Eggless Fruit and Nut Cake

Dear All,

Finally I am back to blogging after a short break which felt like long and which was unplanned. This month has been too hectic for me, with heavy workload and health not supporting I couldnt do a lot of blog hopping but I am hoping that things will go back to normal soon. This whole month I have been neglecting my oven though I really wanted to bake few things but never came around but when my dad's birthday was around the corner I just had to bake a cake for him. Though my dad loves sweets but due to his health he is now refrained from having sweets so I am always on lookout for recipes which are low in sugar and fats especially for my parents. Fruit and Nut cake seemed perfect to celebrate his birthday, this cake studded with rich dry fruits, spices and caramel was enjoyed by everyone in the family. My dad even commented that he would love to have this cake with some wine but one look from my mom and poor dad swallowed his feeling :-) Looking at this scene I remembered something "Even though the man is said to be the head of the house but wife is the neck who can turn the head any direction she wants", so true isnt it? :D

Recipe adapted from Aayi's Recipe
Ingredients for Caramel:-
1/2 cup sugar (100 gms)
1/4 cup boiling water (60 ml)

Ingredients for Cake:-
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (175 gms)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter melted (100 gms), I used Amul
1/2 cup cranberry juice (125 ml)
1 whole cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 whole cardamon pods seeds
1 cup tuttu frutti (100 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (50 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped cashews (50 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (50 gms)
1/2 cup raisins

Procedure:-

• One day before making the cake, soap the dry fruits in cranberry juice along with whole spices.
• On the day of making the cake, first prepare the caramel. In heavy bottom pan heat the sugar on low heat.The sugar will start to melt, stir the melted sugar until all the sugar is melted and caramel is started to form. Slowly the melted sugar will become dark brown in color, make sugar that you donot burn the caramel or else it will spoil the taste of the cake, once whole sugar is metled and the mixture turns dark amber in color, remove from gas and put the vessel in sink. Now add in hot boiling water, about 1/4 cup, be extra careful here as the this will splutter a lot. Make sure you donot have children anywhere near you when you are doing this.
• Cool this mixture completely before using in the cake.
• Grease and flour a 6 or 7 inch cake pan. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• Remove the whole spices from the soaked dry fruits (You can also soak the whole spices alone in the juice initially for a day and then use this spiced juice to soak your dry fruits). Add in melted butter and 1/3 cup sugar and earlier prepared caramel syrup. Mix well.
• Now fold in the flour mixture in the dry fruits batter.
• Pour the batter in the cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 mins, until the cake is well browned and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Once done, remove the cake from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the cake in foil and store it in fridge overnight, this helps to intensify the flavors in the cake.
• Remove the cake from fridge before 1 hour of serving.

Verdict: This cake is perfect for celebrating any occasion, its moist and flavorful with rich dry fruits. Every bite has crunch of walnuts and almonds with flavors of cinnamon, cloves and cardamons. Have this cake with some wine after dinner or as a tea time cake, however you have it I am sure you will love it and want more.

Kanda Sev Tameta Nu Shaak - A Gujarati Speciality

Dear All,

I enjoy simple pleasure in life, from walking on sand without footwear to sipping filter coffee during rainy season, from reading a romantic novel to watching a kid playing with balloons and from having roadside pani puri to cook for someone special and watching them eat, I bet there is no site more satisfying.  My mom is blessed in having a daughter who is not at all fussy in eating, oh yeah I am talking about myself :-) Of course we all have choices but I dont remember being fussy about any food or not liking a vegetable...of course there are exceptions and karela is not a vegetable in my dictionary!

I too am blessed to have D who is not at all fussy in food habbits, poor guy majority of my experiments in switzerland were done on him and what choice he had?  Today's dish is one of his favorites and I still remember the expression on his face when I served this curry. Sev in curry? I am sure he must have thought I am nuts but after tasting..lets just say he chew on his own thoughts :) After Bharela Kanda (Cilantro stuffed onions) this is one of my favorite dishes as well, its quick and extremely  tasty! 

Serves 2
Kanda Sev Tameta Nu Shaak
Ingredients:-
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Sev (increase or decrease acc to taste)
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander seeds powder
1 tsp cumin seeds powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Procedure:-

• Heat oil in a pan, add in asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds, as it starts to splutter add in chopped onions and tomatoes.
• Cook on slow gas for about 2 to 3 mins, add in 1 cup water and rest all masalas - turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, salt and sugar.
• Cover and cook for 10 mins, until onions and tomatoes are cooked properly.
• Finally just before serving add in sev and mix lightly, serve immediately with rotis or phulkas.
• Enjoy this delicious and tasty dish whenever you want, lunch or dinner, its perfect on both the occasions!

I love to make this during night time as I enjoy having this curry hot with some rotis, its perfect for a winter evening!  If you enjoy Gujarati cuisine then you will love this as well, try and let me know.

This dish is off to Flavors of Gujarat event by Nayna.

Until next time, take care and have a relaxing weekend!

Low Fat Rum Raisin and Vanilla Coffee Cake

Dear All,

Most of my cakes these days are made using oil rather than ounces of butter. Using oil not only makes your cake a lot healthier but also keeps it super moist. I usually use any vegetable oil but to make it even more healthy you use olive oil. I have tried baking with olive oil and never had any problems.

 Few days back when I was sorting through my pantry I came across a box full of raisins which I had last used in my Eggless Chocolate Raisin Coffee Cake, thinking of the same reminded me that V has asked me (yeah not even requested but specifically asked!!) to prepare this cake and I have been ignoring her since long time. Not that I don't want to prepare this cake but I am trying to pursue her to make it on her own! Yeah have been trying to push her towards baking from long time, though she is a great cook but she seems to be allergic to the word baking..duh!!

Now those raisins were crying out loud to me and I really had to use them as..oh well I cannot see anyone crying :-) Luckily I even had rum in hand to soak my raisins in. I was about to give in to V's request but unlucky for her that I was out of coco powder so the cry for the hour was to go in with Plain Raisin Cake but can Vanilla beans be left behind? So finally I decided to make Raisin and Vanilla combo and I must say what a fantastic combo it came out to be! It looked and smelled amazing! I literally had to hide few pieces from V to be able to take them to office for my new colleagues! 

Look at those plump and juicy raisins along with spects of vanilla beans, aren't they gorgeous!

Rum Raisin and Vanilla Coffee Cake
Ingredients:-
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar or vanilla sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs as room temperature
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 Vanilla bean scrapped or 2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dark rum for soaking

Procedure:-

• Soak raisins in rum overnight or for atleast 3 to 4 hours, the raisins should become plump and juicy.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degress C, grease and flour a bundt pan.
• Sieve together flour, baking powder and baking soda, keep aside.
• In a seperate vessel beat together sugar, eggs and oil until well combined and creamy.
• Add in scraped vanilla beans or vanilla essence, mix well.
• Now add in flour mixture alternatively with milk and beat on low speed until all the flour and milk is well combined.
• Finally gently fold in rummy raisins along with any rum that is left. DONOT beat.
• Pour this batter in bundt pan and bake for 40 to 45 mins, until a knife or a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool the cake completely before removing from the pan.
• Slice and serve with tea or coffee, enjoy!

 

Verdict? Dont pictures talk a thousand words more than writing? Honestly I am in love with this cake! Its one of the best raisin cake ever! If are lover of rum and raisin combo than it is a must for to try this. I got fantastic reviews from everyone in office and to top it off V had already finished off the entire cake by the time I reached home from office, I dont know about you guys but that speaks a lot about its taste to me! Thanks V for always being a fantastic reviewer of my cakes by finishing them off :-)

Got any recipes that you have tried from my blog? Email me in those entries for "Show Me Your Creations" and I'll upload them right here on my blog. Lets share experiences and learn together!