Category: Baking

Bournvita fudge cake

Bournvita fudge cake

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

Bournvita rock — this is something that happens to me quite often. I love drinking a cup of hot Bournvita in winter. In summer, however, I prefer cold milk with Nesquik. By the time winter rolls around again, the Bournvita is a lump of hard brown rock.

Usually, I throw it away. This year, I decided to try and use it.

I poured boiling water over the lump and left it to soften. A couple of days later, it had melted into a thick syrupy liquid. I used it to make fudge cake.

Fudgy and delicious

Ingredients

(Serves 5 persons)

All-purpose flour 1 cup
Butter 180 g
Eggs 2
Baking powder 2 tsps
Bournvita syrup 1 1/2 cups

Method

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter. I used Amul salted butter, so there is no need to add salt. Add the eggs one by one. Sift the flour and baking powder and add a spoonful at a time. Add the Bournvita syrup.

Grease a 9” round baking dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a 160 degree C preheated oven for 60 minutes.

Cool and slice into squares. Makes 13 pieces.

Vanilla chocolate swirl cake

Vanilla chocolate swirl cake

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

This is an adaptation of my mom’s cake recipe that has served me well all these years. I made this for a friend’s 80th birthday. I used Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate and reduced the amount of sugar used so that it becomes less rich and is suitable for any age group.

Ingredients

(Serves 5 persons)

All-purpose flour 1 cup
Drinking chocolate 2 tbsps
Eggs 3
Butter 180 g
Sugar 3/4 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Milk 1 tbsp

Method

Preheat the oven at 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

Sift the flour and baking powder together. Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the sifted flour, a little at a time. Add the vanilla essence and milk.

Take a little of the batter into a bowl and add the drinking chocolate. Pour the rest of the batter into a greased cake tin. Add the chocolate batter in little blobs and run a toothpick through in swirls.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degree C and bake the cake for 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick after 35 minutes. When the toothpick comes out clean, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool.

Banana, zucchini, walnut bread

Banana, zucchini, walnut bread

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 2 Comments

I had asked my vegetable vendor to bring me zucchini, but by the time he brought it, I forgot what I had wanted to make in the first place. I had some overripe bananas, so I decided to try adding zucchini to my usual banana bread. It turned out delicious.

A healthy breakfast option

Ingredients

(Serves 4-5 persons)

All purpose flour 1 1/2 cups
Bananas 2, mashed
Zucchini 1 cup, grated
Sugar 3/4 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Eggs 2, beaten
Walnuts 1/2 cup, roughly crushed
Vegetable oil 1/2 cup

Method

Preheat the oven at 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

In a bowl mix the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar. In another bowl mix well the eggs, bananas and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and add the zucchini too. Mix using a folding motion. Do not over-mix. Add the walnuts.

Grease a loaf pan and pour in the batter. Tap it on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 60 minutes. Check after 50 minutes using a toothpick in the centre of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, take out the pan. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then let it cool on a rack. Slice it only after it is completely cool.

Gooey and moist inside, crisp outside
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