Vanilla Cake Recipe | Flavour Diary

vanilla cake with fresh cream frosting flavourdiary

This is my all time favourite vanilla cake recipe, its tasty and spongy.You can sandwich with fresh cream and fruits its yummy.This is no fail recipe and perfect as base for many cake creations.
Vanilla Cake straight from oven

Serves: two 9" cakes or 24 cupcakes  
Level: Moderate
Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 35 min + cooling time

Ingredients

All-purpose flour  - 3 cups (360g)
White sugar  - 1 3/4 cups  (350g)
Unsalted butter  - 1 cup  (225g) @ room temperature 
Baking powder - 1  tablespoon (g)
Baking soda  - (3g)
Salt - 3/4  teaspoon (5g)
Egg   - 5 @ room temperature
Milk  - 1  1/4 cup (250ml)
Vanilla extract  - 1 tablespoon (15ml)

Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C .Grease and cover two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients ;flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg one at a time and whisk until well incorporated before you add the other one, otherwise your cake smells eggy.
  • Mix vanilla and milk.
  •  Add Milk and dry ingredients alternatively to the Egg mixture and whisk until well incorporated but don't over mix it.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in Center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove cakes to cool completely.


Tips
Scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl with rubber spatula 
  • when you are creaming the butter.
  • when  you add the eggs.
  • when you add milk and dry ingredients.


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Ambada Gosht / Gongura mamsam - Lamb in Sour Leaves



Ambada/Gongura are sour leaves which are available specially in South India. If you are lucky then you can get it in Indian/Srilankan grocery store as they will be sold as hotcakes. I was happy to get those leaves and first thing came to my mind was to make this wonderful combination with lamb....yummmm. This dish comes from Andhra Pradesh usually served at marriages or for family gatherings.
This recipe is very easy and simple to make and you just need to throw in the ingredients into the pressure cooker and cook it. This is tangy curry and its mouthwatering too and is usually served with Bagara Rice, Roti or simple plain white rice with Ghee. 


Level: Easy 
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Lamb: 300 gm
Gongura/Ambada : 1 bunch
Onion : 1 large
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder : 1 teaspoon (To taste)
Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 1/2 tablespoon
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste


Directions










In a pressure cooker add oil,chopped onion, lamb, ginger garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and half cup of water. Stir and close the lid and listen 3-4 whistles or until the lamb is cooked.
Separate the leaves and from steam and chop it, if they are big. Once the lamb is cooked then add leaves, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cover  and cook for 5 mins.
Test and adjust the seasoning and uncover and cook until the desired consistency. 


Wanna try....let set go....


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Fruity Oats with Greek Yogurt


After knowing the health benefits of oats, i made sure that i should include it at breakfast at least twice a week.This is one of my favourite breakfast which is healthy to eat and easy to make. This can be a grab and go snack or breakfast for those busy days.

Over few decades oats have become one of the healthier alternative food. This is mainly eaten as porridge, or as an ingredient for breakfast cereals and can be used in baking cookies/bread/cakes and many more. 

If you are on diet plan and want to reduce weight the healthier way then this would be one of the breakfast to opt in, as Oats releases energy slowly and keep hunger at bay for a long time.
Oats are loaded with dietary fiber and have a range of healthy cholesterol lowering properties.
Oats rich foods experience much lower rise in blood sugar levels when compared to the rice or bread.Starting a day with a blood sugar stabilizing food like Oats will make it easier to keep blood sugar levels under control for rest of the day.


Level: Easy
Prep time: 5 mins
Serves: 1

Ingredients
Rolled oats  - 1/2 cup
Greek Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Sugar/Honey - to taste (optional)
Water/Orange Juice -  1/4 cup 
Lots of Fruits and dry fruits

Directions
  • Mix oats, yogurt and water in a serving bowl and top it up with lots fruit fruits and dry fruits of your choice.
Tips
  • You can mix all the ingredients except fruits and keep it in fridge overnight, next day you have readymade breakfast.



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Potato Curry(Aloo ki Sabzi) - MIL Style



New relations you are bond with, new things you will learn... Same thing happened....Cooking was not new to me while i was getting married but every home has its own taste and ways to do. At my moms place we very often cook potatoes with various combinations like Aloo palak, Aloo Methi, Aloo Khurma and many more...but this twisted  process of simple combination of onions and potatoes with some spices was not in my moms recipe list. So you might think what's the twist which makes it different....we first fry the potatoes and then add onions to the fry. 
If  you have any such recipes which might be new to you with your new relationship then comment down below .... I love to know your experiment with it. With no further delay come lets check out the way my MIL does this simple curry....



Level: Easy 
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Potatoes : 450 gm
Onion : 1 large
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder : 1 teaspoon (To taste)
Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic Cloves: 2-4
Oil: 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Tadka:
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds: 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 10 leaves

Directions

In a non stick pan add oil and add mustard seeds...once mustard seeds crackles add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Add chopped garlic cloves, potatoes, salt and turmeric powder. 
Fry on medium high flame and fry till potatoes are half cooked. Add chopped onions stir once and cover the lid and let it cook for 5-8 mins on medium heat.
Add chilli powder,garam masala and coriander powder and stir and cook for another 5 mins without lid. Do the taste test and adjust your seasonings and you are done. 
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot phulkas or roti or rice or Dosa.





Wanna try....let set go....

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Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins



Looking for a soft spongy muffins with chocolate chips in it, then this would be one good option. Its an easy peasy recipe and best when you want to cook along with your kids. Me and my little helper (5yr old) made these beauties for evening snack. Its always a fun to have a helper who does all measuring and mixing job. Check out other cooking with kids recipes here.
Muffins are similar to cupcakes but the process of how we mix the batter is different. I always find muffins are easier to make as it is mixing up the ingredients with no fancy equipment.....


Level: Easy
Total time: 30-45 mins
Makes: 12
1 cup = 240 ml

Ingredients

*Self Raising flour: 2 cups 
Eggs: 2 medium
*Vanilla Yogurt: 1 cup
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Chocolate Chips: 3/4 cup
Oil: 1/2 cup

*1 Cup Self Raising Flour = 1 Cup plain flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder
* 1 Cup Vanilla yogurt = 1 cup plain yogurt + 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Directions

In a bowl place eggs,sugar,oil,yogurt and whisk it until well combined.
Take 1 tablespoon of flour and chocolate chips and shake it till chips are coated with flour(this is make sure that chips don't sink to bottom of the muffin).
Add flour to yogurt mixture, whisk till combined and then add chocolate chips along with flour to the batter. Whisk till combined ( make sure not to over mix).
Place the muffin liners in the muffin tin and fill the muffin liner 2/3 way with the batter. Bake at  375°F for 18-20 mins until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Muffins are best the day when are made.....



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