The Best Pineapple Cake | Fresh Cream Icing | Indian Bakery Style

Hey everyone, are you following me on Instagram or not? Please do so, I promise it is fun and I am much more interactive over there. Also on Instagram I share the snippets of upcoming posts and some of my previous work. So please follow me.

Okay, without wasting much time, let me come to today’s recipe. Pineapple Cake. I baked it for Mr. Husband’s birthday and oh my my, what deliciousness it was. Pineapple cake is something that most household in India don’t prepare at home, they would buy from bakeries. I would have done the same, if I was in India. I mean why not, no one can beat cakes sold in Indian bakeries. Unlike cakes in the UK, majority of the Indian bakers use fresh cream and not those overly sweet butter cream icing that we get here in London.

This is not an upside pineapple cake. This is not crushed pineapple cake. This is pineapple sponge, layered with fresh cream (whipped cream) icing and chopped pineapple. This is easy to make at home, all you need is patience and love (cliche but true ;-)

Pineapple Cake has to be soft, airy and fresh-otherwise it is not pineapple cake-simple. So, if you ask, can you make this eggfree (eggless) I would say yes you can (ofcourse) but I doubt you will get that soft supple sponge. The next thing I recommend using is canned pineapple; fresh pineapple can be sour which will ruin the whole balance of your cake. Also the leftover juice from the canned pineapple is a great element that is used to soak the sponge layers. I have shared the making of this cake HERE.

Ingredients:

For Sponge

2 and ¼ cup plain flour /maida

1 and ¼ cup sugar (I used normal white sugar)

1 cup butter + 1 tablespoon for greasing the pan

3 eggs

2 and ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

¼ cup yogurt/dahi

For Icing

300 ml double cream/whipping cream

½ cup sugar

1 cup canned pineapple pieces

Around ¼ syrup drained from canned pineapple

Method:

For Cake

Preheat the oven to 170 C for 10 minutes. Grease the pan with butter really well.

In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Mix till it becomes light and sugar has dissolved properly.

Now add eggs and beat again for 3 minutes.

Then add yogurt and vanilla essence. Beat again for 3 minutes. The whole mixture should turn smooth and creamy.

Sift plain flour, baking soda and baking powder into the above mixture. Mix well. Slowly start adding milk and form a smooth batter.

I used 8 inch round pan. Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Carefully transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Icing

Start by whipping sugar and cream. Beat till cream holds the shape of the peak.

For Assembling

Once the cake has cool down completely, divide the cake into 3 layers. I use thread to do so, and it gives me great result. You can check it here.

Start assembling the cake now. So on whichever plate you want to serve, put in the first layer. Sprinkle around 2 tablespoons canned sugar syrup on it. Spread 5 tablespoons on the first layer and spread on it. Add pineapple pieces on it. Repeat the same step for second layer too.

On the final layer, sprinkle the syrup and then cover the whole cake with the whipped cream. I used the pineapple chunks on the top layer and also did some whipped cream swirls on the side.

I had some leftover glitter spray, that I used in the end for some dramatic touch.

Tips:

Make sure all the ingredients listed under the sponge list is on the room temperature.

Put the bowl, whisk attachment and cream in the fridge before you start whipping the cream.

If you can, then please use castor sugar for the sponge and icing sugar for whipped cream icing. I just used plain white one.

Pink Rose Cake: Vanilla Fresh Cream Cake: Sponge Cake: Eggless Baking

Mother- greatest power of the universe!  Because she is there, you are there. You owe your existence to her. When she smiles at me even on a Skype call, I feel like her smile has hugged me. Oh there are millions reasons why I love her and probably because of the million things she has done and still doing for me which I don’t even know of. That’s mom- one selfless person who can make everything worthwhile. How would you describe a mother, someone asked me. Well, life doesn’t come with manual, it comes with a mother.

To compile this post I asked my blogger friends to tell why a mother is an inspiration for them and one recipe/dish they will like to cook for their mother.

Sandhya of Sandhya’s kitchen says-My mum is a very skilled cook, who believes that we need to have a balance in what we eat. Anything in moderation is good for health like a Teaspoon of Ghee. I have learnt my basics (disinterestedly at a very early age like any other girl). Seeing her work selflessly always inspires me !! 

Mum being a coconut lover, I would love to dedicate this recipe of Blueberry Coconutmilk Smoothie to her.

Manali of Cook With Manali  says-My mom inspires me everyday, in everything I do. I think the biggest thing that she has taught me is to have patience and to face all challenges in life with a smile. She is the strongest woman I know and whatever I am today, it's all because of her. 

Mom loves my muffins, so for this Mother's Day I would love to bake her a batch of these Mini Banana Blueberry Streusel Muffins, I am sure she would love them!

Rafeeda of Big Sweet Tooth says- Umma was somebody who had a limited dishes to her repertoire. She never loved to experiment and get out of her comfort zone, so much that we could predict what was the menu for the whole coming week. However, whatever she would make, the taste would be so good that I definitely cannot match that taste. She enjoys it when my sister and I do our experiments even though she wouldn't be involved in it. 

She wanted me to try making Lqeimat, which are Emirate yeasted dumplings drizzled with date syrup. However I couldn't make it even last month when they were with me, thanks to our tight schedule. InShaAllah, wish to make it soon for her. 

And I decided to dedicate this simple Pink Rose Cake for mother’s day. I used Vanilla Sponge cake for base and iced it with fresh cream icing with 2 drops of pink colour.

Lemon Bundt Cake

Am I still in summer thoughts or what? Well you can say so, I am missing summers and all the fall recipes on internet is making me crave for summer recipes even more. I can’t get over the beautiful sunshine yellow color. I get this rigid summer mood from the tree that I see from my bedroom. It is in adamant mood, when all trees have turned into skeleton this tree stays strong engulfing all its leaves. Nature, I tell you can be so inspiring.

So this lemon cake happened the other day in my kitchen .These days I have many people with whom I share my bakes- my friends in the building where I have shifted and my colleagues in office. Initially I used to bake only on special days as eating sweet bakes everyday made me and my husband gain weight. Now when I have many people to share it with I am sure many baking actions are going to happen. Can’t wait! Happy Dance!

This cake you guys! Lemon Cake. Lemon Bundt Cake. Bundt cake is a cake made in bundt shaped pan which gives it distinct ring shape. Check out One Bowl Chocolate Bundt Cake and also Coffee Whiskey Bundt Cake. This cake has everything that a good cake must have- its light, soft, fluffy, airy and so buttery. Tangy flavored cakes are my favorite, the tang from citrus fruits and sugar balances each other really well. I have made eggless orange cake and orange cupcakes as well. This is a full proof Lemon Cake recipe made with eggs, I have made 1 pound lemon cake recipe made in loaf pan in which I used yogurt (dahi).

Basically I believe that a good lemon cake must have good amount of lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. Always use fresh lemon juice, don’t even think about bottled lemon juice, it’s such a waste. Next, make sure everything is in the room temperature; else the cake will not turn soft. Beat the eggs slowly on low speed; doing so will give you light airy cake. Finally when the cake is hot, pour lemon sugar syrup on it, this is optional but I really recommend it- just for extra zing and flavour. Yeah so that’s about it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

For Cake

All Purpose Flour /Maida- 175 grams (1 and 1/3 cup )

Sugar - 175 grams (2/3 cup)

2 large eggs

Butter - 125 grams (2/3 cup)+ 2 tablespoon
Pinch of salt

Baking powder – 1 and 1/2 teaspoon

Milk - 1/4 cup

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For syrup

Juice of 1 and a half lemons

Icing sugar -100 grams 

2 tablespoons water

Method:

1. Grease the bundt with 2 tespoons butter and keep aside.
2. Preheat the oven at 180C for 10-12 minutes.
3. Mix lemon juice and milk and keep aside.
4. Sieve all purpose flour, salt and baking powder and keep aside.
5. Beat butter and sugar on low speed till butter becomes light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and beat slowly on low speed.
6. Add dry sieve ingredients and lemon zest. Also throw in lemon juice and milk mixture.
7. Beat slowly on low speed till the batter is mixed properly without lumps.
8. Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 180C. Insert the skewer or knife in the centre of the cake, it should come out clean.
9. Cool on wire rack.
10. Make the syrup-Mix water everything together and microwave for 10 seconds.
11. When the cake in hot, prick some holes with skewer on the cake. Pour the syrup.
12. Turn the cake on serving plate and serve.

Notes:

Do not grate the white part or lemon skin/peal, else it will get bitter.

You can use the same recipe for loaf pan too.

I used this Farberware Nonstick Bundt Pan.

I love to have this cake plain so I can’t recommend any frosting, but feel free to dust some sugar.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake: Butter and Oil Free: Moist Chocolate Cake: Celebrating 3rd Blog Anniversary

Happy news, Merry Tummy turned 3 years old,

    every day a new recipe and story will be told.

Passion for cooking and photography is what you see here,

    all I have is happiness in this blogosphere.

A journey of curries, cookies and cakes,

    and the tale of snacks and tea time breaks.

Friends, readers and family-all those who loved my space

    I promise to improve every day, just stay at my place.

I wrote this poem (sort of) as my little blog turned 3 years old. Thanks everyone for all your support. ‘'To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality''. This is just the beginning I am sure the best is yet to come. To celebrate this occasion I planned a chocolate cake. A cake that is moist and soft, a cake that is healthy, and a cake that can be made in one bowl. This is by far the moistest cake I ever had and its oil and butter free too- bonus.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake which is butter and oil free. For frosting too I used chocolate and milk, no butter or cream. Trust me this cake was sooooo scrumptious that you must make it NOW. No mess, no extra bowls and fewer calories. How happiness and celebration can take place without chocolate indulgence. Never, right?

Looking for more chocolate recipes? Check these out:
Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Ladoos

Chocolate Gulab Jamun

Chocolate Almond Fudge

I used my Home Basics Fluted Cake Pan to bake this and just poured chocolate ganache on the top. You can ofcourse decorate it nicely and neatly. See these 5 frosting/icings recipes that would go very well with this cake. So here is how to make this.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour/maida

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup boiling water

Method:

Grease the cake pan with some oil or butter. Dust with all purpose flour and keep aside.

Preheat the oven at 175 C.

In a large mixing bowl beat sugar and egg. Beat sugar starts melting and egg becomes frothy.

Sieve in the bowl all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add half the milk and mix for 20 seconds.

Add vanilla essence and remaining milk. Mix the batter till there are no lumps.

Finally add the boiling water. Mix for 1 minute.

Pour the batter in the pan. Bake for 40 minutes or till the knife inserted in centre of the cake comes out clean.

Let it cool on the wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the baking pan cut and serve.

Notes:

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.

Water will make the batter very runny, but do not panic it is supposed to be like that.

Chocolate Ganache recipe is here.

Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder. I recommend Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa.

You can use brown, white or castor sugar.

Perfect Fresh Cream Frosting Recipe, Topped On Helen's Chocolate Cupcake Mix

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!! No doubt I am in Christmas mood. Despite being an Indian, I know a lot about Christmas -all thanks to my Convent schooling. My friends here in the UK are shock when I sing Christmas carols like silent night, we three kings and tell them I know the story about shepherds, angels and Jesus birth. In our school back in India, we celebrated all the festivals be it Hindu’s Diwali or Muslim’s Eid, or Sikhs’ Baishaki or Christian’s Christmas. Come November and we would start practicing for Christmas skit showcasing Jesus birth and finally reading the prayer-our father, in heaven. You won’t believe but even after 10 years, I still remember this prayer by heart. Okay, I don’t know if I am making any sense or not, but Christmas right from childhood, is very exciting for me, no not for Santa or gifts but for the spirit or joy and happiness.

One of my friends (Indian catholic) has invited us over for Christmas dinner and just as a thank you and Christmas gift I wanted to bake some home goodies for her. I have so much to do right now, packing and shopping as I am flying to India on 1^st Jan. I am in mood to slave myself in the kitchen beating sugar and butter, basically preparing the batter. Suddenly the Jesus miracle happened, I saw Helen’s Chocolate Cupcake Mix lying in the kitchen pantry and the joy of Christmas was back. If you remember the post on Hummus, you would know that I used Helen’s Bread Mix to make delicious bread that was a huge hit.

Helen’s cupcake mix was so easy to use and in 10 minutes I had perfectly baked, soft and gooey cupcakes ready. Like me if you are struggling for last minute Christmas recipes, edible gift ideas –look no further and try this cupcake mix. My friend and her kids love it and within minutes it was all finished. For interesting icing and frosting ideas for these cupcakes, see this post.

Fresh cream and chocolate is match made in heaven. Ideally I use heavy cream to make fresh cream icing but that takes lot of time and patience. To cut down the time on whole process I used whipping cream-all you need is a small tub of whipping cream and sugar, beat for literally one minute or so and the perfectly creamy and velvety icing is ready. This Whipped Cream Frosting makes the perfect whipped cream that will keep in the refrigerator several hours without separating. Use this on a Christmas night as an accompaniment to a slice of pie, a bowl of fresh fruit, or to garnish a pudding.

So here is how to make thick and creamy and oh so good Perfect Fresh Cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

300 ml whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1 cup ice cubes

Method:

Take 2 bowls. Put ice cubes in one bowl and keep the second bowl on top of the ice bowl.

Mix sugar, whipping cream and vanilla essence. On a slow speed, beat the cream.

Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

Notes:

Make sure to keep an eye on the cream, if you beat longer the fat will get separate.

You can use any sugar; however castor sugar works the best.

It is not so sweet recipe, so adjust the sweetness as per your taste.

Make sure to use ice cold (chilled) cream. Never keep out the cream at room temperature.

This frosting keeps well in the fridge for 1 week. Keep it tightly covered.

Serving suggestions:

Frost on cakes and cupcakes-indeed the best.

Goes well with warm brownies or Indian gulab jamuns.

Mix or top it up on milkshakes, cold coffee or hot cocoa.

Serve with chopped fruits and nuts.

Decoration ideas:
When in hurry, rose swirls works amazing. They look very festive and are very easy to do. You have to use Wilton 1M nozzle for this style. 
Use sprinkles, candies or simply dust cocoa powder.
You can also add colours of your choice to have coloured icing. As you can see, I added pink colour (just a little).

Disclaimer: I was not paid or told to write positive review. The post is based on my experience and is unbiased. Thanking Helens for sending Cupcake Mix for review.

Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes With Flaxseeds, Without Yogurt And Condense Milk

Good news everyone. I am happy to share that post of Sprouts Paratha is featured in Indus Ladies Kids' Lunch Box Recipes Ebook. There are 100 recipes in the book be it- sandwiches, parathas, pasta or healthy substitutes . You can download this ebook free of cost, here is the link http://www.indusladies.com/food/kids-lunch-box-recipes/

It’s always overwhelming to be appreciated or to see your blog’s recipes being published on another platforms-isn't it? And when such accomplishments happens a sweet celebration is a must.  This time it is Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes With Flaxseeds. Yum!!

Before I move ahead do take a look at my other eggless bakes:

Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes (with yogurt)

Eggless Almond Chocolate Cake (without condensed milk and yogurt)

Eggless Blackforest Cake (with coke)

Eggless Coffee Orange Marble Cake (with milk)

Today’s recipe is more royal and rich, more elegant and classy. It happened 2 weeks back when I laid my eyes on this square cupcake moulds  and these liners from wilton- oh it was an instant love. If you like new shapes and designs then buying these moulds is a good idea- a great alternative to old round cupcakes. Next, I used flaxseeds as eggs substitutes in this recipe and oh my god (very loudly) why dint I do that before.

Flax seeds are economical, easy, quick and very healthy. Those of you who are vegans, vegetarians or just don’t like the egg smell in the cakes then you have to try and use flaxseeds meal. If you want to know more about it read How to make flaxseeds as egg replacer in the bakes and how to include flaxseeds in the Indian diet.

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup - All purpose flour/Maida

3/4 Cup - Milk

1 tablespoon - Flax Seed Meal (see notes)

3/4 cup - Sugar

1/4 teaspoon - Baking soda

1/2 teaspoon - Baking Powder

1/8 teaspoon - Salt

1 tablespoon - Oil

2 teaspoons - Vanilla Extract

Method:

Mix one tablespoons of flax seeds powder with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it stand for 10 minutes. The mixture will become thick paste.
Preheat the oven at 180C and line the cupcake moulds with cupcake liners.
Mix all the dry ingredients together- all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a larger bowl, mix the oil, sugar, flax seed-water mixture and vanilla extract. Mix for 5-8 minutes.
Slowly sieve the dry ingredients mixture with the wet mixture and beat alternating the milk. 
Fill the cupcakes liner with the batter and bake till 35-40 minutes or till toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the pan sit on the rack for 10 minutes and let the cake cool down completely before frosting.

Notes:

Flaxseed is commonly known as Alsi (Gujrati, Hindi Punjabi), Jawas (Marathi), Tishi (Bengali) and Agasi (Kannada).

I buy the milled ones- but do check the label, you must buy good quality ones. I use this organic Linwoods Organic Flax.

If you want square moulds in India you can buy from here.

Serving suggestions:

Just dust some icing sugar and serve plain.

Serve with coffee or tea.

Icing Options:
Butter cream frosting
Chocolate Ganache
White chocolate glaze
Chocolate Mousse
Mango Mousse
Fresh cream
No cream chocolate frosting

Featured on:

Icing/Frosting Recipes For Any Cakes Or Cupcakes

Will there be a cake? Cake in a party? oh I will surely come! A party or a social gathering without the cake is just a meeting. If you share the same passion for cakes then this naughty quote will surely bring a smile to your face-I eat cake because it's somebody's birthday somewhere" Hahaha!

Cake is happiness, pure blissful experience and an answer to all the questions.

Now imagine something better, like you bought a dress and someone gave you a matching scarf for free. Or you went to a restaurant and you get 50% off on the food bill. Or you thought your husband will forget your birthday but instead he gifted you something really precious. Yup!....all these situations will be ‘’Icing on the cake’’

Cake without icing is not so cool. Any cake without icing is like eating sweet bread (yeah but softer and fluffier). That’s why when you get something free or unexpected you express with the saying it was like ‘icing on the cake’.

Love and romance goes together or completes each other; so Icing is the romance and cake is the love- let them go hand in hand. Here are some icing/frosting recipes for any kinds of cake or cupcakes.

• Butter cream icing: - the very famous and the easiest option ever. Great if you are a newbie in baking as it is rather simple to ice cakes with this icing.

• Fresh cream icing: - My favorite one. Any cake taste better with fresh cream on top, goes well with fruity cakes or plain sponge cakes.

• Chocolate frosting: - Treat for chocolate lovers. Dark rich and smooth-a must try recipe.

• Healthy Chocolate Ganache: - If you are watching your weight then you have to consider this. No cream and butter and yet very chocolaty, velvety and royal.

• Mango Mousse: - Uses mango pulp in the recipe (canned ones too) so it’s like reminding you of summers throughout the year. Very refreshing and an interesting icing for your bakes.

• Chocolate mousse: - An elaborated and grand affair, but very delicious, royal and rich. Surely a crowd pleaser!

• White chocolate glaze:- A simple syrup made with white chocolate. Goes well with tangy cakes like orange or lemon.

And wish you all a very Happy Halloween:) Enjoy:)

Vanilla And Chocolate Marble Cake, For My Brother

I owe my lovely childhood to you Sanyam-My brother, my friend!

It is the best thing if you have a brother to grow up with. There is nothing better than brother-sister bond. My brother-Sanyam- is just a year younger to me and that’s why we are like mates, buddies and friends. He was the intelligent one, always scoring more grades than me; everyone knew him in the school. At home we fought, we yelled, we complained, we argued and after 5 minutes we patched up. He tried his best to irritate me by calling me stupid names, pulling my hair, spitting on my clothes-oh what not but-If anyone ever tried to scold me, shout at me –he was then a protective possessive brother-always ready to take my side. Only he had the right to annoy me.

Now when I think of childhood days I feel how incomplete my life would have been without those silly childish fights. But old habits die hard-even now when we meet; we argue and quarrel over something, like we never grew up. Even now we make family jokes, gossip about neighbours, share every secret, and have long telephonic conversations.

But it feels we grew up pretty fast-Now he is an Engineer doing very well at work front and everyone knows him in his workplace (just like in school). Whenever he gets a certificate, an award, salary raise-I am swollen with pride. His friends and colleagues say that he is very serious when he is in office/his desk- frankly I don’t believe that-How can my bro ever be serious?? Anyways I am happy and contented that he is a self-made man, working hard every day.

Now Rakhshabandhan is approaching and I miss him even more. It has been more than 5 years when I tied him rakhi or begged him for a nice gift in exchange. No matter how far we are, it is satisfying to know that we will always be there for each other-in happiness or tears. Rakhi is just an excuse to say-you mean the world to me, and you are the best brother I could ever ask for. Stay happy and blessed!

He loves cake and pastries; he never liked Indian sweets growing up, so here is special cake that I prepared for him-Vanilla And Chocolate Marble Cake. I was bit skeptical to try this cake, as I made one earlier and it did not turn out great (Look HERE). But as we say, we learn my mistakes- with practice and care I finally made the perfect marble cake. There's just something so appealing and festive about the beautifully marbled swirl that appears when you cut off a slice.  It is soft, moist and crumbly and is best when enjoyed with coffee or tea.

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup cocoa powder
9" x 5" loaf pan

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour the loaf pan. 
2. Cream butter and sugar together till it becomes light and fluffy.  For about 4 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt .
4. Add one egg in the butter-sugar mixture and mix till nicely combine. For about 2 minutes. Do same with all the eggs.
5.  Add 1/3 of the flour to the batter and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Then add 1/2 of the buttermilk and beat.  Add another 1/3 of the flour, and beat, and then the last of the buttermilk and beat.  Finally, beat in the last 1/3 of the flour.
6. Transfer roughly 1/2 of the batter to a baking tin.
7. Add cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of hot water until smooth to the remaining batter. Add this batter to baking tin.
8. With the help of skewer or toothpick make swirls. Use up and down motion to bring the marble effect.
9. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes on 180C.  The cake is done when it has browned slightly and a toothpick when inserted in middle comes out clean when inserted into the middle.  
10. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then unmold and let cool completely.

Notes:

Be quick in making the swirls, because you don’t want batter to sit for long.

If you don't have buttermilk, thin some plain yogurt with milk to buttermilk consistency.

I used 2 mini loaf pans. Size: 10cm x 5cm x 3cm

Sending this for The Great Denby Cake Off Contest. Wish me luck :)

Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Mousse, A Chocoholic Affair!

Every year when I search on the internet about the ideas to celebrate husband’s birthday-bake a cake is the most common reply. 12 July was Mr. Husband’s birthday and he was very excited as it was falling over a weekend.  Celebrations started on Friday night and I made dinner comprising his favorite dishes- veggie momos with sweet chill dip, pizza tarts , schezwan noodles and Indian Vodka Mojito. Of course I baked for him a Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Mousse but to that we will get later.

For Saturday I planned the whole day out and the weather was pretty pleasant too. For breakfast we grabbed authentic Bombay breakfast at Dishoom which was a great experince and mumbaikars who are in London must must visit this place. Then we went to Waterloo Oden IMAX to see 40 minutes documentary on Space Mission and those of you, who haven’t seen this, do check this out-it is amazing 3D. After that we head to Covent Garden and had a lazy laid back lunch at Cafe Mode, I am so impressed with the vegetarians’ options there and ambiance will surely set the mood. After lunch I took him to Play House theater to see the play based on the book 1984 (which is one of his favorite books) and he totally enjoyed the play. The evening ended after the quick break at Trafalgar square and we reached home tired but happy. Even though I booked the table for dinner, we wanted to be at home-just us, and eat something simple. Finally we both prepared Daal Tadka in microwave, Rice and Marwadi Aloo Pyaz and enjoyed it to the core.

Coming back to the cake. So this cake is for someone who is a hardcore chocolate lover. It is deeply loaded with chocolate and chocolate. The chocolate cake is layered with chocolate Ganache and is finally topped with chocolate mousse swirls and fenced around with chocolate shards. Extremely moist, gooey and chocolaty and only a chocoholic will understand and enjoy this cake to the fullest.

Ingredients:

For Sponge Cake:

1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour/maida

3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup milk

2 tablespoon yogurt/dahi

1/4 cup butter/makhan

1 cup sugar/chinni

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Vanilla essence

2 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

For Mousse

250 Ml whipping cream

Powdered Sugar - ¼ Cup

Chopped Chocolate: 125 gm

For Ganache:

150 grams chocolate

150 ml cream

For Chocolate shards:

100 grams chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

Method:

For Sponge:

Preheat the oven at 180C. Line and dust the cake tin.

In a mixing bowl mix sugar, butter and yogurt. Mix till it gets light and sugar is dissolved.

In another mixing bowl, sieve baking soda, baking powder, salt, all purpose flour and cocoa powder. Mix well.

Add 2 tablespoons of flour mix in the butter mix and stir lightly. In between keep adding milk.

Add in vanilla essence and lemon juice. Just mix and pour the batter in the tin.

Bake for 35 minutes or till toothpick inserted in center comes clean.

Cool on wire rack.

For Ganache:

Heat cream on a medium heat. When bubbles starts appearing on the sides, add in the chopped chocolate. Mix well. Cool.

For Mousse:

Take the whipping cream and whip it to soft peaks, now add the sugar and beat it to stiff peaks.

In a saucepan, boil some water and place a bowl over it which has the chocolate. Now slowly melt it. Make sure the boiling water is not in contact with the bowl.

Let the chocolate come down to room temp. Now add little bit of whipped cream to it and mix it well, add this to the whipped cream and whip it till everything's well mixed.

Fill this in piping bag and keep aside.

For chocolate shards:

Melt the chocolate with butter. On the butter paper or aluminium foil spread the melted chocolate. Let it cool.

Then put this in the freezer for atleast 1 hour. Just before use break the chocolate into shards.

Assemble the cake:

Cut the cake in 2 layers.

On the first layer sprinkle some hot water. Finally pour in chocolate Ganache.

Put other layer on it. Sprinkle some hot water. Cover the cake with Ganache and cool in fridge for 1/2 an hour.

Finally make the swirls with mousse. I used wilton 2D nozzle.

Fence around with chocolate shards. 

Notes:

Keep the sponge ingredients to room temperature.

You will notice some forth and bubbles when you add lime juice, don't panic. These bubbles will let cake rise.

Make sure that the cream is chilled. Never use cream on warm cake or chocolate.

You can also apply the mousse on cake directly if you don’t want to do the swirls.

Disclaimer: Some links are shared in this post and it is only for your reference, I am not compensated if you click on these links.