Tuesday 24 January 2012

Mouthwatering Sugar Free Dessert

With the rise in the number of diabetics in the world, there has also been a rise in the search for sugar free recipes such as carrot cake recipe.  Here is a tried and tested mouthwatering and sugar free carrot cake recipe that you can prepare at home and enjoy without any worry about the harms of sugar.

Items needed:

  •  4 egg whites
  •  2 whole eggs
  •  1/3 cup of canola oil
  •  1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce
  •  1 cup of apple juice concentrate
  •  1/4 cup of water
  •  3 cups of whole wheat grain flour
  •  1 tablespoon of baking powder
  •  1 teaspoon of baking soda
  •  1 cup of raisins
  •  1 teaspoon of salt
  •  2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
  •  1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
  •  2 1/2 cups of fresh grated carrots

Sugar_free_carrot_cake


Preparation:

  1.  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2.  Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed and it doubles in volume.
  3.  Break in the eggs, one by one, and beat well.
  4.  Add the apple sauce, apple juice, oil and water and blend the mix well so that everything is well incorporated.
  5.  In a bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg.
  6.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet egg–apple mix and blend well.
  7.  Stir in the grated carrots, add the raisins, and mix well.
  8.  Grease two 9-inch baking pans and pour the batter in the two pans equally. Smooth the tops.
  9.  Bake in the oven at 350F for about 25-30 minutes and then again at 325F for about 10-12 minutes.
  10.  Remove and cool on a wire rack before serving or applying frosting.   


Sugar free cream cheese frosting for the cake:

  •  1 1/2 cups of cream cheese at room temperature
  •  1 1/2 teaspoons of butter
  •  1 cup of splenda
  •  2 teaspoons of vanilla extract


Preparation:

  •  Beat the splenda in a mixer to get a fine sugar mix.
  •  Add the cream cheese and butter to the mix and beat well to get a smooth mix.
  •  Mix in the vanilla extract.
  •  Let the mix stand for some time before using.


To assemble the cake:

  •  Place one cake on a serving stand and apply a layer of frosting on the top.
  •  Put another cake on top of it and press lightly.
  •  Cover the cakes using the rest of the frosting from all sides.
  •  Cool the cake in the fridge for some time to let the frosting set before cutting up to serve.


Note: Use freshly grated carrots as the juices will keep the cake moist.

Cute and Smiling Monkey Face Cake

This cute and smiling monkey face 1st birthday chocolate cake recipe will be a hit at your child's first birthday party and earn you many smiling and frosting-covered faces. This 1st birthday cake recipes will surely make your child's birthday extra special.

Items needed for the cake:

- 1/3 cup of plain flour
- 1/3 cup of corn flour
- 1/3 cup of self-raising flour
- 4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 cup of castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence (you can use any essence of your choice)

Preparation:

- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Grease a 9-inch cake pan using a little oil and flour.
- Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs.
- Beat the egg whites using an electric blender until the mixture doubles in volume and soft peaks are formed.
- Add the egg yolks to it, along with the sugar, and beat until you get a pale yellow mix which is three times the volume.
- Add the vanilla essence to the mix.
- In a bowl, mix the flours and cocoa powder together.
- Add the flour and cocoa mix to the egg mixture and fold the mix well.
- Pour the batter in the cake pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack before decorating.

Monkey_face_cake

Items needed to decorate the cake:

- 2 fresh chocolate covered doughnuts
- 1 cup of fresh vanilla frosting
- 1/2 cup of chocolate sprinklers
- 2 1/2 cups of chocolate frosting
- 2 brown jelly beans or M&Ms
- 2 Oreo cookies
- 2 teaspoons of mixed fruit jam
- 1 chocolate twizzler
- Piping bags

Preparation:

- Place the cake on a 15-inch serving board.
- Trim the top sides of the cake about 1/2 inch from each side and discard the sides.
- Trim the doughnuts about 1 inch from the sides.
- Arrange the cut doughnuts on the cut sides of the cake to make monkey's ears.
- Spread a thick layer of chocolate frosting on the top half of the cake and cover the sides too.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring to 1/2 cup of vanilla frosting to get a pale pink color.
- Use this frosting on the lower half of the cake to form the mouth and chin portion of the cake. Make it in a kidney bean shape.
- Use the jelly beans in the center of the cake to make the nose.
- Pipe the jam on the lower portion of the face in the shape of a smile.
- Pipe some vanilla frosting in the form of 2 circles on the top half of the cake in place of eyes and place the Oreo cookies in the center of each circle.
- Press the chocolate sprinklers on the chocolate frosting and scrape the twizzler over the top to form the hair of the monkey.
- Cool in the fridge before serving.

Tasty and Easy to Prepare Banana Coffee Dessert

A tasty dessert is a perfect end to a delicious dinner. When you are in a hurry, a banana cake recipe is a dessert that can be prepared in no time and is loved by one and all. And when you can add some nutrition to the cake in the form of bananas, the taste and nutrition will increase two-fold and make you a hit with both children and adults. Given below is a simple and tasty banana coffee cake recipe that you will love to make and eat.

Items needed for the cake:

- 1 1/4 cups of cake flour
- 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
- 1/2 cup of softened butter at room temperature
- 1 packed cup of brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of instant coffee
- 1 teaspoon of water
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Preparation:
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  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  Grease a 10-inch baking pan.
  •  Mix the banana and sour cream and blend well.
  •  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.
  •  In a mixing bowl, mix the butter, eggs and sugar. Beat well at high speed until the mix is fluffy.
  •  Mix the coffee with the water and add to the butter-egg mix.
  •  Add the vanilla essence and beat well to get a well incorporated mix.
  •  Add the flour mixture to this mix, a little at a time. Beat well after each addition so that there are no lumps in the batter.
  •  Pour the batter in the greased baking pan.
  •  Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
  •  Take the cake out of the oven and remove from the pan.
  •  Cool on a wire rack before cutting in slices to serve.


If you have a little time you can even prepare a delicious banana buttercream frosting to go with the cake.

Items needed for the frosting:

- 1/4 cup of butter
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of mashed ripe bananas
- 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar
- 3 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar
- Chopped walnuts and pecans for garnishing

Preparation:

  •  Beat the butter and salt in a mixing bowl.
  •  Add the vinegar and bananas to the mix and beat some more until smooth.
  •  Add the confectioner's sugar to the mix and beat until smooth and fluffy.
  •  Place the cake on a serving stand and cover with frosting on all sides.
  •  Garnish with chopped walnuts and pecans and let the frosting set for some time before serving.

 

Monday 16 January 2012

Easy Recipe to Turn Healthy Carrots into a Delicious Dessert

Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A, which is very good for our eyes. Carrot is also considered very healthy in fighting off infection, reducing acne and boosting immunity. However, eating carrots in the raw form or vegetable form can get a little monotonous over time. Carrot Cake recipe is an alternative way to make a child love and like carrots. To help you make healthy carrots more interesting, here is an easy homemade carrot cake recipe that includes walnuts, raisins and pineapples, which increase its nutritional value almost two-fold.

Items needed for the cake:

450ml of vegetable oil
500 grams of granulated sugar
5 eggs
9 average size carrots peeled and grated
160 grams of walnuts
160 grams of diced pineapple
160 grams of coconut flakes
40 grams of raisins
440 grams of all-purpose flour
15 grams of baking powder
15 grams of baking soda
30 grams of fresh ground cinnamon
3 grams of salt

Preparation:

Carrot_cake_4

  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  Grease two 10-inch baking tins using a little oil and some flour.
  •  In a deep bowl, beat the vegetable oil, sugar and eggs together until you get a fluffy mix and the sugar is dissolved.
  •  Add the grated carrots and pineapple to the mix and beat at a low speed to mix everything well.
  •  Now add the walnuts, raisins and coconut flakes. Mix the wet ingredients well.
  •  In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  •  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, adding a small amount each time and mixing well after each addition.
  •  Pour the prepared batter in the greased baking tins and smooth the tops.
  •  Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes. If a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean then the cake is ready.
  •  Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before taking out of the tin and serving.


Ways to serve the carrot cake:

  •  Cream cheese frosting is the traditional way to serve the cake. Cover the cake from all sides and the top with cream cheese frosting.
  •  You can also dust some coconut flakes on the frosting at all sides to serve.
  •  Caramel sauce also makes a good accompaniment to the carrot cake. Drizzle some warm caramel sauce on the cake before serving.
  • Honey and fresh whipped cream served on the side of warm carrot cake will also be a big hit among your dinner guests.

 

Delicious Moist Homemade Cake for a Dessert

Delicious moist and homemade red velvet cake recipe is a perfect food to share with that special loved one. Red velvet cakes have been very popular since the 18th century. The red color portrays the color of love. Here is a simple moist red velvet cake recipe that you can make at home for your loved one.

Items needed:

  •  250 grams of all-purpose flour
  •  5 grams of baking soda
  •  5 grams of baking powder
  •  5 grams of salt
  •  15 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder
  •  400 grams of sugar
  •  336 ml of vegetable oil
  •  2 eggs
  •  10 ml of vanilla essence
  •  15 ml of red food coloring
  •  15 ml of white distilled vinegar
  •  20 ml of plain hot coffee


To prepare:

Red_velvet_cake_1

  1.  Preheat the oven to 325F.
  2.  Grease two 9-inch baking pans using a little oil and dust the insides with a little flour.
  3.  In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
  4.  Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
  5.  Use an eggbeater to beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
  6.  Add the red food coloring to the egg whites and beat for a minute more.
  7.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar.
  8.  Add the oil to the mix and beat some more to dissolve the sugar and get an emulsion.
  9.  Add the coffee to the mix and beat well.
  10.  Add the distilled vinegar and mix well.
  11.  Take the mixed dry ingredients and add them to the wet ingredients using a little at a time. Mix well after each addition.
  12.  Pour the prepared batter in the greased baking pans.
  13.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
  14.  Once the cake is done (the top is springy) take it out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.


Cream cheese frosting makes this cake even more delicious.

To prepare the cream cheese frosting you will need:

  •  28 grams of cream cheese
  •  15 ml of milk
  •  50 grams of softened butter
  •  220 grams of powdered sugar
  •  5 ml of vanilla essence


Preparation:

  •  In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, milk and butter and beat them well.
  •  Add the vanilla essence and sugar.
  •  Beat on low to medium speed to get a thick and smooth mix.


Decorating the cake:

  •  You can decorate the cake by stacking one on top of the other with a layer of frosting in between.
  •  Cover the cake with the rest of the frosting on all sides and chill for a few minutes before serving.

 

Thursday 12 January 2012

Delicious Chocolate Dessert Ready in Minutes

Chocolate cakes are the secret weapon that you can prepare in less than one and a half hours and serve fresh at your dinner parties. The best method is to follow the plain chocolate cake recipe given below and then serve it with your choice of frosting or icing. To help you along, we have included a delicious chocolate cake recipe here as well.

Items needed for the cake:

  •  500 grams of all-purpose flour
  •  440 grams of caster sugar (you can also use powdered sugar)
  •  1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla essence
  •  90 grams of cocoa powder
  •  2 teaspoons of baking powder
  •  2 teaspoons of baking soda
  •  200 grams of butter softened at room temperature
  •  250 ml of fresh milk
  •  3 large eggs
  •  250 ml of hot coffee

Plain_chocolate_cake_1

Preparation:

  1.  Grease an 11-inch baking tin using a little cooking oil and dust a little flour on the insides. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the tin.
  2.  In a large mixing bowl, break the eggs and add the sugar. Beat at a medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture turns white and a little fluffy.
  3.  Add the butter and beat at a high speed until the mix is all smooth and creamy and almost double in size.
  4.  Add the vanilla essence.
  5.  Add the milk and coffee and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
  6.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder.
  7.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Scrape the bottom well so that everything is well mixed. You can use an electric mixer to blend all the ingredients together.
  8.  Pour the prepared batter in the greased baking tin and smooth the top.
  9.  Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 170C for about an hour.


While the cake bakes, here is a simple and easy recipe of cream chocolate ganache that you can use with the cake.

Items needed:

  •  500 ml of fresh cream
  •  ½ kg of dark cooking chocolate (chopped)
  •  ¼ kg of fresh raspberries or strawberries for garnishing


Preparation:

  •  In a thick saucepan, heat the fresh cream until on the verge of boiling.
  •  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped dark chocolate.
  •  Stir the mix until smooth and glossy.
  •  Chill in the fridge while the cake cools.


Once the cake is cool, place it on a cake stand and slather the chilled gananche over the top and sides. Garnish with sliced raspberries on the top.

When serving, cut a slice of the cake and serve with a dollop of fresh cream on the side and watch the smile of delight on your guest’s face.

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Banana Dessert Recipe Made Simple

Desserts are usually the favorite part of dinner for most kids and banana cake recipe is one delicious and nurtitious dessert to serve, but in today’s busy and fast-paced life it is not always possible to be ready with a dessert, or sometimes you are just too hard-pressed for time to go through the whole process of preparing one. To help you at the dinner table, here is a simple banana cake recipe with cake mix that is served with innovative caramel frosting that will keep everyone (adults and the kids) very happy.

On your shopping list:

  •  1 packet or 200 grams of yellow or white cake mix (yellow gives a more authentic banana color)
  •  110 grams of light brown sugar
  •  5 mg of fresh ground cinnamon
  •  250 grams of peeled and mashed bananas
  •  110 ml of vegetable oil
  •  1 cup of water
  •  3 large eggs
  •  1 cup of roasted assorted nuts
  •  10 ml of vegetable shortening
  •  10 grams of all-purpose flour


Preparation:

Banana_cake_recipe_with_cake_mix

  •  Grease (using vegetable shortening and flour) two or three 8 inch baking pans, depending on how many layers you want in the cake.
  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  Empty the contents of the cake mix packet into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar, ground cinnamon powder and mashed bananas.
  •  Use an electric blender to beat the mix, along with the eggs, to get a good mix of the banana puree and eggs.
  •  Add the vegetable oil and water to the mix and blend on a high speed so that everything is well mixed.
  •  Pour the batter in the cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes.
  •  After the baking time, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes before assembling.


Ingredients for the caramel frosting:

  •  1 stick of unsalted butter
  •  220 grams of brown sugar
  •  120 ml of whole milk
  •  220 grams of icing sugar
  •  5 ml of vanilla essence


Preparation:

  •  In a thick-bottomed pan, boil the butter and brown sugar.
  •  Add the milk and boil once again.
  •  Remove from heat and stir in the icing sugar and vanilla essence.
  •  Use a wooden spoon to mix everything until you get a smooth, spreading mixture. Keep in mind that you have to use the frosting while it is still warm, otherwise it will become hard and difficult to use.


Assembling the cake:

  •  Place one cake on a serving tray and spread a layer of frosting over it. Sprinkle some roasted nuts on the top.
  •  Place another cake on top and cover with the frosting from all sides. (If you are using three cakes, repeat this step again.)
  •  Let the cake cool in the fridge for an hour before serving.

 

Yummy Passion Red Cakes and Cupcakes

Although discovered by accident, red velvet cakes and cupcakes are famous for their vibrant and attractive red coloring and utterly delicious taste. The mystery of the taste of red velvet cake recipe lies in the perfect mix of the ingredients and the red food coloring. Traditionally, they are served with cream cheese frosting. Given below is one of the best red velvet cake recipes from scratch that you can prepare using simple ingredients at home.

In your kitchen, you will need:

- Unsalted butter (at room temperature) – 8 tablespoons
- Refined white sugar – 1 ½ cups
- Eggs - 2 (at room temperature)
- Cocoa powder (unsweetened) – 5 heaped tablespoons
- High-grade quality red food coloring – 4 tablespoons
- Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
- Freshly prepared buttermilk – 1 cup
- All-purpose flour – 2 ¼ cups
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
- Distilled white vinegar – 3 teaspoons

For preparing the cake:

Red_velvet_cake_3

  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  The ingredients are enough to make two 9-inch cakes or about 24 cupcakes; therefore, grease the cake tins accordingly.
  •  Mix the red food coloring with a little water (not more than 2 teaspoons).
  •  Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract to the mix and blend well, then set aside.
  •  Now take a deep mixing bowl and add the butter and sugar into it. Beat well using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer.
  •  Break the eggs in the mix and keep on beating until the mix is well incorporated.
  •  Add the salt and mix some more.
  •  Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium, add ½ cup of buttermilk to the mix, and beat well.
  •  Now add the flour to the mix (one spoon at a time) and mix at a medium speed to get a smooth mix.
  •  Add the cocoa-red food coloring mix to the prepared batter and fold well so that the batter attains a very deep red color.
  •  Add the baking soda and white distilled vinegar to the mix and use a mixer to get a smooth batter of dropping consistency.
  •  Pour the batter in the cake pans or the cupcake tins (fill only ¾ of the cupcake tins as the cake will rise).
  •  Bake the cakes in the oven for 30-35 minutes (the cupcakes will only take about 20-25 minutes) until the tops are firm but they are still springy.
  •  Cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before cutting the cake to serve or using frosting on it.
  •  Another way to serve the cake is to sandwich a thick layer of frosting between two layers of cake.

 

Sunday 8 January 2012

Delicious Triple Layer Cake on your Child's 1st Birthday

Whenever you think about 1st birthday cake recipes, the first thing that comes to mind is chocolate cake recipes and layers of frosting. Kids of all ages love chocolate and frosting. Here is a simple triple layer 1st birthday chocolate cake recipe that you can prepare for your child’s first birthday.

What you will need:

Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups of sugar
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of shortening
  • 1 cup of fresh buttermilk
  • 4 tablespoons of cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons of baking powder
  • 1/2 cup of grated cooking chocolate
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon of mixed fruit essence


Frosting:

  • 2 cups of dark and white cooking chocolate
  • 3 cups of icing sugar
  • 3-4 sticks of butter
  • 4 drops of vanilla essence


Method:

Chocolate_cake_recipe_3

  1. First, to prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Mix the eggs and shortening in a deep bowl. Use an electric blender to beat the mix at high speed until it turns light and fluffy.
  3. Add the buttermilk and beat at medium speed to get a frothy liquid.
  4. Add the mixed fruit essence and combine well.
  5. Use a tablespoon to add the flour to the mix (one spoon at a time) and beat well after each addition.
  6. Now add the cocoa powder and mix well.
  7. Add the grated cooking chocolate and beat the mix for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Add the baking powder and again mix well to get a cake batter of dropping consistency.
  9. Grease two 9 inch baking pans.
  10. Divide the batter in two and pour the mix equally in each pan.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
  12. Once the cake is done, take it out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.


For the frosting:

  • You will need a double boiler to melt the chocolate and butter.
  • Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the double boiler and let it cool.
  • To the cooled mix, add the icing sugar and butter.
  • You can use the electric blender for mixing the icing.


Preparing the cake for serving:

  1. Place one cake on the cake stand and cover the top with chocolate frosting.
  2. Place the second cake on top of it and press lightly.
  3. Use the rest of the frosting to cover all the sides and the top of the cake in an even layer.
  4. Dust some icing sugar over the top of the cake for a ‘snowy’ look.
  5. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

A Touch of Red Velvet Made More Tempting

I'm excited to share this delicious red velvet cake recipe. There’s something classical and elegant about the shape of a bundt cake that has transcended generations. The fact that this is a red velvet cake is a delicious twist. Even though it’s just food coloring, there’s something special about that rich red velvet color. Without further ado, here is the red velvet bundt cake recipe that will make you a kitchen all-star!

 

 Ingredients:

 - 1 tbsp of cocoa powder

- 3/4 tbsp of salt

- 1 tbsp of baking soda

- 1 1/4 cups of sugar

- 2 1/2 cups of flour

- 1 tsp of vanilla

- 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

- 1 tbsp of red food coloring

- 2 whole eggs

- 1 cup of buttermilk

- 1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil

Red_velvet_bundt_cake
 

Preparation:

 1) Preheat your oven to 350F.

2) You don’t have to use a bundt pan, but if you have one, grab it and grease it then apply some flour on top (do this with whichever pan you use for this cake recipe).

3) In a medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs, food coloring, buttermilk, vanilla and vinegar and mix them together well.

4) In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, and then combine both bowls. This ensures everything is properly blended.

5) Pour this batter into your bundt cake pan and bake for 45 minutes.

 

Now that you’ve completed this cake recipe, you may want to find a delicious icing recipe to go on top; but this cake is great without icing, as well.

Tempting Cake Made with Carrots

Choosing 1st birthday cake recipes can be a tough decision. When it comes to celebrating your little one's big day, you want the cake to be special, memorable and delicious. If you don't want to feed your baby an unhealthy candy cake, then you will want to avoid most chocolate cake recipes. I've worked on many carrot cake recipe that would be excellent choices for babies to enjoy due to healthy ingredients and very low amounts of sugar. Here's one of my favorite 1st birthday healthy carrot carrot recipe—it's very easy to prepare and it's also quite tasty despite the use of healthy ingredients.

 

Here's what you'll need to get started:

  • 2 1/2 cups of thinly sliced carrots
  • 2 1/2 cups of apple juice concentrate
  • 1 cup of raisins
  • 2 cups of flour (whole wheat is best)
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 4 egg whites (remove the yolks yourself or purchase a container of egg whites)
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup of applesauce (unsweetened is best)
  • 1/2 cup of wheat germ
  • 2 tbsp of baking powder (low sodium is best)
  • 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon

 

Carrot_cake

Preparation instructions:

1.    Line a large baking pan with wax paper and coat the wax paper with vegetable oil. It's easiest to grease lightly if you're using a spray can.

2.    Pour half of the juice concentrate into a saucepan. Add the carrots and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Let cool, then add the raisins and puree this mixture. It's easiest if you have access to a blender or a food processor.

3.    Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.

4.    Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until they're all combined. At this point, fold in the puree you have prepared and continue to mix well.

5.    Pour this mixture into the baking pan and bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 350°F. Make sure your oven is preheated.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Delicious and Healthy Cake for a Vegan Diet

A vegan diet means not eating any dairy or animal products i.e. no meat, poultry, eggs, butter or cheese etc. However, it does not mean that it has to be a complicated diet. There are a number of delicious dishes that you can prepare using vegan ingredients. Here is a simple, easy and healthyvegan carrot cake recipe with vegan cream cheese frosting that you can prepare at home for dessert or as an evening snack.

On your shopping list for your carrot cake recipe:

  •  400 grams of grated red carrots
  •  250 grams of white sugar
  •  250 grams of white flour
  •  10 grams of baking powder
  •  2.5 grams of baking soda
  •  A pinch of salt
  •  7 grams of ground cinnamon
  •  Fresh juice of 2 small oranges
  •  112 ml of canola oil
  •  165 grams of chopped raisins
  •  180 grams of chopped walnuts


Preparation:

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  •  Do not use an electric or hand blender to prepare this recipe. Use only a wooden spoon or ladle.
  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  In a deep bowl, mix the sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda.
  •  Add the orange juice and cinnamon powder to the mix and fold the mix well.
  •  Now add the oil and mix some more.
  •  Fold in the grated carrots and the salt, and mix well so that there are no lumps of carrot in the mix.
  •  Now add the chopped raisins and chopped walnuts and fold the mix.
  •  Grease a baking pan using cooking spray or canola oil.
  •  Pour the batter in the prepared pan.
  •  Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  •  Cool on a wire rack before frosting the cake.


On your shopping list for the vegan cream cheese frosting:

  •  150 grams of soy cream cheese
  •  50 grams of vegan margarine
  •  230 grams of powdered sugar
  •  10 ml of vanilla essence


Preparation:

  •  Beat the soy cream cheese and margarine in a bowl until you get a soft, creamy texture.
  •  Add the sugar and vanilla essence and beat some more until the mix is of spreading consistency.
  •  Scoop the mix in a piping bag and put it in the fridge for some time before using.


For assembling the cake:

  •  Cut the cake in little squares, drizzle the frosting on the pieces in an abstract manner, and cool in the fridge to set the frosting before serving.
  •  You can also spread the frosting all over the cake and then cut in slices to serve.

Simple and Great Cake Made to Chase the Blues Away

Chocolate cake recipe are known as a great comfort food all over the world. There is nothing like coming home to the smell of a warm homemade chocolate cake fresh out of the oven to make you forget all your tiredness and the worries of your day. Here are two simple and great tastinghomemade chocolate cake recipes that you can prepare in no time.

1. Homemade coffee chocolate cake

What you will need:

  •  Flour - 2 cups
  •  Refined white sugar – 1 1/2 cups
  •  Mayonnaise - 1 cup
  •  Cocoa powder – 1/2 cup
  •  Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
  •  Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  •  Brewed cold coffee – 1 cup
  •  Vanilla essence – 1 teaspoon


Procedure:

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  •  Preheat the oven to 350F.
  •  In a deep bowl, take the mayonnaise and sugar and whip them using an electric blender.
  •  Add the brewed coffee and mix some more until you get a frothy mix.
  •  Add the vanilla essence.
  •  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well.
  •  Add the dry ingredients to the coffee-mayo mix and blend well so that there are no lumps left  and  the mix is of dropping consistency.
  •  Pour the batter in a greased baking pan (fill the pan only 3/4 full as the cake will rise).
  •  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes.
  •  Cool for some time before cutting in slices to serve.


2. Simple chocolate cake 

What you will need:

  •  Shortening - 3/4 cup
  •  Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
  •  Eggs - 2
  •  Milk - 1/2 cup
  •  Cocoa powder – 1/2 cup
  •  Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  •  Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
  •  Refined flour – 2 cups
  •  Vanilla essence – 2 teaspoons
  •  Boiling water – 1 cup


Procedure:

  •  In a deep bowl, break the eggs and add the shortening and sugar. Use an electric blender to    whip them together until the eggs are fluffy and the sugar is mixed.
  •  Add the milk and vanilla essence to the mix and whip.
  •  Mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder) in a dry bowl.
  •  Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter using one teaspoon at a time, and beat well in between.
  •  Make sure there are no lumps in the mix.
  •  Add the boiling hot water to the mix last, and fold the mix lightly.
  •  Pour the batter in a greased cake pan.
  •  Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 30-35 minutes.
  •  Take the cake out of oven and cool on a wire rack befo

Monday 2 January 2012

Simple Yet Tasty Cake Recipe

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Here is a tasty homemade carrot cake recipe that doesn’t take too much time; and it does not take a lot of effort either! These are two criteria that are important in a great cake recipe, if you ask me. Before getting started with this homemade carrot cake recipe, take a look to make sure you have all of the ingredients. Most of the ingredients are common items, so you shouldn’t have a very big shopping list if you are missing anything.

 

Necessary ingredients:

 

Carrot_cake_recipe_2

  •   2 cups of grated carrots
  •   1 cup of granulated sugar
  •   1 cup of vegetable oil
  •   1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
  •   1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
  •   1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
  •   1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
  •   1/2 teaspoon of salt
  •   1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
  •   3 eggs

 

Simple preparation instructions:

 

1.    First of all, you’ll need an oven preheated to 350°F.

2.    In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil before beating in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.

3.    In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Now, mix in each of the wet ingredients and finally add the carrots.

4.    Now it is time to pour the cake batter into a greased baking pan.

5.    You will need to bake the cake for roughly 35 minutes.

6.    Allow this cake recipe to cool for a few moments before cutting off a huge slice—and enjoy!

 

That’s all you need to do to enjoy this fantastic cake recipe. So who said homemade carrot cake recipes need to be difficult?

Luscious Chocolate Cake made at Home

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There's something to be said about taking matters into your own hands and doing things yourself. Take this homemade chocolate cake recipes for instance. It's incredibly simple to create a delicious  cake recipe at home, so why are so many people buying boxes of cake mix? Baking a cake from scratch can seem like a daunting, complicated task, but I assure you it isn't. This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and then another 35 to bake. That's it! A delicious, homemade chocolate cake recipe that takes less than an hour, using things you probably already have in your pantry; does it get any better than that?

 Here's what you'll need:

Chocolate_cake

  • 1/2 cup of butter (you can substitute for margarine)
  • 2 cups of fine sugar
  • 3 medium-sized eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
  • 3 squares of baker's chocolate (unsweetened chocolate squares, melted)
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 1 cup of boiling water

 Here's how to put it all together:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Use a beater (or a fork, if you don't have one) to mix the butter with the sugar in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate squares to the mix.
  4. Add the remaining dry ingredients, using a sifter.
  5. Add the sour cream and continue to beat all of the ingredients together.
  6. Pour this mixture into a greased baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

That wasn't so hard, was it? Now it's time to enjoy this fantastic homemade chocolate cake recipeyou earned it!

Banana Split Recipe with Chocolate Frosting

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A banana cake recipe makes an interesting dessert for both the young and the old; and when you combine it with gooey chocolate frosting it adds to the taste and gives you two-fold joy! Here is a simple banana split cake recipe that you can prepare at home and enjoy with your family and friends.
Ingredients:

  • Unsalted butter – 1 kg
  • Sugar – 3 cups
  • Confectioner’s sugar – 2 cups
  • Eggs – 4 (large)
  • Cake flour – 2 ½ cups
  • Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  • Baking powder – ¾ teaspoon
  • Salt – ½ teaspoon (if you are using salted butter then skip the salt)
  • Mashed banana – 1 ½ cups
  • Sour cream – ½ cup
  • Vanilla extract – 4 ½ teaspoons
  • Egg whites of 5 eggs
  • Yellow food coloring – 5-8 drops (depending on how yellow you want the cake to be)
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Caramel sauce – ½ cup
  • Sprinkles – 1 cup
 Method:

Banana_split_cake_recipe
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Take a deep bowl and put 230 grams of butter and 1 ½ cups of sugar in it.
  • Using a blender, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
  • Break in the eggs, one by one, and mix until well combined.
  • Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Mix well.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the egg mix, spoon by spoon, and keep beating on a medium speed.
  • Once all the ingredients are mixed well, add 1 cup of mashed bananas and sour cream. Beat for another 3 minutes and your cake batter will be ready to bake.
  • Grease a 9-inch pan and pour the batter in the pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
  • In the meantime, on a double boiler, combine the egg whites and sugar and whisk them until well mixed.
  • Take off the boiler and whisk some more until the mixture doubles in volume.
  • Add 4 sticks of butter to the mix and whisk some more until even and smooth.
  • Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ cup of mashed bananas and whisk until everything mixes and is of spreading consistency.
  • Add 2-3 drops of food coloring to get the ‘banana’ color.
  • In a separate bowl, combine chocolate chips, caramel sauce and the rest of the butter. Cook on low heat until the chocolate chips are melted and combined.
  • Add the vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar to the mix and combine well.
  • Let it cool to room temperature.
  • Once the cake is done, cool it on a wire rack before applying the frosting.
  • Slit the cake in three layers horizontally.
  • Place the bottom layer on the cake stand and spread the banana frosting on it. Sprinkle some sprinkles on the frosting.
  • Place the second layer on top of the frosting and press lightly.
  • On the second layer, spread the chocolate frosting and sprinkle some more sprinkles.
  • Place the final layer on top of the chocolate frosting and cover all the sides of the cake with the rest of the banana frosting.
  • Cover with sprinkles and put the cake in the fridge to cool for some time before serving.
  • To serve, cut in slices and drizzle with chocolate sauce.