Black forest cake

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1/3 cup
3. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Baking soda - 1 tsp
5. Salt - 1/4 tsp
6. Sugar - 1 cup
7. Milk - 1/2 cup
8. Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp
9. Egg - 1 no
10. Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
11. Strong coffee - 1/2 cup
12. Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp 
13. Cherries - 1 can ( drain the cherries & retain the syrup)
14. Whipping cream - 1 cup
15. Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
16. Powdered sugar (Icing sugar) - 1 tbsp
17. Chocolate flakes & glaced cherries for decoration

Method :

1.   Preheat the oven at 180 C.  Grease & line up the baking pan with the parchment paper.

2.   Mix together the milk & vinegar & set aside.

3.   Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda & salt.

4.   In a another bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, coffee & vanilla essence.  

5.   Stir in the milk mixture  & then the flour mixture gently.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan & bake it for 30 mins or until done.  Allow it to cool completely.

6.  Cut the cake horizantally & brush the first half with the syrup preserved. 

For the whipping cream :

7.   Beat together the whipping cream, vanilla essence & powdered sugar until soft peaks.

8.   Now spread the cream between the layer, sides & over the cake.

9.   Finally, decorate the cake with the chocolate flakes & glaced cherries.

10.  Refrigerate the cake for atleast one hour before serving.

Enjoy..

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Eggless chocolate cake with chocolate cream icing

This is a perfect moist eggless chocolate cake with rich and creamy chocolate icing, for the chocolate lovers.

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Baking powder -  1/2 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1 tsp
4. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 6 tbsp
5. Granulated sugar - 3/4 cup
6. Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
7. Hot coffee - 1/4 cup ( 1 tsp of coffee in 1/4 cup hot water)
8. Milk - 1/4 cup
9. Yogurt - 1/4 cup
10. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For Icing :

1. Whipping cream - 500 ml
2. Powdered sugar to taste (I used arround 5 tbsp)
3. Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp (Sieved)
4. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
5. Glazed cherries for decoration

Direction to bake :

1.   Preheat the oven at 170 C and line up the baking pan with parchment paper.

2.   Sieve together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & cocoa powder. 

3.   Mix together the vegetable oil, hotcoffee, milk, yoghurt, vanilla extract & granulated sugar.

4.   Combine both dry and wet ingredients on low speed.  Bake it for 30 mins or until done.  Cool the cake completely.

For Icing  :

5.   Whisk the whipping cream along with powdered sugar until spreadable consistency and slowly mix the cocoa powder & vanilla essence.

6.  Now sandwich the icing between the cake & over the cake.  Decorate it with the glazed cherries.

Happy baking.

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Gum Paste & Flower for cake decoration

Another interesting & easy flower, which look pretty on the cake. I used light yellow & red color for this flower. We can also use multicolor for more attractive. Gum paste can be used to make this pretty flower. But the only issue is it becomes hard very soon. So we have to act little fast & decorate it over the cake.

GUM PASTE

Ingredients :

4 cups icing sugar
1 cup cornflour
Few drops of peppermint essence (or use fav flavour)
1 1/2 tbsp gelatine
6 tbsp water

Directions to assemble :

# Soak gelatine in water for 10 mins. Then cook over double boiler until transparent.

# Make a well in the middle of the powders. Pour gelatine mix into the middle. Gradually incorporate the surrounding flour and knead till you get a good dough. Cover with wet cloth.
Use the dough to make numerous items such as flowers, animals, birds etc....

Making a Flower

STEP : 1
STEP : 2

STEP : 3

STEP : 4

STEP : 5

STEP : 6

STEP : 7

STEP : 8

Happy decorating :)

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Birthday chocolate cake & My first award

Cakes makes the day special. That too when we bake a cake with a pinch/tonnes of love, wht else a big gift would be..... Though, the cake falls down, sure it taste awesome.....

I tried baking a chocolate cake with thin choclate icing on top to celebrate my husband birthday. I didn't frost in the middle of the cake (we r in diet :)) It was perfect for the day & made the day memorable.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY my love.

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 2 cups
2. Baking powder - 2 tsp
3. Cocoa powder - 3 tsp
4. Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
5. Eggs - 4 nos
6. Butter - 1 cup
7. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
8. Milk - 3/4 cup

Chocolate Frosting :

1. Semi sweet chocolate (or) Milk chocolate - 4 oz
2. Cream - 1/2 cup

Directions to bake :

# Grease the baking pan with the butter & flour.

# Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together. Keep it aside.

# Beat butter, vanilla essence and sugar till light and fluffy.

# Add eggs one by one. Beat well.

# Add flour and milk alternately.

# Pour the cake mixture into a greased pan. Bake it for 30 min in 200 C.

For Chocolate frosting :

# Bring the cream to boil on low flame. Switch off the flame & add the chocolate. Stir them to melt in the cream.

Assembling the cake :

Cut the cake horizantally. Spread the frosting & place the other half of the cake. Finally spread the remaining chocolate frosting all around the cake & decorate it, the way u like :)

TIPS :

If the cake is not moist or if u want to refrigerate it for couple of days, dissolve sugar and water & sprinkle them over the cake before frosting. Sprinkle them on both the half.

My First award :)

Thanks Padma for passing this award to me. I m happy to receive my first award from you :)

I would like to pass this award to Priya, Ramya, Aruna, Pooja of sai kitchen, Pooja of My experience in cooking, Suparna, Vicki & to all my blog friends. My hearty thanks to all of u for motivating me with the shower of lovely comments.

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