Thursday, March 28, 2024

Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting | Simple Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake , a delicious, soft and sponge cake with wonderful chocolate flavor. Chocolate has been one of the popular cakes for years and people still go crazy over chocolate flavor than any other flavor. 

It's one of my recent favorite cakes that i have baked so far. The cake is so spongy and moist with the right amount of sweetness. This cake is so good on its own without any frosting. Often i bake this cake at home without any frosting and have it as a snack. 

However, frostings  like chocolate or whipped cream really go well with this cake. Last week, it was ST's birthday so i made this cake with whipped cream frosting. Honestly, it was the best and it tastes so much better than store-bought cakes without any preservatives. Additionally, the little one also enjoyed the cake so much. Overall ,I was so happy with the output.  


Chocolate Cake

There are few things that i would like share for baking the best chocolate cake. 
  • Make sure to use the good quality of cocoa powder. The flavor and the color of the cake totally depends on the cocoa powder. I have been using Hershey Cocoa powder for all my baking and i really like it.
  • In this chocolate cake, instead of butter, we're using oil. That gives the moist texture to the cake and also the cake doesn't firm up in the refrigerator like other butter cakes.
  • To make this cake batter, just whisk and bowl is enough. No need of a hand blender or stand mixer. It's such an easy batter, all you need to do is measure the ingredients, dump it and mix it. Tada, your cake batter is ready!

Whipped Cream Frosting


Whipped cream frosting is one of the easiest frosting that you can make in minutes provided that you have a hand blender/stand mixer. I simply love this frosting because of its simpleness and lightness. 

This frosting needs to be refrigerated for better taste and the chocolate cake that we're making today doesn't firm up in the refrigerator so both are just match made in heaven and compliments each other well.  

Decorating the cake 

I'm not a professional baker so honestly i'm not good at decorating the cake. What i did here was slice the cake into half using dental floss (you can check out my Gulab jamun cake where i showed how to cut the cake using floss) and then filled and covered the cake  with the whipped cream frosting. 

Next smooth out the surface of the frosting with the dinner knife and piped some frosting on the top edge of the cake. Then I shaved some chocolate and pressed that chocolate shavings on the sides of the cake and sprinkled on the center of the cake too. Finally placed some chocolate chunks on the piped frosting. Voila, Chocolate cake is ready :-)

Ok, let see how to make this chocolate cake. 


Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 30 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Chocolate Cake, Easy Chocolate Cake,Simple Chocolate Cake,Whipped Cream Frosting, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting , a delicious, soft and sponge chocolate cake layered and covered with mildly sweetened whipped cream froting.
Ingredients
For the Cake
All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
Cocoa Powder - 1/3 cup
Sugar - 1 cup *
Baking Powder - 3/4 tsp
Baking Soda - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp 
Milk - 1/2 cup
Warm Water - 1/2 cup
Instant Coffee Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 3/4 tsp
For Frosting
Whipping Cream - 1 & 1/2 cup 
Powdered Sugar - 2 tsp
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
* I have used 1 cup minus 2 tbsp of sugar.
 
Procedure
First preheat your oven @ 350 F and then prepare your baking tin. Butter the pan and lined it with parchment paper at the bottom. In a large bowl, add the all purpose flour.

Next add the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a sieve and sieve it all together into the flour. Then add the sugar into the flour.
Mix all together well and keep it aside. 
Now for the wet ingredients, crack open a egg in a bowl/measuring cup and then add the vanilla extract, mix it all together well.
Next add the milk, warm water mixed with coffee powder and the oil. 
Mix it all well together and the pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix it well. 
Immediately pour the cake batter into the baking tin and bake it in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 mins. Once the cake is out of the oven, let the cake cool completely.
For the frosting, add all the ingredients listed under frosting into a bowl and whisk it with a electric beater till it reaches soft peak.
When the cake is cooled down completely , cut the cake into half(you can check out my Gulab jamun cake where i showed how to cut the cake using floss and frost the cake with the whipped cream as you wish.
After frosting the whole cake with whipped cream and i used some chocolate shavings and chocolate chunks for decorating the cake as you see here. 
That's it, Delicious Chocolate Cake is ready to serve.

Related : How to make Hot milk cake 

Notes:
  • As everyone says, every oven is little different so keep an eye on the cake after 30 mins to avoid the over baking and dryness. 
  • This cake stays well for days at refrigerator. 
  • If you split the cake batter and bake it in two tins, then the baking time would be roughly 20 mins.
  • We don't like too much sweetness so i have used 1 cup minus 2 tbsp of sugar and it's perfect if you're preferring mild sweetness.
  • I have used whipping cream with 30% fat content.




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Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Hara Bhara Kabab | Spinach Peas Cutlet

Hara Bhara Kabab,  a North Indian Patties made with peas and spinach. It's one of our recent favourite snacks and I often make it as a side for evening tea. They are super delicious and healthy too .

When i started to search for evening snacks which are healthy as well as tasty, this kabab/patties got my attention. Ever since i made this hara bhara kabab at home, it became a regular in our evening time.   

Making this kabab is super easy if you have boiled potatoes at hand. So if i'm planning to make these patties for the evening snack then i would probably boil a few extra potatoes while preparing the lunch itself , that way it comes handy in the evening.

The key to making these delicious kababs is to make sure that there is no excess moisture in any of the vegetables. Therefore drain the peas and spinach well before grinding and also make sure to remove the cooked potatoes from the water immediately once it's done because potatoes tend to absorb water if left it in water for a longer time. 

Now let's check out on how to make these delicious Hara Bhara Kabab.

Hara Bhara Kabab

Preparation Time : 30 mins | Cooking Time : 15 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Snacks | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Hara Bhara Kabab, Spinach Peas Patties, Spinach Peas Cutlet Hara Bhara Kabab, a North Indian Patties made with peas and spinach.
Ingredients
Potato - 1 (Cooked)
Spinach/Palak - 1 cup
Peas - 1/3 cup
Green Chili - 2 
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Besan/ Kadalai Maavu - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Cashew - 4(optional)
Oil - to pan fry the kabab

Procedure
First bring a pot of water to boil, then add the palak and peas(i'm using frozen peas). 


Let them boil for 2-3 mins and then drain the water and let it cool. completely.
Next, in a blender jar, add the ginger & chili and grind into coarse mixture then add the palak and peas.
Grind them into a smooth mixture. Next mash the cooked potato  well .and then add the palak peas mixture along with garam masala, besan, sugar and salt.
Then add the palak peas mixture along with garam masala, besan, sugar and salt.Mix it all well together and keep it aside for 30 mins. 
At the time of making kabab, take a small amount of mixture and roll into a ball.And then flatten it a small disc and place a cashew(i have split a cashew in half and use it here) in the centre. 
Heat a thick bottomed pan and add the oil for pan frying. Once the oil is hot , place the patties and cook it on the low flame till both sides are nicely browned.
Delicious Hara Bhara Kabab is ready to serve. 

Related : How to make Hariyali Chicken Kabab

Notes:
  • Adjust chili as per your spice level.
  • For more flavor, you can add 1/2 tsp of cumin while grinding the mixture.
  • If you're not able to bind it all together and make a ball, then add a little more besan.
  • Try to squeeze the water as much as possible from the boiled spinach and peas.
  • I have used frozen peas but fresh peas also work well for this recipe.

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Monday, February 26, 2024

Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies

Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies,  delicious and crispy cookies made with readymade gulab jamun mix. It's super easy to make cookies in minutes.

Every year during deepavali time, i buy ready made gulab jamun mix from the store for making gulab jamun. Usually i use half the packet and keep the rest to use later. But ever since i tried these cookies, this is my go-to recipe for finishing off the leftover gulab jamun mix.

I'm sure that many of you have some leftover gulab jamun mix in your pantry(Thanks to the one to one offer around festive time :-)) and if you would like to try something new with the gulab jamun mix, then give a try on these delicious cookies.


In today's recipe, i have used the MTR gulab jamun mix which is one of my favorite store bought gulab jamun mix. But i guess other brand mixes also work well. 

Flavors 

Coming to the flavoring agent , personally i like both the cardamom and rose flavor for this cookies. In today's recipe, i have used only rose essence but in the past i used cardamom powder(if you're using, add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder) and combination of rose essence & cardamom powder. All those variations are good in their own way.  So you can make these cookies with your favorites.

Shaping the cookies

In this recipe, i have used cookie cutter to shape the cookies. But you can simply roll the cookie dough into a log then cover it with parchment paper and refrigerate it for 30 mins.  After 30 mins, cut them into circles. That's way easier than the cookie cutter method if that's what you're looking for.

Now let's check out on how to make these yummy cookies.

Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies

Preparation Time : 20 mins | Cooking Time : 10 minsServes : 12 
Recipe Category: Cookies | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies, Gulab Jamun Cookies Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies, a delicious and crispy cookies made with readymade gulab jamun mix.
Ingredients
Gulab Jamun Mix - 1 & 1/2 cup
Butter - 5 tbsp
Powdered Sugar - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1 to 2 tbsp
Rose essence - 1/4 tsp

Procedure
First preheat the oven @ 350 F. Next in a bowl, add the butter (make sure the butter is at room temperature) and beat it with electric hand mixer for a couple of mins or until it's creamy and  then add the powdered sugar.


Next add  then rose essence and mix it with a hand mixer for another 2-3 mins or until it's all well combined together. 
Then add the Gulab Jamun mix and mix it with your hand. Once it's all combined together add the milk little by little and form a soft dough.
Next place the cookie dough in a parchment paper and cover it with another parchment paper. Flatten the cookie dough with a rolling pin.
Then cut the cookies into desired shape using the cookie cutter and then place it on parchment lined baking tray.
Place the baking tray in the middle and bake it for 8-10 mins. 
Delicious Gulab Jamun Mix Cookies are ready . Cool it completely and then store it in an airtight container.
Notes
  • Once the cookies are out of oven, they are extremely soft. Don't tempt to over bake it. It firms up once it's cooled down completely.
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Friday, February 16, 2024

Sweet Coconut Pastries | Coconut Pastry

Coconut Pastry, a delicious snack made with puff pastry and sweetened coconut filling. Whenever i crave for the Indian famous Dilpasand / Thengai Bun, this is my short cut to satisfy my craving. 

This coconut filling recipe is the same as the Dilpasand / Thengai Bun, but instead of making dough for the bun, i have used the puff pastry for the outer layer. It tastes so delicious and you can't stop by one.

Coconut filling 

In today's recipe, i have used fresh coconut because i knew that it would be gone in minutes and there would be no leftovers so i didn't worry about it going bad.

But you can very well use coconut flakes or desiccated coconut (see my coconut bun post where i used coconut flakes for the stuffing ). Make sure to adjust the sugar depends on  whether you're using sweetened or unsweetened coconut. 

Puff Pastry 

I have been using the "Tenderflake" puff pastry(not sponsored/ad) ever since we moved to Canada and so far it's good for making the savoury and sweet as well.  

When this coconut pastry is right out of the oven, it's crispy(i know which is totally contrary to the coconut bun) but still it tastes amazing.  But if you really want the soft outer layer like a coconut bun, just leave it for a couple of hours or overnight so that the outer layer of the pastry becomes soft. 

Shaping the Coconut Pastry

In today's recipe, i have just folded it in half (you can see it in the step by step pictures) and cut it into squares. But you can make it as bite sized pastry like how i did in this mini apple turnovers. So it all depends on how you want or what occasion you're making. 

I personally make bite sized pastries for a get-together or someone visiting our home or when i'm making more that last for a couple of days.

Ok, now let's check out on how to make this delicious coconut pastry. 




Sweet Coconut Pastries | Coconut Pastry

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 30 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Dessert/Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Coconut Bun, Thengai Bun, Coconut Pastries, Coconut Pastry Coconut Pastry, a delicious snack made with puff pastry and sweetened coconut filling.It tastes like coconut bun/Thengai bun.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry - 1 sheet
For Stuffing
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Tutti frutti - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 5
Raisins - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Water - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Procedure
First heat the pan with ghee, add the cashew and raisins, roast till the raisins are puffed up. 

Then add the sugar, coconut, and water. Mix it all together and cook till the sugar is completely melted.
Next add the tutti frutti and cardamom powder. Mix it all well and let it in the flame for 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.
Preheat the oven @ 420 F
Take a one sheet of puff pastry and roll into thin sheet with a rolling pin.
Then add the coconut stuffing on one side and close the puff pastry from the other side such that the coconut stuffing is sealed well. 
Next, take a fork and press it on the outer edges of the pastry(it helps to seal the edges well and also make a nice design on the border.) Then transfer the pastry sheet into a parchment lined baking sheet and cut the pastry into squares as shown below.
Brush the top of the pastry with some milk and put it in the oven and bake it for 15- 20 mins or until the top turns golden brown.
That's it, Delicious Coconut Pastry is ready to serve.
Notes:
  • Depends on the sweetness of the coconut add more or less of sugar.
  • Adding tutti frutti truly enhances the taste of the pastry. You can use store bought or home made tutti frutti
 

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