Lemon cupcakes

 

 "Eating is a need, enjoying is an art" 

Just as I had started taking beautiful sunny days for granted, the clouds showed up. It kept pouring all of yesterday evening and the morning was gloomy and dark. To bring in some cheer, what better than theses zingy and flavourfully moist Lemon cupcakes.  Lets bake in some cheer !

 

They are wonderfully moist and bursting with lemony flavour. Lemon zest adds that extra kick to these little beauties.

Ingredients

Butter                125 gms
Castor sugar       125 gms
Plain flour          150 gms
Eggs, beaten       2
Baking powder    1 tsp
Milk                    1-2 tbsp. (if required, to loosen the batter)
Lemon essence   1/2 tsp
Finely chopped zest of 1 lemon

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

 

2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric blender, till light and fluffy. 

 

3. Add in the essence  lemon zest and the beaten eggs, one at a time and beat till mixed well.

 

4. Sieve the flour & baking powder well. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula gently mix the flour with the butter mix. Use milk if the batter seems too dry, start with 1 tbsp. and use more if required. Do not over work the batter.

 

5. The batter will have dropping consistency. Line a cupcake tray with liners and drop in the batter. 

 

5.  Bake for 10-12 mins or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

 

 

 

 For the Icing

Butter                          75 gms

Icing sugar                   125 gms

Fresh lemon juice        1-2 tsp

Finely chopped zest of 1 lemon    

  

Method 

1. Cool the cakes completely before you start icing them.

2. Cream together butter and sugar using an electric blender.

3. Add in the zest and lemon juice

4. Using a piping bag or simply with a spoon cover the tops of your cupcakes.

 

Low Fat Brownies

“Everything in moderation…including moderation.”   ~ Julia Child

Can there be a better way to eat chocolate than brownies. Rich, dense and undisputedly the scrumptious way to indulge in a cocoa treat.

Notoriously high in fat content, brownies are not something that can be indulged in very frequently. They were my 'special treat', before I started making the low fat version. One of the most popular ways to reduce the fat content in a recipe is by replacing it with a cooked fruit puree. And since beetroots are my latest food obsession, I used cooked and pureed beetroot to reduce the butter. 

These are actually a cross between a brownie and a very moist chocolate cake. It has a  beautiful crust, they are soft, gooey with an intense chocolate flavour. They are perfect with a glass of cold milk. The only thought in mind as I eat these........ Blissss

Skinny/ Low fat brownies

125 gms                  Dark chocolate

50 gms                    Butter

125 gms                  Cooked and pureed beetroot

1                            Egg

1                            Egg white

125 gms                  Sugar ( you can replace half the quantity of sugar with brown sugar)

75 gms                    Flour / Maida

1 tbsp                     Cocoa powder    

1 tsp                       Baking powder

2-3 tbsp                  Chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven 180 C

2. Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler or in a microwave.    

3. Cook beetroot till fork tender. Cool and puree it in a blender.

4. Add the beetroot puree to the chocolate mixture and stir well.

5. Add the egg, egg white  and the sugar to the chocolate mixture and mix well.

6. Sieve all the dry things together.

7. Add the dry ingredients and walnuts, if using, to the choco mixture and gently fold them together.

8. Bake in a lined tin for 30 mins. Do not overcook. (A skewer inserted should come out clean but sticky, with a few crumbs attached)

9. Remove from the oven and let it cool before taking it out of the pan. 

10. Once cool, cut into squares and serve with cold milk or vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh cream. 

Chocolate & Beetroot cake

“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.”~ Alan D. Wolfel

Come February and the world around you suddenly starts turning red. You pick up the newspaper, open any magazine or even when you turn on the radio, during feb everything - everywhere seems to be talking only of ‘Undying love’. Hey, n did I mention the hearts, that suddenly seem to take over your life, from the wrapping paper, to the chocolates, to the lovely heart shaped cookies and cakes, I could really go on endlessly. 

Till a few years back I used to be really excited about it myself, but now ,for me, Valentine’s is about being grateful for all the ‘love’ in my life. Grateful for being a part of a loving family. Grateful for being surrounded by people who truly care. Thankful for all the warmth in my life which has made me, a more considerate, loving and more importantly a more forgiving and accepting person.

So, when I asked my little one, if he wanted me to do something special for him for Valentine’s, his reply was hilarious. He wanted me to bake a chocolate cake and make some besan ladoos for him. But really, what a combination! 

I thought a simple chocolate cake would be no fun and no harm adding a little red to it…… seriously, I couldn't be left out of the V day frenzy. 

So, here’s wishing everyone a year full of love, hope and lots of laughter……..Happy Valentines Day.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

3                                     Eggs

300 gms                           Sugar

240 ml                             Vegetable oil

300 gms                           Cooked beetroot

85 gms                             Dark chocolate, melted on a double boiler or microwaved

200 gms                            All purpose Flour

30 gms                              Cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp                           Baking soda

1/4 tsp                              Salt

1 tsp                                 Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 175° c


1. Wash, peel and chop the beet root. Pressure cook or cover and boil in a pan, with enough water to cover it, till it’s cooked. (I pressure cooked it for 4-5 whistles)

Once cooked, take out the beetroot; make sure not to include any of the residual liquid. Weigh the required quantity and puree in a blender.Reserve the juice of the beet.

2. In a mixing bowl put in the sugar, oil and the eggs and whisk together.


3. Add in the melted dark chocolate.


4. Add in the pureed beetroot. Mix gently.


5. Sift together flour, Baking soda, coco powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture.


6. Gently mix using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.

7. Pour in a lined tin and bake for around 30-35 mins or till a skewer inserted in comes out clean.

8. Cool the cake on a wire rack completely.

The residual beetroot juice was too pretty a color to waste. So I took the juice, which was roughly around 1/3 C, added a few tablespoons full of icing sugar to it, whisked it really well and poured it over the cooled cake. 

Leave the cake undisturbed for a while to let it absorb the syrup, before you cut and serve it. Soaking of the cake with the beetroot juice adds to the already beautiful color and texture of the cake, making it extra moist.