Battenberg Cake

Battenberg Cake

My Mother

My Mother, my friend  so dear

Throughout my life you’re always near.

A tender smile to guide my way

You’re the sunshine to light my day.

                                                                                     Anonymous

I learnt Baking from my mother. She used to bake Cakes & Nankhatais from the very beginging. I used to watch her and started developing interest. So Today, I dedicate this Cake to My Mother for being my inspiration .......

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup ground almonds

2 tsp baking powder 
½ tsp salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter 
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
red or pink food coloring
yellow food coloring 
⅓ cup  apricot jam
 250 gms marzipan (to cover the cake)**

Method

1. Sieve flour, ground almonds and salt with baking powder and keep aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar till light nd fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time. Add Vanilla extract.

4. Fold in flour mixture to make a smooth batter.

5. Divide the batter into two equal parts and add pink or red in one part and yellow in another part.

6. Bake them in a preheated oven for about 30 mins at 180 o C.

7. Cut each cake into half lengthwise and join it with apricot jam (warm it a little) to make a checkered pattern keeping one loaf on top of another.

8. Roll the marzipan and cover the cake with the marzipan tightly.

9. Trim the ends of the cake so that checkered pattern is visible.

 **Method for making Marzipan

1 cup finely ground almonds

1 cup icing sugar

2-3 tbsp sugar syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix ground almonds and icing sugar together. Add vanilla extract. Add sugar syrup spoon by spoon and knead it to make a soft and pliable dough. ( U can also use readymade dough available in the market)

Zebra Bundt Cake
(recipe followed and adapted from bakersroyale)

Hi! I have not posted anything on my blog for months...Have been really tied up for some very personal reasons...I really appreciate those blogger friends who instead of having a busy schedule, keeps us updated with their new recipes..But i have been baking and trying out new things in the kitchen..
My love for baking cakes took me to try out "Zebra Bundt Cake" . Its an interesting pattern done with chocolate and vanilla batter. Though my bundt did not turned out so beautiful but the zebra lines were evident..For the zebra cake the batter should not be thick and more of alternate lines should be used..will try harder for the perfect look next time..


Ingredients

3 cups  flour/ maida
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups unsalted butter at room temperature
6 tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs
½ cup  milk

Method

1. Sieve flour along with baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa powder and water till a smooth blend and set aside.
3. Cream butter and rest 2 cups sugar till light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one by one.
5. Add milk and flour alternatively and mix with a hand blender till the mixture is a smooth paste.
6. Dive the batter in two parts and mix the cocoa mixture to one part.
7. Take a 3 cup greased bundt pan and put 3 tbsp of vanilla mixture.

8. Wait for a few seconds and let it settle down completely.
9. Pour 3 tbsp of cocoa mixture in the center of vanilla batter.

10. Repeat till both the batter are finished and a zebra like pattern is formed.

11. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 mins. at 200o C.