cake

Plum cake with brown sugar and cardamom streusel

| Rekha Vengalil

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I had this recipe saved from a magazine, and the other day the sight of beautiful plums in the supermarket reminded me of cake.

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Lemon glaze bundt cake

| Rekha Vengalil

 

I was quite excited about this cake, as it was my first time with the Bundt. The steps were followed religiously – batter done, poured into the cake pan, and finally placed in the oven; only to realize that I did not grease/buttered the pan before the batter went in.  Almost gave up to the thought that the cake wouldn’t come off clean. The choice was made – if it does not come off clean, the recipe is not going up here 🙂
 
Once done, with bated breath I inverted the tin. The cake did slide off well, albeit a bit messy (definitely not as bad as I thought it would be). Poured the glaze over and yes the final outcome was worth the effort – light and fluffy, with the nice zing from the lemon zest and glaze. 
 
Recipe courtesy: Taste of Home


You need

  • All purpose flour – 3 cups
  • Unsalted butter – 226 grams
  • Caster sugar – 2 cups
  • Low fat milk – 1 cup
  • Eggs – 4
  • Lemon essence – 1.5 teaspoons
  • Vanilla essence – 1.5 teaspoons
  • Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Zest of 2 lemons or 1 tablespoon

For the lemon glaze

  • Lemon Juice – 2 tablespoons
  • Icing sugar – 1.5 cups

How to –

Pre-heat the over to 180 C. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
 
In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter till light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs one at a time. Beating well after each addition. Add the essence.
 
Now gradually add the flour and alternately with milk. Beat well after each addition. Finally stir the zest in.
 
Pour the batter into the greased and floured 10-inch  bundt cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the cake on wire rack completely.
 
Lemon glaze
 
In mixing bowl, add the lemon juice and the icing sugar and mix with a wooden spoon till smooth. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and serve.
 
 

Chocolate Fudge Cake

| Rekha Vengalil
I always thought a fudge cake was a difficult one and since its chocolate I never really bothered; until hubby the other day asked me to make one. Not often does such request come hence pulled out my baking bible and made this spongy and moist cake.
A slice of the cake was much a welcome for me in spite of not being a chocolate fan. I had some mango flavored butter cream sitting in the fridge which I used for the filling and dusted generously with icing sugar.

You need – 

  • Self-raising flour – 175 grams
  • Sunflower oil – 150 mls
  • Coco powder – 25 grams
  • Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Soft light brown sugar – 150 grams
  • Golden syrup – 3 tablespoons
  • Eggs – 2
  • Milk – 150 mls
  • Cake pans – 2 (I used a 8 inch but if you need a tall cake then use a 6 inch)
 How to –

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. Grease the cake tins and line the base with parchment paper.

In a small pan, heat the golden syrup until its runny. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, coco powder, and baking powder and mix in the sugar. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, oil and milk using an electric whisk.

Now whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until well combined. Gently fold the golden syrup into the batter. Divide the batter equally between to tins and bake the cake for 30-35 mins or title the skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly and then onto to wire rack to cool completely.

You use chocolate icing or icing of your choice to decorate the cake.


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