Tag: cake

Let’s have some RAINBOW!!

Who doesn’t love a rainbow? That magical moment when Tlaloc is being generous and yet the sun is peeking from behind the clouds, hop scotching and letting fall its warmth here and there – that exact moment, a jolly young rainbow is born.

Rainbows had always fascinated me as a kid. It had that fairytale aura that I looked for in anything and everything then.

That fascination – well, I incorporated it in my culinary creations and the outcome was more than satisfactory. The food looked fun, my little cousins loved them and to top it all, they were delicious!!

My first recipe is a rainbow cake –

Rainbow Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 18 slices

Ingredients:

[ 125g butter (softened, plus a little extra for greasing), 225g plain flour, 150g golden caster sugar, 3 fresh eggs, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, edible food colouring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)

For the icing- 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 x 250g tubs cream cheese, 350g icing sugar ]* 3 for 6 sponges

Directions: Heat the oven to 180C. Grease the pan and line the base with baking paper. Tip all the sponge ingredients (apart from the food colouring) into a mixing bowl, and then beat until smooth.

Weigh the mixture into another bowl, and then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick 2 colours and stir a little into each mix. Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible. Bake on the same oven shelf for 12 minutes until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.

Repeat the same process to make all the coloured layers. Leave them all to cool.

To make the icing, beat the vanilla and cream cheese until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula.

Smear a little icing on your plate to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, and then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake. And voila! Your RAINBOW CAKE is ready!!

The Rainbow Cake is a massive hit in my family and I bake it every time my little sister comes to Kolkata for a quick visit. To quote her, “It is yummilicious!”. Kids are going to love it so bake away! Moreover, who said, us, adults can’t have a bit of our colourful fun? Gorge on folks!

The second rainbow-y recipe which I absolutely love to bake is –

Rainbow Cookies

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 48 pieces

Ingredients: 8 ounces almond paste, 1 cup butter (softened), 1 cup white sugar, 4 eggs (egg white and yolk separated), 2 cups all-purpose flour, 6 drops red food coloring, 6 drops green food coloring, 1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam, 1/4 cup apricot jam, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (melted)

Directions: Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.In a large bowl, break apart almond paste with a fork, and cream together with butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Stir in flour to form dough. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the dough. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Mix one portion with red food coloring, and one with green food coloring. Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and cool completely.Place green layer onto a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all three layers. Spread green layer with raspberry jam, and top with uncolored layer. Spread with apricot jam, and top with pink layer. Transfer layers to a baking sheet, and enclose with plastic wrap. Place a cutting board on top of wrapped layers to compress. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.In the morning remove plastic wrap. Top with melted chocolate chips, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into small squares.

These Rainbow Cookies are great to snack on are one of the tastiest cookies ever. Try ‘em!

Rainbow Jello

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 7 cups

Ingredients: 6 packages of Jello (rainbow colours), 3 cups of yogurt or light sour cream, whipped cream ( this is optional but if added, it takes the rainbow jello to a whole different dimension)

Directions: To make each layer of jello, add 1 cup of boiling water to each package of Jello one at a time. Stir briefly and dissolve the Jello. Set half of the Jello aside. Use a whisk and stir ½ cup yogurt or sour cream into the other half of the Jello. Pour the creamy Jello layer into clear clean plastic cups or any other form of utensil you prefer. To the other half of Jello, add 3 tbsp water. Set aside. After the first layer is set, pour in the second layer. Repeat process for all the other layers of Jello. Add a dollop of whipped cream over the Jello (once it is set) at the end. And this is how the awesome Rainbow Jello is created.

The bobbly wobbly Rainbow Jello is a personal favourite. Since it needs mainly two ingredients, it is convenient and is the easiest of the lot to make. And again, it is simply delightful!

November 21, 2014
Nutella, Nutella… Everywhere!

Have you heard about Nutella Chocolate? Freaky Question. I Know! Nutella, the hazelnut chocolate spread, is deliciously, awesomely, supertasty, lovely, chocolaty, creamy, fancy, uber, yum, nutty thing. You just need a spoon and there you go. Eat it and keep eating it and spreading it on breads, cookies or cakes or on anything you want. And the fascinating thing, you know 5 February,2014 is celebrated as Nutella Day. Nutella lovers must have beautiful memories with nutella from their childhood to even now, from oozing crepes to breakfast on vacations to free spooning sessions on the couch, nutells has prominent place in almost everyone’s lives. And now, the nutty chocolaty spread is turning 50. So let’s just celebrate its half century and know more about this awesome spread.

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread, which is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in the market in 1964. Made by young confectioner , who had a vision of an affordable luxury made of a small amount of cocoa and lots of hazelnuts, His name was Pietro Ferrero. What’s in Nutella? If count on the ingredients and the nutrition, here’s what goes in Nutella? Well, in numbers if I say, 97 hazelnuts goes in each 750 grams jar. The other ingredients being, sugar, skimmed milk powder, palm oil(non-hydrogenated), low-fat cocoa, whey powder, vanillin, emulsifier. The nutritional information per 100 gram of nutella spread is 544 kcal, sugar 56.7g, fat 31.6g, protein 6g. It is produced on huge scale in 11 factories located in Italy, france, Poland, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, Brazil, Australia. Well, the ingredient hazelnut, is good for health of your heart, making it fairly nutritious food to occasionally include into your healthy eating plan. Nutella is beneficial for you, though you do get very small amount of key nutrients from nutella like saturated fat and sugar. Occasional intake of saturated fat is good for heart in maintaining cholesterol levels and do not harm your health. But you should limit your consumption and have in moderation as excess is always bad.

Gone are the days , you were caught with a a spoon in the nutella jar, now we have some super awesome tips and tricks to put this spread into versatile uses and as an ingredient in various sweet pick ons. Just go through and give variety to your breakfast.

NUTELLA CAKE RECIPE:

Serving: 6-8 Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients: 100 gram nutella

4 eggs

100 gram butter

200 gram castor sugar

200 gram self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

Method: Preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius and grease the baking dish with oil or lina 9 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Well, First In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together with a hand blender or electric blender. Once mixed and blended well, pour the batter into the cake tin making sure that you have got the even amount in it.

Bake it for 20-25 minutes until spongy soft to touch.

You can bake two cakes if you want a two layer cake. Now, take it out of the oven and let it cool down on a rack. When the two cakes are warm, not hot enough, decide which layer of cake is going to be a base and spread it with thick layering of nutella.

Now, Pop the other cake onto the nutella layer and press it firmly, sandiwiching them together. Spread more nutella layer on the top of cake and decorate it with strawberries or cherries or Cadbury shots or gems or use any other creativity of your own.

If you’re a big nutella lover, you will enjoy this recipe all the more. As, this is a rich chocolate cake with a thick nutella topping, this is perfect treat for nutella and chocolate lover. This delicious, mouth watering delicacy can be served with a dollop of vanilla icecream or thick cream and enjoy it.

Also, some more lovely recipes are here to make with nutella;

Spread it on a toast or bread or waffles with peanut butter and nutella on it . Quite a basic recipe but is loved the most.

You can slice the banana lengthwise and put nutella on it. Also, you can slice up apples thinly in circle pieces and put nutella on slices and sandwich them. Even, you can dip strawberries in nutella and eat them. Putting nutella on fruits make them all the more sweeter and gives an exotic taste, enjoyed by all.

Make a nutella shake with milk and blender. You can drink your nutella if you don’t like licking it from spoon and bored from spreading it.

You can frost banana cupcakes or any other cupcakes by nutella and vanilla swirl buttercream. Just looks and tastes yum.

Make a nutella covered bacons and enjoy them.

Put nutella on your icecream cups or cones and enjoy the deliciousness, richness and the iciness.

Nutella goes with anything to everything and makes things sweeter. Just perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth with the hazelnut delicacy. Enjoyit and keep eating till it gets over. Then, bring it more and eat it more and repeat.

Keep licking it. Keep spreading it. Because; Happy Eating is Happy Life.

July 30, 2014
The Love For Cherry
If life is a bowl full of cherries, then we are all in for a treat…!!!

This bite size stone fruit in its vivid red hue is a summertime favorite- and each little sweet cherry packs a powerful punch of nutrients. Sweet or sour, cherries are bursting with nutrition.

Cherries have a very short fruiting season. In Australia, they are usually at their peak around Christmas time. In many parts of North America, cherry fruit trees are among the first fruit trees that ripen. In addition, to being a delicious fruit, they have attractive flowers and are commonly planted for their flower display in spring.

A handful of fresh cherries in the summertime are a natural gourmet natural. Cherries, along with other berries, are a rich source of anti-oxidants. Queritrin – a flavinoid is rich in cherries, and has been found by researchers to be one of the most potent anti-cancer agents.

More than just a delicious fruit, cherries are low in calories. Eating cherries can help u lose weight and stay trim. A cup of cherries is less than 100 calories and packs only in 3 gm of fiber, which helps you in keeping full for a longer time.

Also, these little beauties contains vitamin B such as- thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B 6, these vitamins are crucial for the body and help in conversion of nutrients to energy.

Cherries are not only healthy and delicious, but versatile also. They can be added to anything to everything from dairy, to pork, eaten raw or cooked down to make a sauce or a shake.

They are a power-pack remedy to a large number of disorders-

1. Lowers down blood pressure-

Cherries are an excellent source of potassium, which helps in lowering of blood pressure by helping the body to get rid out of excess blood pressure. Eating cherries can help you maintain the balance between sodium and potassium.

2. Cherries get good sleep-

Tart cherries contain melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. Two tablespoons of little tart juice is used as a tasty bedtime sleep aid.

3. Cherries help fight cancer-

The distinctive red hue of the cherry is due to the flavinoid called cynaidin, which in combination with anti-oxidants of cherry can help fight the free radicals of the body. Also cynaidin, helps to keep cancerous cells in control.

4. Cherries help ease arthritis pain-

For those who suffer from arthritis and gout, eating 2 cup of binge cherries can give a lot of relief. Cherries can also reduce painful inflammation by decreasing the amount of the reactive protein produced.

5. Helps cure migraine-

Cherries help in curing migraine problem, by reducing the inflammation in the body. The cynaidin flavinoid of the cherry can aid in reducing the migraine headaches.

6. prevents premature ageing-

cherries are rich in two important flavinoids- queritrin and isoqueritrin, which act as antioxidants and work by removing the by-products of oxidative stress, thereby slowing down the process of pre-mature ageing.

Some easy cherry recipes:

1. Cherry beer cake-

A. 3/4 cup cherries

B. 2 cup all- purpose flour

C. 2 tbsp baking powder

D. 1/4 tbsp salt

E. 4 eggs

F. 2 cup granulated sugar

G. 2 tbsp vanilla extract

H. 2 tbsp melted butter

I. 1 cup cherry wheat beer

J. 1 tbsp baking soda

K. 1 pack cream cheese

L. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, add butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, flour, baking soda, vanilla extract, baking powder and salt. Add walnuts and cherries to the mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a battered pan, which is greased with oil. Bake the cake in the preheated oven kept at 350` C for 25-30 minutes. Cool it for 10 minutes.

For frosting in a large bowl, beat cream cheese till fluffy. Then add sugar and water, to achieve consistency. Add food coloring, if required. Spread the frosting over and between the cake layers.

Spread walnuts over the top layer.

2. Cherry milkshake-
1. Vanilla ice-cream
2. 2 tbsp milk
3. Fresh cherries
4. Marshmallows for garnishing
Chop the cherries, into small dices by removing the stalk and the seeds. Blend ice-cream, milk and the chopped cherries until smooth. Do not over blend it. Pour the shake into glasses and garnish with stalked cherries and marshmallows.

3. Vegan cherry pie-

A. 1 1/4 cup dark cherries

B. 1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

C. 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

D. 1 tbsp baking soda

E. 1/2 tbsp salt

F. 1 cup sugar

G. 1/2 cup oil

H. 1 tsp vanilla extract

I. 1 cup coffee powder

J. 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375` C and in a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and whisk them. In another bowl, add coffee powder with cold water, oil and vanilla extract. Now mix both of them together. Now, add the apple cider vinegar and mix till it is evenly distributed in mixture. Add cherries to the mixture, and do not whisk now. Bake for 35 minutes and then let it cool.

Garnish with chocolate chip and stalked cherries.
June 26, 2014
Red is the colour I’m looking for!

Red is the colour of passion. One sees red when they’re angry and one picks up a red heart to show that they love someone. Love and hatred, two sides of the same coin, can be expressed by a single colour – red. So when it’s someone’s birthday and you want to show your love for them by baking, why go with the classic chocolate cake? Maybe it’s time to get a little more creative. Show your love with the colour red. Bake a red-velvet cake!

Even though it sounds like a complicated thing to make, a red velvet cake is perhaps one of the easiest cakes to make apart from the classic chocolate or vanilla cake . A red velvet cake is basically a light chocolate cake with red colouring in it. A red velvet cakes speaks out and shows that it’s a special occasion cake because if you bake regularly, then you need a special recipe to mark a special occasion. A red and fluffy cake is perhaps one of the easiest and also one of the prettiest way to mark a special occasion. However, there are no rules against baking and indulging in this cake without a special occasion. The melt-in-the-mouth buttercream frosting used in this recipe is one of the most amazing comfort food that you can ask for.

so to celebrate or to indulge with style, here’s what you will need:

ingredients :

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon red food colour

Once you have everything, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and the food colour in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk and the oil.

Once done, mix both of them together.

If the batter is too thick, add some warm milk.

Make sure the batter is not too dark in colour because the cake gets darker after it’s baked.

Grease and flour a pan and bake the cake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean and dry.

Let the cake cool for around ten minutes before taking it out of the pan. While it’s cooling, pour yourself a drink and sip at it, Nigella Lawson style. Or you can catch up on wrapping up those gifts or putting up finishing touches to the birthday decorations. If you’re not doing any of these, you could make the frosting for the cake. The perfect frosting for a red velvet cake, in my opinion, is butter-cream frosting.

To make the butter-cream frosting, you will need:

100 gm butter

1 cup icing sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup cold milk

(if the butter is unsalted, you will also need a pinch of salt)

Soften the butter by either leaving it out for a while or by heating it up in the microwave for ten seconds.

Add the salt, if you’re using unsalted butter.

Add the icing sugar and beat until it’s light and fluffy.

Mix the flour in the cold milk. Heat it on a low flame while stirring constantly. If the mixture is not being stirred constantly, it will form lumps.

Once the mixture is thick and cooked, let it cool. Cover it while it is getting cooled so that it does not form a crust.

Once it has cooled, add it to the butter and sugar and beat. This mixture will provide the extra volume and fluffiness without the extra butter.

Before applying the frosting on the cake, make sure that the cake is cold or else the frosting will melt off. Dip a knife in warm water and use it to smooth-en the surface of the cake.

Cover the cake with the frosting. If you’re making a layered cake, apply some frosting between the layers as well. Sprinkle some brown sugar or nuts for decorations. Pop it in the fridge for an hour to make sure the frosting sets well. Take it out, put it on a plate and you’re ready to celebrate!

When you come to think of it, a red velvet cake is just a chocolate cake which is red in colour. But when you present it to someone you love, it says a lot more than a chocolate cake. Unless that person is a chocoholic, in which case, you should just go with the chocolate cake because the warm brown of chocolates is what will really please that person. Otherwise, nothing can express your love more that a red velvet cake simply because it is the universally known colour for love, for passion. It also brings a little variety and adds a little difference to the regular cakes which are either brown or white. It is also the perfect cake for kids because for a little child, it is fascinating to be able to eat something red and delicious because, let’s face it, most of the kids out there don’t really like tomatoes.

Everyone loves a little colour in their lives and perhaps the colour you’re looking for this time is red. Try it out and let us know if it worked for you!

Bon appetit!

June 11, 2014
Cake, Lovin’ it!

Cakes… Are they only for Birthday occasions? Not Really. Cakes are such mood changers. They are irresistible. We love cakes and they love us. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who doesn’t love cake. Everyone fancies it and Chocolate cake, its like king of all. Just so delicious. Eating a chocolate cake simply makes our day so effortless. They are yum, rich, creamy, fluffy, soft and what not!
The picture is of actual cake, made by me. It is very simple to make, yet looks delicious. And this is the cake, I have been making from last few years. I got to know about this recipe in my 1st year of graduation and since then, this is kinda my favorite tea-time cake. My family loves the taste and they simply wait for that time of the day, when I will make this cake and serve them. It can take many variations with toppings, and I experiment a lot. I usually bake this cake on weekend and I use electric baking oven. It is simple, easy, light and fun to make and bake. Well, if concerned about calories, for that I am answerless, but yeah, its fun to sometimes put down your diet schedule and enjoy the delicacies. No?! I simply famish it and love to make it and bake it. It is a simple Vanilla cake with Chocolate cream frosting. When I originally made this cake in 2011, I simply garnsihed it with almond and chocolate flakes. Since then, I have played with the flavorings. Vanilla extract (or seeds from a scraped out bean) is classic. Feel free to vary the flavours and make the basic buttercream your own.

VANILLA CAKE
Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
½ cup powdered sugar (sugar has to be powdered otherwise it burns)
½ cup maida (flour)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup milk
½ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:– Sift flour with baking powder. Keep aside
Beat eggs and powdered sugar till the eggs turn fluffy and the mixture becomes more than double volume. Add vanilla essence.
Add oil to beaten egg-sugar mixture in the bowl. Mix well.

Fold in flour gradually till all the flour is used. Add milk to get a slightly thinner than a soft dropping consistency.
Grease a deep aluminium baking bowl. Pour the batter in it.
Preheat the electric baking oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Then, after that put the baking dish containing batter in the oven and let it bake.
It will take around 30-35 minutes. You can see it through the transparent mirror if you are satisfied with its bake look, you can take it out. You can check by seeing if cake shrunk away from sides of baking pan and is brown form the up side. Cool on a cake rack before removing from the pan.

For Toppings and decorating:

Variation 1: You can spread chocolate sauce on the cake all over and garnish almonds and chocolate and sprinkle on it. There are other decorative eating material available in markets like sugary stars or balls, which you can sprinkle on cake to make it look more attractive.

Variation 2: Buttercream Topping: Mix 100 ml cream (I take Amul cream), sugar (to taste), 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in a double boiler and prepare the chocolate sauce. As it is thick it can be used as a cream on cake and frosting as well. Pour on the cooled cake and spread it with spatula. Garnish with chocolate, almond and walnut flakes. Voila! Your cake is ready!
Chocolate cake with same recipe: To convert a vanilla cake into a chocolate cake, add 2 teaspoon cocoa powder and 2 extra 2 tablespooon powdered sugar to the recipe of vanilla cake given above. After the cake is ready, pour some chocolate sauce on it and serve.
You can also put cherries and strawberries on the buttercream and decorate it as per your creativity. Sometimes, I put Cadbury gems and Cadbury shots on it and it just looks lovely. The most important thing to increase its fluffiness and softness is to whisk it and beat it as much as you can. I usually switch on a tv or songs while beating the mixture and keep doing it for atleast half an hour, taking breaks in between. This way it becomes less tiring. The more you beat, the perfectly it will be baked. It is the key point which you should just follow while making the batter. For a cake, beating is like electricity needed to light a bulb.
It is like perfect tea time cake and can be used in many ways, on birthday occasion or to on some other happy occasion but it just serves well at any time. Above all, when it is baked by you, cake so delicious, it is sure to receive heavy compliments.
You cannot be sad when you can bake. This is what I feel. There is an unexplainable satisfaction when you see your cake baked so perfectly. With so many benefits ranging from so good taste, emotional satisfaction, easy to make and bake, lovely to serve, easy to experiment, can be variated , can be baked to win someone special’s heart, kid’s first choice and many other countless benefits.

So, just keep baking. Love it. Serve it. Eat it.

June 7, 2014
Baking A Cake – Do it YOUR Way!

While baking a cake, I love to experiment and try out new stuff. Maybe add some blueberries or crushed almonds or simply drizzle some fruity syrup over the plain old basic cake – Anything. Anything and everything will do. Gradually you inherit the good sense of what goes with what. And if not, what’s life without a few mistakes, or in this case, a few badly turned / burnt cakes?

First, you need to know how to bake the basic cake. Once that foundation is made, it is easier to branch out, give a solid structure to your new ideas and bake.

Here are a few extremely basic age-old favourite cakes. Feel free to dab in your innovative ideas anywhere.

Let’s start with the basic Vanilla Sponge Cake. It is pretty easy to make and you can tempt your inner creative genius to work. (I usually add some raisins and cashew nuts to it.)

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients: 200g plain flour, 2 tablespoons cornflour, 200g caster sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 70g margarine,150ml milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,1 egg

Method: Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour a 20cm square tin.Sieve flour, cornflour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add margarine and milk. Mix until smooth, then add vanilla and egg. Mix well.Pour into prepared tin. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Princess Cake (this cake was invented in the 1930s )

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients: 1 ready-made 18cm round vanilla sponge cake, 500ml double cream, 200ml thick vanilla custard, 3 tbsp raspberry jam, 200g fresh raspberries, 350g marzipan (coloured pale green), icing sugar (for dusting)

Method: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sponge cake through the middle into3 layers. Whip the cream until stiff. Spread a thin layer of cream on top of the bottom cake layer, then carefully spread over the vanilla custard within 2cm of the edge. Spread the raspberry jam on top of the middle cake layer and arrange about half the raspberries in the centre. Place on top of the bottom cake. Position the final top layer of the cake on top of the raspberries. Using a palette knife, spread a little of the whipped cream around the side of the cake. Keep the best-looking raspberry for decoration, pile up the remainder in the centre, then cover these with the remaining cream. Try to create a dome effect across the top of the cake. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll the marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake completely. Carellfully drape it over and gently smooth it in place, letting it fall into neat folds. Using scissors, trim away any excess marzipan around the base. Sit your star raspberry on top, then dust with icing.

Basic Chocolate Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 9 – 10 people

Ingredients: Cooking Spray, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 3 large eggs, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 ½ cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low, beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

Marble Bundt Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: cuts into 8 – 10 slices

Ingredients: 300g butter (softened, plus extra for greasing), 300g golden caster sugar, 6 medium eggs, 150ml whole milk, 280g self-raising flour (plus extra for the tin), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 100g dark chocolate (coarsely chopped into chips or chocolate chunks, plus extra for decorating (optional) ), 25g cocoa powder (sifted), 1 tbsp dark rum, icing sugar (optional)

Method: Heat oven to 170C. grease a 25cm bundt ring mould with butter, then dust with flour. Cream together the butter and sugar in a food processor. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the milk. Divide the mixture between 2 large bowls. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add 150g of the flour to one bowl and fold in carefully with the vanilla, then fold in the chocolate chips. Fold the remaining flour and the cocoa into the other bowl, along with the rum. Spoon the cocoa mixture into the base of the mould, creating a slight trough, then smooth the vanilla mixture on top. This arrangement of the 2 mixtures with the cocoa mixture on the base should minimize the possibility of the cakes sticking. Bake for 50 minutes until risen and set. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges and leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes. Put a cake stand or plate on top of the mould and invert it. Leave to cool completely.

So grab your aprons, take the baking tin out, pour in some batter and start baking!

“Let them eat cake.”

–Marie Antoinette

Recipe Courtesy: foodnetwork.com, bbcgoodfood.com

Image Courtesy:foodlibrarin.com, flick.com, yourrecipesonline.com, foodnetwork.com

May 29, 2014