Vanilla Cake

Recipe by Habiba – Faisalabad, Pakistan

December 02, 2013

Ingredients:

150 gm. Flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Salt

4- Egg

¾ cup- Milk

175 gm. Caster sugar

6 ounces (150 gm.)- Melted unsalted butter

1 tsp. Vanilla essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy.

4. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

7. Add the flour mixture and milk, beat well.

8. Pour the batter in a prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Pineapple Pastry

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 ½ cup- All-purpose flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

6- Eggs

1 ½ cup- Powdered sugar

1 tsp. Pineapple extract

For the filling and frosting:

1 cup- Heavy whipping cream

1 cup- Powdered sugar

Pinch of yellow food color

1 cup- Pineapple juice

1 cup- Canned pineapple chunks

½ cup- Cherries

½ cup- Almonds, sliced

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree C.

2. Grease two 9-inches round baking pans or a large baking tray with butter and dust with flour and cut the cake into half.

3. Separate the egg white from the yolks.

4. Beat each separately adding pineapple extract and little sugar at a time.

5. The egg whites should form stiff peaks. The egg yolks should be pale and thick

6. Fold the beaten egg yolks into egg whites.

7. Sift all-purpose flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.

8. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes till cake is done or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.

10. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes and then invert cakes onto cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

11. Whip cream while slowly adding sugar and food color till cream is thick and stiff, do not overbeat.

12. Place one cake over a cake pedestal, poke holes with a fork in a few places on the cake.

13. Spoon the juice of the pineapple all over the cake in a till cake is moist.

14. Spread an even layer of the cream, place the other cake on top of this and repeat the moistening procedure.

15. Spread an even thick layer of cream on top and sides of the cake.

16. To finish decorate with pineapple chunks, cherries and sliced almonds. Cut and serve.

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Eggless Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

2 ½ cup- All-purpose flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

¼ tsp. Salt

2 tbsp. Sugar

1 can (14oz) - Condensed Milk

1 cup- Water

2 tbsp. Vinegar

1 ½ tbsp. Vanilla essence

½ cup- Butter, melted

¼ cup- Caster sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Add sugar to bowl and mix well.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the condensed milk, water, vinegar, vanilla essence and butter one by one. Stir the mixture together using a whisk.

5. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and tap the pan to even it out and break the air bubbles if any.

6. Bake it in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

7. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and remove the cake after 30 minutes. Place the cake on the rack for it to cool down completely before slicing it.

8. Slice the cake and dust with caster sugar.

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Banana Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

2/3 cup- Sugar

2 tbsp. Butter, room temperature

1/2 cup- Sour cream

3/4 cup- Mashed very ripe banana (about 2 bananas)

1- Egg

1 tsp. vanilla essence

1 cup- All-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

Vanilla Bean Frosting:

2 tbsp. Butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups- confectioners sugar

1/4 cup- Heavy cream

1/2- Vanilla bean, seeded and scraped

Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 350°.

2. In the bowl of your electric beater, beat the butter and sugar until soft and creamy.

3. Add the sour cream, mashed banana, egg and vanilla essence, beat again.

4. Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda beat until combined.

5. Pour the batter into a 9×9 pan that has been coated with cooking spray.

6. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The cake will be done when a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.

7. Start on the frosting by creaming together the butter and confectioners sugar. 8. Add the heavy cream slowly and beat until smooth and fluffy.

9. Add the scraped vanilla bean and a pinch of salt.

10. Spread the vanilla bean frosting over the cooled cake.

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Almond n Walnut Cake

Recipe by Kiran Khan – Islamabad, Pakistan

November 22, 2012

Ingredients:

2 cups- Maida / All-purpose flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 cup- Unsalted Butter or Ghee

2 cup- Caster Sugar

4- Eggs

4 tbsp. Milk

1 cup- Almond and Walnut, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. and grease 8 inches pan. Then line the bottom of the pan with Butter paper.

2. In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour and baking powder.

3. In the bowl of your electric beater, beat the unsalted butter and caster sugar until soft and creamy.

4. Add eggs one by one; add one egg and 1 spoon of flour beating well after each addition.

5. Add milk and beat again until combined.

6. In another bowl mix together 1/2 cup chopped almond and walnut with remaining flour.

7. Gently fold butter and flour mixture in almond and walnut mixture.

8. Pour batter into prepared pan.

9. Then pour remaining chopped almond and walnut over the top. 

10. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

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Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

For Cake:

3 cups- All-purpose flour

1 tbsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup- Unsalted Butter

1 3/4 cups- Granulated Sugar

4- Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup- Milk

For Frosting:

4 cups- Icing sugar

1 cup- Unsalted Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2-4 tbsp. Light cream

Assorted food colors

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with rack in center of oven. Spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, two 9-inches x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans. Then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and then spray the paper.

2. In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment beat the butter until soft and creamy.

4. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour.  

5. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake 27 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.  

6. Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack. Remove the parchment paper and re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

7. For frosting: In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

8. Add cream and beat to combine. Then, on high speed, beat frosting until it is light and fluffy. Color the frosting with food color.

9. Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with about 3/4 cup of frosting. 

10. Place the other cake layer on top of the frosting and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Can place some of the frosting in a piping bag and pipe a decorative border around the top of the cake.

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German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

For cake:

2 packages- Sweet chocolate baking bars

2 cups- All-purpose flour

1 tsp. Baking soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 cup- Butter, softened

2 cups- Sugar

4 large- Eggs, separated

1 tsp.  Vanilla extract

1 cup- Buttermilk

For frosting:

½ cup- Margarine
¾ cup- Unrefined sugar
1 ½ cup- Shredded coconut
1 cup- Pecans
½ cup- Soy milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly grease paper.

2. Microwave chocolate baking bars and 1/2 cup water in a large microwave-safe bowl at high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring once halfway through.

3. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl.

4. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

5. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

6. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

7. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cake layers to loosen from sides of pans. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

9. Boil together all the frosting ingredients in a medium to large saucepan over medium-high heat for 12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden (or plastic) spoon. 

10. Spread Coconut-Pecan frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

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Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
85 g- Semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cup- Hot brewed coffee
2 1/2 cup- Sugar
2 1/2 cup- All purpose
1 1/2 cup- Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. Baking soda
3/4 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Salt
3- Eggs
3/4 cup- Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup- Buttermilk
3/4 tsp. Vanilla

Frosting:
500 g- Semisweet chocolate
1 cup- Heavy cream
2 tsp. Sugar
2 tsp. Corn syrup
1/4 cup- Unsalted butter

Method:

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 300°F and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment or baking paper and grease the tops of the paper, too.

2. Finely chop chocolate and, in a medium bowl, combine with hot coffee. Let the mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is melted and smooth.

3. In a large bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly.

4. Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and the coffee-chocolate mixture, beating until well combined.

5. Add the sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

6. Divide the batter between pans and bake in the middle of the oven until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cake layers completely in the pans. To unmold, run a thin knife around the pan edges and invert the layers onto a rack. The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped at room temperature or in the fridge.

8. To make the frosting: Finely chop chocolate. In a large saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.

9. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate, whisking until it is melted.

10. Cut butter into pieces and add to the frosting, whisking until smooth.

11. Cool the frosting, stirring occasionally, until it is spreadable. You may need to chill it in the fridge for a short amount of time.

12. When the frosting is at your desired consistency, spread it between the layers and over the top and sides. This cake keeps, covered and chilled, for several days. It is best brought to room temperature before serving.

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Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

Batter:

1 cup- All-purpose flour

½ cup- Cornstarch

1 tsp. Baking powder

4- Eggs, separated

3 tbsp. Warm water

½ cup plus 1 tbsp. Granulated sugar

1½ tsp. Grated lemon zest

Syrup:

3 tbsp. Coconut milk

¼ cup- Granulated sugar

Filling and Topping:

3- Eggs, separated

1 cup plus 1 tbsp. Coconut milk, divided

¼ cup- Cornstarch

1 cup- Granulated sugar, divided

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 1/3 cup- Shredded Sweetened Coconut, divided

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9 inch round spring form pan, Grease only the inside bottom of the pan with shortening.
Batter:

1. In a small mixing bowl, add flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, whisk together to mix. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg yolks, water, sugar and lemon zest; beat until mixture is pale and creamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

3. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff, fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, and then fold in the flour mixture.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pan and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Syrup:

In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk and sugar; stir constantly until boiling and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Filling and Topping:

1. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks, 4 tbsp. coconut milk, and cornstarch together with a wire whisk 1 to 2 minutes until a light color. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine remaining coconut milk and 6 tbsp. sugar; heat and stir constantly until almost boiling. Remove from heat.

3. Temper the eggs; very slowly, in a thin stream, pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs while quickly whisking the two together.

Tip: The technique used to blend uncooked eggs with a hot liquid is called tempering. Tempering slowly warms the eggs so they are closer to the temperature of the liquid they will be added to, preventing the eggs from scrambling. If you simply poured the eggs into the hot milk they would immediately start cooking and you would have chunks of cooked egg in the mixture.

4. Return the egg mixture back to the rest of the hot milk, return to medium heat and heat until it gently boils, stirring constantly so the mixture does not burn. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Set aside to partially cool.

5. In a medium bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold remaining sugar into the egg whites. Fold egg whites into the partially cooled egg mixture, and then fold in 1 1/3 cups coconut. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
6. Using a long kitchen knife, split cooled cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread about ¼ of the filling over the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top, sprinkle with half of the syrup; let soak in and then spread with ¼ of the filling.

7. Place the 3^rd layer on top, sprinkle with the remaining syrup and let soak in. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining filling.

8. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with 1 cup coconut. Cover and Refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate Leftovers.

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