Vegan Strawberry cake

I had some strawberries . I was itching to make a cake using strawberries. I had made a bread & an eggless cake earlier.This time, I was keen on making a cake & icing it with strawberry sugar mix.Finally, decided to make a cake decorated with strawberries & without icing.I feel ,that I may be unable to do icing.Maybe another time, on another cake !

I loved this recipe .I tweaked it & made it vegan.I discovered that I have made a vegan version of strawberry earlier though the recipe is different.

Ingredients : 1 cup wheat flour, 1/2 cup maida, 1 tbsp oil, 1/ 2 cup leftover gulab jamun syrup , 1/2 cup jaggery sugar, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup apple sauce, 16 -20 strawberries diced into four pieces each, , 1/2 tbsp flaxseed powder , a pinch of salt.

This is jaggery sugar...available in Sahakari Bhandar at BARC colony,Mumbai.Above is the packet photograph.And on this side is the actual jaggery sugar snap...it is dark brown. That's why my cakes are all dark in colour .Also due to whole wheat flour being used.


Method : Add 3 tbs water to flaxseed powder in a bowl.Mix nicely.Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Mean while , pressure cook for 1 whistle.an apple after dicing it into 4 -5 pieces.Cool the cooker.Remove the apple pieces.Deskin the pieces & deseed the pieces as well.Mash the apple pices.The pallesauce is ready.This is a good egg replacer for cakes & breads.Add oil & gulab jamun syrup to the applesauce .Mix nicely.

Take whole wheat flour.Add maida, salt, baking powder  & sugar.Mix all nicely with a whisk many times over. Keep aside.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees centigrade. By now , flax seed soaking is over as 15 minutes are over.Mix the flaxseed water mixture to the wet mix of syrup-oil-apple sauce.

Make a well in the dry ingredient mix. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix.Fold all nicely till a batter is formed without lumps.Line a baking vessel with butter paper.Pour the batter into the vessel.Tap it on sides so that air bubbles are released. Add water to batter if any lumps are there.  Add the strawberry pieces on the batter in any pattern as per wish.Bake the cake at 200 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes.Thereafter bake it for 180 degrees centigrade for 1 hour.With a toothpick ,check if cake is completely baked.Bake it in microwave mode for 2-3 minutes. Let it cool.

After it cools, let it drop down upside on plate.Turn it over.Cut into desired pieces & serve.

This cake turned out a bit too dry. It was not crumbly & yet it felt dry. I felt it was too sweet though my parents disagreed.I used leftover gulab jamun syrup.One can use white sugar as well.White sugar is more sweeter than this jaggery sugar and brown sugar.Hence , use accordingly.

Beetroot carrot cake

When I was new to baking ,I had come across a  beetroot carrot cake.I tried it & I had messed it up.Now,that  I have  some what honed up my baking skills,I wanted to give it another try.I failed to get hold of that earlier recipe on the net.I saw & read some.I decided to do it myself as some had one fruit too many & others had very huge measurements.

Ingredients : 1.5 Cups multigrain atta ( I used Pillsburry ) ,1/2 + 1/3 cup brown grainy sugar( I get 1 under brand name Sunehra.... it is just like refined white sugar...except that colour is brown  in Sahakari Bhandar at BARC colony ,Mumbai) ,1/4 cup oil,1/4 cup dahi,1/4 cup apple sauce,1.5 cups grated beetroot & carrot mix,3/4 tsp baking soda,3/4 tsp baking powder,a pinch of salt.

Method : Chop an apple into two & pressure cook it for 1 whistle.After the cooker has cooled,puree the apple after removing the skin & seeds.Keep aside.

Take a vessel & put all dry ingredients .....multi grain atta,baking soda,baking powder & salt .Mix nicely.Keep aside.

In another vessel,mix all liquid ingredients ...oil,grated beetroot carrot mix,apple puree,dahi,oil .Add sugar.Mix nicely.

Make a well in the dry ingredient mix & pour the liquid mix into it.Whisk with a spoon so that no lumps remain.The cake batter thus ready must have drop down consistency.Add water if the batter is very thick. Keep aside.

Line the bottom of a a   microwaveable vessel with butter paper .Pour the cake batter into it.Microwave for 10 minutes.Put off the microwave.Let it cool for 10 minutes..Insert a knife in the middle of the cake.If knife comes out clean ,it is done.If not,microwave for 1-2 minutes more.Cool & check again.

Keep the cake out side for 10-15 minutes.Put it upside down on to a plate.Remove the butter paper .Cut the cake into desired shapes & serve.