Cakes

Mmm .. I love Cakes and Pastries. My kids love them too. So I had to learn baking cakes and cookies and the likes and in this regard it was my Mom who has been of immense help. She taught me the finer nuances of baking which one can only get through experience and not by just reading a recipe. I first started with a simple sponge cake and then gradually learnt to make the icing or frosting whatever you call it.
Here is the recipe for a simple Chocolate Cake complete with choco icing.
Ingredients:
eggs - 4
Maida - 200 gms
Sugar - 150 gms ( powdered)
Butter- 200 gms
cocoa powder- 2 to 3 tbspns
vanilla essence- 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tbsp
for icing:
butter -50 gms
powdered sugar 50 gms
milk - 3 tbsps
cornflour- 2 tsps
cocoa powder - 4 tbsps
First cream the butter in a vessel with an electric beater, add the sugar and beat again. Add the eggs one by one beating after adding each. Seive the baking powder, maida and cocoa powder together. Now add this to the above mixture slowly, beating at lower speed ensuring that there are no lumps. Add the vanilla essence and pour into a greased and dusted cake container and bake in a preheated oven at 185 C for 26 mins. Prick a knife in the middle and see if it comes out clean, if not bake for another 2 mins. Remove and keep on the wire rack to cool.
For the icing, take a saucepan and melt the butter on a slow flame, add the sugar and stir. Add the cocoa powder and ensure there are no lumps. Now add the cornflour to the milk and add it to the above mixture, stir evenly. Let it simmer for nearly but less than a minute and pour on the cooled cake. Spread it evenly and you can decorate it with dry fruits if you wish.

Enjoy..........

Pic : Chocolate Cake with Icing

Tomato Cheese Macaroni

This is something I make when I'm very hungry and dont have too much time to whip up something filling to eat. It deviates from the standard pasta recipe,( that pasta needs to be boiled separately), but then when you dont have time, small sacrifices (which do not alter the taste) need to be made.

Ingredients :
Sunfeast Benne vita - 1 cup (any shape) (available in supermarkets, really good)
Onion -1
Tomato -1
Garlic - 2 pods
Cheese slice - 1
Milk - 1/2 cup
salt and pepper to taste

First grind the onion, tomato and garlic together. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a thick bottomed saucepan and saute the above paste in it for 2 minutes. Pour three cups of water, add the salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5 mins occasionally stirring gently. Add the cheese slice and the milk and let it simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Now add the pepper and serve hot. Makes a quick dish which is yummy and also wholesome. This takes harldy 10 mins to make and my kids love it. If you are counting calories, you can skip the cheese slice.

Try it and you'll love it.