Coco-Dates Eggless Cake

Coco-Dates Eggless Cake

Coco-Dates Eggless Cake Pieces

Cake can be dessert by itself or can be used to make desserts like trifle. It can be served with a dollop of cream (sweet/sweet and sour) or with ice cream. Make custard/ jelly and pour it over cake and a yummy dessert is ready. Problem comes when somebody wants to enjoy all these yummy desserts bur is vegetarian or do not take eggs for some reason or the other. I today am writing this post so that all of you can enjoy cake and cake based desserts. Coco-dates eggless cake is delicious, nutritious and very easy to make. I have made this cake using vegetable oil (Least saturated fat) but if you want you can make it with butter. If made using butter the texture will change but then it will be having more fat content. I bake the cakes in OTG with only lower coil heating.

Preparation Time: 30-40 minutes

Baking time 40-45 minutes

Servings: 500 gm cake (Approx.)

Ingredients Required For Making Coco-Dates Eggless Cake:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160 ^o C.
• 100 gm All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 100 gm. Seed less dates
• 75 gm. Sugar                 
• 150 ml. Milk
• 75 ml. Vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)/75 gm. unsalted butter
• 200 gm. Thick Fresh Curd (It should not be sour)
• 30 gm. Coco Powder
• 1 Small pinch of salt
• 10-15 Almonds
• 10-15 Cashew nuts
• 5-6 Seedless dates
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4Teaspoon Baking Soda (Cooking Soda)

Directions For Making Coco-Dates Eggless Cake:

• Cut 100 gm. of seedless dates and soak them in 150 ml. of milk for 15-20 minutes.
• Mix
• Flour
• salt
• Baking powder
• Cooking soda
• Coco powder and mix well.
• Sieve through a fine sieve three to four times to ensure proper mixing of all ingredients.
• Cut Almonds
• Cashew
• Dates to pieces (Medium) and sprinkle flour on it to coat them with flour properly.

Nuts coated with flour

• Make fine paste of soaked dated.

Paste of soaked dates and milk

• Make fine powder of sugar.
• Take oil/butter in a deep bowl and add sugar powder to it. Beat till sugar and oil mix to make uniform smooth mixture. If you are using butter then it should become fluffy (10 min. maximum)
• Add flour mixture (dry ingredients mixture) 3-4 teaspoons at a time and mix with gentle hands.
• When all flour mixture is added the batter will look thick and brittle.

Flour and cocopowder added to oil and sufar mixture

• Add all paste of soaked dates and mix. Do not whisk too much. The batter will become thinner but not pourable.

After adding Dates-Milk Paste 

• Add beaten smooth curd and mix without whisking. The cake batter will become pourable thick.
• Add pieces of nuts and dates coated with flour and mix gently.

After adding Curd

Consistency of batter

• Pour the batter in a pre-prepared (Greased/Butter pare lined) baking container.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at160 ^o C for 20 minutes. The cake batter will rise.

Cake After 20 minutes at 160 C

• Increase the temperature to 180 ^o C and bake for another 20 minutes. The cake will become darker brown and the top layer will become firm. 
• The time may vary from oven to oven so after 35 minutes of baking poke a dry stick through the center of the cake. if it comes out clean then the cake is baked else bake till the stick comes out clean. It will not take more than 40-45 minutes of baking.

Cake After 40 minutes

The stick comes out clean after 45 minutes

• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a rake.
• Place a plate on the cooled baking dish with cake and turn the dish upside down on the plate.
• Pat gently on the sides and top. The cake will come down on the plate.
• Remove the baking dish.
• Cake with bottoms up is sitting on the plate.

Flip side of the Cake

• Turn the cake gently and cut to pieces.

Coco-Dates Eggless Cake

• Do I have to tell what to do next!!! Grab some pieces and eat before your family finishes it offJ

Coco-Dates Eggless Cake Pieces

Tips:

• Do not bake the cake with top coil heating only lower coil should be functional in square OTG. Round oven do not have this option as the heating coil is in the round rim.
• For best results always sieve the flour-baking powder mixture four to five times minimum.
• Curd should be fresh and thick. It should never be sour else the cake will have sour taste.
• Always coat the nuts with flour to avoid them from settling at the bottom.
• Always pre-heat the oven and prepare the baking dish before mixing the ingredients.
• Use measuring spoons available in market domestically used spoons may vary in size cause havoc to the cake.
• Either use toned milk or remove the cream settled at the top this will make cake healthier and least fatty.
• Do not over do the salt part it is just to enhance the sweetness not to impart salty taste.

Suggested Variations:

• Amounts of nuts can be increased to give more nutty and crunchy feel.
• Do not increase the amount of dates. They impart sweetness and increasing the amount of Dates means increasing the sweetness of the cake.
• If you like your cake more sweet increase the amount of sugar to 100 gm.
• Oil can be replaced with butter.
• Butter used should be white butter. I prefer using Nutrelite butter as it is having less saturated fat.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

A yummy yummy cake with wonderful flavor, color and texture is also very healthy due to nutrients and fibers added by carrots. For me it is a must make in winters when the carrots are red, juicy and sweet. Though in the recipe I have used refined flour (All-purpose flour), this cake can be made using whole wheat flour/ 1:1 ratio of whole wheat flour and refined flour. The time taken for baking depends upon amount of egg white in eggs; juiciness of carrots and type of oven so after 15-20 minutes of baking the cake rises and top layer becomes light brown. Keep checking for baking state by poking the center of the cake with a long clean dry needle. Clean needle indicates the cake is baked.

Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes

Baking Time: 40-50 minutes

Servings:

Ingredients For Making Carrot Cake:

• 200 gm. Carrots

• 200 gm. Refined Flour (Maida)

• 150 gm. Sugar for cake

• 200 gm White butter/Nutrelite Butter (Chilled)

• 4 Medium size Eggs

• 100 ml. Golden syrup.

• 1/4Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder

• 1/2Teaspoon Eating Soda

• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Directions For Making Carrot Cake:

• Prepare baking dish by coating it with oil then dusting with maida or lining it with butter paper.

• Make golden syrup and keep aside.

  http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.in/2014/02/how-to-make-golden-syrup.html

Golden Syrup

Making Batter of Cake:

• Mix

• Maida
• Baking powder
• Eating Soda
• Cinnamon powder

• Sieve through a fine sieve three /four times to make sure even distribution of ingredients.

• Grind sugar to fine powder.

• Wash, pat dry and grate carrots.

Grated Carrot

• Separate egg yolk from egg white.

• Beat egg yolk to smoothness.

•  Beat egg white till foamy with stiff peaks.

Egg white Beaten To stiff peaky Foam

• Cut the butter to small pieces and beat till smooth.

• Add sugar and beat till smooth and creamy mass is formed.

Sugar and Nutrelite Butter beaten to creamy smoothness

• Add egg yolk one tea spoon at a time and beat.

• When all egg yolk is added the mixture should be beaten till smooth creamy light mass is formed.

After adding Egg yolks

• Mix grated carrots and prepared refined flour mixture. The carrots should get coated with flour else they will settle at the bottom.

Grated Carrots mixed with flour

• Add golden syrup and mix nicely.

• Add carrot and flour mixture to egg yolk butter and sugar mixture. Mix with light hand. Do not beat just swirl while mixing.

• Add foamy beaten egg white all at one go and mix with light hand by swirling action. This will give smooth frothy uniform batter.

Batter of Carrot Cake

Baking The Cake:

• Pour the batter in baking dish and pat it from sides of dish to level the batter.

• Bake in preheated oven at 160 ^o C for 10 minutes.

Cake rising after 10 minutes of baking

• Increase the temperature to 180^o C and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

• Keep checking for the baking state pf the cake by poking a clean dry wooden/metallic object at the center of cake right up to the bottom.

After 25  minutes of Baking

• Clean needle indicates that the cake is baked. Switch off the oven and remove the cake in baking dish from oven and cover lightly (Not air tight) with a thin cotton cloth or butter paper. The above given timings may vary depending upon the juiciness of the carrots, Size of eggs and type of oven. So keep checking every 5 minutes after first 15 minutes of baking. 

Carrot Cake baked after 35 min. of Baking

• Remove the butter paper with which the cake was covered.Put a plate on the baking dish with cake and invert the dish on the plate. Pat lightly on the base of baking dish with cake. Cake will come out cleanly on the plate.

  

  Cake Inverted on plate and removed from baking dish

•  Cut to pieces when at room temperature. Serve Carrot cake with caramel/vanilla ice cream. I love it plain and simple with a cup of hot tea.

Carrot Cake

Tips:

• Add egg yolk slowly with continuous beating to avoid curdling of creamy mixture.

• Prepare baking dish, caramel/golden syrup before starting the batter.

• The quantity of eggs can be increased / decreased depending on the size.

• Mix carrots and refined flour mix just before adding because the moisture in carrots starts reacting with baking soda and eating soda.

• After adding golden syrup add egg white immediately but do not beat the mixture for mixing just swirl the egg white in it for mixing.

• Preferably do not bake the cake from the top. Use only bottom heating and side heating. Keep a small bowl with 150 ml of water at the bottom shelf of oven to make the top layer moist.

• The time taken for baking depends upon amount of egg white in eggs; juiciness of carrots and type of oven so after 15-20 minutes of baking the cake rises and top layer becomes light brown. Keep checking for baking state by poking the center of the cake with a long clean dry needle. Clean needle indicates the cake is baked.

Suggested Variations:

• Whole wheat flour/1:1 ratio of maida and whole wheat flour can be taken instead of refined flour.

• Chopped and flour coated walnuts/Almonds can be added to the batter before pouring it to baking dish. Cashew do not taste too great in this cake.

How to make Golden syrup

Golden syrup

Golden syrup is used in making cakes and many other deserts. It is also called liquid caramel. Freshly made golden syrup add wonderful flavor and color to the desserts. I prefer making the golden syrup just before I make the batter of the cake. But this golden syrup can be stored in bottle in fridge and use as and when required.

Preparation Time: none

Making Time: 10 Minutes

Servings: 100 ml. Thick Golden Syrup

Ingredients Required For making Golden Syrup:

• 100 gm. Sugar

• 200 ml. Water

Directions For Making Golden Syrup:

• Heat water till it boils cover and switch off the gas. Use this hot water later on.

• Take sugar in a thick bottom container and heat on low flame. The sugar will start melting.

Sugar starts melting

• Keep heating with regular stirring.

• After 3-4 min the molten sugar will start becoming brown. Heat till all molten sugar becomes of dark brown color. Stirring is very important otherwise the liquid sugar at the bottom will become black and will give charred taste to caramel/golden syrup.

After Three minutes

• When all sugar becomes of dark brown color liquified sugar will become thick also. Stop heating immediately.

After 5 minutes Ready to be added to water

• Add the caramelized sugar to boiling water and switch off the heat. Dissolve the solid formed.Some solid will stick to the spoon and the bottom of the container do not worry.
  Heat the mixture on low heat and keep stirring till all brown solid dissolves. Boil for 2-3 minutes or till the liquid is reduced to half (10 ml). Golden syrup is ready.

Golden syrup/Caramelized Sugar

• Cover and allow it to cool and use in desserts and cakes.

• Store this golden syrup in bottle in fridge. It can be stored for months together.

• If thicker golden syrup/Caramel is required boil till required thickness is achieved.

Tips:

• Never heat sugar on high heat this will cause charring of sugar.

• For easier making of golden syrup sugar can be powdered then heated. If Powdered sugar is used then the container for heating should be big otherwise it will spill while stirring.

• Always use thick bottom container.

• Do not put caramelized sugar in cold water. Preheat water.

Suggested variations:

• Powdered jaggery/1:1ratio of jaggery and sugar can be used for making caramel.

• Cinnamon/Green cardamom powder/Nut meg/Vanilla essence can be added to golden syrup before cooling. This will give flavored caramel/Golden syrup.

सिंगल कुमाऊँ का पकवान /Singal A Kumaoni Delicacy (Fried spirals of Samolina / Rice Flour)

A Typical Kumaoni Prasad Thali of Singal,Meethi Puri Ganesha Modak,Puye,Kajoore and Fruits For Diwali

Singal are one of those fried semolina spirals that are part and parcel of Kumaon culture and festivals especially deepawali and Bhaiduj. Though it is very rich in fat and sugar yet the weather and all the waking done in hills it is easily digested and provides the much needed calories. The life style of hills makes sure that all fat and consumed calories are burnt off so no hassle in indulging in such rich delicacies. Singal with Aloo Gutuk and Pahari raita are heavenly combination and the taste of singal made by my granny remain unparalleled till date. I tried to replicate the same but then the recipe may be the same how can I say the Love and care she put for us in it is the same.

Preparation Time: 10 min. (Soaking time not included)

Cooking Time: 60 min

Servings: 6-7 Medium size Singal

Ingredients Required For making Singal:

• 250 gm. Suji / Rice fl our

• 150 gm. Thick Curd

• 100 ml. Milk

• 100 gm. Sugar

• 10 gm. Ghee (Clarified butter)

• 1 Ripe Banana

• 5-6 Green cardamom

• Ghee/ Cooking oil for frying.

Making Rice Flour : 

• Wash rice  and soak it in excess water for one hour.

• Drain all water and dry under sun till rice is completely dry.

• Grind to fine powder.

• Sieve to remove any coarse particles. 

Direct ions For Making Singal:

• Peel green cardamom and pound the seeds of green cardamom coarsely.

• In a bowl take

• Suji / Rice flour

• Sugar

• Thick curd

• 10 gm. Ghee

• Mix them nicely and keep the mixture for at least 60 min. for soaking 

Suji, Curd, Ghee and Sugar added to make the batter for Singal

• The suji / rice flour will become soft and the mixture will become nice and soft.

• Add milk and mix so that the batter is of pourable consistency. If the batter is too thick then add 10-20 ml. milk and mix to bring it to thick but pourable consistency.

Milk added to the batter

Batter ready after mixing the milk to the suji,curd and sugar mixture

Batter consistency should be hick but pourable

• Mash the banana while it is in the peel. This will make mashing banana easy and it will get mashed nicely.

Ripe Banana being mashed with the peel intact

Mashed Banana

• Peel the mashed banana, add the mashed banana and cardamom powder to the suji / rice flour mixture.

Mashed Banana added to the Batter

• Mix nicely and beat it with fingers for 10 min. so that it gets creamy feel.

• Heat ghee / cooking oil in a thick bottom wok till becomes smoking hot.

Batter ready for making Singal

• Fold the fingers and palm to make a cup shape and scoop batter in it.

Batter of singal in the cup of palm

• Pour the batter in a spiral shape in the hot ghee / oil.

Batter being poured to a spiral in smoking hot ghee

• Let it cook on low flame till the color becomes golden yellow turn and cook again till both sides become golden yellow / golden brown.

Singal being fried

• Drain the excess fat with the help of ladle.

• Repeat same with rest of the mixture.

Deepawali treat of Singal,Kheer,Besan Laddu Meethi Puri,Ganesh Modak,Puye 

• Singal are ready to be enjoyed with Aloo Gutuk and raita.

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/07/aloo-gutuk-potato-vegetable-kumauni.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/07/pahari-kheere-ka-raita-cucumber-and.html

Tips:

• Piping bag can be taken for putting the batter as a spirals in the oil for frying.

• Wok with flat bottom is better for frying Singal.
  

• Small grain suji is better for this dish

• Curd should not be too sour.

• Make sure your hand is not too near the ghee while pouring the batter as your fingers may touch the hot ghee and get burnt.

• For frying if ghee is taken then the original taste is guaranteed.

• If rice flour is taken then soaking the batter for 45-60 min. more is the better option.

Suggested Variations:

• 50 gm. Khawa can be added and mixed nicely after adding banana. When Khawa is added it has to be made sure that there are no lumps in the batter.

• Finely cut almond, cashew nuts and raisins can be added to the batter after adding banana