Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Ever since Ezra has been born everything has taken a back seat especially because I got this child after 7 years. I was diagnosed with a sickness which did not medically allow me to conceive but against all the odds that I was posed with I still went ahead with the commitment that I would have my second child - which I did. How? By the sheer faith in the God that I serve. I am slowly coming back to updating my blog and slowly trying to give this little space a little more spruce but for those who have been consistently looking through recipes out here. Seriously I am indeed grateful.
So when the visits from people were in plenty this was something I baked to serve the round of visitors that kept coming. An easy and impeccably lovely bake to try!

Ingredients:
Yield: 2 loaves (10-12 slices each)

3½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Set aside.In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes). Add the egg mixture gradually. Continue to mix for an additional 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Switch the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans, smoothing out the top. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes - or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

It's one of those days when I'm searching for something that I haven't tried baking before and rightly my mother in law had given me organic pineapples all the way from Kerala. So to put them into use I went onto my all time favorite website Joy of Baking and followed her recipe to the tee!

Ingredients:

Topping:
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
3/4 cup, light brown sugar
1 medium pineapple (peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick)

For the Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) All purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) Granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 large Eggs, separated
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan with three inch (7.5 cm) sides.

Topping:Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, for a few more minutes or until bubbles just start to appear around the outside edges of the mixture (the sugar starts to caramelize). Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan. Evenly arrange the fresh pineapple
slices on top of the sugar mixture.

Cake Batter: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture (in three additions), alternately with the
milk (in two additions), ending with the dry ingredients. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar just until the whites hold a firm peak. With a large spatula gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions. Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven
for 45 -55 minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan (a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the pineapple) will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto your serving plate. Serve with softly whipped cream.

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Cake

Date and Walnut Teabread

This loaf was something I baked for my bible study fellowship on Wednesdays as well as for my prayer group members on Friday that's how much they all loved it.

The Football Cake for the Football Lover and Player ~ It's a Chocolate Cake

I'm not sure where to start because the last three to four months has been more than just a roller coaster ride for me. Well a midst the excitements I have had I know I have left my readers a bit in the lurch with my disappearance. Let me get back to were we stopped and do I have some interesting recipes to post. So stay tuned and I will try my best not to let you guys down again. This cake was done for my our dear friend Binny, I should have mentioned him in the past because he is a father of three adorable boys - they are triplets. It's simple gesture from all us friends appreciating him and his lovely family for the support, the encouragements, the counsel, more than ever the spiritual one-ness we share. So let me know continue babbling and lets get on with the simple recipe. 

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients: 

[Recipe Source: Tana Ramsay's Family Kitchen - Pg. 245] 

Self Rising Flour - 125 gms

Caster Sugar - 150 gms

Unsalted Butter - 150 gms

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Cold Water - 2 tbs

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Eggs - 3

Cocoa Powder - 25 gms

Sieve together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Into it add the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, sugar followed by the eggs. Add in the cold water and mix until you get a dark, smooth, brown mixture. Divide the batter between two 18cm round, greased and lined cake tins. Knock the tins against a hard surface to get a smooth top on each. Bake the cakes for approximately 25-30 mins until the center of the cakes springs back on touch or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Place them on a wire rack to cool and then proceed to make the icing.

I used regular  vanilla butter cream icing for the cake to pipe out the football if not for butter cream then you can use chocolate ganache to cover the middle and top of the cake  and it doesn't matter if it runs down the sides of the cake  - looks more indulgent! 

Vanilla Cake for Mum's Birthday!!!!

Banana Chocolate and Pistachio Loaf Cake

Tintin and Snomy Cake for the 6th Birthday

It was my son's 6th birthday and I seriously wanted to do his cake this year-phew... finally. I haven't mastered the icing technique but yes I know which icing tip for the what, why, when, and the know-hows. Even if I'm not all that good with my hands I still wanted to do it. After a night full of events, like power - cuts while baking, I stamped my no.18 wilton star icing nozzle, I still managed to complete and accomplish this cake somehow in time for the party. I'm happy with my outcome though I admit I could have done a slightly more neater job. But hey I managed to somehow do the icing with some stashed away star tip.

I baked two chocolate cakes stacked them up with a layer of buttercream in between. And for the Tintin I resorted to buttercream icing rather than fondant coz these kids peel the thing off and eat only the cake - and seriously I'd feel sad for the efforts that goes into all the kneading and the tinting and making to bring the cake to life.

Ever since the Tintin Movie release, my son has been hooked onto it, watches an episode of Tintin on the discovery kids and makes me read the comics as his bedtime story. And when he saw the cake he just went "Wow Mama - I love this". I mean that makes up for all the emotions I went through. I'm happy with my imperfect cake for this year, I hope to get better with each one each year!!!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting ~ Republic Day Dhamaka

Chocolate Cupcakes are a favorite and for a our Republic Day Dhamaka in our Apartment, these were the first flavours to run out in my Cupcake Sale. These are my personal favourites too. So apart from this flavour making way in my stall there were three other flavours were featured, which was Vanilla with Royal Frosting, Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Banoffee Cupcake which is Banana and Toffee, for which the pictures will soon be posted! So stay tuned!

Ingredients:
Recipe Source: Joy of Baking
All Purpose Flour - 1 1/3cup
Baking Powder - 2tsps
Salt - 1/4tsp
Hot Boiling Water - 1cup
Cocoa Powder - 1/4cup
Unsalted Butter - 1/2cup
Eggs - 2
Granulated Sugar - 1cup
Vanilla Extract - 2tsp

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Shortening or Butter - 1cup
Unsweetened Chocolate - 3 (1 oz squares each or replace with 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder)
Milk - 3-4tbs
Vanilla Extract - 1tsp
Icing Sugar - 4cups, sifted

Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners. In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

For the Frosting: In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add cocoa and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using. 

Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Fruit Cake Pops for the Season

The day started with measuring out all the ingredients carefully and then getting to bake, and so the preparations began to bake this awesome David Lebovitz cake. So the cakes come out perfect according to me and then I turn out onto the wire rack and the whole thing just crumbled onto the board. I was beyond shocked and screamed an instant "aiiiyyyoo"....Well I was not gonna let this disaster get to me...no way, there was so much of good stuff into this cake my heart wouldn't bear it go for a waste. So after some hard thinking and consultation with Nithya another baking buddy and good friend I converted this cake mess to cake pops and asked Sunehra to get this beauties some boxes to make them complete and ready to be gifted to all my near and dear ones.

Chocolate Cherry Fruitcake - Recipe Courtesy David Lebovitz
Ingredients:
Dried Cherries - 1 1/2 cups, finely chopped
Rum - 1/4 cup (60ml)
All Purpose Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Chocolate Chips - 3/4 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Unsalted Butter - 140gms
Eggs - 2
Egg Yolk - 1
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
Milk or Buttermilk - 2/3 cup
Nuts - 1 cup, you could use walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or pecans which are well toasted

To make the Cake Pops
Dark Chocolate - 250gms
Vegetable Oil - 2tbs
Whipping Cream - 1 cup
Skewers or Lollipop Sticks - 60 nos
Red Fondant Berries - 60 nos.
Green Fondant Holly Leaves - 60 nos.

A day or so before you make the cake, toss the cherries in ¼ cup of liquor. Cover, and let macerate. To bake the cakes, grease two 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or dust with cocoa powder. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Stir together the eggs and yolk with the vanilla, then dribble them in while beating.Mix in one-third of the flour/cocoa mixture, then half of the yogurt or buttermilk. Then mix in another third of the dry ingredients, then the rest of the yogurt. Finally add the remaining dry ingredients, and gently stir in the nuts, chocolate chips and cherries. (Which should have absorbed all the liquid. If not, add that as well.). Divide and smooth the batter into the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let stand on the counter top for about 15 minutes. With a skewer, poke 50 holes in the cake and spoon 3 tablespoons of liquor over each cake. Turn over onto a wire rack and allow to cool for half hour.

Making the Cake Pops
Prepare two cake trays with wax paper. Crumble the cake mixture into a large bowl. Mix in the whipping cream into the crumbled cake. Take a lime ball sized amount of cake and see if the mixture holds together. If not add some more whipping cream to bind the cake mixture. Make 60 lime sized balls and place them onto the tray. Cling wrap the cake balls and place them in the refrigerator for about an hour to slightly firm. Meanwhile melt chocolate into a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Once the chocolate is all melted, add the oil to give the chocolate a glossy look. Take the cake balls out, dip a skewer into a little melted chocolate and insert into the cake pop 2/3rd way. Then dip the cake ball into the chocolate to coat and tap slightly to let the excess fall off. Use styrofoam to place the cake pops and once the chocolate is slightly set, place the holly leaf and berry for decoration. I had plenty of berries and leaves left from my Christmas Cupcakes that I  had made, but you could use whatever you want to decorate your cake pops. I used the below video as my guide to making my cake pops. Though the entire process is time consuming, the end results are worth your time and efforts and its not that difficult at all.

So give these a try and let me know how it goes for you. And let me also thank my girl friend Sunehra Koshy for the boxes and cards i got to adorn my cake pops with...they were a hit!!!

Chocolate Cake with Coffee Syrup

 Let's face it, chocolate cake does it for a lot of people, and it does for us!!!! So how about you??

Ingredients:
Butter - 1/2 cup
Semi Sweet Chocolate - 225gms, broken into pieces
Black Coffee - 1tbs
Eggs - 4
Egg Yolks - 2
Caster Sugar - 1/2cup, generous
All Purpose Flour - 1/3 cup
Ground Cinnamon - 2tsp
Ground Almonds - 1/2cup, scant
Syrup:
Strong Black Coffee - 1 1/4 cup
Caster Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon Stick - 1

Grease and line an 8 inch round cake pan. Place the chocolate and coffee into a heat proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water until just melted. Stir to blend and allow to cool slightly. Into a mixing bowl place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar and whisk until the mixture is  pale and thick. Soft the flour and cinnamon powder into the egg mixture. Add the almonds and the chocolate mixture and fold into the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 35minutes till the skewer inserted comes out clean. Place the inverted cake onto a serving plate.
To make the syrup place the coffee and sugar and cinnamon in a heavy based saucepan. Gently heat over a low flame and allow the sugar to dissolve. Boil the mixture vigorously for about 5 minutes till the sauce reduces and starts to thicken. Prick the cake with a toothpick and drizzle half the warm syrup over. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with some more sauce poured over.

Reunion Loaf Cake ~Marbled Chocolate and Vanilla Loaf

This attractive reunion of the chocolate and the vanilla cake mixture tastes as impressive as it looks. Give this a try!

Ingredients:
Self Rising Flour - 2cups
Butter - 115gms or 1 stick, softened
Salt - just a pinch
Baking Powder - 1tsp
Caster Sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2, large ones
Plain Chocolate - 175gms
Coffee granules - 1/2tsp dissolved in 1 tsp of hot water
Cream - 1/2cup
Sour Cream - 3 1/2tbsp
Vanilla Bean Extract  or Bean Paste - 1tsp

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and the butter together until light and creamy. Add in the eggs one by one and beat after each addition. Break the chocolate into small pieces into a bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave. Mix in the coffee and about 60ml of the cream and set aside. In a separate bowl mix in the sour cream and remaining cream. Alternating between the flour and cream mixture, fold into the creamed egg mixture until fully combined. Halve the mixture into two and into one mixture add the chocolate coffee mixture until evenly colored. Into the other half add the vanilla flavoring. Lightly grease and flour a 3pint french loaf tin. Layer the vanilla and chocolate cake mixtures in rounded tablespoonfuls alternating the colors into the tin keeping in mind you are trying to create a marbled effect. Bake in a preheated oven for about 50 minutes at 180C.Once baked, leave to cool slightly, before releasing the the cake from the sides of the tin. Lift the cake cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve cold cut into slices.

Black Forest Victoria

Well there is no complexity with this cake, its a whizz-bang Black Forest Gateau which is pretty easy to make!!

Ingredients:
Butter - 225gms, unsalted and diced
Caster Sugar - 200gms
Golden Syrup - 1 tablespoon
Self Rising Flour - 200gms
Baking Powder - 2tsp
Cocoa Powder - 25gms, sifted
Eggs - 4
Milk - 100ml
For the Filling:
Cherry Jam - 300gms
Kirsch or Rum - 1 tablespoon
Double Cream - 350ml
Grated Chocolate - 2 tablespoons

Grease a 20cm cake pan with a removable base which is 9cm deep and keep aside. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and cream together. Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smoothen the surface and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 50-55minutes or until it passes the skewer test. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and leave to cool.

For the the filling preparation:
In a bowl add the rum or kirsch add in the cherry jam and mix well. In another bowl, whip the cream to a soft peak consistency. Once the cake is cooled, slit the cake across into two or three layers. Spread the lower half of the cake with half the quantity of jam and then spoon in half of the cream mixture and repeat the layers. use the last of the jam to glaze the top of the cake using a pastry brush.Scatter on the grated chocolate. Once assembled its ready to eaten. I cut mine as soon as it was assembled because I had the family as onlookers while doing it. But you could leave in the refrigerator for about half hour to an hour and then cut it for a nice neat slice....

Chocolate Brownie

I'm at home with mum so when I'm with her the its all the more exciting to bake and try something. She is even more excited to try out her set of written and stored recipes. So out of the selected we tried this together, a nice fudgey piquant chocolate brownie.

Ingredients:

Butter – ½ cup
White Sugar – 1 cup
Eggs – 2
Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – 1/3 cup
All Purpose Flour – ½ cup
Salt – ¼ teaspoon
Baking Powder – ¼ teaspoon
Frosting:
Butter - 3 tablespoons, softened
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 3 tablespoons
Honey - 1 tablespoon
Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon
Confectioner’s Sugar - 1 cup

Preheat oven to 175C. Place wax or parchment paper onto the base of the pan and then grease and flour it. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
To make the Frosting:
Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar and mix well using an electric mixer. Frost brownies while they are still warm. Spread an even layer.

Hazelnut Ricotta Cake with Apricot Glaze

 

Not that it's valentines, but my husband has been wanting something cake like, with a ricotta as an ingredient. Ever since the Lemon Ricotta Cake, anything with ricotta is a pleaser for Him! So my the next recipe lies in the below creation. Another creamy textured nutty flavored cake! Anyway for all those out there Happy Valentines Day!!!

Ingredients:

Whole dry-roasted hazelnuts - 1cup (250 mL)

Sugar - 2⁄3cup (160 mL)

Vegetable Oil - 1⁄3cup (80 mL)

Ricotta Cheese - 1/2cup (125 mL)

Eggs - 2

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp (5 mL)

Finely Grated Lemon or Orange Zest - 2 tsp

All Purpose Flour - 3/4 cup (180mL)

Baking Powder - 1tsp (5 mL)

Salt - 1/4tsp (1 mL)

For the glaze:

Apricot Jam – 4 tablespoons

Water – 1 teaspoon

Grated Bitter Unsweetened Chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350°f (175°c) and grease an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan.  Using a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts and sugar until the hazelnuts are finely ground.  Add the oil, ricotta, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, and pulse to blend.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and pulse just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

To make the glaze, place the jam with the water in a small pan over a gentle heat to dilute until you get a smooth, fairly runny consistency. Brush over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the grated chocolate.

Isaac and Scout's Christmas Cake

This year I wanted to try yet another Christmas cake something not attempted and that's when this recipe as simple as it is just lured me. This recipe is not only simple but you could involve your kids while making this....

Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter - 225gms butter, softened
Caster Sugar - 300gms
Eggs - 4 medium, beaten
Milk - 5tbsp
Self Raising Flour - 450gms, sifted
Rind of an Orange - 1, grated (optional)

To drizzle
Milk Chocolate - 400grms
Dark Chocolate - 100gms
White Chocolate - 100gms
Edible Silver balls

Butter two cake tins, 24cm and 18cm, and line the bases with parchment paper. Heat oven to 180C/160C/gas. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs adding some flour with the last few additions to prevent curdling. Using a metal spoon, fold in the remaining flour and milk. Split the mix between the tins and smooth the tops. Bake the cakes together, 30-35 minutes for the smaller and 40-45 minutes for the larger, until golden and springy. Cool in the tins, then turn out on a rack to cool fully.
Break milk and dark chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Melt white chocolate the same way. Peel the paper from the cakes and sit the largest on a plate. Spread a small blob of chocolate in the middle and sit the smaller cake on top. Drizzle with chocolate, sprinkle with edible silver balls and leave to set. 

This below picture goes to Susan for her event Black and White Wednesday!

Lemon Pound Cake

It had been long since a cake had been baked, and since it was long overdue this truly divine delicacy with hints of lime pleasantly satiated our tea time today. A tight crumb indeed as promised by Rose, following the traditional path of cake making.

Perfect Pound Cake Recipe
[Recipe courtesy: The Cake Bible]

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Milk
3 large Eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cups sifted cake flour (150gm) -  recipe for cake flour below
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (184 gms)
Zest of a lemon - 1tbs
Lemon Juice - 2tbs

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 inch by 4 by 2.5 inch loaf pan, or any six cup loaf or fluted tube pan. Lightly whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Using your fingertips, mix together the zest of the lemon and sugar till fragrant. Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until blended. Add the butter and half the egg mixture, and mix until dry ingredients are moistened. On medium speed, beat for one minute. This will aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down sides. Add the lemon juice. Add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds between each addition. Scrape down sides. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth surface with a spatula. Bake for 35-45 minutes if baking in a fluted tube pan, until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a rack in the pan for 10 minuets before inverting onto a greased wire rack. If using a loaf pan, flip the cake over so the top is up.

For making cake flour at home - Take 1 cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tbsp from it. Replace the 2 tbsp flour with custard powder/ cornflour and sift together 2-3 times. Your Cake flour is ready to be used.

Honeyed Apple Slices~ for a Rainy Day

A GOD above sends the rain down below to wash his earth clean, to cut stones and chisel the grandeur mountains....to bring us refreshment in every season.

[Recipe Source 1 Mix 50 Cakes, Pg 84]
Ingredients:
Plain flour - 175gms
Unsalted Butter softened - 175gms
Caster sugar - 175gms
Vanilla Essence - 1tsp
Baking powder - 2tsp
 Red Apples - 4, cored and sliced
All spice powder - 1/2tsp
Honey warmed - 3tbs
Apple juice - 2tbs

Grease and line a 12 by 9 inch tray. Proceed to sifting the flour, baking powder and allspice into a large bowl and keep aside. To that add the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat really well till you get a smooth mixture. Then stir in the apple juice. Spoon the mixture into the greased tray. Arrange the sliced apples on top of the batter overlapping them without pressing them. Bake into a preheated oven of 180C for about 30minutes. Leave to cool in the tin and brush with honey before serving.

Chocolate Banana Loaf for the Lil Get-together

I get an sms from Prerna, the following day after my birthday
"Are you at home tomorrow @5:30pm?"
I sms back saying "Yes I am, wassup?"
Prerna's sms reads "V are all coming tomorrow"

Surely enough, I knew the 'v' (we) meant much more than just her and her little son. The 'we' meant, Asma and her two daughters Rafa and Sidra, Sunehra with adorable Dhruv (my son calls him Dhrufee), Soumya with her little Princess Avni (my son is her Prince), Megha with her lil one Anya, Priyanka with adorable baby Hridaan. And of course, the sms sender Prerna, sadly her son Veer was asleep.
So with cups of coffee and slices of cakes, there was singing and chatting and lots more merry making.
The good thing from it all for me was that I was in the company of women who understand, women who are humbly grounded and women who are there to give you a shoulder hug when you need one......

Ingedients:
Butter - 1/2cup softened
Brown sugar - 1 1/3cup
Bananas - 3
Eggs - 2
All purpose flour - 2cups
Bicarbonate of Soda - 1tsp
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 1tbsp
All spice - 1tsp
Yogurt - 1/3cup
Chocolate Chips - 85gms

Grease a 9 x 5 x 3inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 180C. Put the butter, sugar and eggs into a bowl and beat well. Peel and mash the bananas, then add to the mixture. Stir it well. Sift the flour, soda, all spice, cocoa powder into a separate bowl and then add the banana mixture to it. Stir in the yogurt and chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and level the surface. Bake for an hour until done. Cut into thick slices and serve warm.

My gift from them are these precious pair of earrings, which I simply loved. Thank YOU Girls!!