Strawberry cake :Vegan version.

I had strawberries in my refregerator & wanted to use them.Searched for a recipe & came across a vegan cake using them here.I tweaked it a little & made one last night ...on the eve of International Women's day.

Ingredients : 1 cup multigrain atta ( Pillsbury ),1/2 cup brown mineral sugar,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/2 cup  strawberry puree ,a few strawberries with the stem removed & cut into thin stripes ( optional ),1/4 cup oil,1 tbsp apple cider vinegar,1/2 tsp vanilla essence, salt to taste.

Method : Mix all dry ingredients that is atta,baking soda,baking powder,salt & sugar with a whisk many times so that all are thoroughly mixed with each other.Keep aside.

Mix strawberry puree ( wash strawberries,Remove the green stems,Chop them .Puree in a blender or mixer.Take 1/2 cup of this puree .Add oil,vanilla essence & apple cider vinegar.Mix nicely with whisk.Now pour this liquid mix into a well in the dry ingredient mix. Blend all into a batter.Add water if lumps remain.Keep aside.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.On that ,keep thin slices of strawberries.Pour cake batter over the strawberries.Bake in microwave for 8-9 minutes.Switch off microwave.Let it cool for 5 minutes.Remove & check with knife if cake is done.If knife comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise microwave for 1 more minute.Check again.Let it cool for 15 minutes.Put the cake vessel upside down on a plate.The cake will drop down on plate.Else ,it can be gently removed from sides of vessel so that it drops down on plate.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

The lining of thin strawberry slices on bottom of cake is optional.This gets sticky after baking.
The amount of sugar used was just apt.If you want it to be more sweet ,3/4 cup sugar can be used.Always remember that brown sugar is less sweet than white sugar.Hence ,if using white sugar,1/2 cup would be sufficient.

The cake was super moist !

Sprinkle some powdered sugar on cake slices to make them sweeter .Sprinkle coloured sugar balls on cake slices in the alternative like I did !

Marble cake :1st attempt.

I have been baking a cake for my kid & her classmates since I learnt baking some time ago.Every Valentine day ,I bake a chocolate cake for them as chocolate is a flavour which is a hit with kids & teens.

I searched & got this marble cake recipe here.I omitted bananas & made this cake.

Ingredients :1 cup multigrain atta ( I used Pillsbury ) ,3/4 cup brown mineral sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder, 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder or Bournvita powder ( I used 1 tbsp milk chocolate powder which I had at home & 1.5 tbsp Bournvita powder ) ,1tsp vanilla essence, 1 cup yoghurt,2tbsp oil,salt a pinch.

Method : Mix atta, baking soda,baking powder,salt  & sugar with a fork or whisk many times so that all dry ingredients are finely mixed with each other.Keep aside.

Mix liquid ingredients :oil,vanilla essence & yoghurt with whisk.Now make a well in dry ingredient mix & pour the wet ingredient mix.Mix nicely.Add water if needed.It must have drop down consistency.Divide this batter into 2 equal parts.In one part add the chocolate.I added chocolate just like that.I should have boiled  a little water & dissolved  chocolate in that hot water & then added to batter.I was afraid that batter may get runny.Hence some Bournvita chunks can be seen in cake pieces as dark blobs.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.Pour a layer of plain batter ( without chocolate ) into it.Put some spoons of chocolate batter next.Repeat with plain & chocolate batter till both batters get over.With a  fork or knife ,make a swirl pattern in the batter.

Bake in microwave for 8-10 minutes.Let it cool.Take out from microwave.Test with knife.If it comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise bake for 1-2 minutes more Repeat knife test.

Let it cool inside microwave for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes,let it cool for 20 minutes outside microwave.Then put the vessel upside down on plate.The cake will drop down on plate or can be gently loosened from sides.Let it cool for 10-15 more minutes.Cut into desired pieces & serve.

The cake had a crumbly texture.It just melts in the mouth ! My teen's friends gobbled up all pieces which she packed to school.

It is so healthy - multigrain atta ( wholegrains ) ,yoghurt,brown sugar,low fat ! What more is needed ? !