Eggless carrot dates cake

This year, for the sarvajanik ( Public )  Ganpati installed at the building where I reside, I decided on a carrot dates cake. I googled & came across many recipes. I decided to copy this recipe though I tweaked it a little & scaled it up.

The  original recipe uses atta or whole wheat flour. I used atta & added 1/4 cup of  maida ,as I believe that even a small amount of maida gives a good texture to cakes.

I used flax seed powder for the good fat & fibre  content that it provides. It also gives a nutty flavour to the cake.

I take out malai  which forms on low fat milk ( which we consume ) & freeze it on a daily basis. I used that frozen malai .It was nearly a cup of malai.

Ingredients : 13/4 cup atta, 1/4 cup maida, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup grated carrots, 1/2 cup dates, 1 tbsp flax seed powder mixed with 3 tbsps water.2 tsp baking soda, a pinch of salt & extra water if needed.

Method : 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade .

Keep aside the flax seed powder mixed with water aside.

Mix all dry ingredients ...atta, miada, baking soda,salt.Mix them all nicely many times over so that all dry ingredients are nicely mixed.Many times over, since I am too lazy to sieve the atta, maida, baking soda , salt, mix.Keep aside.

I have date paste brought from Gulf visits. Puree the date paste ( dates can be used as well ) with malai in a mixer.Keep aside.

Mix grated carrots & sugar & flax seed water mix. Add the dates malai puree to this mix. Mix nicely.

Make a well in the dry ingredient mix of atta maida soda salt. Pour the wet ingredient mix of carrot dates flaxseed malai sugar mix. Mix nicely. If the wet mix is insufficient , add water little by little to the mix, till an idli like batter consistency is obtained .Keep aside this cake batter.

Take a baking vessel.Line the bottom of the baking vessel with butter paper. Pour the cake batter into the baking vessel on to the butter paper lining.

Bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 45 minutes or till a toothpik poked inside the cake comes out dry.
Let the cake cool for half an hour.Take a plate & put the baking vessel upside down on to the plate. Carefully remove the butter paper lining the cake bottom. Turn the cake upside down on to the plate. The cake is ready for prasad.....

I forgot to add sugar while I mixed the batter. Then ,found that batter had not enough wet mix. So I was saved.I added water to the sugar & poured it into the batter. Mixed it nicely.The Lord himself saved my cake ! I added nearly 1/2 cup water to get idli like batter consistency .If I had added sugar to wet mix as needed , it would have needed less water.

Kiwi top cake

I had a kiwi in the refrigerator.It was ripe & firm as well.So decided to google a recipe for kiwi cake.

I saw this recipe for an eggless kiwi cake.I tweaked it a little & made a vegan kiwi top cake.

Ingredients, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup maida, 1 tbsp flaxseed meal , 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup jaggery  sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, a kiwi , 3-4 tsps white sugar for sprinkling on kiwi slices .

Method : Pre  heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

.Mix whole wheat flour, maida, baking soda & baking powder nicely many times over .Keep aside.

Make apple sauce by pressure cooking an apple.Peel the apple. Remove the seeds.The apple can be cut into 4 slices or more.  Pressure cook it upto one whistle. Mash the apple pieces by hand or pav bhaji masher or mixer . Keep aside.

Alternatively, simply cut the apple into pieces. Pressure cook to 1 whistle. After it cools, de peel the apple pieces & de seed them.Mash the apples by hand or mixer or pav bhaji masher.

Soak flaxseed meal in 1/ 4 cup warm water for 15 minutes Keep aside.

Mix apple sauce, flaxseed meal soaked in water together. Add brown sugar.Mix all nicely.

Make a well in the dry ingredients mix & pour the wet mix into it. Blend all, such that,
no lumps remain in the cake batter.I had to add 1/4 cup water as the liquid content was less. Even 1 tbsp oil ( optional ) can be added & then some water drop by drop.Batter consistency must be liked idli batter.

Line a baking vessel with butter paper. Pour the cake batter into the baking vessel.Smoothen top of the cake batter with backside of spoon. Arrange kiwi slices on the top of the cake batter.Sprinkle white sugar generously  on the kiwi slices. Bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

I bake in microwave mode for 5-10 minutes after the aforesaid convection baking of 45 minutes.

Cools the cake for 45 minutes-( 15 minutes in the oven ) & later outside the oven.Turn the baking vessel upside down on to a plate. Remove the butter paper sticking to the bottom & sides of the cake gently.Then turn the cake up. Cut into desired shapes & serve.



My cake turned out good.The texture was good. Sugar was just apt. Kiwi pieces taste tangy & it gives a nice flavour to the sweetness of the cake.