Cornmeal Curnchy Fruity Cake

A long delayed post, is at last being published.  Actually I had forgotten about this cake till this month Bake a thon event announced.

This cake is really crunchy, the cornmeal brings a crunchiness on each bite. The dried fruits and lemony tangy taste adds as a surprise.  During Christmas season last year  I found these fruits in the mall and could not resist buying them.  But now the question was what do I do with them.  So, I, Google and found this recipe.  Cornmeal ..... from where do I get, searched for it in various stores in Mumbai, did not find it anywhere.  So, again back to Google, on YouTube, found that you can make corn meal at home and that's how this cake was baked in my kitchen,  Its very easy to make cornmeal at home.  Look for videos on YouTube and will find many showing you the method. 

The one that I made was a little too big grainy so I, suggest that you make it like thick rawa/semolina. 

This is a great cake for tea time.  When fresh you get the lemony flavor and taste.  This cake, was especially made for our Easter party with my trekking friends.  

My friends enjoyed this cake, but, hubby dear did  not like this cornmeal cake, cause, the cornmeal  - coming on every bite under his teeth.  But, was very happy my friends gave Thumps Up for this cake.  So here is the recipe.  Do try this and you will definitely enjoy it. 

See these lovely, colorful fruits, who can resist them!

Ingredients

1/3 Cup butter softened 

1/2 cup  powdered sugar

2 eggs, beaten lightly

1/3 cup heaped self raising flour

1 Teaspoon Baking powder

2/3 cup cornmeal

1.1/3 cups Mixed dried fruits

1/4 cup Almonds

Grated rind of a lemon

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

4 tablespoons Milk

Method

Grease a cake pan with a little butter and line the base with baking paper.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Add in the beaten eggs, one spoon at a time, continue whisking . Add the cornmeal into the mixture until well blended and let it get soaked for about 15 minutes ( This is essential since the cornmeal is made at home and is slightly more grainy then the one available in stores).  Then add the flour, baking powder and fold it gently.  Add the mixed fruit, nuts, grated lemon rind, lemon juice and milk. Spoon the mixture into the pan and level the surface.

Preheat oven to 180C. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool before cutting it. But let me tell you, I, had no patience till the cake is completely cooled just sliced it had it warm. I simply loved this cake. You can see the fruits in this cake.

Just delicious hmm.........  Enjoy!!!!!!!

Note :I used a silicon mould for this cake so I did not line it.  This cake you cannot unmold since its fruity and crunchy, hence I suggest, that a silicon mould or removable bottom baking cake pan be used.

Labels : Cakes, Bake a thon, Cornmeal

Bake-a-thon 2014

An InLinkz Link-up

A Combo Post - Kartoffelbrot - German Potato Bread & Oats Honey Loaf

This is a combo post for Blogging Marathon week two day 3.  Today I have do a post as to what was served for the breads that were baked on day 1 and day 2.

On day 1 I baked a Kartoffelbrot - German Potato Bread , we had it with Apple Sauce.

On day 2  a  Oats Honey Loaf , was baked we had it with
 Almond - ella Chocolate Spread

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doingBM#47.

Labels: Breads, Blogging Marathon 

Homemade Apple Sauce

In this Diwali vacation I had been to Himachal Pradesh for a holiday. In Himachal Pradesh one will find variety of apples and roasted ground nuts being sold at every junction and corner.   

Whenever we went sightseeing these two items would be a must in our bag. Here I found the golden apple so sweet and grainy could not resist picking up a few kilos back home. Some went in distribution to neighbours and friends. Still there was basket full remaining. I always wanted to make apple sauce, at last went ahead and prepared them from these apples. So here is the recipe very simple and hassle free.
This recipe is updated on May 14, 2021. For the update version I have ground the cinnamon to powder with a tablespoon of sugar.

Ingredients 

3 - 4 Medium Apples
1 Tablespoon  Sugar - optional
½ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder

Method  

Peel and chop the apple to small pieces. 

In pan place the apples and pour the water, keep it on medium flame, when it comes to a boil cover with a foil and cook it for 20 minutes on slow flame stirring in between till dry.  

When the water dries, switch off the flame taste add if ground cinnamon sugar and stir. Let is cool completely then blend it in a blender. Fill it in a airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 2 -3 days. If you want it to last longer store in freezer it will last for months. 

Homemade Apple Sauce is ready. 

This goes well with any bread.  

Labels: Jams & Sauces, Apple, Vegan, Gluten free, Homemade, International Cuisine

Almond - ella Chocolate Spread

Who does not love nutella? I do love it ! Nutella has hazelnuts and this is very expensive to use. I have found an healthy, easy and inexpensive way to make your own Almond - ella at home. I always make small quantity since this takes hardly any time to make. You can have a fresh jar at home very often.

Ingredients

1 Cup Almonds - lightly roasted
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Cup heaped Dark Chocolate - finely chopped
A pinch of salt
1 Teaspoon cocoa powder - optional
A drop or two of Chocolate essence

Method

Add almonds to food processor or a small mixer jar and process for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. At this point the almonds should start to clump together. Continue to process by adding the oil until you reach a liquid like consistency. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over very low heat. Stir consistently until completely melted and smooth. Add chocolate, cocoa powder, essence and salt to almond butter and process again until smooth. Transfer to jar or container and store at room temperature or in fridge. If you store at room temp, simply give the almond butter a stir before you use it. 

I hope you enjoy this homemade almond- ella. I been dipping strawberries, bananas in it and also spreading it on my rotis !  Yum ...m....y.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doingBM #47.
Labels:  Spreads, Blogging Marathon, Chocolate, Chutneys & Dips

Oats Honey Loaf

This bread recipe was given by Veena of Vegnation for the Blogging Marathon BM#47.

We use to get Honey and Oats Sandwich bread by Britannia , but suddenly they discontinued making it, we missed having that bread. When this recipe was shared by Veena I was very happy that, my desire of not only eating this bread but also baking it was fulfilled. Thanks Veena for this recipe.

Ingredients
3 Cups All purpose flour
3/4 Cup Oats
1 Cup Milk(HOT)
1/4 Cup Luke warm Water
2 ¼ Teaspoon Instant yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Teaspoon Butter
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Method

Add sugar and yeast to the lukewarm water. Keep it aside for frothing. Add Butter to the hot milk and mix well so that it dissolves.Milk should be hot and not boiling . Now add the flour, oats, salt and mix in by hand. Add the yeast mixture to this and mix again. Now add honey to this milk mixture and mix thoroughly . Add the milk mixture to the flour yeast mixture and start kneading by hand till the forms a dough.

At this stage, take the bread to your kitchen platform and kneaded it for 10 more minutes.

Transfer this to a well oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hr for it to double.

Now take out the dough to your kitchen platform and pat it into a rectangle approximately 9*5”.

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Brush the loaf with honey, sprinkle some oats on it and bake it for 30-40 minutes or till the loaf starts to brown and sound hollow on tapping.

Take out the loaf and remove the loaf and transfer the bread on a wire rack to cool. Slice when completely cooled.

Note:The dough will be sticky. Please resist the temptation to add more flour. Continue kneading,will give the best results for lovely bread.

This bread was soft and delicious. We enjoyed this bread.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doingBM#47.

Labels: Breads, Blogging Marathon.