Red Velvet cake

I am not sure if I have said this earlier that how sensitive my stomach is! If I eat anything that is stale or bad, I immediately fall sick. After coming to Austin this was the first time I had food Poisoning which happened mainly because of my carelessness, or call it laziness. This was a day before Valentine's day, when I was too lazy to cook a full meal. Since I had some leftover Roti's I decided to make enchiladas. I used some left over Canned tomato Puree that was lying in the fridge. This puree had some blackishness around & I was too lazy to open a new can; so just used it. This caused a very bad stomach pain & diarrhea:( The whole night, I spent in the bathroom & regretted for using that can of tomato puree. The next day went to the doc & I was admitted for 3 hours . I was given IV & some medicines. So my valentines day was a disaster & it was spent in the hospital. 

So I had made this cake on 13th morning & I decided to refrigerate it. Since I was sick & had aversion towards food, I dint want to cook nor eat anything for few days. After 4 days I decided to decorate this cake. I went ahead with a simple decor as I dint wanted too much icing in the cake. Well this was a tall cake & I sent almost 70% of it to my hubby's office. My hubby told me that the cake got over within minutes:) I was very happy that the cake got over fast or else I will end up eating a lot & put on weight:(. This was the easiest & tastiest red velvet cake I have eaten. This cake is very moist & yummy. I got this recipe from Mccormick site. I just copy pasted the recipe & the result was just amazing. This is how I made the cake. 

Serves: 45- 30 people
Making time: 30 minutes
Decoration: 30 minutes
Need 2 9 inch Pan (I used use & throw silver foil pans)
Recipe: mccormick

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups Plain flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coco powder
• 2 cups sugar (powdered)
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks Butter (226 gms)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp food color Red (I used wilton gel paste)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350* F. For the cake, grease & flour 2 (9 inch) round cake pans. 
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt. set aside.
3. Beat Butter & powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. 
4. Mix Sour cream, color, milk & vanilla in a separate small bowl. Now add in this mixture into the bowl butter sugar egg mixture. 
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Pour the batter in the prepared Pans.
6. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
7. Cool in pan for 10 mins, remove from Pan & cool completely on wire rack. 

Vanilla Butter cream:

• 350 gms salted Butter
• 8- 10 Cups sifted Icing sugar
• 6 Tbsp Whipping cream
• 1 Tspn Vanilla Essence
• Pinch of salt
• 10 Strawberries to decorate. 

Directions:

• Make sure butter is at room temperature & not very soft.
• In the bowl cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes with an electric beater on medium speed.
• Add 9-10 cups icing sugar one cup at a time. Once the icing sugar is well mixed add whipping cream and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. If if you feel the frosting consistency is not right, then add in some more icing sugar. 

Here are the step by step picture collage. 

If you don't like so many layers, you need not cut the cake into half. You can just have one layer of icing in the middle. I made 3 layers of icing coz it looks good. 

Notes:

• It is always better to cut the cake cold. So refrigerate the cake before you ice it. Make sure you bring the cake to room temperature before you eat it.
• Once you ice the full cake, keep the cake in the fridge. Make sure you have a big cake box.
• Cut the cake while it is still cold to get the perfect slices.

Pound cake

You already know that I have moved into our new apartment a month ago & I am still settling down. Now that the unpacking is all done, I have time to laze around at home while my son is at school. I love my mornings, as I get to watch serials, cook food & anything I want. The last week I spent watching Scandal I cant tell you how much I loved that serial. After it was over, I was so bored coz I was so addicted to it. So, I decided to bake a cake with all that time I had. 

I have always wondered how the store brought pound cake looked! I used to love the texture it had, but taste wise I was not very satisfied.  I have also seen in cookery shows how some chef's add in so many eggs into their cake recipes. I wondered if so many eggs were really required. If you have followed all my cake recipes, then you will realise that I have never used more than 3 eggs. After doing some recipe research on google, I decided to try out Elvis Presley's Favourite Pound Cake recipe. I was not too happy with the amount of eggs used in it, but I went ahead with this recipe. I must say "yes" the eggs does make a difference to your cake texture, taste, etc etc... Although the cake has a little eggyness, but I loved this cake. In fact we loved this cake at home. I am sure everyone who tried this recipe will definitely get addicted to this cake. This cake is so tasty, moist, rich & the texture is superb. I am sure you must have already fallen in love with the pictures. This is how I made it....

Serves: 25- 30 pieces

Making time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 1:30minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (220 gms) salted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan
• 3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 cups sugar (powder it)
• 7 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 1 Tspn lemon zest
• Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 9.6 - 10-inch bunt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)

Direction:

1. Put oven rack in middle position, preheat oven for 10 mins
2. Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
3. Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
4. Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric handheld beater at medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 8 minutes.
5. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny
6. Spoon batter into pan and tap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 
7. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Notes:

• There is no leveling agent used in this cake as the eggs do the job. This cake will have some eggy smell so if you don't like the strong smell, I suggest you add some extra Vanilla essence or any other you may like.
• I made my own cake flour. 1 Cup all purpose flour minus- 2 tbsp flour + 2 tbsp corn flour makes 1 cup of cake flour.
• Since I am new to my oven in  my new home, I am still experimenting on the temperature. I kept my cake at 220 degree & I felt my oven's 350 was very high. So if you are friends with your oven you already know how she works:) If not, you might need to talk to her & experiment:)
• I love the texture & taste of the cake. I am sure this is the cake you will fall in love with.
• This is the first time I tried this cake & the net time I will try baking it in a regular round pan.

Bread sticks

Every kid loves to munch on chips & so is my little one. Zion just loves chips & can finish off the entire packet. We all know that the store brought chips is not a healthy one. The seasoning used in them is definitely not good for kids & also adults. Since zion loves something crispy tasty, I made this buttery bread sticks. These were really crisp, lightly sweet & also very tasty. He loved having these & asked for more. These are very easy to make & the recipe is very similar to the pie crust. This is how I made these cute little yummy sticks.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tspn baking powder
• 80 gms cold salted butter
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup of cold milk
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix in the dry ingredients & rub the cold butter to the dry ingredients. Make this mixture like a bread crumb consistency. Just your finger tips are enough to get to a right consistency,
2. Now add in a little milk to bring this mixture together to form a soft dough.
3. Use a rolling pin & roll the dough on a flat surface & cut them into long sticks or any shape for that matter.
4. Pre heat the oven to 250 degrees & bake them for about 15-20 mins or until they are crisp & done.

Note:

• These can be had with some dips like mayonnaise, cheese sauce, ketchup of just like that.
• Store them in a air tight container so that they remain fresh & crispy.

 

Barn Animal Cup cakes

My lill Zion's Bday is coming up & I have been so busy since morning yesterday preparing for his cake. As part of invitation , I also made cupcakes to give it to his friends today. His Bday theme is "Team Umizoomi Barn Party" Team Umi Zoomi is his fav cartoon show & in his school they are teaching them about farm animals this semester. So thought it will be a great idea to also combine farm animals. I feel this is a great way to familiarise him with all farm animals.

Last evening Zion went along with the maid & invited all his friends in the condo. His friends were very excited to see the farm animal cup cakes. Zion loves fondant & he was very excited to see the animal fondant toppers. I gave him a little bird & he directly puts it in his mouth & started munching. LOL I couldn't stop laughing looking at the way he was hogging it. He kept coming back to me asking for more & he ended up having a cow fondant topper too:) Well these are home made Marshmallow fondant & its completely safe for kids to eat. I am not sure why most people think that fondant is not good for kids. Its nothing but sugar paste. Well if you are talking about colour then "yes" we all know that colour is not good. But think again there are so many stuff in the market that has colour in them & we blindly eat them. So everything in moderation will not harm. what say? This is how I made it.

The cups cakes were my Vanilla cup cakes with Strawberry Butter cream Icing. For the recipe Click here

Fondant Recipe

• 1 Packet Marshmallows (250 gms)
• 2 Tbsp water
• 500 gms Icing sugar

Directions:

1. Place the marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl add in 2 Tbspn of water & heat it for 2 minutes. Stop after 1 minute saute with a spoon & again heat it for another minute.
2. Now add in icing sugar & colour if required & knead to make it a soft dough.
3. Cover this & set aside for about 2 hours. Now it is ready to use.
4. Make sure you place the fondant topper on top of the Butter cream.
5. I used a basic round tip to pipe the sheep hair & also round swirl on top of the cup cake.

I could take step by pictures only for Pig & for the rest I couldnt as my maid was busy with some other work. I will defenitely try & do a video recipe soon on how to make these toppers.

 

 

Vanilla Cupcakes

Cup cakes are a biggest part of my life now. These easy little simple beautiful sweet is a treat any time. I make cup cakes more often when I have guests at home or just like that for tea time. You can never go wrong with the cup cakes compared to baking a cake. These can be done so fast & you can dress them up how ever you want. I made these small beauties a month ago when my Hubby's church priest had come home. Along with cup cakes, I also had made some samosas & Pakoras. The priest was so impressed looking at the cup cakes & was so happy to know that it was home made. A pretty looking cup cakes are always a centre of attraction. This is how I made these:

Makes 12 Medium size cup cakes
Baking time: 30 mins
Making time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar (Powdered)
• 1.5 Tspn Baking powder
• 3 Tbspn Milk
• 1/4 Tspn salt
• 125 gms Butter
• 1 Tbspn Vanilla Essence
• 2 Eggs

Strawberry Flavour Butter cream:

• 150 gms Butter
• 3 Cups sifted Icing sugar
• 4 Tbsp Whipping cream
• 1 Tspn Strawberry Essence
• Pinch of salt
• Drop of pink gel colour or any colour

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl, beat in vanilla essence
4. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl to assure the batter is thoroughly mixed.
5. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling papers about 2/3 full.
6. Bake on the centre rack of the oven until tops spring back to touch, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. For the Butter cream frosting: Make sure butter is at room temperature & not very soft.
8. In the bowl cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes with an electric beater on medium speed.
9. Add 3 cups icing sugar one cup at a time. Once the icing sugar is well mixed add whipping cream and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If if you feel the frosting consistency is not right, then add in some more icing sugar. 
10. Now add in any colour of your choice & mix well with a spoon or with an electric beater for a minute.
11. Filling the piping bag with the frosting & make any pattern that you like. I used the big star tip for this simple design.

 

 

Note:

• This Butter cream is a very light fluffy & tastier than the traditional butter cream. The whipping cream in the frosting makes it even more creamy, light, fluffy & Delicious. You must try this to believe my words:)
• I added Strawberry flavour as I love it. You can replace this with any other flavour of your choice.
 

 

Banana Cake

Zion is a fussy eater. Chicken is his favourite & he can eat it all the time. Since he is a very active & social kid, we enrolled him to a school when he was 19  months. He is the most active kid in the class. My lill charming boy gets famous wherever he goes. I feel so proud that he is so famous among his peer groups at this age. Although he is very active, he never tries to hit others but he definitely bullies them:) hahahaha its so funny to watch him play with his friends. If I am around while he is playing he gets a little cranky. So I hide & watch him play.

Fortunately my maid "Mary" & he share a very good chemistry. They have a great bonding & he treats her like his friend. Coming back to food, I have noticed that Zion's snack box comes back full. He doesn't eat anything in school & just wants to play. My maid mentioned to me that he loves Banana cake. It seems she happened to buy some from a store & shared some with him. Zion loved it so much that he ended up eating the major portion. I was so happy to hear that he loves something healthy so immediately brought some Bananas & made Banana Horlicks cake for him. Made this yesterday & packed it for his snack box, Guess what?? The boz was empty:) He loved it & this will be one snack that I will make more often. This is a no fuss recipe & no thumb rule to make this. This is how I made it.

Ingredients:

• 3 large Bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tbspn Butter
• 1 cup all Purpose flour
• 1 Tspn Baking powder
• 1/2 tspn Baking soda
• 1/4 tspn salt
• 1 tspn Vanilla Essence
• 3 Tbsp Horlicks (I used Junior Horlicks)
• 2 Eggs

Method:

1. In a Mixie jar/ Blender blend in the Bananas & sugar to a smooth puree
2. Now add in rest of the ingredients to this & blend it well for about a minute. The mixture will be a little thin due to Banana Puree.
3. Grease a 9 inch Baking Pan & pour in the mixture to it.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 C for 35- 45 mins, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool and enjoy!

The cake is extremly moist & delicious.

Vanilla Coconut Rainbow Marble cake

 

I Have been planning to try out 2 cake recipes from a long time & finally today I tried one of them. Since me & my hubby enjoy coconut flavor, I had decided to use coconut cream in my Vanilla cake recipe. This cake turned out very well. It looks so colourful & at the same time tastes divine. Again a simple recipe with a bit of twist:) I am sure kids will love this & a must try.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Makes one 8-inch cake

 

INGREDIENTS

 

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (8 oz / 250 g) granulated sugar ( I have used powdered sugar)

1 can Coconut Cream (I use Kara Brand)

120 gms Salted Butter

1 heaped cup All purpose flour

1.5 Tspn Baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

 

You’ll also need: mixing bowls, electric mixer or wire whisk, 8 inch round cake pan.we will need small bowls for mixing the batter with different colors.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Prepare the baking tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter & sugar. Add in slightly beaten eggs, coconut milk & mix well. Now add in the flour baking powder, vanilla essence & beat well for another 2 minutes or well combined. .
3. I divided the mixture into 4 bowls with 5 tablespoons of cake batter in each bowl. I used Yellow, red, blue & green edible Wilton colors. You can use any color you may want. I used 1/4 tspn color to get the desired colors. You really need to add more color coz the color in the cake reduces after baking.
4. Now is the tricky part. Well there are many ways to get the marble effect in your cake. What I did was... I took one color batter in a spoon & put it in the centre, than I used the 2nd color batter & poured it around the first color. Next 3rd color around the 2nd & 4th around the 3rd. Finally I just used the excess color batter to fill the gaps in the Pan. Tap the pan well on a flat surface & bake it in a preheated oven for about 40 to 50 mins or until tooth pick insert comes out clean.

Note:

• The cake turned out very good. Its super soft, tasty, melt in your mouth & moist.
• I had made 2 cakes in 1 week of different colors.
• Since I was in a hurry to taste the cake, I over turned the cake even before it cooled:) So the cake dint come out fully clean. I had some pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan hehehehe:) I am one impatient one:)