EASY EGGLESS BUTTERLESS LEMON CAKE

I have used the same recipe of lemon cup cakes  for making this cake.As already mentioned this one is super easy ,delicious and perfect for this summer as anything lemony is truly refreshing.

Ingredients

1.      Maida-1 cup

2.      Sugar-less than ¾ cup

3.      Oil-1/4 cup(use any unflavoured oil)

4.      Baking powder-1tsp

5.      Baking soda-1tsp

6.      Milk-1/2 cup

7.      Lemon juice-1tbsp

8.      Lemon zest- zest of two small lemons (it was around 1 tbsp or more)

9.      Lemon yellow color-tad a bit (it is purely optional)

Method of preparation

1.      Preheat oven at 180 degree for 10 minutes.

2.      Prepare an 8” inch cake tin.

3.      Take a bowl.mix all ingredients except flour and stir till the sugar dissolves.

4.      Add the flour in two batches and give a nice stir without any lumps.

5.      Pour in to prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180degree or till the inserted knife comes out clean or cook this in a pressure cooker for about 45 minutes.

 check this to know more about pressure cooker baking

Notes: lemon zest is lemon peel. It can be taken by grating the skin .Be careful not to include the white inner part while grating as it would taste bitter.

CARROT-PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH FRESH CREAM FROSTING AND PRALINE TOPPING

I made this cake for my husband on his birthday and wanted to give him as a surprise. I prepared this one day in advance. I knew very well that baking the cake, making the frosting, decorating the cake everything cannot be done on the same day as all this process depends on the sleeping time of my little boy. It was for the first time a cake remained uncut for a day :). Usually i taste the cake the moment it comes out of the oven.I was having tough time to keep it as secret. I hid the cake in my kitchen cupboard. But after baking the entire home was filled with the wonderful aroma of cake. Cake can be kept hidden, but the smell??i wanted to erase all the traces that I had baked a cake before he gets home from office. Then I opened each and every windows, switch on the fans of all rooms .Somehow I managed to keep it secretly. It was for the first time I made this cake but no way to check the taste, texture etc.I had no clue how it tastes like.I decided to keep the frosting as minimal as possible so that it wouldn’t be overly too sweet. But after frosting the cake looked quite blank not attractive. So I topped up with some praline and it did lift the cake to another level of taste and appearance. Actually it was my maiden attempt in cake decoration. However the entire thing went smoothly as I planned.Atleast I could keep the surprise. He was totally excited to see the cake. That’s what I wanted. Isn’t that great bringing smiles on our loved ones face by a humble deed? Cooking can do that magic!!

Over to the cake recipe..the cake was absolutely yum!! The combination of carrot and pineapple was heavenly. The cake was moist and super soft. Do try this ..you will love this cake for sure.

Ingredients

1.      Maida/all purpose flour-1 n ¾ cup

2.      Oil-3/4 cup

3.      Eggs-2nos

4.      Sugar-1-cup

5.      Grated carrot-1 cup

6.      Chopped pineapple-1/2 cup(after  chopping,crush the pineapple lightly)

7.      Baking powder-little less than ¾  tsp

8.      Baking soda-1/2 tsp

9.      Cinnamon powder-1/2 tsp

10.  Vanilla essence-1 n ½ tsp

11.  Salt-1/4 tsp

For the frosting

1.      Fresh cream-200ml

2.      Vanilla essence-1tsp

3.      Icing sugar-3 or 4 tblsp

For the praline

1.      Suagr-2tblsp

2.      Water-1 or 2tsp

3.      Cashew nuts-10 nos,chopped

Method of preparation

1.      Preheat the oven at 170◦ for 10 minutes. Prepare a loaf tin.

2.      Mix flour, cinnamon powder ,salt ,baking powder and baking soda. Sieve together or whisk everything well.

3.      In a mixing  bowl beat eggs well till it turns frothy. Add sugar in and beat again until sugar dissolves. Add in oil and vanilla essence and give a gentle stir. Add grated carrot and chopped pineapple. Mix well

4.      Add already mixed dry ingredients in to this in different batches and fold in gently .pour the batter into prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes at 170◦.

5.      Once it has cooked, let it cool completely. Invert the cake on to a plate.

Frosting is completely optional. The cake taste delicious even without frosting.

Fresh cream frosting

1.      Beat cream well until it forms stiff peaks.

2.      Add in icing sugar and vanilla essence and beat gently.

3.      Keep in fridge for 5 minutes until the frosting has reached the right consistency.

4.      Use your imagination and decorate the cake.I  applied the frosting only on the top and on the lower side. To decorate the whole cake increase the quantity of ingredients.

Praline

1.      Grease a steel plate with some oil or butter.

2.      Heat sugar in thick bottomed pan. Add little water. Turn the heat to maximum and let the sugar turn lightly brown. Once it starts to brown add chopped nuts and mix well.

3.      Immediately transfer it into greased plate and spread evenly using a spoon.

4.      Once it has cooled crush it using a pestle. Sprinkle this on the top or the sides of the cake.

After the frosting keep the cake in fridge or frosting will melt under room temperature. Take it out  15 minutes or half an hour before consumption.

BOLI (STEP BY STEP PICTURES)

 Boli is a sweet thin crepe made with channa dal and maida.In Kerala boli is usually eaten with Palpayasam(it is another Kerala delicacy).wow !! I don’t know how to express my love towards this sweet combo in words. Yes it is such a heavenly sweet. If you have never tasted this then I would say you must eat it .The boli which we used to get in Karnataka and Tamil nadu is bit thick  and is applied with lots of ghee but the one which is available in Kerala is thin and bit dry though..i prefer the latter. Here I have given the recipe of thin variety.

Ingredients

1.      Chana dal(kadalaparippu)-1 ½ cup

2.      Sugar-1  cup

3.      Maida-2cup

4.      Cardamom powder-1/2tsp

5.      Gingely oil-1/4cup

6.      Rice flour-2cups

7.      Ghee-2tbsp

8.      Yellow food color-a pinch

Method of preparation

1.      Cook channa dal by adding enough water. I cooked it in a pressure cooker.

2.      Once cooked add sugar and yellow food color (if any water remains drain the water before adding sugar).And continue to keep in stove until sugar melts and dal sugar  mix thickened to form dough like consistency. Lastly add cardamom powder and give a nice mix. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Grind this into smooth paste.

3.      Mean time mix maida, yellow color and knead into a smooth dough by adding enough water. Pour gingely oil over top of the kneaded dough and keep aside for 15 minutes.

4.      Now take a lemon sized ball from the dal mix and gooseberry sized ball from the maida dough. Sprinkle rice flour on your work space to prevent the boli from sticking while rolling.slighly flatten the maida dough. Keep the dal ball inside. Bring the edges of maida dough into the centre and fold to cover the dal ball. Carefully flatten it into thin crepes .sprinkle rice flour in between to prevent it from sticking while rolling.(Alternate method-take a butter patter keep the prepared balls inside. cover with another piece of paper. Flatten it and carefully remove the paper. This process makes the rolling job much easier)

5.      Cook in a heated tawa .when one side is cooked flip it over and cook until small brown spots appear on both sides. Do not overcook as it will turn the boli crisp. Apply ghee in between.

channa dal kept for cooking by adding enough water.

channa dal was cooked

 

transferred into another pan and sugar was added

sugar started to melt.

nicely cooked and thickened.

 

mix maida,color and water

 

kneaded into smooth dough and oil was poured on top.

channa dal ball was kept inside slightly flattened maida ball.

 edges are sealed to keep the dal ball inside

sprinkled with rice flour and flattened

 

beautifully cooked boli.

ZERO FAT VANILLA SPONGE CAKE (EGGLESS ,BUTTER OR OIL LESS)

This is My first post of this year. Let it be a sweet beginning with a super easy recipe.

What comes into your mind when you think about a cake recipe? Flour sugar and butter..Right? Can you imagine a cake without using a drop of butter or oil??? Yes it is!! This is such a magic cake without even a trace of butter or oil.

I saw this recipe while in search for an eggless cake. I never ever imagined a cake  can be made without using a drop of fat. So I was quite skeptical about the outcome. I kept my eye whole through the process of baking and to my surprise this cake rose up very well and turned very soft . Whenever I feel like to have a cake I make this. This is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Recipe is adapted from here

 

Ingredients

1.      Maida-3/4cup

2.      Sugar-1/2cup

3.      Baking powder-3/4tsp

4.      Baking soda-less than 1/2tsp

5.      Curd-1/2cup( I used low fat curd)

6.      Milk-1tblsp (more or less)

7.      Vanilla essence-1tsp 

Method of preparation

1.      Prepare an 8” inch cake tin. Preheat oven at 180◦ for 10 minutes.

2.      Beat curd. Add baking powder and baking soda. Beat well. Add sugar in, beat until sugar dissolves. Add vanilla essence. Add Flour in two batches and mix well without any lumps. If the batter is too thick add milk. Pour the batter into prepared cake tin and Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 ◦ for 30 min or until the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

MANGO CAKE-EGG LESS

Recipe is adapted from here

 

Ingredients

1.      All purpose flour-1 ½ cup

2.      Mango puree-1 1/2 cups                         

3.      Baking powder-2tsp

4.      Sunflower or canola oil-1/3 cup

5.      Sugar-2/3 cup

6.      Vanilla essence-1tsp

7.      Cardamom powder-3/4tsp

8.      Salt-1/2tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1.      Sift flour, baking powder,  salt and cardamom powder together . Keep it aside.

2.      Peel off the mango, cut into pieces and grind into smooth paste. Add oil, vanilla essence and sugar into this mango puree .Whisk until sugar dissolves completely.

3.      Add sifted flour into this in three batches. Gently mix all the ingredients. Pour into prepared cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree for 35-40 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Once it is done, transfer the cake into a cooling rack. Let it cool completely. Cut into desired shapes and serve..This cake taste best on the next day. So be patient till the other day :)