Chocolate Mango Mousse Cake

In my family we have back-to-back birthdays starting with mine and ending with my father-in-law with the exception of my kiddo who is January born. Three back-to-back birthdays mean lots of cake baking but relatively fewer mouths to feed. So when it came to baking the last birthday cake of the year, I knew for certain that it has to be not just a cake. A mousse cake was on my mind since long and I got the perfect opportunity to get that wish fulfilled. A soft and spongy Chocolate Cake layered with sinful Mango Mousse and neatly finished off with a beautiful Mango Glaze! A perfect dessert cake, you can also make it in individual portions by crumbling/cutting  the sponge and layering with alternate layers of the mousse. Do refer my notes at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients 

For the sponge 

2 egg whites

2 tbsp plus 2 tbsp fine sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 egg yolks 

50 ml milk (roughly 1/4 cup)

24 ml (roughly 1/8 cup) unflavored oil (I used extra light olive oil)

1/4 cup flour (preferably cake flour for a light sponge)

1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder sifted 

 

For the mousse 

1 cup whipping cream 

1 1/2 cup sweetened mango pulp (I used canned alphonso pulp)

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp gelatin/agar agar powder 

4 tbsp water

For the glaze

1 cup sweetened mango pulp

1 tbsp gelatin/agar agar powder 

4 tbsp water 

Direction 

Start with making the sponge. Beat the egg whites with 2 tbsp sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks are formed. 

Now beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl along with the remaining sugar until pale yellow in color and creamy. Add the milk and the oil and beat further. Now add the sifted flour and cocoa mixture in two batches and mix well till no lumps remain. Now add half the egg whites into the yolk mixture and fold in till combined. Pour this mixture into the remaining egg whites and fold in to incorporate. Do not overmix. 

Preheat the oven at 180 degree celcius (should do halfway through the preparation) and grease and line a 6" round pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and the pan (after 5 minutes) and cool completely on a wire rack. 

While the cake cools, we can start with the mousse. Take a chilled bowl with chilled beaters and put the whipping cream along with the sugar and beat till stiff peaks form. The peaks should be able to hold their shape even when you tilt the bowl. 

Keep this bowl in the fridge (not freezer) while you prepare the mango puree. Sprinkle gelatin or agar agar in cold water and let it stand for 5 minutes. Now heat the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds till completely dissolved and you get a clear liquid. Mix well and let it come to room temperature before using. Make sure you continue stirring it so that it doesn't set. Now add the cooled gelatin liquid to the mango puree and mix well till no lumps remain. 

Take the whipped cream out of the fridge and fold in the mango puree until combined. Now line a 7" spring form pan (I used an 8" pan and so got a slightly bigger outer mousse layer; would highly recommend using a 7" instead) or cake ring with parchment paper on the bottom and the sides for easy release later. Slice the completely cooled cake (very important) into two and put one half into the prepared pan. 

Now spread half the mousse on top of this evenly and let it set slightly in the fridge for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the pan out and gently keep the other layer of cake on top and spread the remaining mousse as evenly as possible. Smooth out the top and keep it to set in the fridge for at least an hour or till it feels set to the touch. 

Once the mousse has set, start preparing the glaze. Again, prepare the gelatin in the same way like you did for the mousse. Pour the cooled gelatin into the mango puree and mix well. Pour this mixture gently on top of the set mousse and let it set for 1-2 hours or overnight. Decorate the top as you like and serve chilled!

Notes:

1. You can make it as individual portions by cutting the cake with a cookie cutter or crumbling the cake and layering it using the same procedure like you did for the cake. 

2. The procedure for making the mousse with agar agar powder will be the same. 

3. If you are a vegetarian, you can make an eggless cake using your recipe or any of my chocolate eggless cake recipes here and follow the rest of the procedure accordingly. 

Eggless Black Forest Cake-- A Humble Attempt

Ever since I baked my baby's birthday cake there has been no looking back. Orders have been trickling in, sometimes more sometimes less, but nonetheless they keep me busy and my pockets jingling (oh! How I love to have a few bucks of my own). Last week there was this order for a Black Forest Cake and while I did have it umpteen times in my life, I never baked it at home. An eggless Black Forest Cake was quite a challenge and so the research began. I do have a go-to eggless cake recipe which has never failed me but I wanted to try something new and came upon a wonderful recipe with condensed milk and my half the work was done. Black Forest is actually quite a daunting name for a very simple cake which looks stunning and very impressive and with a little bit of practice, you can easily get a professional touch. Here I share with you the procedure to assemble a Black Forest Cake. The recipe for the chocolate cake has already been shared in my previous post.

Ingredients 

2 chocolate cakes (I did a three layered cake)

1 can of seedless maraschino cherries (red cherries with syrup)

1-2 cups of chocolate shavings (depending on how much you want to use)

1 cup chopped pineapple (as my client wanted) or chopped cherries or any filling that you like (a cherry pie filling is a good option)

1 cup whipping cream (at least 35% fat)

2-3 tbsp icing sugar (as per taste)

1 tsp gelatin or agar agar powder 

4 tsp water (room temperature)

(For 2 cups whipping cream use 2 tsp gelatin/agar agar in 2 tbsp water)

Note: gelatin or agar agar is used to stabilize the cream. You can skip it if you like. 

Direction 

Start with preparing the work table. Spread 2-3 newspapers to cover up the space beneath and to avoid tedious cleaning later. Now place the cakes on two cake boards and keep two extra plates (inverted) or cake boards handy. Using a cake leveller or a long serrated knife, carefully slice the cake in two layers. If your cake has a dome, carefully level it as well. Place all the layers in separate boards or plates for later use. We  will  be making a 3-layered cake and so you can keep the fourth layer aside if you  wish or make a four layered cake as well. 

Time to start the whipping process. An electric beater or a hand mixer is a perfect thing to use at this time as beating it with your hands can take you forever. You can keep the bowl of your electric beater and the paddle attachment in the freezer for half an hour for a quicker result. Start whipping the cream with the icing sugar (add as per your taste starting with 2 tbsp) and slowly increase the speed to maximum till you achieve soft peaks. Meanwhile, dissolve the gelatin/agar agar in cold water and let it bloom for 2-3 minutes. Then heat it in the microwave for 30 secs. Take it out and keep stirring until the liquid is clear and has cooled down. Do not leave it unattended as the gelatin might set. Pour the gelatin into the soft peaked cream and now beat till stiff peaks. Keep it aside. 

Next, pour some syrup from the can of cherries into a glass or a bowl and with the help of a spoon pour 3-4 tsp of the syrup onto each of the cake layers. Ensure that you put the syrup on the side of the layer that will be facing up. 

Now starting with the lowest or base layer, start spreading the whipped cream evenly of medium thickness followed by the fruit filling and some chocolate shavings. 

Now spread some more cream on the next layer on the side that will be facing down the layer you just prepared. Carefully pick it up and gently place it on the prepared layer, creamed side down. It is bound to get a bit of messy on your hands. Just bear it!

Repeat the filling process again for the next layer. First drizzle some syrup, followed by a spread of whipped cream, fruit filling and finally some chocolate shavings. Again apply some cream on the third layer of the cake on the side that  will be facing down and gently place it on the second filling. If you are doing a third filling, simply repeat the process you just did. If not, now add some more cream on top and evenly spread it on the surface and the sides. Try and achieve as smooth a finish as you can. 

Next, with the help of an angled spatula or spoon, gently apply the chocolate shavings on the side all along. Fill some whipped cream onto a piping bag and using Wilton star tip 22 make swirls in the top. Place a cherry on each individual swirl and fill the remaining space on the top with more chocolate shavings. Slice, serve and enjoy!!

Rainbow Swiss Roll

So it is our 7th Anniversary today. Seven years of togetherness, love, laughter, desperation, anxiety, enthusiasm and much more. While I have known him for 14 years now, it only seems like yesterday when we first met and even though our definition of love has changed with time, I still get perplexed and anxious whenever he is not around me. We may not be the perfect partners but we love to spend our lives together and enjoy the little joys of life , including our munchkin!

He often complains that I do not love him anymore and so do I. But at the end of the day, both of us know that however we might fight and argue over petty things, our love will sail us through and keep us together for all times to come. 

And as the rainbow depicts the seven colors of life and how, even though different, all the different colors contribute equally to make the rainbow look as beautiful as it looks, I dedicate this Rainbow Swiss Roll to our 7 years of togetherness and many more to come! Love you! 

Ingredients

4 large eggs separated (it is best to separate eggs when they are fresh and cold out of the refrigerator; once separated, bring them to room temperature before starting the procedure)

1/4 tsp salt

A pinch of cream of tartar (optional)

3/4 cup castor sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanila extract

5-6 different gel based colors or food coloring powder (it is advisable to avoid using liquid food colors as they will liquify the batter. However, if using, then add in moderate qty so that the batter does not lose its texture)

Piping bags

For the filling

4 cups icing sugar 

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbsp butter (preferably unsalted) cut into squares

120 ml milk at room temperature

P.S.: This is a standard chocolate sauce recipe. The excess sauce you can store in the fridge for later use. You can also use any filling as you wish like fresh fruit jam, whipped cream, etc. 

Direction

Take a 32x23 cm flat baking dish and grease it. Line the dish with parchment paper in a way that there are no bubbles or raised edges. It should be as smooth as possible. This will help you get a smooth wrinkle-free base once baked. The greasing of the bottom of the pan before lining helps keep the parchment paper in place. 

Now, take the bowl of egg whites (which you had separated while the egg was still cold from the fridge and brought to room temperature) and ensure that there are no drops of yolk or dirt in it. Add the salt and cream of tartar (if using) and beat them to stiff peaks but not dry. Takes about 10 minutes in the electric beater with the paddle attachment. To test if your egg whites are done, simply turn the bowl upside down and the entire mixture will still hold together without any spillage!

Now beat the egg yolks till creamy. Add the sugar little at a time and beat till a pale thick and creamy batter is formed. This will take another 5-10 minutes. I usually first beat the egg whites till stiff and then use the same attachment for the yolks. It is okay to have whites mixed in the yolk but strictly no for the reverse. Hence, if you intend to use the same attachment for both the whites and the yolks, you must always beat the whites first. 

Now sift the flour and baking powder. Add the vanilla extract to the batter and beat for a second until combined. Now, add the sifted flour to the batter in two batches and mix till smooth and no lumps remain. 

Now add this mixture into the egg whites and start folding in a single direction till the batter is well combined but not over mixed or deflated. You can also do the reverse and add the egg whites into the batter. Either way, we need to achieve a smooth batter. 

Now divide this batter equally into five bowls and add the food coloring of your choice. Take care to use different spoons for each bowl and not to mix and match any of them. That will spoil the color of the batter. The amount of coloring used will depend on how deep and distinct you want your rainbow to be. However, care must be taken while using liquid (water-based) coloring which might liquify the batter more than required. 

Now, fill the various colored batter into individual piping bags and keep them ready. 

Meanwhile, start pre-heating the oven at 180 degree celsius for 10 minutes. 

Make a small cut at the tip of the piping bag and start piping out a straight line kind of bar onto the prepared baking dish, one color at a time. Repeat till all the colored batter is used up. Do a double lining when you are done with a single layering. Take care not to overlap though. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Check at 10 minutes and then again in 2-3 minutes. A minute over baked and you are sure to get cracks on top while rolling as well as hard edges. 

Immediately remove from the baking dish and onto another parchment paper of the same size. Roll the swiss roll along with this parchment paper and let it cool. This will help gain its shape. When just warm, unroll it gently and spread the filling without spoiling the bend and roll up again.

 This time without the parchment paper. Once rolled, cover it up with the paper loosely and let it cool completely on a wire rack. 

Slice when cooled. You can also chill it and bring it slightly back to room temperature before serving.

For the filling

Melt the butter and mix all the ingredients together till smooth and creamy. 

Christmas Rum and Raisin Cake

Christmas parties were not very common for us while in India as we had mostly Indian friends around. In Singapore though, we have a mix of friends from all countries and one such family recently invited us for dinner. As a custom, in India we always used to carry some sweets or similar when we visit anyone and knowing that it is a Christmas special dinner, I planned a special homemade Christmas hamper for the hosts. This Rum and Raisin Cake was a part of the hamper and was quite a yummy inclusion   Here is the recipe for you all to try!

Ingredients

2 cups raisins chopped

1/4 cup dark rum (I used a spiced Caribbean rum)

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp orange rind

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanila extract

1/4 cup butter softened

1/2 cup extra light olive oil or any other refined oil

1 cup milk (I used 1/2 cup skim milk and 1/2 cup full cream) at room temperature

For the Glaze

1/3 cup fine sugar

2 tbsp water

3 tbsp corn syrup (honey can also br used)

2 tbsp rum

Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Direction

Take the chopped raisins in a jar and pour the rum. Close the lid and shake it well. Soak it for a minimum of 24 hours-48 hours, shaking in between. The more you soak the better will be the flavor. If you are pressed for time, you may soak it on the same day for a minimum of 4-6 hours and then slightly warm the mixture in the microwave and let it cool before starting the rest of the process. 

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and keep aside. 

Cream the butter and sugar together till light and smooth. Now add the rind, oil, and vanilla extract and whip further. Now add the eggs one at a time, whipping after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold in one direction till all the flour has been well incorporated without any lumps. Now fold in the raisins along with the residual liquid, if any. You can also add some chopped citrus peel if you wish. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius. Grease a 10" bundt pan with oil or cooking spray and pour the batter into it, evenly spreading the top. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you see the top browning too fast and the inside not yet done, cover the top loosely with an aluminium foil and reduce the temperature to 160 degree celsius and bake till done but observe closely so that you do not burn the cake. Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan. 

Now gently transfer the cake to a wire rack and prepare the glaze. 

Take sugar, water and corn syrup/honey in a bowl and bring it to a boil on stove top while stirring continuously and till the sugar dissolves. Remove from flame and add the rum. 

Apply this glaze on the warm cake on all sides (top and bottom) with a brush in regular intervals till the cake cools down completely and has absorbed most of the glaze. You can reserve the glaze for use later on with your ice creams. You can garnish the cake with some powdered sugar or enjoy a slice as is!! Both ways, it is super yum!

Wholewheat Chocolate Yogurt Cake

My baby was unwell, hubby was out for work, and I was sleep deprived for two consecutive nights. You can imagine the stress and exhaustion I was in over the last few days. I really wished I could fly away to an undisclosed location or rub Alladin's lamp or do something which could bring me some joy and relief. Solution? Well, neither could I fly nor could I get hold of the genie but I did de-stress by baking this wonderfully simple and healthy chocolate beauty. Baking is therapeutic indeed and I can vouch for that. As for the cake, it was yum all the way and I enjoyed it to my heart's content without worrying much about the calories. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup yogurt (I used flavored ones as I had too many in stock)

2 tbsp extra light olive oil (you can use refined oil too)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

Handful of chocochips (optional)

Direction

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius and grease a medium bundt pan or your regular bakeware and keep aside. 

Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking powder and keep aside. 

Beat the eggs and sugar together till light and fluffy. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanila extract and beat further. 

Fold in the flour and mix in a single direction till no lumps remain and all the flour has been incorporated. Add the choco chips now if using and gently mix. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and tap on the counter for a couple of times to release any air bubbles. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and cool in the pan for ten minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing and storing in air tight container. 

Eggless Orange and Cranberry Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Crust

It was my Father-in-law's birthday last weekend and, though he stays miles away from us, I thought of baking a simple eggless cake to remember him on this day. We are going for a 2-week long India trip this week and so while the excitement of meeting family and friends is building up, the anxiety of last minute packing is also settling in. Nonetheless, I will really miss blogging and will surely try and post some recipes in between of the local food out there. I hope all of you have a blessed Durga Puja!!

Ingredients

11/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup brown sugar (regular sugar is also fine)

3/4 cup yogurt.

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp of orange/lemon zest

1/3 cup dried cranberries rolled in 1 tbsp flour to avoid sinking

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon 

Direction

Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius. 

Take a round/bundt cake pan and grease well. Keep aside. 

Sift the flour and baking powder and keep aside.Take a separate bowl and beat oil and sugar till light and fluffy. Take yogurt in a bowl and whip it till creamy and smooth. Now add the baking soda and mix. Let it stand for 3-5 minutes till foamy and frothy. 

Add the orange/lemon zest, orange juice, and vanilla to the sugar and oil mixture and whip. Now fold in the flour and the cranberries and beat till smooth and no lumps remain. The batter will be quite thick at this point. Now gently fold in the foamy and frothy yogurt and mix in one direction till everything is well combined. Do not overmix as the trapped air might escape and you may get a flat cake. Mix the 2 tbsp brown sugar and cinnamon and keep aside. 

Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top evenly at all places and bake at 180C degrees / 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes.Test it in the center to check if cake is done by inserting a toothpick.

Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing.

This cake tastes even better the next day after refrigeration and slices well.

Wholewheat Fruit and Coconut Bread -- No Butter No Oil

This one is probably the most healthy bread I have made in a long time now. It is like a Pandora's Box filled with all the healthy goodies. Wholewheat, loaded with fruits and without the overpowering guilt of those unwanted calories. While I did add some light sour cream with 18% fat (regular butter is 80-84%), you can even skip that and make some changes as per the suggestions given at the end of this post. The best part that I like about this bread is the fresh fruit pieces which you dig into in every bite. There is Mango, Apricots, Raisins, coconut, and the list can go on as per your choice and liking. But wait, I hope you are not confusing this recipe with that of a regular yeast bread. This "cakey" bread is actually more closer to being a cake except that it is more dense, crumblier, and makes you full with a single slice and is in fact a complete meal in itself. You can also do small muffins instead of the loaf, which will make it easier for you to carry to office or elsewhere. 

Ingredients

2 cups wholewheat flour

1/2 cup light sour cream (18% fat; regular cream can also be used or homemade malai/cream is also a good option)

1/4 cup milk (either skimmed or full cream)

1 cup brown sugar (can be replaced with 1/3 cup honey and 2/3 cup artificial sweetener like Stevia) 

3 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanila essence

1 cup dried or fresh mango pieces chopped (I prefer the dried ones as the fresh ones will easily dissolve in the heat)

1 cup dried apricots chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup grated fresh coconut (in its absence, dessicated coconut can also be used)

Any nuts of your choice for topping. Can be added in the batter too (walnuts, almonds, pistachios are a good option)

Direction

Beat the sugar, cream, milk, vanila essence, and eggs till light and creamy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  Fold this into the egg mixture little at a time till all mixed well and no lumps remain. Add the fruits one at a time and mix. 

Pre heat the oven at 180 degree celsius and grease or line a loaf tin or line the muffin tray with paper liners. Pour the batter onto the prepared pan. The batter will be thick and so you will need to spread it out evenly with the help of a spatula. Tap the bottom a couple of times to prevent any air bubbles. Garnish the top with chopped nuts and let it sit for 5-10 minutes till your oven pre heats. 

Bake in the pre heated oven for 40-50 minutes till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do check in between as the oven temperatures may vary. If the top gets over browned and the bread still not done, as it happened with me, tent the top loosely with an aluminium foil to prevent burning. Once done, remove from  oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 min before transferring to a wire rack for cooling completely. Slice when cooled and store in air tight container. This bread also tastes wonderful if lightly toasted.

Healthier Optional Ingredients

Instead of the cream and milk, use buttermilk of the same quantity. That is 3/4 cup. Also, if you are vegetarian and do not eat eggs, replace it with another 1/3cup buttermilk. If the batter appears too thick (should be of drop consistency, add a little milk, 1 tbsp at a time). 

If you are not calorie conscious and want to enjoy this bread in its full glory, add 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup vegetable oil instead of the buttermilk/sour cream option. 

Buttery Crumbly Almond and Walnut Jelly Cake

All recipes that you see on my blog are from the internet, either from some Food Group on Facebook or a friend's blog, or any random site or blog. Today, however, I decided to go the traditional way and thought of baking something from the one and only cookbook I have. It is a small handbook with a few selected recipes for cakes and cookies. While most of the recipes require 5-6 eggs and loads of butter, this particular recipe was a little moderate in that sense and so I decided to give it a try. The picture in the book and my final product do not stand any resemblance though, the taste was very comforting and definitely worth a try. It's a jelly cake, where the jelly is sandwiched between two layers of the buttery dough. I had used my Mango jelly and so the sandwich is not obvious, but a strawberry preserve will definitely give a better presentation.

Ingredients

50 gms Almonds, dry roasted

50 gms Walnuts, dry roasted

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup fine grain sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

About 3/4 cup Fruit preserve to spread (preferably in bright color)

Direction

Coarsely crush the roasted almonds and walnuts in a grinder and keep aside. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, nuts' powder, butter, and the whole egg and mix well to form a loose dough, but which comes together. Now divide the dough into two and separately wrap it with a clingwrap and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, lightly butter a 9" square pan and pre heat the oven at 180 degree celsius. Take one dough ball out and with the help of the clingwrap, press it down with your hands to fit the cake tin. Now spread the preserve evenly over the rolled out dough leaving about 1/2" from the sides. Now take the other dough out and roll it out on the clingwrap first on your kitchen counter and then gently transfer it over the spread out jelly. Seal the edges. It is possible that the jelly oozes out from the sides as you press down the top dough. 

Using your hands, gently even out the edges and remove the excess jelly from the sides. Brush the top with the egg yolk and bake in the pre heated oven for 30 minutes till golden on top. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack completely before slicing.

                                      

Sunk Fruit Sponge Cake

I know the name sounds a bit wierd but that's how it is. In baking you skip a single step, however unimportant it may seem like, and you can see the difference that step brings to the dish. After my cooking extravaganza on Saturday, I was idling on the couch when suddenly I had some craving for a fruit cake. Too tired as I was, my craving also seemed to be simple enough to be dealt with. I quickly got the ingredients together, whipped, and baked all within 1 hour from start to finish. Everything was done in a jiffy and I was quite happy with my "little effort, great results" simple sponge cake until I turned it over on the cooling rack. Darn! I did not flour the fruit pieces before adding to the batter! As a result, I had a beautiful soft and moist sponge cake sitting on a bed of cherries and raisins. On second thoughts, I did not mind it actually as it is easier to feed this cake to my baby who otherwise does not like tid- bits in her cake. So it's a fruit cake for me and a plain cake for her! Do give this simple cake a shot, with or without flouring the fruit pieces, and enjoy a soft and moist spongy bliss with your cuppa.

                                    

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1 scant cup oil

4 eggs

2 tsp vanila essence

1 tsp lemon zest

1 scant cup sugar (I used half brown, half white)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp custard powder

1/3 cup dried fruit bits (add more or less as per your liking)

A pinch of salt

Direction

In a bowl, take the eggs and with an electric beater whip till smooth and creamy. Add the oil and beat further. Add vanila and sugar and beat till fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and custard powder. Add this mixture little at a time to the egg mixture and beat. Reserve little flour and mix the fruit pieces in that (this is the step I skipped). Fold this fruit flour mixture to the batter and mix with a spatula. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius. Grease a medium sized or 2 small sized  loaf tins and pour the batter into it. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks completely before storing in air tight containers.

                                    

                                    

                                    

Zucchini and Walnut Cake

I am not very adventurous when it comes to food, except for anything sweet. Having said that, I do try and experiment but only if it appeals to me. Today's recipe is just that. While in India, grocery shopping was never in my to-do list and so I did not have much idea about the varieties available in the market. However, after coming to Singapore, my life took a 360 degree turn and suddenly I was in-charge of every single household duty. So while doing my usual rounds in the supermarket, the Zucchinis lined up there always made me curious about their taste and texture. With all the food groups around, I did have a fair idea,  but it never really inspired me to try it at home. As such I am not a great vegetable lover and so was even more not motivated enough until I saw this wonderful cake recipe posted in one of those food groups. The very next day I got a pack of Zucchinis home and the results are for all to see. I loved this veggie and rest assured there are many more recipes lined up. Till then enjoy this moist and crumbly cake with your favorite cuppa.

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup brown sugar (regular white sugar can also be used)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups grated fresh zucchini

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp mixed spice (you can either add the bottled one or prepare a powder of dry roasted, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven at 175 degree celsius.  Butter a large loaf pan and keep it aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Squeeze out the excess water from the Zucchini as much as possible and stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture and stir it in. Add the flour, a little at a time, stirring after each incorporation. Sprinkle in the spice mix over the batter and mix. Fold in the nuts and dried cranberries or raisins if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes (check for doneness at 35-40 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to cool thoroughly. Can be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy either warm or cold with your favorite cup of tea/coffee.

                                         

                                         

Pistachio Almond Biscuit Cake

The credit for my love for baking goes to Facebook to a great extent. The food forums that I have joined there puts forth such interesting and exciting recipes that even a non-baker would be eager to give it a try. Today's recipe is a part of one of these forum's Masterchef Monday. The original recipe was a date and walnut cake (with 80 gms date and 120 gms walnut). However, I do not have a great liking for both and so decided to alter these ingredients with almond and pistachios. I had a pack of cream crackers lying on the shelf from time immemorial and I was so glad I could use it now. This recipe is definitely a keeper and once you make the basic one, you are sure to come up with some more interesting variations. I already have a few ideas floating on my mind. The best part is this cake is butter free as well as flourless. So you won't be going on a guilt trip after you finish off two or three slices at one go, or may be more! So now enjoy your afternoon tea.

Ingredients

10-12 cream cracker/ marie biscuits (approx 50 gms)

3 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup pistachios, ground to a coarse powder

1/4 cup ground almonds (soak the almonds and then peel off the skin and let them dry completely before grinding)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

A pinch of cream of tartar (optional)

A pinch of salt (I did not add as my crackers were already salted)

A handful of almond silvers

Direction

In a food processor or grinder, put the biscuits and the sugar and pulse till the biscuits are of a gritty texture (coarse to fine). Now add the ground nuts and pulse 2-3 times. Keep aside. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar. You need not bring it to a stiff peaky state, if you are using your hands. However, you can do so if using a electric beater. Both ways the cake will have almost the same effect. Now beat the egg yolks, vanilla essence, and baking powder. Add the biscuit mixture and mix well. It will be like wet sand. Finally, fold in the egg whites gently without over mixing. Garnish the top with a few almond silvers. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius. Line a 8" baking dish with parchment paper and pour the batter onto the dish. Tap the bottom and bake in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Take out from oven and let it cool on the dish for 5 minutes. Before transferring to a wire rack, pull out the sheet and cool completely. 

                                       

                                       

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Probably, this is the easiest cake to bake and the yummiest to taste. This was my first attempt at making anything upside down as I was always worried that the bottom would not come out perfectly and would stick at the base and I will end up eating it all alone. However, all my inhibitions were put to rest when I turned the baking dish upside down and a beautifully baked perfect Pineapple Upside Down cake was in front of me. So never let your inhibitions get the better of you. Else, you wouldn't have got this recipe for the perfect upside down cake!

Ingredients

2/3 cup (100 gms) all purpose flour (maida)

6 slices of canned pineapple (reserve 3 tbsp of the liquid)

Glazed cherries for putting between the rings and in the center of the rings

2 eggs

1/2 cup (100 gms) butter plus for greasing

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp fine sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

Direction

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius. Take a square or circular baking dish or tin and grease it with butter. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp sugar evenly on the base. Arrange the pineapple rings on the base, three in a row (I used a square dish). Now place a glazed cherry inside every ring and in between the gaps. Keep aside. 

In a bowl, combine the egg, butter, and sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Now add the flour (sifted with baking powder and baking soda) and fold into the wet mixture. Add the reserved 3 tbsp  of the canned syrup to make the batter a little liquidy. Now pour the batter gently onto the prepared dish. It will just cover the rings. Bake the cake at 175 degree celsius for 20 minutes without disturbing and then for another 10 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven, gently ease a spatula or a knife around the edge of the tin or dish, and with the help of a plate placed at the rim of the baking dish, with one shot immediately turn the dish onto the plate. Voila! A beautiful Pineapple Upside Down cake would be resting on your serving plate waiting to be served. Cool the cake completely before serving. I like my piece of cake a little cold and so refrigerated the cake and took it out just 10 minutes before serving.

                                        

Pistachio Mawa Cake

In Singapore, as per my knowledge goes, there is only one place where you can get Mawa/Khoya and that is the all-time famous Mustafa Center. My husband fondly tells everyone that apart from parents and kids, you can get everything in Mustafa (life partners too; you might fall in love while shopping!!!) and true it is.

Coming back to the point, last week I had this strong desire for Gajar ka Halwa and since for a yummy one you need to add some Khoya to it. So off I went to fetch some Khoya and halwa carrots (also only available in Mustafa!) to satisfy my innate desire. While my halwa craving was well attended (post coming up soon), I was left with almost 300 gms of Khoya in the fridge. I had almost forgotten about it when suddenly I grabbed it out of the fridge instead of something else. I pondered for a moment on the best possible options of using it and since I did not have much time on hand, the easiest option was a simple Mawa Cake. I hadn't baked one before and so was even more excited to try out a new recipe. The result was a super moist and delicate mouthwatering mawa cake. Only caution is keep a close watch on the baking time as mine got slightly burnt on the outer crust, but tastes awesome nevertheless!

Ingredients

1 cup maida

3 eggs

3/4 cup khoya grated (equivalent to approx 200 gms). You can make this qty of khoya with approx 1 litre of milk.

1 cup brown sugar (you can add regular fine sugar)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup butter

3-4 tbsp chopped pistachios for garnishng (you can replace with chopped almonds or skip it altogether)

Directions

In a bowl, soften the butter in the microwave and bring it to room temperature. Add the sugar and whisk. Now add the eggs and whisk further. Make sure the butter is at room temperature before adding the eggs. Now sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture. Add the grated khoya and beat into a lump free batter. Finally, add the vanilla essence and stir. If you find the batter too thick, you may add a few tbsps of milk. Mine was okay and did not require any milk. You can either prepare a loaf tin (either grease it or line it with parchment paper) or muffin moulds for baking. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius. Pour the batter  into the prepared tin or moulds and garnish it with the chopped pistachios. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Keep a close watch on the cake while nearing the finishing time. I was a little careless and ended up over browning it by a few minutes. 

                                        

                                        

Superlicious Brownie Almond Butter Cake

It has been a month since I started blogging and I am thoroughly enjoying it. What started off as a means of collecting tried and tested recipes, has now become an integral part of my daily routine. Ever since I became a Mommy, the only thing I thought about was my baby. Now that I am thinking something else apart from caring for my baby (who will be turning two very soon) is a refreshing change. Today, to celebrate my newly found passion as well as my month-long blogging, I have baked a yummy brownie butter cake and I feel quite proud to say that this is by far the best cake I have ever baked! Thank you all for supporting and liking my recipes. Stay tuned!

Ingredients

For the Brownie

5 oz dark chocolate

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup all purpose flour 

For the Butter Cake

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup all purpose flour

3 1/2 tbsp milk

Sliced almonds for the topping (optional)

Directions

Grease an aluminium foil and line it inside a baking loaf tin in such a way that it fits perfectly into the tin.

Preheat the oven to 175 degree Celsius.

In a bowl, melt the chocolate and the butter either in the microwave for 1 minute or on a low flame. Keep aside and let it cool for a while. Beat in the brown sugar and mix until a smooth paste is formed. Add the egg and beat again. Finally, fold in the flour and mix well scraping the sides. Transfer the brownie mix to the prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degree Celsius. While inserting a toothpick you might see a few undone spots. Do not overcook. The brownie will be just perfect once it goes again into the oven with the butter cake mix.

While your brownie is in the oven, quickly prepare the butter cake mix. In a bowl, beat the butter (softened, not melted) and the sugar to a smooth paste. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour and baking powder, alternating with milk, to make a smooth batter. Pour the butter cake batter over the hot brownie (very crucial and important) and smoothen the surface. Sprinkle some sliced almonds from the top to get a crunchy crust. Bake in the oven at 160 degree Celsius for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool. Your delicious brownie almond butter cake is ready to earn you compliments!