Showing posts with label cakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cakes. Show all posts

Friday, October 19, 2012

Baking - My Intangible Sanctuary



“A bad review is like baking a cake with all the best ingredients and having someone sit on it.” – Danielle Steel











Baking for me is an expression of love. People find many ways to express themselves for instance some write, some paint, some debate and some act. But how do I express myself?
Anger, confusion and weariness totally evaporates when I enter the realm of baking. Baking is like a heaven for me. It completely relaxes my mind and takes me to another world which is full of food fantasy. The whiff of tempting, caramelized strawberries shining on the uneven surface of the freshly baked strawberry tart.
I started baking during my summer vacations few years back. Beat butter and sugar, stir in the flour and eggs pour it into a mould, pop it in the oven and Ta-Da!
The smell of freshly baked golden brown cake wafting over me domed and cracked on top mouth watering. The moment I open that oven door is a moment of complete bliss for a baker.

Baking is my intangible sanctuary, kitchen a place where I pour out my feelings that even one of my closest friends won’t understand because no one’s crazy about baking as much as I am.
My confusion and fear ends up with as a chocolate marble cake come out of the oven, the swirly patterns inside when you actually cut the cake describes how much effort I’ve put in.
The circular cake iced with vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache dripping slowly down the sides decorated with such intricate design it just reflects your creativity.
Some of you must be thinking that I am exaggerating but trust me this is how it is and what baking means to me.
The final product reflects the efforts that you’ve actually put into it. The aftertaste is what lingers, contentment and happiness replacing all your stress, fear and anxiety.
For me baking takes care of everything.

“No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.” – Julia Child

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Marble Cupcakes

I've baked Marble Cupcakes quite alot. And I must say these cupcake are very easy to make it starts with a basic plain cake batter. Marble Cupcakes are very rich and buttery and the best thing is you get two cakes in one (the white vanilla part and the other chocolate part). When you see the cake from the centre you'll find a beautiful marbling effect. Marble cupcakes make look complicated but trust me its the easiest of all.

Ingredients:
butter 200 g
castor sugar 1& 1/2 cup
eggs 3
vanilla essence 1 tsp
Flour 2 cups
Baking powder 1 tsp
cocoa powder 2 tbspn
milk 1/2 cup
salt a pinch

Method:
Preheat oven at 180 degrees and line the cupcake tray with paper cases.
In a bowl make a paste of cocoa powder along with 11/2 tbsp of milk until incorporated now keep it aside.
Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light,creamy and fluffy.
Then add the eggs one by one mixing well at each addition.
Sift the flour,baking powder and salt together.
Add the dry ingredients in the butter mixture alternating with the milk.
Now divide the mixture in two bowls
In one bowl of the batter add the cocoa and milk paste that you prepared until its mixed.
Spoon batters into the cupcake tray alternating with vanilla and chocolate batter but be careful don't fill the cupcake cases more then half Give it some space to rise.
To create marbling effect run a wooden skewer through the batters in a swirling motion but don't overmix or you'll lose the marble effect.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until springy to touch and skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean.
Set aside to cool on a wire-rack.


Friday, August 26, 2011

Moist Chocolate Cake


Hey everyone,

Have been busy these days with my studies but not to worry I have a new recipe of Chocolate Cake and this cake to absolutely the one to die for. I am not exaggerating I mean it. 

It is just heavenly absolutely light, soft and spongy.

When I sliced the cake it came out to be so soft, moist and fudgy. 
And the best part is when you pour the rich, creamy chocolate ganache on top and it runs in all directions. 

Yumm! :)


The final mixture of the cake before its kept in the oven is very thin and runny nothing to worry about and it takes plenty of time to bake my cake batter took fifty minutes the time varies depending on the different oven.


Ingredients:
flour 1-3/4 cup
baking powder 1-1/2 tsp 
eggs 2
Hot boiling water 1 cup
Oil  1/2 cup
Milk 1 cup
Cocoa Powder 3/4 cup
Salt   a pinch
Castor Sugar  2 cups
Baking Soda  1-1/2 tsp


Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Stir together sugar, salt, flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla beat on high speed for two minutes.
Stir in boiling water. Don't worry the mixture will be runny.
Pour in prepared greased pans and bake for 45 minutes. (Personally it took my cake 50 minutes to bake)
when the skewer comes out clean and the cake is firm to touch the the cake is baked.


Icing:
I keep my icing quite simple so here are the ingredients:
Tetra pack cream    1/2 cup
cooking chocolate    50 g
Icing sugar sifted      1/4 cup


Combine chocolate and cream on a double boiler and let the chocolate melt and get incorporated in the cream. When done take out the bowl and let it cool.
Then add in the icing sugar.


When the cake is cooled slice it in the middle and sandwich the cake with the icing and cover the entire cake with it.....
Or
Just pour it on top! 

Its now ready to serve...