Marble Cake

Took a long break, had a good summer and am back with a bang! This recipe came out exceptionally well and looks and tastes delicious!

Ingredients:

All purpose Flour : 2 cups
White Sugar : 1 cup
Butter, softened : 1/2 cup
Baking powder : 2 Tsp
Salt : 1/2 Tsp
Vanilla Extract : 1 Tsp
Milk : 1 Cup
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : 2 Tbsp

Method :
1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2) Grease and flour the cake tin
3) Place flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter or margarine, eggs, vanilla, and milk into mixing bowl. Beat slowly to moisten, then beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.
4) Reserve 3/4 cup batter; pour the remainder into pan.
5) Stir cocoa into the 3/4 cup reserved batter. Drop by spoonfuls over top of white batter. Using a knife, swirl the cocoa batter into the white batter to incorporate it in a marble effect
6) Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean.

Lemon Bars

Am in a mood to bake today! I got this recipe from a dear friend and tried at home with a little variation. It is yummy.

Ingredients :

4 ounces butter

2 cups flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

4 beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

sifted confectioners sugar

Procedure :

1) Heat oven to 325 F.
2) Blend butter, flour and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.
3) Pat into non greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
4) For filling, blend together eggs, sugar, 4 tbsp. flour, lemon juice and lemon peel.
5) Pour over first layer.
6) Return to oven and bake at 325 F for about 35-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7) Loosen around edges and sift confectioners sugar over top while warm.
8) Cut when cooled.

Chocolate Cake

This is heavenly and very easy to make. At my home, the time for baking is longer than for the cake to vanish.

Ingredients
All Purpose Flour - 1 1/3 Cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 Tbsp
Baking Powder - 2 Tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Sugar - 1 Cup
Vanilla Essence - 1 Tbsp
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Oil - 1/2 Cup
Eggs - 2

Ingredients for frosting
Heavy Cream - 2/3 Cup
Semi sweet chocolate - 9oz

Method
1) Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
2) Grease two 9 inch cake tins
3) Mix Flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and vanilla essence in a bowl
4) Add milk, oil and well beaten eggs
5) Mix everything together with an electric mixer on low for about 2-3 minutes until everything is well blended
6) Transfer the mixture to the cake tins and bake for about 35-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7) If using 1 cake tin, slice thru' the middle of the cake to make it two layers.

Method of Frosting
1) Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan.
2) Remove from heat, add finely chopped semi sweet chocolate and stir until it melts and the mixture becomes thick. Let it cool
3) Use 1/3 of the frosting between the cake layers, 1/3 on top and the rest around the cake.
4) I decorated with Hersheys to give it an extra zing!!!

Strawberry Meringue Torte

A yummy two layer torte with Strawberry jelly between the layers and a meringue frosting.

Ingredients:
Yellow, white or lemon flavored cake mix - 1 package (about 1lb. 3oz.)
Strawberry jelly - about 3/4 cup
Egg Whites - 4
Salt - 1/8 Tsp
Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup


Procedure :
1) Make a two-layer cake from cake mix as directed. Bake and cool.
2) Spread the strawberry jelly on one layer and carefully place the second layer on top. set aside
3) Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
4) Gradually add brown sugar; beat until stiff.
5) Frost sides and top of the cake with this meringue.
6) Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Alteration to this recipe can be made using Orange marmalade or Pineapple jelly instead of strawberry jelly for filling in between the layers.

Carrot Cake

For a while I wondered, how can a vegetable like carrot be used in a cake? But after making this once, I became a die hard fan. It is a sweet way to get your little ones to eat carrots under the mask of a dessert.

Ingredients :
Grated carrot - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Oil - 1 1/3 cup
Cinnamon Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Eggs - 3
Chopped walnuts and raisins - 1/2 cup each
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Icing :
Cream Cheese, softened - 1/4 cup
Melted butter - 1 tbsp
Milk - 2 Tbsps
Vanilla - 1/2 tsp

Procedure :
1) Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
2) Sift all the dry ingredients together
3) Add grated carrots, and beat 1 egg at a time into this mixture.
4) Mix well with an electric blender on medium for 3 minutes.
5) Add the walnut pieces and raisins and mix well again.
6) Pour this mixture into a greased cake pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Icing procedure:
1) Mix together cream cheese and butter
2) Stir in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle this mixture over the top.

Banana Walnut Cake

It's said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This is 200% true for this delicious recipe. This was given by my wonderful friend Rachana and has been an instant hit since then. After I left the US, my friends miss my banana cake more than they do me!

Ingredients:
Ripe Bananas - 3
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Flour 1 1/3 cups
Walnut pieces - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Eggs - 2

Procedure
1) Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees for a white uncoated pan and 350 degrees for a dark, coated pan.
2) Grease the cake pan.
3) Mash the bananas so that there are no lumps
4) Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the mashed bananas, beaten eggs, oil and mix well. With an electric mixer, mix on high for about 3 minutes.
5) Add the walnut pieces and mix well with a fork
6) Pour this mixture into the greased pan and bake for about 35 minutes or till the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.