Eggless Rava Cake

Simple Pleasures.....

Who remembers the simple eggless 'rava' cake that mom used to bake?? 
Recently, I baked one myself and loving every crumb of it 😋

So easy to make, yet so tasty and versatile... Can be a tea time snack, a kids snack or a fancy dessert when you drizzle with chocolate syrup or serve with ice-cream!! 

Recipe:
1 cup rava
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla essence
Chopped nuts optional

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a loaf pan.
Mix yogurt,oil,sugar with a whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Pour into the loaf pan. Add the chopped nuts. Bake at 350F for 30-35 mins till golden brown. Cool before cutting. Enjoy 😋

Oats-Almond Breakfast bars (Eggless)

Honestly,breakfast is not a issue for me...I have a good breakfast of a 'non sugary' cereal and add almonds and frozen blueberries to it.Love it! Feels like a good way to start the day!
The issue is however, those 3-4 o' clock hunger pangs. I usually try to eat a fruit at that time, but often still feel hungry by the time I come home...especially with the 1 hour commute that I have.

I have experimented with several homemade versions of cereal/bars before and here is the link to those recipes:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Homemade%20Cereal%20bars

For larabars:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2014/02/larabar-like-healthy-chocolate-bars.html

This Oats-Almond bar ....is easier, is eggless, has no added fats and can be rolled out as cookies too!! Just roll into round balls, press them and bake!

Here goes the recipe-

Ingredients: Makes 12-15 bars
2 cups Quick Oats dry roasted
2 cups Almonds
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp salt
Few sliced almonds

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9x9 metal pan with cooking spray (make sure to grease really well...otherwise the bars stick to the pan as there is no added fat in the dough)

1) Dry roast the oats and when cooled, powder them.
2) Put the almonds in the blender and powder them. Blend them couple times more..till they start giving out the natural oils and start to come together
3) Mix together the oat powder, almond powder, dark cocoa powder,baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix with hands.Add little milk at a time to mix and gently knead into a dough.

4) Press this mixture into the greased baking pan. Press the sliced almonds on top.
5) Cut into rectangular bars
6) Bake at 350 F for 15 mins. Turn off the oven. Take the pan out.Let them cool for 10 mins.Cut again on the lines.Put the pan back in the oven (which is turned OFF) .The slight heat of the cooling oven will help them crisp a little. Keep them in for 10 mins. Take out the pan.Cut on the lines and remove the bars gently.

( I did have a couple bars break a little....but the crumbs were delicious too :))

You will love these nutty,chocolaty but still nutritious bars any time of the day!!!

"Shades of Hearts" Eggless chocolate cake cake with Butter-Cream cheese icing colored with Beet juice!

 It was Valentines day 2014...and surely I wanted to make something special :))  What can be more special than a 'homemade' treat? 'E' and 'A' were all set to celebrate Valentines day at school and I wanted to make them feel special at home too. On top..I was sure..'M' would love this cake too:)

Looked into the fridge...to find....OOopps no eggs...So set out to make this simple 'Eggless' chocolate cake with Butter-cream cheese frosting. Instead of putting any artificial colors...squeezed the good red beet juice into icing...to get lovely shades of pink!

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour (sifted)
3/4th cup Granulated Sugar
1/3rd Cup Canola oil
1/4 th cup Cocoa powder (I used Hershey's dark chocolate powder)
1tsp Baking soda
1/2tsp Instant coffee powder
1/2tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tbsp Vinegar (use just few drops less then 1tbsp..to avoid the vinegary smell)
1 cup cold water

For Icing:
1/2  stick Unsalted butter
4tbsp Cream cheese
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar (adjust according to sweetness desired)
1/2tsp vanilla essence
Beet grated and juice squeezed out
Mini chocolate chips/ grated chocolate bar

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F (preheating is very imp). Grease the 8 inch pan with vegetable shortening. Apply liberally in all corners.Dust with all purpose flour to coat the pan.
2)First sift flour, sugar separately.Then by a spoon add to the measuring cup to measure exact amounts.Level with a knife.DO NOT pack the flour into the cup.The ratios will change and the cake will not come out as good.
3) Mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.
4) Mix them together in a single direction.Bubbles will appear as vinegar reacts with baking soda.Do not over mix.But all the lumps should be gone
5) Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 mins.Do not open the door for first 20 mins atleast.
6) Check with a tooth pick, if the cake is done.The inserted toothpick should come out clean.
7) Flip on a serving platter carefully
8) Let it cool for 1hr or so before icing. 

Icing:
1)With a electric blender mix together butter,cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla till smooth and fluffy.
2)Add beet juice to achieve the desired shades of pink (I made 3 different shades)
Spread the white icing in thin layer on the cooled cake.
3)Fit the icing bag ( you can use a ziplock bag with tip cut) with a small round icing tip.Fill a icing bag with 1 colored icing.Pipe out hearts on the cake.Use the other shades and pipe out the entire surface of the cake with hearts.
4) On the sides of the cake, stick the mini chocolate chips/ grated chocolate bar with a flat knife.
5) Keep the cake refrigerated and covered.

Enjoy with your Loved ones:))

 

Eggless- Blueberry Crumb Cake

Yesterday evening I was busy with studying and reading research papers for a journal club presentation. 'M' was going to take the kids and his parents out to see the beautiful fall colors at Brown County State park.

'E' was nagging that 'I want mumma' to go with us. To convince him...I fell into the trap of offering to bake him some goodies before they came back. And so came into being this "Eggless Blueberry Crumb Cake"!

Ingredients:
2 Cups All purpose flour
1 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar
1/3rd cup oil
5tsp Yogurt
1tbsp White distilled vinegar
1tsp baking soda
1tsp vanilla essence
1pinch salt
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

For the crumb
1/3rd cup quick oats
3tbsp Brown sugar
3tbsp butter
2tbsp All purpose flour
1/2tsp vanilla
 Mix together with fingers till crumbly

Garnish-
Powdered sugar
Blueberries

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and flour
2) Sieve all dry ingredients . Mix all wet ingredients separately
3) Gently mix wet+dry ingredients
4)Fold in the blueberries

5)Pour the batter in the pan evenly.Spread the crumb on top. Decorate with blueberries.

6) Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins

7) After cooling, cut and sprinkle with powdered sugar

Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream or just as is!

Eggless Custard Fruit Tart

A recipe...long due to be written. Finally, here it is!! I never had a 'tart' pan before. The other day at Target...I found this colorful cool looking one! It has a removable bottom...which is perfect!!

So, this tart was going to be a 'dessert' for a friends birthday party...and many of them happen to be 'vegetarian'...and so I was hunting for 'Eggless' Tart recipes.Where else do you find a good baking recipe???....My favorite 'go to' site: www.joyofbaking.com

Shortbread crust:
I baked the crust, just like how they tell to...there is even a video for it. It comes out so buttery and flaky..it will just melt in your mouth!!
The only think I changed was the baking temperature: I baked the crust at 350F for 20-22 mins (The pan had those instructions)
http://www.joyofbaking.com/EasyFruitTartRecipe.html

Custard filling:
This one..I made up.Just like the custard made with 'custard powder', in the 'fruit salad with custard recipe....it is similar ...just needs to be 'thicker'.
 Ingredients:
2 Cups whole milk
4tbsp Custard powder
4tbsp sugar
1/2tsp vanilla extract
4tbsp cream cheese(optional- if you want a little 'tart' flavor)

Method:
1)Mix the custard powdered with 1/2 cup milk and mix till smooth and all lumps are gone.
2) Heat the remaining milk. When it is warm, slowly add the custard powder mixed with milk.Stir continuously on medium-low flame till it thicken up.
3) Add the sugar and mix.Boil more for couple mins.Stir constantly till thick.Add vanilla extract and mix. Take off the flame. Let it cool completely. Stir after every few mins, when it is cooling.It will thicken more.
4) Meanwhile bring the cream cheese to room temperature.Whisk it into smooth paste.Add to the cooled custard and whisk till well incorporated.
5) Pour the cooled custard into the baked cooled tart. Smoothen it with a spoon. Chill in the refrigerator covered till ready to decorate with fruits.

Fruits: (of your choice. More colorful the better!)
Strawberries
Blueberries
Kiwis
grapes
mandarin oranges
You can decorate the tart in any pattern. Fill the tart with fruits.Do this few hours before ready to serve.Chill in the refrigerator,covered with plastic wrap.

You can glaze the cut up fruit with 'sugar syrup' or apricot/ or any other fruit preserves.This will prevent the fruits from drying up and they will appear fresh for longer!

Eggless "Saffron-Mango" Cake (Kesar-Mango Cake)

Looks more like a 'Rangoli' (a traditional Indian design made with rangoli powder/salt/rice flour), than a 'cake' isn't it!!! Last week, was all a 'birthday' celebration week. 3 of my friends had their birthdays.This cake...was baked specially for a friend...who doesn't eat eggs and hence is egg less.The Mango and saffron gives the cake a rich flavor,a beautiful aroma and lovely golden yellow color!!

For my last birthday, a friend had gifted these lovely cake stencils.Didn't have a chance to use them so far.It was so easy to make the cake look stunning with these stencils!

The only down side is.....the powdered sugar melts in few hours especially if it is hot and humid outside...and therefore the design can be done only few hours before serving the cake!The Cocoa powder might work well..but still have to try that one.

Ingredients: Makes 8inch round cake
1 and 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
3/4th cup sugar
1/2 cup Mango Puree (I used Swad Kesar Mango pulp)
1/2 cup Cold water
1/3rd cup Canola oil
1/2tsp salt
1tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp saffron strands
1tbsp vinegar (Add just few drops less than 1tbsp.....it prevents that 'vinegar' taste)

1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting


Method:
1) Sift the flour, sugar etc separately.Then measure correctly with a measuring cup.Don't over fill the cups.
Pre heat the oven to 350F
2) Mix together dry ingredients-flour, sugar, baking soda, salt etc
3) Mix together wet ingredients- water, oil,vinegar.
 4) Mix together the wet+ dry ingredients and stir in one direction till well blended
5) Stir in the saffron and Mango puree
6) Mix again.
7) Grease the pan 8 inch round pan with shortening and dust with flour.
8) Pour in the batter till 3/4th full.
9) Bake at 350 F for 20-25 mins until golden brown.
Let it cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar

10) Just before serving: Place the stencil over the cooled cake. In a small sieve place the powdered sugar.Sprinkle over the stencil till all the cake is covered.Lift the stencil gently.

Eggless Fruit Tartlets

I am in charge of making dessert for the next weeks 'Potluck' party for couple of my vegetarian friends. Now that means, I could turn to the traditional Indian sweets(usually made without any eggs) or try out something new!! Since I am shying away slightly, from the really 'sweet' sweets....I thought this mildly sweet, creamy, yet colorful and crunchy 'Fruit Tartlets' might just be the thing to do!!
The shells and the filling both are eggless.

Tartlet Shells/Shortbread crust:

Ingredients:
Tartlet shell/Shortbread crust: (Makes 22 tartlets)
1 Cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter(cold)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8tsp salt
few drops of water

Custard cream filling:
1 Cup whole milk
2tbsp vanilla custard powder
2.5 tbsp sugar
3tbsp cream cheese
1/2tsp lemon zest

Fruits:
Cut up Strawberries or other berries and kiwis


 Method:
1) Cut the butter into small pieces. Sieve together flour,sugar,salt.Add the butter.With your hands rub the butter on the flour, till the mixture looks crumbly. Form into a dough , by adding few drops of water if needed. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 mins.

 2) Preheat the oven to 350F.Spray a mini muffin pan with non stick cooking spray.Roll out the dough, into about 3 mm thickness. Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter.I used a small tartlet mold for the flowery borders!

3) Place the cut out dough in the mini muffin pan.Prick 2-3 times with a fork.Bake at 350F for 18-22 mins, till golden brown. Remove from the pan and let them cool.These can be stored for few days in air tight container.

 4) Cream filling:
 Bring the cream cheese to room temperature.
Mix together custard powder and 4tbsp milk,till no lumps are seen.Mix this with the rest of the milk and sugar. Boil on low-medium flame while stirring continuously till it thickens and forms a thick creamy filling. Let it cool completely.Stir every few mins even while cooling to avoid lumps from forming.
Beat the cream cheese till soft and smooth.Fold into the custard.Add lemon zest.Mix

5) Before serving the tartlets-Fill the custard-cream cheese mixture in a ziplock bag. Cut out a small end. Squeeze the filling in the tartlets.

6) Decorate with cut up fruit! Chill for 20 mins. Enjoy!!

'Fat Free- Whole wheat -Triple Chocolate-Almond' Muffins

As I was writing a 'name' for these muffins....I realized they have the longest name ever!! LOL! But couldn't help putting all the 'good stuff' they have, in their good name and hence the name- "Fat Free"- Whole wheat -Triple Chocolate-Almond Muffins!!
They are made with Whole Wheat flour and Almond powder, have 'Applesauce' in them to act as moistener and binder and NO added fat i.e butter/oil!! The triple chocolate is- Cocoa powder,mini semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.The biggest 'hurray factor' for me.....E loved them...and had them with breakfast 2 days in a row:))
 By the way...did you know?? A store bought food, labeled 'fat free' is not necessarily fat free? It can have upto 0.5 gms of fat per serving! So if you eat more servings, the fat can add up. Also, if you are just looking at 'Number of calories' on the food label....KNOW this--
According to FDA regulations, calorie information on packages must be accurate with a margin of error of 20%. Which means you could be off by as much as 100 calories on a 500 calorie entree !!

Actually,last year, I tried a similar recipe-

"Fat free" and "Good for you" Chocolate-Banana-Walnut Muffins

http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/04/nutritious-and-delicious-healthy-and.html
But since,'M' hates bananas, I had to improvise the recipe and 'minus' the bananas in the recipe. But let me tell you, the bananas make the muffins really moist and yummy.So for all those who don't mind either the bananas or the egg in the recipe...go ahead and try out the above recipe!

**For a 'Banana less' and 'Eggless' version use this::
The biggest 'hurrray factor ' for me.....E loved them...and had them with breakfast 2 days in a row:))

Ingredients: Makes 12 muffins
1 Cup Whole Wheat flour
8 oz Applesauce( I used store bought- but homemade would be excellent!)
3/4th cup sugar
1/2 cup Powdered almonds
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4cup milk
2tsp Flax seed powder (Optional! It's just to give 'boost' in nutrition and a little more 'nutty' flavor)
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp Vanilla essence
2-3 tsp water
few White chocolate chips
1/4tsp salt

Muffin liners(aluminum)
Non stick cooking spray

Method:
1) Pre heat the oven to 375F
2) Place muffin liners in muffin pan.Spray with non stick cooking spray.Since the muffins have no added fat,they will stick to the liner,therefore spray with non stick cooking spray and use aluminum liners.
3) Sieve together- whole wheat flour, baking powder,soda, cocoa powder,salt.
4) In a mixing bowl, mix apple sauce,vanilla and sugar.
5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.Add the almond and flax seed powder.Add the milk and 2-3tsp water as needed to make batter.
6) Fold in the mini chocolate chips and mix gently.DO NOT OVERMIX!! Otherwise the muffins will be tough and chewy.
7) Pour into muffin liners till 3/4th full. Add few white chocolate chips

8) Bake at 375 for 17-20 mins.Till a toothpick inserted will come out clean.

Indulge into a Chocolaty and Nutty goodness with less guilt!!