cream Cake. Even though the steps in making this Cake are simple, it takes a bit of time to reach the point where you can eat the Cake. But once you taste it you will feel like you are paid for your patience.

Ingredients                                        Serves 14-16
To make the Sponge Cake (You can use Sponge Fingers/ Lady fingers instead)

• Eggs………………........3
• Sugar………………......1/2 Cup
• Vanilla Essence……..1/2 Teaspoon
• All Purpose Flour…..2/3 Cup (Maida)
• Corn Starch/ Flour…2 Tablespoons
• Salt………………….…...a pinch
• Baking Powder….…..1/3 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda……….…1/4 Teaspoon
• Butter…………………..2 Tablespoons
• Milk………………….….3 Tablespoons

To make the Chocolate Cream

• Chocolate Chips…............2/3 Cup (I used Semisweet Chocolate;100 grams/ 4 oz)
• Instant Coffee Powder….1/4 Teaspoon
• Milk…………………………...1/3 Cup
• Butter………………………...6 Tablespoons (1/3 Cup)
• Powdered/Icing Sugar...3/4 Cup
• Egg Yolk………………….....1
• Vanilla Essence…………...1/4 Teaspoon

To make the Whipped Cream

• Heavy Cream……………….1 ¼ Cup
• Powdered/ Icing Sugar…1/4 Cup
• Vanilla Essence…………....1/4 Teaspoon

For Decoration

• Sweetened Whipped Cream 
• Chopped Nuts or Grated Chocolate

Method of Preparation
To make the Cake

1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease it. Alternately apply a thin layer of Butter and dust it with Flour.
2. Sift together All Purpose Flour, Corn Starch/ Corn Flour, Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Keep it aside till ready to be used.
3. Preheat the oven to 320˚F/ 160˚C.

4. Beat together Eggs and Sugar till it is tripled in volume and attains a pale yellow color. (Please refer the picture to see the volume attained.) I did it in a stand mixer. But if you are using a hand mixer or an Egg Beater, please do this step on a double boiler as it makes the whipping easy (This is mentioned in the 'Notes' section for Jam Roll). Add the Vanilla Essence in between.
5. Heat Milk with Butter till it starts to simmer along the edges (I heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds.) and pour it into the Egg mixture while the beater is still on. Mix thoroughly.
6. Sift the Flour mixture once more on to the top of the whipped Egg mixture and fold/ mix very gently to combine. Do this process with utmost care as we don’t want to destroy the volume attained; but everything should be combined well. It is better to do this with a spatula.
7. Pour this mixer into the greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for 20-23 minutes.
8. Once the Cake is spongy and an inserted tooth pick comes out clean, remove it from the oven; tap it twice on the counter; keep the pan upside down on a cooling rack and leave it there to cool.
9. Once cooled, cut this horizontally into three equal parts and keep it aside till ready to be used.

Notes:

• Corn Flour/ Corn Starch is different from Corn Meal and you cannot substitute Corn Flour with Corn Meal.
• When the Egg reaches its full volume it should be homogenous. The non aerated fluid like portion, if present in the bottom, will make the Cake hard.
• Tapping the baked Cake on the counter and leaving it upside down to cool can help the cake from falling.
• Don’t open the oven until the last few minutes of baking or the Cake might fall (sink in the middle).
• You can avoid the whole step of making this sponge Cake and use Lady Finger Cake/ Sponge fingers instead. (I just want to make sure that my readers can make this even if the Lady/ Sponge Fingers are not readily available in their place.)
• This Sponge cake recipe can be used for most of the pastries.

To make the Chocolate Cream

1. Melt the Chocolate Chips and Instant Coffee granules along with half of the Milk in a double boiler (the bowl containing the Chocolate Chips placed in a pan with simmering Water without its bottom touching the Water). When the Chips are melted, remove it from the double boiler and mix in the remaining Milk. Keep it aside till ready to be used.

In the same double boiler, place a bowl with the Egg Yolk and a tablespoon of Water; keep on beating with a whisk until the Yolk is frothy and hot to touch. (Place a finger in the Yolk mixture and make sure it is nicely warm but not too hot; please refer the picture to see  before and after.) Keep on stirring during this process or it will form lumps from the cooked Egg Yolk. Let this cool down a bit.
Cream/ mix together Butter, Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Essence until smooth.
Add the Egg Yolk mixture and the Chocolate mixture to the creamed Butter. Combine this mixture for 4-5 minutes on medium speed or until it is really smooth, creamy, thick and lighter in color. Keep this aside till you are ready to assemble the cake.

Notes:

• Let the Chocolate and the Egg mixture cool down before adding into the Butter mixture or the heat will start to melt the Butter making it soupy.

To Make Whipped Cream

1. Whip together Cream, Sugar and Vanilla Essence till the Cream is stiff. (Meaning the Cream should hold the peak when you take the beater out.)

Notes:

• It is good to use Icing/ Confectioner’s Sugar while whipping the Cream, as the Corn Starch present in the Icing Sugar can slightly stabilize (hold the shape) the Cream.

To Assemble the Cake

1. Line a loaf pan (same one we made the Cake in) with Parchment paper in such a way that there is excess paper on both sides for easy lifting. (Don’t grease the paper now.)
2. Pour 1/3rd of the Chocolate mixture on the bottom of the tin and cover with a layer of sponge Cake/ fingers and then 1/3rd of the Sweetened Whipped Cream.
3. Repeat layering in the same order ending with Whipped Cream. Chill this thoroughly for at least 8 hours. (Overnight is the best.)
4. Turn the Cake upside down on a nice plate; peel off the parchment paper, cover with Sweetened Whipped Cream; decorate as you wish (with Chopped Nuts, Chocolate curls, Chocolate rectangles, Chocolate Wafer cookies or Chocolate Cylinder Cookies) and serve cold.

Notes:

• Chilling the Cake is important here, as it will give time for the moisture from the Chocolate filling and the Whipped Cream to sweep into the Cake, making it soft and moist. (I prefer to chill it overnight; finish decorating and Chill again for another 8 hours. The waiting period is the hardest in making this Cake, but it is totally worthy…)

To make the Decorations

1. It is up to you to decide what to decorate the Cake with. Here are some of the suggestions…

•  Sweetened Whipped Cream (Make it the same way we made Whipped Cream for layering) to cover the Cake with.

• Chocolate Curls. To make it, melt Semisweet Chocolate Chips until smooth and spread thinly (If it is thick it won't form curls) on the back of a parchment paper lined (use a tape to fix the paper) cookie sheet. Chill it for a few minutes (like 4-5 minutes) and scrape off the Chocolate curls with a knife as shown in the picture.

• Marbled Chocolate pieces. Spread the (spread it thicker than Chocolate curls) melted White and Semisweet Chocolate on the back of a parchment paper lined (use a tape to fix the paper) cookie sheet so that it makes a marbled design; (please refer the picture) chill it for 1 minute (not more); make cutting marks on the Chocolate with a knife (Make the cuts while the Chocolate is still soft) and let it cool completely in the fridge for at least an hour. Take it out and separate the pieces. (If you try to cut the pieces after the Chocolate solidifies, the Chocolate will break off easily; so make the marks before cooling the chocolate.)

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…

Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Recipe No: 288
This was the cake I made for the Valentine’s Day… The Cake together with frosting has a deep, rich Chocolate flavor, but the cake alone is very mild and on the less sweet side. I personally prefer the Cake alone with a light dusting of Powdered Sugar on top but as it was for an occasion, I dressed it up with this Chocolate Ganache.

Ingredients                              Makes one 8 inch Cake
For the Cake

• Cocoa Powder………………....1/4 Cup
• Instant Coffee Powder……...1 Teaspoon
• Boiling Water…………………..1 Cup
• All purpose Flour/ Maida….1 Cup
• Baking Powder…………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda…………………….3/4 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………………………a pinch (Avoid if using salted Butter)
• Unsalted Butter……………….1/2 Cup/ 1 Stick
• Sugar………………………………1 ¼ Cup
• Eggs……………………………..…2
• Vanilla Essence………………..1 Teaspoon

For Chocolate Ganache

• Semisweet Chocolate Chips…7 oz/ 1 cup
• Instant Coffee Powder………..1/8 Teaspoon
• Heavy Cream…………………….1/2 Cup
• Vanilla Essence/ Extract…….1/2 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation
To Make the Cake

1. Dissolve Cocoa Powder and Coffee Powder in the Boiling Water and keep aside till it cools to room temperature.
2. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt well; keep aside till ready to be used.
3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
4. Keep an 8 inch baking pan (I used a heart shaped pan) ready by applying a light coating of Butter and dusting it with some Flour. Alternatively line the pan with parchment paper and apply a light coating of cooking spray.
5. Beat Butter and Sugar together until creamy.
6. Add Eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and mix in Vanilla during the addition of the second Egg.
7. Add the Flour mixture and the Cocoa- Coffee solution alternating with each other, starting and ending with the Flour.
8. Pour the batter to the prepared pan; level the top and bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or till an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
9. Once the Cake is out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes; take it out and finish cooling on a rack before icing.

To make the Ganache

1. Heat Cream and Coffee Powder in a pan till it starts to simmer along the edges. (Do stir often to avoid skin from forming.)
2. Pour this over the Chocolate Chips in a bowl and let it sit for 2 minutes. (Please be patient and let it sit. Stirring before that will make the Ganache grainy from partially melted Chocolate. If this happens accidentally, reheat it in a double boiler until smooth.)
3. Stir to a make a smooth, glossy Ganache and mix in the Vanilla Essence.
4. Let it refrigerate for 5-8 minutes before frosting.

To frost the Cake

1. Spread the Ganache all over the Cake (I opted to spread it only on the top of the Cake.) and decorate it as you wish. (I used Powdered Sugar, some homemade sugar flowers and leaves and some store bought edible beads.)
2. Serve it at room temperature. 

Notes:

• The quality of Cocoa Powder is very crucial for this recipe. So use a Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder or a really good Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. I used Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder from Scharffen Berger. (Unlike the Dutch processed variety, this is slightly acidic and when used in recipes calling for baking Soda, which is an alkali, reacts together to create a leavening effect. So if in case you are using the Dutch processed Cocoa (which is neutral) please increase the amount of baking Soda to 1 teaspoon.
• As Water has a tendency to expand when heated, measure it only after boiling.
• Beat the Flour only till it is mixed. Over beating can result in a tough Cake.
• Sudden lowering in temperature can cause the Cake to fall, so open the oven only during the last stage of the baking. Touch the top of the cake to feel the doneness and insert the toothpick only if you feel that it is done. (If you feel it is still watery, please don’t take chance by inserting the toothpick.)
• Over baking can result in a dry Cake, so please don’t do it.
• Increase the amount of Heavy Cream for a thin Ganache that can be poured over the Cake.
• Refrigerating the Ganache for longer time will make it hard. So be careful with the time. If in case it hardens warm it slightly to make it soft again. (Don’t use high heat in this case as it may separate the Chocolate.)
• As this Ganache is made in a spreadable consistency (thicker than the normal Ganache), it will become very hard on refrigeration. So if you are using Ganache to decorate, please don't refrigerate the Cake. If you don't feel like finishing the Cake within a day or two, do refrigerate; but let it thaw well and come to the room temperature before serving.

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…

Banana Nut Cake

Recipe No: 265
Well most of the Banana Cakes recipes bear very close resemblance to Banana Bread… But this one is very different and you will realize as you go through the ingredient list. This was made for our friend who was an absolute Banana Cake fan when he asked me to make a Cake without Butter and less Egg… but he wanted it soft and moist. So I made this using Oil, less amount of Egg and Caramel for extra moisture and flavor.

" I have been desperately hunting for a banana cake with caramel recipe. The objective was to replicate the taste of the banana cake that I buy from a real good bakery here in Chennai."

I got this request from one of the reader a few days ago and decided to do, as my Banana Cake recipe closely matches what she asked for… I have no idea how the Cake that she was mentioning tasted like, but still I hope this works Priya.. try this out...

Ingredients                                 Makes one 9 inch Cake

• All Purpose Flour/ Maida….1 ½ Cups
• Baking Soda………………….....1/2 Teaspoon
• Baking Powder………………...1/2 Teaspoon
• Cinnamon Powder…………...1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………......1/4 Teaspoon
• Sugar………………………....….2/3 Cups
• Eggs…………………………....…2 (For those who want it a bit more healthy do use one whole Egg together with one Egg White)
• Vegetable/ Canola Oil……...1/2 Cup
• Vanilla Extract………………...1 Teaspoon
• Banana…………………………...2 Big mashed / 1 Cup
• Cashew Nuts…………………...1/2 Cup (dry roasted and chopped)

To make Caramel

• Sugar……………………………..1/3 Cup
• Hot Water…………………..….1/4 Cup

Method of Preparation
To Make the Caramel

1. On medium heat, caramelize Sugar in a very dry pan till golden brown without stirring (swirl the pan now and then, stirring can make the Carmel gritty).
2. Once golden brown, add hot water and let it mix properly by stirring. Switch off the heat and let it cool completely.

To make the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Prepare a pan by buttering and flouring an 8 or 9 inch pan lined with parchment paper. (Or simply use cooking spray)
3. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon Powder well; keep aside.
4. Mix the toasted Nuts with a Teaspoon of the above Flour mixture and keep aside.
5. Beat together Oil, Sugar, Eggs, Vanilla Essence, Caramel and Mashed Bananas really well until it is a homogenous mixture.
6. Gently mix/fold in the Flour mixture to the above Oil Egg Banana mixture until just combined.
7. Once mixed well, add the Nuts and stir till it is equally distributed.
8. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the Cake comes out clean.
9. Let it cool completely before serving. If you want to decorate it as a whole cake or as cupcakes, do use the Cream Cheese frosting.

Notes:

• I used 'Robusta' type Banana in this recipe. But if you are using the smaller ones please measure it after mashing.
• If you are using freshly made Cinnamon Powder which tends to be very strong, use only less.
• Don’t let the Caramel burn or the Cake will taste different.
• If you use cold Water while making Caramel it will solidify the Caramel. In case if that happens, keep it on low flame and let the Carmel melt thoroughly. Add a bit more Water if needed.
• To dry roast the Nuts, heat it in a dry pan on medium low heat until toasted and fragrant, stirring and turning often. Let it cool completely before using.
• Traditionally Banana Cake uses Walnuts; but as Walnuts are hard to get in India, I used Cashew Nuts (and also I like them more!!).
• Tossing the Nuts with some Flour will prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the pan..
• Beat the Cake mix really well before adding the Flour. Once the Flour is added, (stop all the mixers at this stage if you are using one) fold it with a wooden spatula till it is combined. If beaten too much, the Flour will start developing Gluten which will make the Cake dry and hard.
• Don’t open the oven often while baking. Sudden lowering of the temperature may cause the Cake to fall in the middle. So if you want to see how it is doing, please switch on the light and look through the glass panel (I mean, if it is possible.) If not, check the Cake only towards the end of the baking time.
• Over baking will make the Cake dry. So stop baking once it is done.
• The Caramel flavor in this Cake is subtle and will not over power the taste of Banana. If you want the taste of Caramel more, do make Caramel with 1/2 cup Sugar and 1/3 Cup Water.
• This Cake is on the less sweet side as I used to frost it with Cream Cheese frosting. But still, I think the sweetness is adequate for having it with a cup of Tea or Coffee.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Carrot and Date Cake

Recipe No: 263
This Cake was born as a complete surprise. A few months back my Mother in Law told me about a Carrot Cake, but memories of that was hidden in the back of my brain until a batch of Caramel that I made for Cashew Caramel tart went bitter. I realized that the batch went bad only after putting the Cashews in the Caramel… but what sort of a cook will I be if I throw that out? So the day after the completion of the blog, I whipped this cake up from that bitter Caramel (without paper and pen, as I decided to celebrate by cooking without them, which rarely happened after starting the blog!!!). But when that Cake turned out to be this good, I decided to make it once more but this time measuring and recording the ingredients….and thus this was born... So let me restart blogging with this Cake recipe…

Before coming to the actual recipe, let me explain a bit about this Cake… If you go through the ingredient list, you can see that the amount of Carrots, Dates and Nuts are far more than the amount of Flour (than most of the other Carrot Cake recipes) and hence this will be a bit difficult to cut (will crumble fast) while hot or at room temperature. So it is better to cool it in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. And also the slight hint of bitterness from the Caramel complements the Cake well when served chilled.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour/ Maida…..1 Cup
• Baking Soda……………………..3/4 Teaspoon
• Salt………………………………....a pinch
• Vegetable or Canola Oil……..3/4 Cup
• Sugar……………………………….3/4 Cup
• Eggs…………………………………2
• Vanilla Extract/ Essence…...1/2 Teaspoon
• Grated Carrots………………….1 Cup
• Chopped Dates………………...1 Cup
• Chopped Cashew Nuts…..….1/2 Cup

To Make the Carmel

• Sugar………………………….…..1/2
• Hot Water………………….……1/4 Cup

Method of Preparation

To make the Caramel

1. Heat Sugar in a dry pan on medium heat till nicely caramelized. (Don’t stir the Sugar while making the Caramel which makes it gritty, but do swirl the pan often to get the Sugar caramelized equally on all portions.) Make the Caramel really dark and on the bitter side. The bitterness of the Caramel complements this Cake really well.
2. Add hot Water to the Caramel and switch off the heat as soon as the Caramel is dissolved. Keep aside till it is cooled thoroughly.

To Make the Cake

1. Line a loaf pan (9 x 5 inch, alternately use a 9 inch round pan)with Parchment paper and spray with cooking Oil. (Alternately, apply a thin layer of Butter on the pan and sprinkle some Flour evenly on top and dust the extra off.)
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
3. Sift together Flour, Baking Soda and Salt together and keep aside.
4. Mix together Eggs and Sugar really well until most of the Sugar is melted through.
5. Add the Oil and beat really well until it is thickened and the mixture looks like Mayonnaise.
6. Add the prepared Caramel and Vanilla Essence; mix well.
7. Add the Flour mixture and mix slowly and gently until just combined. (Don’t mix the batter too much after adding the Flour as the Flour may develop the Gluten which can make the Cake tough.)
8. Add a tablespoon of Flour into the Carrots, Dates and Nuts and mix slightly (This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan (specially dates and nuts) and will aid to separate the Date pieces). Add this into the batter and mix till everything is distributed evenly.
9. Pour this mixture into the prepared pan, level the top and bake for 35 – 45 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the Cake comes back clean.
10. Once out of the oven, wait for some time for the Cake to cool and then keep it in the refrigerator.
11. Once chilled, run a knife along the sides and unmold the Cake. Cut and serve while cold. Keep the left over Cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

• Using hot Water will help the Caramel dissolve fast. On the other hand using cold water will solidify the Carmel and will take a long time for it to dissolve back. So it is better to use hot water while making Caramel.
• Caramel had an extremely high temperature, so take care and stand back while pouring the Water (hot or cold) into the Caramel as it bubbles up vigorously.
• Grate Carrots using the big holes of the box grater and chop dates with the knife. I prefer not to use the food processor as it will make them very fine and sticky which may affect the texture of the Cake.
• Do chop the Dates into small pieces or their weight will make them sink.
• Don’t open the oven while the cake is baking because sudden temperature changes may lead to the falling of the Cakes. (sinking in the middle)
• Do insert a toothpick only if the top of the cake feels cooked. If you do it before it  is almost cooked,  the Cake may fall in that area.
• It is very difficult to cut this Cake while hot. So do chill it before cutting.
• When chilled there are chances that the borders of the Cake become a bit chewy. So do remove it before serving. (If you have a family of at least two, it is almost certain that one among the two will love the chewy sides, unfortunately for me, all of us love the sides and it will be over before cutting the actual Cake!!!)
• Be sure to make the Caramel a bit bitter or this Cake will be over sweet. I like it when less sweet.
• This recipe can be doubled with the same quality if you want to serve more people.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Plum Cake

Recipe No: 245

I have mentioned about ‘Ann’s Bakery’ many times in my posts. It is the only bakery in my neighborhood that sells both Fruit and Plum Cakes. Usually those two names are used as synonyms, but Ann’s Fruit and Plum Cakes are very different. I like their concept of using all type of Fruits for Fruit Cakes but only Plums for Plum Cakes. The taste and texture of both of these are different. As per my recipes, Fruit Cakes have to sit and age for perfection as it uses Brandy, this doesn’t need that treatment. (I don't use Brandy for this, but if you want, you can too). Even though this is good to go on the day of baking itself, it is better from the 2nd day onwards.

Ingredients                                  Makes 2, 6 inch cakes
To make the Plum Puree

• Dried Plums………………………..12
• Water…………………………………1/2 Cup

To make the Caramel

• Sugar………………………………….1/2 Cup
• Hot Water…………………………..1/4 Cup

To make the Cake

• All Purpose Flour………………….1 ¼ Cups
• Baking Powder…………………….3/4 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda…………………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………………..1/4 Teaspoon (Avoid if you are using salted Butter)
• Dry Ginger/ Chukku Powder...1/4 Teaspoon
• Cardamom Powder…………….…1/4 Teaspoon
• Cloves Powder………………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Cinnamon Powder………………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Nutmeg Powder…………………...1/4 Teaspoon
• Caraway Seeds/ Cake Jeera…..1/2 Teaspoon
• Unsalted Butter…………………...1/2 Cup/ 1 stick
• Vegetable Oil……………………….3 Tablespoons
• Sugar………………………………....3/4 Cup
• Eggs………………………………...…3
• Vanilla Extract……………….......1 Teaspoon
• Dried Plums Chopped..………...1 Cup
• Toasted Cashew Nuts……........1/2 Cup (chopped)
• 1 ½ tablespoons of Flour to coat the Plums and Cashew Nuts

Method of Preparation
To make the Plum Puree

1. Boil 12 Plums in ½ Cup Water. Once boiled, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 3 minutes. Switch off the heat and let it cool.
2. Once cooled, blend the Plums together with the cooking liquid in a blender to a very smooth consistency. (Use 2-3 Tablespoons of Brandy if you want while pureeing.) Keep it aside till ready to be used.

To make the Caramel Syrup

1. Heat Sugar with a Tablespoon of Water in a thick bottomed sauce pan on medium low heat till it become amber colored Caramel.
2. Add boiled Water and let the Sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and let it cool down completely before using.

To make the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Put a parchment paper and apply a thin layer of Butter on two 6 inch cake pans and spread some Flour. Do dust the extra Flour off. Instead of this you can use cooking spray.
3. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Dry Ginger Powder, Cardamom Powder, Cloves Powder, Cinnamon Powder, Nutmeg Powder and Salt really well. Once sifted, mix in the Caraway Seeds. Keep aside till ready to be used.
4. Beat together Butter, Oil, Sugar and Vanilla Essence till light and fluffy.
5. Add Eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
6. Mix in the Plum Puree and the prepared Carmel to the Butter - Egg mixture. (At this point the batter may look all curdled; but believe me it will be fine.)
7. Stop beating and fold/ gently mix in the Flour mixture to the Batter. (Don’t over mix.)
8. Toss the chopped Plum and Cashew nuts with 1 ½ Tablespoons of Flour thoroughly and mix them with the Cake batter.
9. Divide and pour them equally among the two prepared Cake pans and level the top off.
10. Bake them in the middle of the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the Cake comes out clean.
11. Let it cool down for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan.
12. Cut and serve at room temperature. Store the Cake covered with Aluminum foil.

Notes:

• You can use Canola Oil instead of Vegetable Oil; the addition of the Oil will make the Cake moist.
• Don’t avoid Cashew Nuts as the crunch is really good in this recipe.
• If you don't have spice powders, please grind  whole spices and use.
• Don't avoid Caraway seeds as it gives a signature flavor to Fruit and Plum Cakes.
• While making the Caramel, don’t stir the Sugar, as stirring makes the Caramel gritty. But do swirl the pan often. Once the Sugar is caramelized, you can stir.
• Adding hot Water to the Caramel will dissolve the Sugar fast. If it is cold Water, the Caramel will solidify and it will take a long time to dissolve.
• Adding Water (hot or cold) to the Caramel results in bubbling up of the hot liquid. (It is very hot as Caramel  is formed only at high temperatures.) So do take care while doing this.
• Over mixing the batter after the addition of Flour will develop  Gluten in the Flour which in turn makes the Cake tough.
• Tossing Plums and Nuts with the Flour will separate the otherwise sticky Plums and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the Cake.
• Do chop the Plums small or it may sink to the bottom due to their weight.
• Don’t open the oven while the cake is baking because sudden temperature changes may lead to the falling of the Cakes. (sinking in the middle)
• Do insert a toothpick only if the top of the cake feels cooked. If you do it before it  is almost cooked,  the Cake may fall in that area.
• This Cake will stay good at room temperature for a few days; so please don’t refrigerate. But on the other hand it freezes well too. But once thawed, don’t refreeze or  refrigerate.
• If you want to use Brandy, add 2-3 Tablespoons while grinding the cooked Plums. Also drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons when the Cake is out of the oven and still warm. In this case the Cake will be good after a week or so.

 



Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Whipped Cream Cake with Cardamom

Recipe No: 226
When I saw a Cake recipe in ‘Rose’s Heavenly Cakes’ using Heavy Whipping Cream instead of Butter and Oil, it suddenly caught my attention. I loved the idea and decided to give a try and did it with many flavors and some adjustments in the amount of Flour and Baking Powder. The best result was this heavenly light and soft Cake flavored with Cardamom, one of my all time favorite flavors. Above all, you don't have to wait for the Butter to come to a room temperature to make this Cake!!!

Ingredients                                         Makes 1 Cake

• Sugar……………………………....1 Cup
• Cardamom……………………....4 big ones (or 6 small ones)
• Nutmeg Powder…………….....1/8 Teaspoon
• All Purpose Flour/ Maida….1 ¾ Cup
• Corn Flour……………………….2 Tablespoons
• Baking Powder………………..1 ¾ Teaspoons
• Salt…………………………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Heavy Whipping Cream…..1 ½ Cups (Cold)
• Eggs……………………………...3 Large (room temperature)
• Vanilla essence……………….1 Teaspoon
• Powdered Sugar for dusting at the end

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F/190˚C.
2. Grease a tube pan with Butter and dust lightly with Flour. (Can use a cooking spray instead.)
3. Grind together Sugar, Cardamom and Nutmeg into a fine Powder and keep aside.
4. Sift together Flour, Corn Flour, Baking Powder and Salt really well and keep aside.
5. Whip cold Heavy Whipping Cream in a bowl until it forms stiff peaks. (When you take the beater up the peaks of the Cream should stand without falling.) Do this on maximum speed with a whip attachment, if you are using a hand or stand mixer.
6. Lightly beat the Eggs and Vanilla Essence in another bowl and pour it slowly into the whipped Cream on a medium speed. Incorporate it well. At this stage the mixture will have a light Mayonnaise consistency.
7. Add the Sugar mixture (on medium to low speed or you will be covered in Sugar!)  to the Cream- Egg mixture and let it combine well.
8. Switch off the beater (if you are using) and combine the Flour mixture slowly in two additions with a rubber or wooden spatula into the Cream mixture. (The process should be gentle as we don’t want to deflate the Cream)
9. Pour the batter into the greased pan and level the top. Tap it once or twice on the counter to get rid of big air bubbles that may be trapped in the batter.
10. Bake it in the middle of the preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or  till an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
11. Let the Cake cool in the pan itself for 10 minutes before inverting into a serving plate. (Do run a pointed knife along the edges before inverting; the Cake will shrink away from the sides of the pan during cooling process.)
12. Once cooled, dust the top of the Cake with powdered Sugar before serving it with a dollop of sweetened Whipped Cream.

Notes:

• Nutmeg Powder will take away the ‘egg iness’ of the Cake. But if you don't have Nutmeg please ignore that part.
• Corn Flour is a white soft Flour that is used to thicken Soups and Stews and is different from Corn Meal. It will lighten the All the Purpose Flour to a Cake Flour consistency which will in turn lighten the Cake. This is available in the baking section of your grocery store.
• Cold Heavy Cream whips better and faster than the one at room temperature.
• Powdering the Sugar will make it easy to combine with the Cream. Using ready made Powdered Sugar will decrease the sweetness of the Cake (or add a bit more).
• Don't beat the batter too much after adding the Flour, for beating may develop Gluten in the Flour which in turn makes the Cake tough.
• I used a fluted tube pan for this (pan with a tube in the middle) for an additional support in the middle of the Cake so that it can rise. In India, you will get a separate tube that can be placed in the middle of any pan.
• As there is a tube in the middle, the Cake will be cooked from its middle too. So if you are using a regular pan without a tube support, it may take a bit more time for the Cake to be done in the middle. So adjust the time accordingly.
• Don’t over bake the Cake.
• Don't try to take the Cake out of the pan when hot, as  Cakes tend to stick to the pan more when hot.
• Dusting of Powdered Sugar will be easy if you do it with a tea strainer.

 





Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Chocolate Nut Triangles

Recipe No: 178

When I posted the recipe for Fried Chocolate Wontons, I mentioned my family’s love for the Chocolate – Hazelnut spread, Nutella. This is another recipe that I use to satisfy their Nutella cravings. The toasted Cashew nut is a wonderful addition and it makes a whole lot of difference in this dish.

Ingredients                                     Makes 8 pieces

• All Purpose Flour/ Maida…..2/3 Cup
• Cocoa Powder…………………..1/4 Cup
• Baking Powder………………...1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt………………………………...a pinch
• Instant Coffee Powder……...1/4 Teaspoon
• Butter………………………….….6 Tablespoons
• Vegetable Oil.......................2 Tablespoons
• Light Brown Sugar……..…..1/2 cup packed (means Press hard into the cup while measuring)
• Vanilla Essence……………..…1/2 Teaspoon
• Eggs………………………………..2
• Nutella………………………..…..1/3 Cup
• Cashew Nuts………………..….3 Tablespoons (Toasted and chopped)

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and grease it.
3. Sift together Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Salt and Instant Coffee Powder; keep aside till ready to be used.
4. Beat Butter, Vegetable Oil, Brown Sugar and Vanilla Essence until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in Eggs one at a time combining well after each addition.
6. Add the Flour mixture and mix in gently.
7. Pour it into the prepared pan and as we want to avoid the hump in the middle of the Cake, push the batter slightly towards the edges.
8. Place it in the middle of the oven for 17-20 minutes or till a toothpick  inserted in the middle of the Cake comes out clean.
9. Take the Cake out of the pan and let it cool down completely. If you turn the Cake over to take it out of the pan, quickly turn it back so that the top of the Cake face upwards.
10. Once cooled, cut the crusty edges off and spread the Nutella on top evenly.
11. Quarter the Cake and cut each piece into two triangles and spread the Nuts on top evenly.
12. Serve them at room temperature with a cup of Tea.

Notes:

• Don't over bake the Cake.
• Let the Cake cool completely before spreading Nutella or it will melt and make a mess.
•  If you are able to get Hazelnuts, please use that instead of Cashew nuts.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Coconut Cake/ Cup Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe No: 162

Ingredients                                   Makes 18-20 Cup Cakes or two 8 inch Cakes

• Butter…………………………….....1/2 Cup
• Oil………………………………….....1/4 (very rare, but makes makes the Cake really moist)
• Sugar……………………………......1 Cup
• Egg……………………………….......3 Large
• Vanilla Extract/ Essence….......1 Teaspoon
• All Purpose Flour/ Maida….....1 ½ Cups
• Baking Powder……………….......1/2 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda…………………........1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………………………….1/4 Teaspoon
• Milk…………………………………...1/2 Cup
• Shredded Sweetened Coconut…3/4 Cup

• 3 tablespoon of Sweetened Shredded Coconut for decoration
• Cream Cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Method of Preparation

1. In a dry pan toast 3 tablespoons of Sweetened shredded Coconut until it is crispy and light brown in color. (This is for decoration.) Keep it aside till ready to be used.
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
3. Grease two 8 inch pans or two Muffin pans (possibly make 18) with Butter and dust a bit of flour (this will prevent cake from sticking onto the pans) or simply use a cooking spray.
4. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt and keep it aside till ready to be used.
5. Beat together Butter, Oil, Vanilla Essence and Sugar till light and fluffy.
6. Add Eggs one at a time beating well to combine after each addition.
7. Add Flour mixture and milk little by little alternating with each other starting and ending with Flour.
8. Fold in ¾ Cup of Shredded Sweetened Coconut and mix to combine.
9. Divide it between two 8 inch pans or pour equal amounts in 18 cups (for Cup Cakes)
10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12-14 minutes for Cup Cakes and 20-25 minutes for Cakes or till the inserted tooth picks comes out clean.
11. Let it cool on a baking rack.

Notes:

• For a good cake the Butter and Egg should be at room temperature.
• Beat the Cake mix really well before adding the Flour. Once the Flour is added, (stop all the mixers at this stage if you are using one) fold with a wooden spatula till it is combined. If beaten too much, the Flour will start developing Gluten which will make the Cake dry and hard.
• Oil is very rare to use in a Coconut Cake but, believe me, its addition makes the Cake very moist.
• Sweetened Shredded Coconut is available in all grocery stores (where the Baking stuffs are kept).
• Don’t open the oven often while the Cake is baking. Sudden lowering of the temperature may cause the Cake to fall in the middle. So if you want to see how it is doing, switch on the light and look through the glass panel (if it is possible). If not, check the Cake only towards the end.
• Over baking will make the Cake dry. So stop baking once it is done.

Cream Cheese frosting

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese………………….One 8 oz packet (at room temperature)
• Butter……………………………..1 Stick/ 8 Tablespoons (at room temperature)
• Vanilla Extract………………….1 Teaspoon
• Powdered Sugar………..………2 cups (sifted)

Method of Preparation

• Beat together Cream Cheese, Butter and Vanilla Extract till light and fluffy.
• Add the powdered sugar slowly. When the sugar is almost combined, beat everything on a medium speed until fluffy.

To frost and serve the Cup Cakes/ Cakes

• When the Cup Cakes are cooled, spread  frosting on top and sprinkle some toasted Sweetened shredded Coconut on top.
• For Cakes, cut off the dome (the most risen parts in the middle, if any) and spread frosting in the middle and all around the cake as you wish. Decorate with toasted Coconut.

 Notes:  

• Always use room temperature Butter and Cream Cheese.
• The toasted Coconut will add a good crunch (if fresh) when you eat which I felt very satisfying!
• This frosting will be on the softer side if made in a warm temperature. In that case put it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes rather than adding more Sugar to make it stiff (This  increases the sweetness of the frosting that will reduce the flavor of Cream Cheese).

Make it enjoy the deliciousness and 

serve it to your family with love…

Jam Roll

Recipe No: 155

This is another one of my childhood bakery favorites. It is very easy to make yet very delicious.

Ingredients                                        Makes around 16 pieces

• Egg…………………………..3 Large
• Sugar……………………….3/4 Cup
• Vanilla Extract…………..1 Teaspoon
• Flour………………………..1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons
• Baking Powder…………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Jam…………………..........1/2 Cup (I used homemade Strawberry Preserve)
• Powdered Sugar………...for decoration

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Sift together Flour and Baking Powder and keep it aside till ready to be used.
3. Whip together Egg, Sugar and Vanilla Essence till it attains a pale yellow color or until it is doubled in volume.
4. Fold in the Flour mixture gently without deflating much of the aeration.
5. Pour it into a greased Parchment/ Butter paper lined 11x15 inch baking tray (even the top with a spatula) and bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or till an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

6. While the cake is baking lay a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface and dust powdered sugar evenly.  
7. Once the cake is done, loosen the sides of the Cake with a sharp knife and invert it onto the powdered kitchen towel.

8. While the Cake is still hot, start rolling it with the towel along the shorter side of the Cake (so that the whole length is available for rolling). There should be a layer of Kitchen towel in between the Cake layers, otherwise the layers may stick together (especially as it is hot).
9. Once the whole Cake is rolled, keep it like that till it is completely cooled.
10. When completely cooled, unroll it and spread a thin layer of Jam on the  Cake and roll it back carefully. This time avoid the kitchen towel.
11. Decorate the top with powdered sugar; cut into ½ inch thick pieces and serve.

Notes:

• It is better and easier if you use a hand or stand mixer to whip the Egg. If you are using a hand mixer then place the bowl with Egg on top of simmering water. (Don’t let the bowl with the Egg touch the simmering Water) This will make whipping faster.
• When you pour this amount of batter to such a big tray, you might feel that the batter is less. But believe me it will rise and will give a big Cake so that you can make a few spirals. If you are using a small tray you will be able to get only a lesser number of spirals and in that case you may not need so much Jam.
• If you are using a smaller tray the cake will come out thick and in that case the baking time may increase. Remember a thin Cake is easier to roll than a thick Cake.
• Please make sure to dust powdered Sugar on to the kitchen towel before inverting the Cake or it may stick to the towel.
• Don't spread the Jam while the Cake is hot because  the heat from the Cake will make the Jam runny which in turn  makes the rolls soggy.
• Rolling the Cake in the kitchen towel while hot will allow the flexibility. If you try to roll a cold Cake it will break. So it is very essential to get the Cake cooled in a rolled condition.

 



Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Lamingtons (Coconut coated Chocolate covered Yellow Cakes)

Recipe No: 135

This is a recipe from my Mother in Law's old cook book. I tasted it for the first time when she made it and I became an instant fan and so was my husband. So I used to make this now and then and many of my friends loved it. This is a real treat for those who love that Chocolate- Coconut combination.         

Ingredients                                              Makes 35 pieces
For the Cake

• All Purpose Flour/ Maida…..1 1/3 Cup
• Custard Powder………………..1 Tablespoon
• Sugar……………………………...1 Cup
• Milk………………………………..1/2 Cup
• Baking Powder………………….1 Teaspoon
• Salt………………………………….1/4 Teaspoon
• Unsweetened Butter………....1/4 Cup (Avoid Salt if you are using Salted Butter)
• Egg……………………………….…2
• Vanilla Essence…………………1/2 Teaspoon

For the coating

• Cocoa Powder……………………1/2 Cup
• Icing/ Powdered Sugar.........1 ½ Cup
• Boiling Water…………………...3/4 Cup
• Desiccated Coconut……………2 Cups (Unsweetened)

Method of Preparation
To make the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Butter and Flour (or use a cooking spray or line the bottom with Parchment/ Butter paper and Oil it) a 13/ 9 inch baking pan.
3. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Custard Powder and keep it aside till ready to be used.
4. Cream together Butter, Vanilla Essence and Sugar really good and add Egg one at a time and beat till light and fluffy.
5. Add Flour in 3 additions alternating with Milk, starting and ending with Flour.
6. Once mixed well, pour this into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is slightly browned.
7. Allow the Cake to cool completely and then cut it into 35 equal sized pieces. Discard the edges if you don’t like that portion.

To make the Lamington

1. Mix  Cocoa Powder, Powdered/ Icing sugar and Boiling Water till the Sugar is melted thoroughly and the Cocoa powder is well mixed. Allow it to cool completely.
2. In another shallow plate keep the Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut ready.
3. Dip each Cake piece in the Chocolate mix and then roll in the Desiccated Coconut.
4. Repeat this process with all the 35 Cake pieces and serve them at room temperature.

Notes:

• Don’t over mix the cake batter once the Flour is added, as it will develop the Gluten (a fibrous substance) in the Flour making the Cake tough.
• Don’t dip the cake pieces in the Chocolate for long as it will absorb a lot of Chocolate Syrup. So dip the cake pieces only for just enough time to have a very thin  and even coating. Roll immediately in Coconut.
• If desiccated Coconut is not available, then dry some finely grated fresh Coconut either in Sun or in the Oven.

 




Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Marble Cake

Recipe No: 76
This is one of my favorite cakes and the best Marble cake that I ever ate is from the Ann’s Bakery back in Kerala. (The one that I mentioned in one of my older posts about Chicken Sandwich) That was moist, perfectly sweet, served plain without icing and above all it had a perfect balance between the Chocolate and Vanilla.  In most of the other cases the Chocolate will be so overpowering with Vanilla falling short. This is my take on Marble cake… well I should admit that this is the result of my effort to imitate Marble Cake from Ann's.

Ingredients                                Makes two 8 inch cakes

• All purpose flour/ Maida……2 ¼ Cups
• Baking powder…………………2 Teaspoons
• Salt…………………………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Unsalted butter………………..1/2 Cup (1 Stick)
• Vegetable Oil……………………1/4 Cup
• Sugar……………………………...1 ¾ Cups
• Large Eggs……………………….2 (At room temperature)
• Vanilla extract………………….2 Teaspoons
• Milk or Heavy cream…….…..1 Cup
• Hot water……………………..…3 Tablespoons
• Chocolate Powder…………….2 Tablespoons
• Instant Coffee Powder………1/2 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C.
2. Butter and Flour (Or use cooking spray) two 8 inch pans.
3. Swift Flour, Baking powder and Salt together and keep aside.
4. Dissolve Chocolate Powder and instant Coffee Powder in hot water and keep aside to cool.
5. Mix together Butter, Oil and Sugar till creamy.
6. Add Eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add Vanilla essence too. Do scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl as there are chances of butter sticking to the bottom without mixing.
7. Add Flour and Milk alternating with each other, starting and ending with flour.
8. Once everything is mixed well remove 3/4th of a cup of batter to another bowl and mix in the Chocolate mixture.
9. To the prepared pans add a large scoop of Vanilla batter followed by a drizzle of Chocolate mixture. Continue this is both pans till all the batter is used.
10. Shake the pans to make the batter even. Insert a butter knife into the batter and holding straight up make swirling movements. This will give the marbling effect to the Cake.
11. Bake in the center of the oven till it is just done. This will take approximately 30 minutes. Take care not to over bake.
12. Let the cakes cool in the pan itself before taking it out.
13. Serve at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate.

Notes:

• Use a good quality Chocolate powder. That will make a whole world of difference. If you can get Dutch processed Cocoa then that will be great. If you don’t have good Cocoa Powder then use Semisweet Chocolate chips. Melt together 2 once of Semisweet Chocolate Chips with ½ Teaspoon of Instant Coffee Powder and a Tablespoon of water on a double boiler.
• To prepare a cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and then spread a thin layer of butter and sprinkle some flour. If there is excess flour dust it away.
• Once the flour is added don’t over mix.  If you do, that will develop the Gluten in the flour which will make the cake tough.
• By any chance if you are using salted butter, then avoid using extra salt.

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love...

Triple Chocolate Cup Cake

Recipe No: 56

This recipe uses three types of Chocolate. Chocolate powder, Semisweet chocolate chips and 'Hershey's Kisses' and hence the name. As it is summer vacation, this is a great 'tasty' project to do with your kids.

Ingredients                                     Makes 18 Cup Cake

• All Purpose Flour…………………..1 1/3 Cup
• Baking Powder………………………2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………………...1/4 teaspoon
• Butter………………………………….1/2 Cup or 1 Stick
• Sugar…………………………………..1 Cup
• Eggs……………………………………2 Large
• Vanilla Essence…………………….2 Teaspoon
• Hot water……………………………1 Cup
• Cocoa Powder……………………...1/2 Cup
• Instant Coffee Powder…………..3/4 Teaspoon
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips…...1/2 Cup
• Cup Cake Liners…………………..18
• Hershey’s kisses peeled………...18

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F/180˚C.
2. Line a Muffin tin with cupcake liners and spray it with cooking spray.
3. Dissolve Chocolate and Coffee powder in hot water and let it cool down to a room temperature.
4. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder and Salt well and keep aside.
5. Beat Butter and Sugar till light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time and mix properly, followed by Vanilla Essence.
7. Add Flour and Chocolate water alternating with each other, starting and ending with Flour.
8. Once everything is mixed well add Chocolate Chips and mix.
9. Pour the batter equally into 18 cupcake liners and bake it for 15 to 18 minutes or till an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
10. Once out of the oven insert one of the Kisses Chocolate into the middle of the each Cupcake. The heat from the Cupcakes will soften the chocolate.
11. Cool the Cup cakes on a wire rack and eat it warm or at room temperature.

Notes: 

• Instead of Chocolate Chips you can use broken Chocolate pieces too.
• The quality of the Chocolate powder is very important in this recipe. So try to use the best ones available. I used a Dutch processed Cocoa powder.
• Instead of the cooking spray you can slightly grease the cup cake liners with butter.
• Using an Ice cream scoop to fill the cups will ensure equal amount of batter in each cupcake.
• It is better to use all the ingredients at room temperature.
• Don’t mix too much after adding the flour. It will make the cupcakes hard.

 

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Red Velvet Cup Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe No: 19

This is a kind of chocolate cake that happened to be my son’s favorite. It’s one of the few cakes that use a combination of Baking soda and Vinegar as the leavening agent.  Apart from the striking color of this cake, it’s mildly flavored with a real good frosting.  The Red Velvet Cupcake tastes the best with the Cream Cheese frosting. It can be made easily without any fancy electric equipment.

Ingredients For The Cake

• All purpose flour………………1 ¼ cup
• Sugar……………..………………..3/4 cup
• Baking Soda……………………..1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Cocoa Powder…………………..2 Tablespoons
• Vegetable Oil……………..…….1/2 Cup
• Thin Yogurt……………………..3/4 cup (Combine ½ cup Yogurt with ¼ cup                                                                                                                 water) 
• Egg………………………………….2 Large
• Red Food Coloring…..………..1/2 Tablespoon (Beet juice from a can also works                                                                                                    perfect)
• White Vinegar…………….……1/2 Teaspoon
• Vanilla Extract…………..…….1/2 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.
2. Line a large Muffin/Cup Cake pan with baking cups. (Paper cups that usually holds cup cakes) Spray all the cups with a non stick spray (butter or canola oil based) evenly.
3. Sift flour. Combine together Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, Cocoa and Salt and keep aside.
4. Beat together Oil, thinned Yogurt, Eggs, Vinegar, Vanilla Extract and Food Coloring.
5. Combine both Flour and Oil mixture till just combined without any lumps. Don’t over mix. The cake will become dry and tough.
6. Pour equal amounts of the batter into the prepared cups. Don’t fill more than 3/4th
7. Bake till a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cupcake comes clean.
8. This will take 18 to 22 minutes depending on your oven.
9. Let the cakes cool before applying the frosting.

Cream Cheese frosting
Ingredients

• Cream Cheese………………….One 8 oz packet (at room temperature)
• Butter……………………………..1 Stick/ 8 Tablespoons (at room temperature)
• Vanilla Extract………………….1 Teaspoon
• Powdered Sugar………..………2 cups (sifted)

Method of Preparation

1. Beat together Cream Cheese, Butter and Vanilla Extract till light and fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar slowly. When the sugar is almost combined, beat everything on a medium speed until fluffy.
3. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate as you wish.
4. Serve it at room temperature.

Notes: Always use room temperature ingredients.
After adding flour don't beat too much. That will develop Gluten in the flour which makes the cake more bread like.
This will yield around 15 Cupcakes or one 8 inch cake.
Don’t put this cake in a refrigerator. It will stay at room temperature for at least 3 days. Try to finish it before that. In case if you chill it, let it come to the room temperature before serving.

 



Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love....