Star Studded Chocolate Cupcakes (Eggless)

The only time that gets me rolling with ideas more elaborate is April. There is so much flutter and celebrations that all I want to do is feed people than sitting on a computer.

To start with, its my daughters birthday month and I try beat my best every year. Considering how she loves the sweet section of the party - it also becomes my area of concentration. To top that its also the month of our wedding anniversary.  ;)

This year I distributed cupcakes to her classmates instead of the usual candy bags. The kids were delighted. If 30 something bouncing kids around me to open the box faster was not enough, the shrilling yays was making the point very clear. It seemed the teacher was not very happy as I had her class turned into an amusement park within seconds.

The minute these kids sat down to taste their cupcakes, the hum and the quietness was enough proof that I had them all charmed.

These beauties were just perfection. Beautiful humped muffins with equally simple pink and purple stars.

The recipe was adapted from Dishes from my kitchen

Recipe follows:

3/4 Cup Cake Flour
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt

4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Water

1 Tbsp Vinegar
1/2 Cup Granulated White Sugar
1/4 Tsp Instant Coffee Powder
1 Cup Whipped Cream

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F (180 degree C) and ready Muffin pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

In a small bowl mix Olive oil with water, vinegar and coffee.

Mix wet ingredients into a large bowl of dry ingredients.

Do not over beat.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Makes about 6 muffins.

Bake for about 16 - 20 mins or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

Let the muffins cool at the room temperature before icing.

Prepare 2 icing bag with a large and a small star nozzle and decorate as per your idea.

Whole Wheat, Oats & Raisins Cookies

One after another there is sickness residing in our home.
Festive month and no baking. of course with ozzy suffering from severe diarrhea, everything is off limits.
It was very easy for the doctor to say nothing except rice and dal.

Well he doesn't know that the great daughter of mine is also a very big foodie. It usually is a challenge to feed her Blaahhh food and now adding bland to the list...wow joy!

Eggless Banana Raisins Muffin

I have a problem when people start judging things by the way they look.

Poor bananas all ripped and ready to be eaten. Sure they don’t look appetizing sporting huge dalmatian spots but they are still firm which totally means, they can be consumed without wrinkling your nose.

But you'll have to close your eyes...

Mango Pear and Chocolate Crumble

Just a minute more and today would have turned into non post day.

I saved my crumble from burning just about in time. My bad, I got carried away chatting with my dear hubby who is back from work after 15 days. And my sister who was feeling homesick and has extended her weekend.

So the foodies are back and my oven time has started.

It's a pain to bake for me alone. Specially when I am trying (not so much) to come back to my original self post pregnancy.

So last week to keep myself away from sweets and more sweets, I kept myself busy with window shopping for best of the Vegan and Egg-less recipes online and organizing and reorganizing my shopping list for the baking marathon this coming week.

Strawberry Cheesecake

It all started with love and hate relationship I have with Strawberry from past few years.
Earlier anything served pink or with strawberry flavor was looked down upon and later it changed with one trip to Strawberry fields.

So for few years still shy about experimenting, I was introduced to the creamy heaven. Lot of desserts thereafter were strawberry based but this one still holds a special place.

With low availability of Cream cheese in India, this cheesecake was made with available substitutes and the cream cheese was made at home for this cake.

Recipe follows:
Source: Rajul


For the Base:
1 Packet Digestive Biscuits
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
3 Tbsp Melted Butter


For the Cake:
125gms Cottage Cheese / Cream cheese
3 Tbsp Thick curd
1 Tbsp Whipped or Any cream
3/4 Cup Strawberry Crush
1 1/2 Tbsp Gelatin
1/8 Cup Condensed Milk or Desired Sweetness
1/2 cup Milk
200 gms Vanilla Ice cream

Procedure:

Crush digestive biscuits to fine crumbs, add sugar and melted butter to it. Press down the crumbs to a greased spring form dish. Chill in refrigerator to set.

Add crumble cottage cheese, cream, curd and strawberry crush in a mixer and churn till smooth.

Soak Gelatin in enough water for 2 minutes and melt on double boiler.

Bring Ice cream out and left it to soften. Meanwhile bring Milk to boil with condensed milk or desired sweetness until thickens.

Mix cheese mixture with thickened milk and beat till smooth. Add gelatin and mix.
Fold cheese mixture to ice cream until smooth texture is achieved.

Pour this mixture to the biscuit base and refrigerate until firm.

Serve with fresh fruits strawberries or crush.

Coconut Cookies

Almost an year ago a friend of mine from Singapore was explaining me the reason why she was sleepy during office hours. She stayed up all night baking breads & cookies for her family before holidays.

I asked “But we always buy these things, why didn't you?”
She laughed and said I bet you've never had home baked cookies before!

When I returned back home from that contract, the first thing I wanted to try baking were the cookies.

The first blog post is dedicated to the first baking experience which encouraged me to go ahead and bake more.

Following recipe was learnt from Rajul - Guide, mentor and a good friend.

Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

170 gms All Purpose Flour

115 gms Unsalted Butter

60 gms Granulated White Sugar

60 gms Condensed Milk

1 cup Desiccated Coconut

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/4tsp Baking Powder

Procedure:

Sieve the flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Cream the butter, sugar and condensed milk together until light and fluffy. Add Vanilla extract, flour and desiccated coconut mix lightly with hands until dough binds. Chill in fridge for few minutes.

On a lined baking tray, place small balls of dough and press down with a fork.

Bake at 350 degree F ( approx 170 degree C) till light brown in color. Remove and cool on wire rack.