Victoria Sponge Cake

 Victoria sponge cake is a popular cake in the UK. It is a light cake filled with whipping cream and jam and dusted with confectioners' sugar. I fell in love with this lovely cake the first time I had it in Scotland.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon superfine sugar

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups self-raising flour

12 oz. strawberries, thinly sliced plus whole strawberries for decorating

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lime zest

1/2 cup jam

confectioners' sugar for dusting

                                                        

Chantilly Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 Tablespoon confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup jam

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 8 inch round cake pans, and line them with greased parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high speed until creamy and smooth, 1 minute.

                                                          

3. Turn the mixer speed to medium-low, add the superfine sugar and vanilla to the butter, and mix until incorporated. Then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until very light and fluffy, 5 minutes.

                                   

4. Turn the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Add one-third of the flour to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Repeat with another one-third flour until just incorporated. Add the final one-third of the flour.

                                      

                                                            

5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Gently tap the pans on the counter to release excess air bubbles.

                                                             

6. Bake until the cakes are golden and a tester comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans completely on a wire rack.

                                                              

7. In a medium bowl, toss together the thinly sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, lime zest. Allow to macerate until the sugar dissolves, about 15 minutes.

                                                         

Assemble cake

8. Remove one cooled cake layer from its pan and place it on a serving plate.

                                                           

9. Spread 1/2 cup jam over the top of the cake, then cover the jam with a 1 inch layer of the Chantilly cream. Distribute half of the macerated strawberries over the Chantilly cream.

                                   

                                                           

10. Place the second cake on the Chantilly cream, then run a spatula along the side of the cake to ensure the filling stays within the cake layers. Dust the top generously with confectioners' sugar and decorate with strawberries if you like.

                                                            

Chantilly Cream

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until just thick- it will start to leave marks from the whisk in the cream.

                                                          

2. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using the whisk attachment, continue whipping by hand for several seconds until the cream holds medium-stiff peaks. Fold in 1/2 cup jam. Doing so should thicken up the cream to stiff peaks. It should be fluffy, but stiff enough to hold the weight of the cake.

                                   

Kadai Mushroom

 Kadai is Indian cast iron wok. The dish is cooked in kadai, hence the name kadai mushroom.

Ingredients:

3/4 inch ginger, chopped

2 pods garlic, diced

1 cup diced onion

1 cup chopped tomato

3 cups diced button mushroom

1 onion, cubed

1 cup cubed green and red bell pepper

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

salt as needed

1 teaspoon kasoori methi(dried fenugreek leaves)

cilantro for garnish

oil

Spice Powder

1 Tablespoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2-3 dried Kashmiri red chili  

2 cardamom 

Method:

1. Blend the dry ingredients to a coarse powder. Set aside.

                                    

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron skillet (kadai). Sauté chopped ginger and garlic for a minute. Add diced onion and cook until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until tomatoes are soft. Add 1 Tablespoon cashew nuts to the pan and turn the stove off. Remove from pan and allow to cool. 

                                                  

                                     

3. Blend the cooked onion and tomato to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

                                                          

4. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil to medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until water evaporates.

                                                           

5. Add cubed onion and peppers. Cook on medium high for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

                                   

6. Heat 1 table spoon oil in the same pan. Add the powdered spice and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the blended onion-tomato paste(masala), 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes, until the mixture is not sticky. Add required  water and cook to a make a thick gravy. Add kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

                                    

                                                          

7. Gently stir in the cooked vegetables to the gravy. Add 2 sliced green chili. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with roti or rice. 

                                      

Notes:

You can make this dish with cubed paneer instead of mushroom.

I used baby Bella mushrooms. 

Breakfast Cake

This cake is good at any time of the day. This cake reminds of a lemon cake at breakfast when I was in Italy. The cake is light and lemony. It is like a sponge cake. You could fold berries into the batter at the end, or just lemon or orange. I made plain lemon cake for a birthday breakfast at work.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

lemon zest from 2 lemons

1/2 cup canola oil

2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract (optional)

About 1 1/2 cups blueberries, raspberries or blackberries (optional)

                                                   

Method:

1. Center a rack in the oven, and heat to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 10- inch tube pan or Bundt pan, dust the interiors flour and tap out the excess.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and the egg whites and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt on medium-high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks. Scrape the whites into another bowl. 

                                 

4. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. Add sugar and lemon zest in the mixer, and rub them together until the mixture is fragrant. Add the yolks, and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. The batter will be thick, pale and shiny. With the mixer on medium, pour in the oil and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. 

                                 

                                                         

5. Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extract, if using. Scrape the bowl well. Turn off the mixer, add the dry ingredients and pulse the mixer a few times to start incorporating them. Work on low until the flour is blended into the batter.

                                    

                                                          

6. Beat the whites briskly with a whisk, and scrape a few spoons over the batter. Use a flexible spatula to stir the in and lighten the batter. Turn the rest of the whites into the bowl, and fold them gently. If you are using the berries, gently fold them in just before the whites are fully incorporated. Scrape the batter into the pan, and level the top.

                                   

                                   

7. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned, a tester inserted deep into the cake should come out clean. Transfer to a rack, and wait 5 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert onto the rack and unmold. Cool to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar.