Congratulations India for winning an awesome match against Pakistan. While watching the match, I was working on this cake. When I saw India was about to win, I changed the plans and made this. Sending good wishes for finals.
I baked this cake yesterday night and refrigerated. Took a day off today to get some of the stuff around the house done. I also wanted to decorate that cake, had no idea what would be the decorations. Team India gave me good inspiration. We ate this cake as celebration.
It was a late night baking session yesterday. I started only at 10, after finishing all work and Ishaan went to bed. For once, I was not in a mood to click pictures, so I will post the pictorial when I make it again.
Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tea spn baking powder 1/4 tea spn salt 4 eggs 1 tea spn vanilla essence 1/2 cup water 1 cup sugar 2 tbl spn unsweetened cocoa powder
Method: Preheat the oven at 325F for about 10mins. Sieve together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Separate egg yolks and whites. Beat egg yolks until light. Gradually add in sugar and beat. Add vanilla essence, water and beat. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Keep aside. Now add dry ingredients to egg yolk mixture and mix. Fold in egg whites very slowly. Divide the batter into two equal parts (it need not be exact half). Mix cocoa powder in one part. Grease a baking dish. Put one big spoonful of one type of batter and put another type of batter next to it. Keep repeating (it need not be in any particular pattern and don’t worry if both get mixed, when the cake is baked, it will have two colors). Bake for about 45mins or till done. This can be served as it is.
I wanted the cake to be moist. So I heated 1/4 cup of water with 1 tbl spn sugar till it is little warm (20sec in microwave). Now soaked the cake with syrup. For decorations, I used whipped cream and store bought buttercream icing.
I have used different pastas in this recipe. I have tried egg noodles, small penne pasta, farfelle, macaroni etc. I usually buy whole wheat pasta. I cook the pasta till it is soft, so that he can eat it easily. I use different vegetables to make it taste different.
I used to buy marinara sauce earlier. Then I asked the expert . And as usual, he did not disappoint. Pelicano gave me a very easy recipe for marinara sauce and I have stopped buying the sauce ever since. Never knew making this sauce was so easy. I usually make the sauce once a week and refrigerate it, since I have not attempted canning so far.
Here is how I make the marinara sauce – Bring a pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes in it and leave for couple of minutes. Then take them out of water and peel them. Break the tomatoes with fingers. Now in a pan, heat a little olive oil. Add a clove of garlic and cook it for a minute. Do not burn it. Add the tomatoes, dried basil, pepper, a little sugar (optional, was not in original recipe, I add it sometimes for my son) and salt. Cook till the sauce thickens. Cool to room temperature, then put in a air tight container and refrigerate.
Ingredients : 1/2 lb any small cut pasta like farfarelle or penne or egg noodles 1 cup marinara sauce 1 cup long strips of vegetables like sweet potato, carrot, capsicum(bellpepper), onion, peas Butter or Olive oil 1 garlic clove(optional) Salt Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method : In a thick bottomed pan, heat butter or olive oil. Add the vegetables, garlic, stir fry till they are soft. Now add the marinara sauce, mix well. Add the pasta and mix. Spread cheese (optional). I usually do not add cheese for my son.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 15mins
Pictorial:
