Coffee Walnut Cake & Cupcakes

It was my dear hubby's birthday (yesterday) & also first birthday of From Divya's Kitchen (today) on Facebook. So decided to bake some new flavour :) & here it is. Finishing touch is not professional but it does taste like heaven. I am sure coffee lovers will love it :)

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes or one 8 inches cake)
For the cake
1 cup plain flour (maida)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp curds (dahi)
5 tbsp milk
5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (akhrot)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp coffee
2 tsp hot water

2 tsp sugar + 2 tsp water + 1/4 tsp vanilla (soaking syrup)

butter to grease the baking tray
walnuts (akhrot) for decoration
Strawberry jam (optional)

For the icing
1/2 cup icing sugar
4 tbsp cocoa or 2 tsp coffee powder
3 to 4 tbsp water

For Butter Cream Icing with Coffee
1 cup unsalted butter softened (not melted) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
3-4 cups powdered sugar, SIFTED
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coffee powder
up to 4 tbsp milk or cream

Method
Pre heat oven to 180 c
Grease baking tray with butter & keep aside.
Mix all cake ingredients and pour in the cup cake tray or cake tin & bake for 25 mins.
Take cake out & cool it.

For the Icing
To make icing mix cocoa powder with icing sugar & water.
Make a thick paste by beating it well.
If you are using coffee then you will see change in colour.
Do icing & decorate with walnuts.

For Butter Cream Icing with Coffee
Beat butter for a few minutes in a mixer.
Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed, until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, coffee, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.
If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar.
If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.
Refrigerate till needed.

How to proceed
For cup cakes just put the icing sugar icing in a piping bag with nozzle & start decorating.
For cake, cut it horizontally & pour soaking syrup on both pieces.
Apply butter cream icing on lower part.
Next apply strawberry jam, if you want, & put top part on it.
Apply butter cream on top and refrigerate for 10 minutes, it helps in giving finishing touch to butter cream.
Decorate with icing sugar icing & walnuts.

Tips
Make the icing sugar icing after the cake has cooled as the icing hardens quickly.
Icing/frosting should be cold when you apply. 
Icing Sugar substitute – 4 tbsp fine powdered sugar + ½ tsp cornflour. (I used this in above recipe).
Never apply frosting on a hot cake.

Granola Squares

Granola bar or square is an assortment of nutritious ingredients packed together to satisfy cravings for sweets. It is majorly made of breakfast cereals, nuts and dried fruits. It's texture & flavour varies from soft, chewy to crispy depending on the ingredients. It was first created by Stanley Mason. He thought it was convenient to eat and carry a bar than loose granola. It eventually became a convenience food. This recipe was selected as one of the winners by famous chef Tarla Dalal, in her online contest for 'Low Calorie Sweets'.

Ingredients
1 cup cooking oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 tbsp flaxseeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds

2 tbsp melon seeds
1 1/2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tbsp almond silvered
1 1/2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 1/2 tbsp chopped prunes
3/4 cup jaggery
4 tbsp honey

Method
Dry roast oats, wheat germ, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, melon seeds & nuts INDIVIDUALLY & on slow flame.
Mix them all after roasting & keep aside.
Add chopped prunes & cranberries.
Melt jaggery in a pan on a very slow flame, taking care not to burn it.
Once jaggery is melted, put the flame off & add the above mixture along with honey.
Pour in a greased baking dish and press with a spatula to make it even.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 10 to 15 mins.
Let it cool for an hour or so and cut into squares or bar.
Store them in an airtight container and enjoy them any time.

Tips
* Take care not to roast on high flame as these ingredients can burn easily.
* Apart from the Ingredients given, more nuts & wheat flakes (crushed) can be added.
* Brown sugar can be used in place of Jaggery.
* Don't reduce amount of Honey, as it is needed for binding. Alternately you can increase the amount of jaggery.
* Amount of sugar/jaggery & honey can be according to liking.
* Granola bar is low in calories and makes a healthy breakfast.
* Dried fruits, berries and nuts are a rich source of antioxidants. They help to protect the body from free radical damage which causes diseases like cancer.
* Flax seeds and sunflower seeds add to the omega 3 fatty acids in the bar. Omega 3 is known to have cardiovascular benefits.

Carrot Halwa

It's winters & it's time to make carrot halwa or gajjar ka halwa . There are many ways to make it but I prefer low fat version so that I can eat it without feeling guilty. I don't add ghee or khoya and use low fat milk. So lets cook :)

Ingredients
1 kg carrots grated
1/2 cup granulated sugar (according to taste)
2 cups low fat milk
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp almonds sliced

Method
Pressure cook milk, sugar and grated carrots together for 3 to 4 whistles.
Turn off the heat and let the cooker cool a bit before opening.
Add raisins and keep stirring on slow heat till most of the moisture evaporates and halwa is almost dry.
Add almonds and serve hot.

Tips
*Take red and young carrots for lovely colour & sweetness.
*Please don't leave halwa unattended even on slow heat, it gets burnt easily.
*Sugar in halwa depends on individual taste, I like it less sweet.