I just love sweets. And Christmas is soon approaching which means the stores are filled with all kinds of cookies, cakes, chocolates, puddings, Lebkuchen, Zimtsterne...hmm..my idea of sweet heaven. The stores are also filled with all kinds of Baking extravaganzas like food colors, marzipan decorations, chocolate delicacies...everything required for a Baking Heaven :) Maybe that's why no diets works for me ;)
While doing my daily grocery shopping, I just wanted to buy everything. Unfortunately my purse advised me not to. And I had to listen to it. Speaking of purses, I need a new one. This one is sadly going kaput. Oh I digress...sorry.
So today it the first Advent Sunday and I decided to make a chocolate cake. actually I just wanted to make a cake...then I decided to add some cocoa and voila it became a chocolate cake.
I made a few adjustments like adding cocoa and the chocolate chips.
So I'm just going to paste her recipe in black and the adjustments I did, I will add in in blue.
So, lets start:
Ingredients for Sponge - for 8" pan serves 10
(Please Read Notes Below)
All Purpose Flour/ Maida 1 and 1/2 Cup (200 gms)
Granulated Sugar - 3/4 cup (165 gms)
Plain yogurt (curd) - 1 cup (250 ml) ~ I used Onken, at room temperature
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 ad 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil - 1/2 Cup
Milk - 1 tbsp (for brushing on top)
Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup
Chocolate Chips - desired amount
Method
- Preheat
oven to 350F / 180C and grease an 8" cake pan (or loaf pan) with some
butter or oil and set aside. In a bowl sift the flour and cocoa
and set aside.
- In
another large bowl beat the yogurt with a spoon to remove any lumps and
add the sugar to it, beat again and wait for the sugar to
dissolve well, this would take 5 mins. Now add the baking powder and
baking soda to it. Beat again and set aside for 5 mins until you see
small bubbles on the surface of the mixture.
- Its
time to add the vanilla extract and oil. Mix well until the ingredients
are combined. Now add the flour in 3 batches, gently fold
the mixture using a whisk or rubber spatula (or even a wooden spoon)
until you see no more bubbles/streaks of flour. Add the chocolate chips and fold carefully. Pour into the prepared
pan and tap it firmly on the counter top a couple times to get rid of
the air bubbles
- Bake
in center of a pre-heated oven for 30-35 mins until the top turns a
golden brown and a tooth pick inserted into the centre of
the cake comes out with dry crumbs. Brush the milk on top. Let the cake
sit in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert it onto a cooling rack
for 3 hours and later decorate with desired icing.
- My cake broke while I was trying to take it out, so I had to improvise a bit. I used store bought chocolate icing and prepared it according to the instructions on the packet. Decorate it with chocolate chips, chocolate scraps, almond scraps or any way you wish :)
Notes
- Don't let the cake mix sit for too long outside before baking, it might end up in a hard cake
- use flavourless oil and make sure you use good quality vanilla essence
- make sure that curd is in room temperature
I would like to thank Priya didi for this wonderful recipe. It was easy, fun, and quick to make. Plus I didn't need any extra kitchen machines which is always a priority for me.
Have fun trying out this recipe and adding your own flavors to this wonderful basic recipe.
Wishing all a very happy first advent :)
Sending this to:
1) Sirisfood
http://www.sirisfood.com/2012/11/celebrating-first-anniversary-win.html
2) 60 Days to Christmas
http://cooklikepriya.blogspot.co.uk/
3) Walking Through the Memory Lane
http://www.nithubala.com/2012/11/event-announcement-giveaway-walking.html
http://gayathriscookspot.blogspot.in/2012/12/walk-through-memory-lane-november.html
The story behind this recipe:
I’m linking this event to Gayatri didi’s „Walking through the memory lane“
This is the first time ever I’m spending the “Advent time” away from my family. In Germany the 24 days before Christmas is called the Advent time. Eventhough we are hindus and don’t celebrate Christmas as Germans do, this time is still special to us. During this time we visit friends, have potlucks and generally spend time with friends and then celebrate Christmas with Family only.
In this time my mom and me bake loads of goodies like Christmas cookies and cakes. Every year we try something special from the german baking finery. Last year we tried coconut mackronen, the year before vanilla kipfern , etc etc. This year I’m not at home and can’t bake any goodies with my mom. I was a bit sad but thankfully my vacation got sanctioned and I can go home just before Christmas but still in time to spend the Christmas days with my family. This year we want to try out a Walnut White Chocolate Cake. I have already printed out the recipe and asked my mom to stock on the ingredients. I can’t wait for the 23rd, so that I can finally be with my family and enjoy the goodies :).
But before that I wanted to recreate the special feeling of Advent and baked this delicious chocolate cake without eggs. It not only looks yummy but also tastes awesome and is quick & easy to make. As soon as I was done, I sent my mom the pic via facebook telling her I miss everyone at home sooooo much.
I’m planning to take this cake to office tomorrow and enjoy it with my colleagues, my “make-believe” family here. Hopefully they will appreciate my efforts :)
Reposted to add:
Sending this recipe to: Nivedhanam's Let’s Party – Eggless Bakes and Treats
http://nivedhanams.blogspot.in/2012/11/lets-party-eggless-bakes-and-treats.html
http://bestofmykitchen.blogspot.in/2012/03/lets-party-every-month.html
