Cranberry Molasses Cake (but without the molasses)

I came across this recipe few days back here. I had purchased cranberries for a smoothie and decided to use them for this cake instead.

Ingredients:

• Olive or canola spray oil - I used regular cooking oil
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour - Maida
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt - Used sour cream instead since greek yoghurt was not available
• 1/3 cup molasses - Too expensive (400 bucks)... used castor sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup fresh cranberries or thawed frozen cranberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with oil, and then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with oil; set the pan aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, castor sugar, honey and eggs. Gently whisk flour mixture into sugar mixture just until blended and smooth. Fold in cranberries.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, then remove cake from the pan and peel off parchment paper. Continue to cool completely on the wire rack.

I do not like cranberries and I realized that now. The cake turned out to be ok.

Nutella Lave mug cake

This is the easiest cake I have made. It was quite a rage last year with many food blogs featuring it.

Ingredients:

 - 4 tablespoons self rising flour (maida), sifted

- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

- 4 tablespoons caster sugar

- 1 medium egg

- 3 tablespoons Nutella

- 3 tablespoons milk

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 2-3 teaspoon chocolate chips

Method:

- Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips.
- Beat well with a whisk till smooth and blended.
-  Put the batter in 2-3 mugs 3/4th full. Mine was enough for 2 small mugs.
- Add 1 tsp of chocolate chips in each mug and push it through the batter.
- Microwave on high for 1.5 mins. I did it for 1 min and the bottom half was not completely cooked... which was ok since I liked the oozing chocolate. If you microwave for a longer time, it will become completely cooked and lose the oozing chocolate.

You can even add whipped cream... or strawberries and jazz it up a little bit.

Birthday Cake

I made this cake for my hubby's b'day in June last year. I have never tried a cake of this level... with frosting and everything. Instead of the usual cakes I wanted to try something new. I decided on a 2 cakes- one on top of another and red velvet cake. I used a heart shaped pan and a round pan.

Please don't mind the juvenile looking frosting. It is my first attempt.

Cake: Recipe taken from here 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups of sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cider vinegar

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
- Grease and lightly flour 2 or 3 round 9" cake pans.
- Sift flour and salt together, set aside. 
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time.  Mix well after each addition. 
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  - - Blend in vanilla.
- In a small bowl, mix the 1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring and 1 tbsp cocoa powder until a paste forms.  Add to the sugar and butter mixture.  Mix well.
-  In a small bowl or condiment cup, stir together the baking soda and cider vinegar.  This will foam and should be put into the batter immediately after well mixed.  After adding the foam mixture, blend on medium-high speed until batter is consistent.

- Spoon batter evenly into pans - batter will be very thick!  Level  top of batter with an offset spatula.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

- 1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

- 1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- 1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

- 1 1/2 (360 ml) cups cold heavy whipping cream (double cream)

METHOD...

- In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth.
-Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.
-Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

The cream cheese frosting was perfect for it since the cake was sweet and the cheesy, not so sweet frosting balanced that. A regular frosting would be a bad idea with this.

I used red readymade icing (or is it marzipan) in a tube for the decorations. Too tacky, I know. I do not like marzipan and will avoid it in the future.

Carrot Cake

I baked this cake in August. The recipe has been taken from Anita's blog.