Cream cheese frosting is the best frosting for Carrot Cake.
Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 Cup stick butter, softened
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Cups powdered sugar
Method:
1. Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (2 pounds)
1 medium red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1-2 teaspoons red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 can chickpeas, drained, and rinsed (15.5-ounce)
1 Cup pearled couscous
1/2 cup split red lentils (masoor dal)
2 limes or lemons, divided
1/2 Cup Greek-style plain yogurt
3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
5 ounces baby spinach
Method:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown and soften, 5-8 minutes.
2. Add onion, garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook, until onion and cauliflower are cooked, 5 -7 minutes.
3. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook, stirring, until spices are toasted, 1 minute.
4. Add broth and bring to boil. Add chickpeas, couscous, and lentils.
5. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally to avoid couscous from sticking, until couscous and lentils are cooked through and liquid is almost completely reduced to a thick sauce, 10 minutes.
6. While this is cooking, juice 1 lemon or lime to yield 3 tablespoons juice. Whisk the juice, yogurt, and 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro in a medium bowl until smooth. Add few teaspoons of water (as necessary) until sauce is thin enough to drizzle. Cut remaining lime to wedges. Keep aside.
7. Fold spinach into chickpea mixture.
8. Top with cilantro leaves. Serve with yogurt sauce and lime wedges.
Note:
Curry powder can be substituted for turmeric, chili powder, and cilantro powder. I used them because I did not have curry powder in my kitchen.
This dish serves 4.
I have been seeing a lot of posts of rasmalai cake this summer. Finally, I decided to get on the bandwagon myself. I made rasmalai and plain eggless yellow cake and rasmalai over the weekend. Last night, I piped rasmalai infused whipped cream icing along with some crushed rasmalai between two layers of the cake and decorated with the same. I am yet to master the art of cake decorating. Ooh the sweet flavor of cardamom and saffron! A light cake fit for a dessert or snack.
Ingredients:
For Cake:
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 Cup milk
For Whipped Cream Frosting:
3 Cups heavy cream
6 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 Tablespoons ras (sweetened condensed milk from rasmalai)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5-6 drops yellow food coloring (more if required)
Other ingredients:
1/3 Cup ras, sweetened condensed milk from rasmalai
5 pieces of rasmalai
crushed pistachios, for garnish
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and dust 8 inch springform cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cardamom powder. Add salt and mix everything together.
3. Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat sugar and butter on medium high speed until light and fluffy, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add yogurt. Continue to beat on medium high speed until incorporated.
5. Next, add almond extract, and beat for 30 seconds.
6. Reduce speed to the lowest number. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, little at a time, until blended. Do not over mix.
7. Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Tap pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the pan on the middle rack. Bake for 50- 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
8. Remove pan from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes. remove from pan and cool completely on the rack before slicing for layers.
Whipped Cream Frosting:
1. Add heavy cream, icing sugar, almond extract, ras from rasmalai, and 5-6 drops of yellow food coloring in a large chilled bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer.
2. Beat everything on low speed to incorporate sugar. Then, increase speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Be careful not to over beat. Refrigerate the cream until you are ready to frost the cake.
Assembling the cake:
1. Slice the cake into 2 layers with a sharp serrated knife, once it is completely cooled.
2. Place a tablespoon of whipped cream in the center of a plate or turntable. Place the bottom layer on the cream. Brush the top with the rasmalai milk.
3. Squeeze the ras from one rasmalai and crumble on the surface.
4.Pipe whipped cream from outer circumference to center, or use a spatula to evenly spread cream.
5. Place the second layer on top. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove cake from refrigerator. Frost the entire cake with frosting. Smooth the edges.
6. Fill piping bag with cream and decorate the cake to form rosettes or any other design.
7. Cut out 6 small discs from 2 rasmalai. Place them in the middle of each rosette or decorate the way you want. Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top.
8. Refrigerate until serving.
Note:
1. You can use electric hand mixer if you do not have stand mixer.
2. You can decorate the sides of the cake with sliced almonds and dried rose petals. I did not use them because I did not have them.
3. I used rasmalai made from scratch. You could use store bought rasmalai instead.
