Cocoa (Choco) Cake

Just wanted to try brown cake, which most of the children love to have. Just before closing the class for summer holidays we wanted to have a small party for children who comes to our home for studying.

We had a beautiful time with children, playing " Jenga" and some indoor games like musical chair. Felt that we had spent good time playing and laughing and having fun. Anyways there was no tension of studying lessons or completing notes. They were really free because the annual exams were over. Summer holidays were started and they were free to enjoy their time.
I have used Maida, Cocoa powder, sugar and some essence.
Lets see the recipe : Eggs are not used here in this cake and curd is used instead of eggs.

Things needed :

Maida/Al purpose flour : 2 Cups
Cooking Oil : (any cooking oil) : Little more than 1/2 cup.
Sugar : 3/4 Cup
Vanilla essence : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Salt : A pinch
Baking Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Baking Soda : 1/4 Teaspoon
Cocoa Powder : 1 Teaspoon (Full).
Vanila Essence : 2 Drops

Method :

1. Sieve Maida, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder together. (Twice).

2. Powder sugar and add oil, curd and grind it nicely. Add milk and grind it.

3. Let it mix well and turn as smooth cream. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.

4. Add a pinch of salt and sieved maida, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda mixture.
5.  Add vanila essence. Mix it slowly without any lumps.

6. Heat the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Grease the tray with oil/ghee. Put the ready cake mixture and tap the tray, so that the mixture sets evenly.

8. Put the tray in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Insert a knife/spoon edge to check its done.
9. Put off the oven and remove the cake tray. Place it on the top of the oven for 5 minutes.

10. Now take it out the tray and let it cool. Cut the cake according to your wish. Yummy cake is ready to serve.

Note :

This is a simple cocoa cake which has turned very nice and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Our children enjoyed it. Adding more sugar is optional. Adding butter/olive oil instead of cooking oil is optional. Adding eggs instead of curd is optional. You can add some chocolate chips and bake.
Time : 10 Minutes for preparation and 35 Minutes for baking. I have used Mixi Jar (Liquidizer) to mix all the ingredients except maida. You can use egg beater instead.
Happy Summer Holidays 2017. (Children already gone for vacation). The very few around attended the Summer Holiday Party....☺☺☺

Custard Powder Cake

Happy New Year 2017 to Each and Every One.

Custard Powder Cake is one of the yummy cake that can be eaten at any time of the day. This is an eggless cake and it easy to prepare. The cake can be cooked in Pressure cooker also.
Inspired by Madhura Pradeep  a friend, one of the foodie group member and a regular baker who does wonder in baking.
I have used all purpose flour, Vanila flavoured custard powder, small cinnamon stick sugar, oil, curd and little milk.
Lets see the recipe Now:

Ingredients :

Maida/All purpose flour : 2 Cups
Custard powder : 100

Grams pack (small pack)
Sugar : 1 Cup (Little less)
Cinnamon stick : a small stick
Oil : 1 Cup
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder : 1 Full teaspoon
Salt : A pinch of salt.
Chocolate  : One or two Pieces

Method :

1. Sieve maida, custard powder, salt and baking powder together. Let it mix well. Sieve it once again.

 2. Powder sugar and mix it well with oil. I did grind powder sugar and oil with curd.
3. Grind it till you see bubbles the mixture.

4. Add cinnamon stick and milk. Grind it for another 2 minutes.
5. Remove it from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.

6. Add sieved flour and mix it slowly. Put this mixture in a greased baking tray. Just scrape out the chocolate on the top of the ready to bake the cake.

7. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes. Bake cake for 25 to 30 minutes in 180 degree celcius.
8. Check the cake by pricking a knife/fork edge to know it is done.

9. If the cake is baked well it does not stick to the knife edge.

10. Take out the done cake tray and let it cool. Cut and serve according to your wish.

Note :

Use of mixi jar helps the mixture to mix it well. Add little milk if the dough is very thick. Add little less sugar. Adding cinnamon adds to the taste and aroma. Adding butter instead of oil is optional. 

Use of eggbeater is optional. You can also bake this cake in a pressure cooker. 

Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 20 to 25 pieces (According to your wish).

Dry Fruits Cake (Without Egg)

Cake is desert and I prepared in this way of using Maida /All purpose flour, butter/ghee/oil.

It is nice to have a piece of cake when you have tea or coffee. Having a piece of cake has no particular time. This is an eggless cake.

I have used some dry fruits (very little amount) at the end just before baking. It adds to the taste and gives nice colour too. No egg in this cake. 

Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed 

All purpose flour/Maida : 2 Cups

Sugar : 1 Cup

Curd : 1/2 Cup

Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods

Oil : Little more than 3/4 cup

Baking Soda : a pinch

Baking powder : 1 Teaspoon

Dry Fruits : 2 Tablespoons .(Almonds, cashews, raisins, Fig and dates).

Method :

1. Sieve Maida, baking powder and baking soda and keep it aside.

2. Dry grind sugar and then add curd, oil and grind it till it gets fluffy.

3. Add cardamom and grind for 1 minute.

4. Remove from the liquidizer and put it in a bowl.

5. Cut dry fruits into small and keep it aside.

6. Now take a big pan and put ground oil, sugar and curd mixture. 

7. Add sieved maida and slowly mix all the ingredients well.

8. Greece the baking tray with oil.

9. Pour this mixture to the tray and add dry fruits on the top. 

10 . Bake this in the oven for 25 minutes ( 180 degree C). 

11. Just insert a knife edge to make sure cake is baked well. 

12 Serve fresh dry fruits cake with a cup of Tea/Coffee.

Note :

You should have an oven to bake the cake. or try in micro wave ...baking option. You can use ghee/butter instead of oil. (any cooking oil). Adding curd makes the cake soft and fluffy. Adding vanilla essence is optional. More dry nuts can be added.

Time : 

Total time 25 to 30 minutes to bake  + 10 minutes to preparation  

Serves : 25 small pieces can be made.

Chocolate -Banana Cake

This Chocolate Cake is very special. I baked this cake for my son Ravikanth on his birthday. It came out yummy and just beautiful. I am Happy for that we had good time spent with Ravi during his lunch hours.

It is an eggless cake with minimum sugar, dates and dark chocolate. You can use more sugar if you love to have little more sweet. I have used curd, milk, cinnamon and cooking oil. 

Lets see the recipe now:

Things needed :

Maida /All purpose flour : 2 Cups

Sugar : 3/4 Cup

cooking Oil : (any) : 3/4 cup

Cinnamon : An inch

Chocolate : 2 to 3 Tablespoons ( any chocolate)

Dates : 8 to 10

Banana (ripe) : 2 

Salt : a pinch

Curd : 1/2 Cup

Milk : 1/4 Cup

Baking Powder : 1 Teaspoon (Heaped)

Cooking Soda : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method : 

1.Sieve maida , baking powder and cooking soda and keep it aside. 

2. Grind sugar, dates, cinnamon into powder.
3. Add oil and grind nicely till sugar is melted.

4. Add curd and grind. Add chocolate pieces and grind again. Add banana and grind till it mixes.

5. Add milk at the end and grind for a minute. Let the mixture be soft and fluffy. 

6. Add a pinch of salt and give a churn at the end.
7. Remove the ground mixture to a big bowl.

8. Mix maida baking powder, cooking soda mixture slowly. Let it mix well. 

9. Apply little oil on the tray. Pour the cake mixture to the tray.

10. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes.

11. Now keep cake try inside the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on 180 dc. Take it out from the oven and allow the cake to cool down, 

12 Insert a knife or spoon edge to check the cake. If it sticks to the spoon end then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Note : 

Using ghee or butter instead of oil is optional. Using fresh ghee is also optional. ( I have used 1 Tablespoon of ghee along with oil. It adds to the flavour). Adding any flavour is optional. Example , venila essence or cardamom or clove. Use of more sugar is also optional. Banana adds to the sweet and softens the cake. 

Time : Preparation : 5 minutes : Baking time 30 minutes : Total time : 35 Minutes.
Serving : According to the serving.