Eggless Orange Cake

Eggless Orange Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
2 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla or orange essence

Frosting:
3/4 cup icing sugar
3-4 tbsp orange juice
A drop of orange essence

Method:
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest and salt in a bowl.
In another bowl mix milk, orange juice and essence and keep aside.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy.
Reduce speed to low and add flour alternating with milk mixture and ending with flour.
Use a spatula to scrape down if required.
Don’t overmix.
Transfer to a baking pan lined with greased baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Once done, let the cake cool in the pan for 5 mins. Loosen the sides and transfer to a wire rack or serving dish to cool completely.
For frosting mix the icing sugar, orange juice and orange essence to get a thick batter.
Pour or drizzle on top of cake. Frosting will set in few mins.
Slice and serve and enjoy.

Eggless Christmas Plum Cake

Christmas cheer and spirit is in the air!
Let’s make ahead plum cake and other goodies to celebrate Christmas.

Eggless Christmas Plum Cake

very good crumbs…cant tell its eggless!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white or brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
2 large pinch cloves powder(just pinch the top part of clove)
1 tsp crushed shahjeera (optional)
2 cups dry fruits and nuts (mix of raisins, cranberries, apricots, nuts, tutti fruiti , candied peels etc per your choice)
3/4 cup butter (150 gms) at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup water mix)

For caramel:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Method:
Make caramel first. Take a small pan and add sugar and keep on low flame.
Don’t stir for some time till sugar starts to melt. Once colour starts to change at the sides, give it a stir.
When the whole sugar has melted and colour turns to dark amber, add water carefully as it will splutter. (don’t let sugar foam before adding water…otherwise caramel will be bitter),
Boil for a minute and take off fire and let the mixture cool.

Take a large bowl and add flour, baking soda and all spice powders and whisk to combine.
Add the dry fruits and nut mix and stir to combine.
In another bowl whisk butter and sugar to combine.
Add caramel and buttermilk and mix.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients bowl and stir to combine.
Transfer to a greased pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 50-60 mins until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.Cool in the pan for 10 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve.

Notes:
This can be made one week in advance.
Once cool, wrap with butter paper completely and then with an aluminum foil and keep in a cool place. Dust with powdered sugar to decorate or go for elaborate royal icing.

Softest Banana Bread

I have tried so many banana bread recipes and had actually stopped my search for perfect banana bread with this recipe. But when I saw the blue ribbon winner recipe and read the description of adding water to a bread bread recipe I had to try. I am so glad I did!

The picture doesn’t do justification to the softest tastiest banana bread. Do try this one time.

Softest Banana Bread
Recipe source:Veronicascornucopia.com

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
A pinch of salt
1 cup mashed bananas (2 large)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius and grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt and whisk well. Keep aside.
In a large bowl, add sugar, oil, water, eggs and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Add dry ingredients and whisk well. Batter will be quite thin.
Pour into the greased pan and bake for 40-45 mins until cooked and a toothpick inserted at the center come out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve.
This is perfect without any icing.

Apple Raisin Muffin

Apple Raisin Muffin

Ingredients:
2 cup all purpose flour
½ cup brown or white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
½ cup oil ( I used canola)
¾ cup yogurt
2 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup raisins
2 apples
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method:
Core and peel apples and cut into small cubes.
Add to a small pan with 1 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon powder.
Add 2 tbsp water and cook covered for 5 minutes. Take off fire and cool.
Whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
In another bowl, add sugar, egg, yogurt, oil, vanilla essence and whisk to mix.
Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix gently.
Add apples and raisins and mix just to combine. Don’t overmix.
Spoon batter into greased muffin molds and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 20-25 mins.
Col the muffins in the pan for 5 mins and then transfer to a wire rack.
Serve warm.

Simple Carrot Cake

This is a very simple and easy carrot cake. Extremely soft and spongy.
This is for people who don’t prefer nuts and other additions in their carrot cake!

Simple Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup oil
¾ cup grated carrots
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 pinch nutmeg powder
1 pinch salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius. Grease a baking tray.
Whisk flour, baking powder, nutmeg powder and salt in a bowl and keep aside.
In another bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until frothy. Add oil little by little beating all the time until all is mixed.
Add vanilla essence and mix.
Add flour in two additions and mix.
Add carrots and mix well.
Pour batter into the greased baking tray and bake for approx. 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan and transfer to a serving plate.
Serve as is or sprinkle with icing sugar. Slice and serve.

Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake

The pictures didn’t come out good but its an extremely soft and moist cake.

Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup water
1 cup mayo (full fat)

Ganache Frosting:
1 cup cream
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:
Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar and baking soda in a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined. Don’t overmix.
Pour into a greased paper lined cake pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees for approx. 30-35 mins.
Cool completely.
Cake is good without frosting but frosting definitely adds to look and taste.
Put the chocolate chips in a bowl.
Heat cream to almost boiling and add to chocolate chips. Leave it aside for 2 mins.
Stir gently in circular motion until chocolate is melted. Cool in refrigerator.
Beat the cooled cream to soft peaks. Spread over cake and run a fork over it to create simple design.
Cut and serve.

Banana Walnut Bread

the perfect texture and taste!

Banana Walnut Bread

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup oil or melted butter (I used canola oil)
¼ cup yogurt
1 cup mashed banana (2 nos)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp cardamom powder (optional but really good)
¾ cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cardamom powders in a bowl.
In another large bowl, whisk oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla to combine.
Add yogurt and banana and mix well.
Add flour all at once and mix to combine. Don’t overmix.
Add walnuts and fold to combine.
Pour batter into a lined loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees for approx. 30-40 mins.
Let cool in pan for few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Slice and serve.

Carrot and Orange Muffins

Carrot and Orange Muffins
Recipe source:myfavouritepastime

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
5 tbsp vegetable oil
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 cup finely grated carrot

Icing
Approx. ¼ cup orange juice
Approx. 1 cup icing sugar

Method:
Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk egg, milk, oil, orange juice and orange zest in another bowl and add to dry mixture.
Stir until just combined.
Fold in carrots.
Spoon into greased muffin moulds. Bake for approx. 25 mins or till done.
Let cool on a cooling rack.
Mix orange juice and icing sugar to a thick pourable consistency. Spoon over warm muffins.
Let it cool completely and serve.

Rice Flour Banana Cake

‘Healthy’ or gluten free cake doesn’t have to be tasteless. Try this banana cake with rice flour!

Rice Flour Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup rice flour (store bought will do)
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)
½ – ¾ cup white or brown sugar
½ tsp salt
2 large bananas mashed ( ¾-1 cup)
2 eggs
½ cup oil
6 tbsp buttermilk (yogurt + water will do)

Method:
Mix rice flour, cardamom powder, baking soda and salt and keep aside.
In a large bowl, whisk oil, eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, banana and sugar till sugar dissolves.
Add flour mixture and stir to combine.
Pour batter into a greased baking loaf pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 40-50 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack.
Slice and serve.

2-in-1 Chocolate Cake

2-in-1 chocolate cake cause the same batter makes a cake and frosting!

2-in-1 Chocolate Cake
Recipe source: chefindisguise

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 tsp coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
In a blender bowl add sugar, oil, milk, cocoa powder and coffee powder and blend till sugar dissolves.
Pour ¾ cup of the mixture to a pan and keep aside.
Add eggs and vanilla to the blender and blend again.
Pour this into a big bowl and add flour and baking powder and mix to combine. Don’t over mix.
Pour into a greased baking pan and bake in preheated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 30-40 mins.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 mins and later take out and cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile heat the pan with 3/4th cup batter kept aside.
Bring to boil and simmer for 2 mins. The mixture will thicken. Cool completely and pour over warm cake.
Sprinkle nuts or chocolate shavings on top and slice and serve.