Geeta's Green Tea Cake

Matcha, is basically green tea, which might sound a bit weird if you’re not familiar with it as an ingredient. This cake was baked by Geeta for her Mom's bday.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (or maida)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup powder sugar
1 tbsp green tea matcha powder
1 cup non dairy milk (soy/almond)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup melted butter (unsalted)

Method
Mix milk & vinegar together & allow to settle for 5 mins.
Mix together all dry ingredients & keep aside.
Add vanilla & melted butter to milk mixture.
Add the dry mixture & mix well.
Bake it for 45 mins depends on your oven at 180 C.

Tips
* Matcha powder can be added more or less according to individual liking.
* Use of unsalted butter is recommended as salt suppresses the green tea taste in the cake.

Chocolate Walnut & Cranberry Cake

Few months ago we shifted to our own house after it's renovation & it was really tiresome to set the house all over again. That's when I thought of making something different...baking always lifts my spirit ;) .... So I searched & found this amazing recipe. Awesome brownie-like cake with lovely chocolate flavor and crunch of cranberries & walnuts. 

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups plain flour (Maida)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup applesauce 

1/2 cup plain soy milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 tbsp powdered sugar + pinch of cinnamon powder

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda & salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. 

Mix in cranberries & walnuts to the flour.

Combine applesauce, milk, & oil. 

Add sugar and mix well.

Add dry mixture to wet mixture in batches, folding each time lightly.

Pour the batter in greased tin.

Bake for 50 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wire rack. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar + cinnamon.

Tips

* This recipe makes 1 big (about one kg) cake. So you can half the recipe to get smaller cake.

* I used homemade apple sauce (refer to album "Basic Recipes" for recipe).

* Cow milk can be used instead of soy milk.

* You can use any other vegetable oil in place of olive oil (I like olive best).

Apple Pie Cake

I love apple & cinnamon combo....& when you bake it...your home smells soooooooo yummy ;) .....  Here is the recipe of a very simple cake with Apples.

Ingredients 

For Cake

1 1/4 cups Flour (OR 1/4 cup whole wheat + 1 cup plane flour)

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup Olive Oil, or 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened

1/4 cup Soymilk + 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (or lemon juice)

1 tbsp Cornflour mixed with 1/2 Cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

1/2 tbsp Sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, for topping.

For Apple Pie Filling

3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup regular sugar

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp cornflour 

Method

For Apple Pie Filling

In a saucepan, place the apples, sugars, lime juice, cinnamon powder & cook on medium heat until the apples are cooked through.

Once the apples are cooked, mix the cornflour with the water to form a paste & add this paste into the apple mixture. 

Cook on low heat until the liquids thicken & form a smooth mixture. 

Keep aside to cool.

For Cake

Preheat oven to 180º C.

Combine all the dry ingredients of the cake & mix well. 

Add all of the liquid ingredients & fold the batter until just combined. 

The batter should be thick & nearly dough-like, as this will prevent the filling from sinking to the bottom of the pan.

How to Proceed

Spread 1/2 of the batter in the bottom of a greased baking dish.

Add apple pie filling evenly over the top.

Spoon the rest of the batter over the top.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Be sure not to under bake. 

Cover the cake with aluminum foil for the last 20-30 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Remove cake from oven and let cool before serving. 

It’s just as good or better the next day.

Tips

* If you are in a hurry, you can use ready made apple pie filling instead of making it fresh.

* You can make the apple pie filling a day before & refrigerate it.

* You can also use normal milk or water instead of the soy milk.

* If using salted butter then avoid adding pinch of salt.

* You can spoon the second layer of batter in clumps, leaving some of the apple filling showing through. (Batter is thick so sometimes it's not easy to spread it evenly).

* This cake really taste better when served warm with vanilla ice-cream.

* Sprinkling sugar & cinnamon gives a beautiful finish to the top so don't forget to do it before baking.

Toblerone & Almond Brownie

My love affair with brownies is no secret anymore. Here I'm introducing the latest one, that even my husband loves ;)

Moist, chewy, & so delicious! These will be favourite of anyone who loves Toblerone & nuts & will be gone before you know it !!

Ingredients 

1 cup plain flour (maida)

2 tsp cocoa powder (preferably unsweetened)

1 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate

1/2 + 1/4 cup chopped Toblerone

1 tsp coffee powder

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp soda bi-carb

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 tbsp curds (dahi)

5 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

6 tbsp milk

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚ C

Sieve together flour, Cocoa, Coffee, soda & baking powder.

Melt dark chocolate + 1/2 cup Toblerone & butter over double boiler

Add sugar & mix well. Add curds & vanilla & mix really well.

Mix almonds with flour so they wont settle down after baking.

Fold flour & milk alternately, making sure to end with flour.

There should be no lumps.

Pour the brownie batter into a greased and dusted baking pan.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped Toblerone.

Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Tips

* You can omit coffee if you want.

* I used Toblerone minis here. You can use whatever flavour of Toblerone you want but dark will taste best. (I ate up all dark ones & was left with milk & white so had to used them only).

* As usual don't beat the batter, just fold it.