Upside down plum cake

Don't you love to bake all these fancy cakes...I do...Its my first time baking an upside down cake. I have always wanted try the upside down pineapple cake.

But, its summer time and have lots of stone fruits handy...so tried this plum cake...look at that! isn't she a beauty :) an absolute treat for the eyes...also for your tummy too.

I did make some plum jam too...recipe coming soon...

Don't get carried away by the looks..This cake is pretty simple to make. The cake part is just easy as any ordinary pound cake.

And you can go all artistic in arranging the plum slices :)

This is what I like about summer....I get to do a lot with peaches, plums, mangoes, zucchini, water melon, avocados, corn, cherries and what not?
I guess some people are born to eat, and our family is definitely one of them :)
How about you? 

Here is the recipe

You'll need:

6 large plums,each pitted and cut into 8 wedges

All purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups

Butter, unsalted: 1 1/2 stick (12 tbsp), softened

Sugar: 3/4 cup

Brown sugar: 3/4 cup (for the topping)

Baking powder: 2 tsp

Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

Milk: 1/2 cup

Eggs: 2 nos

Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

How to make:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
In a small sauce pan melt 4 tbsp of butter. Once the butter melts and start turning brown in color, immediately add the brown sugar. Cook butter and sugar, stirring continuously, for 2-3 min.
Pour the mixture into a greased 9 inch cake pan, spreading all over the bottom of the pan using a spatula.
Arrange plum slices in overlapping concentric circles on top of the butter-sugar mixture.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon powder.

In  large bowl, beat the remaining 8 tbsp of butter and sugar together using an electric mixer.
Add eggs, one by one, beating constantly. Add in the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients, alternately with milk and continue beating until light and fluffy.
Spread cake batter on top of the plum. Bake for 40-45 min until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
Let cool for a few min, and flip over the cake on to a plate.
tah- dah!!! Enjoy your slice with vanilla ice cream on top :)

Banana nut muffin...with a crunchy topping

what do you do with those over ripened bananas? I'm always out of options when i think of getting rid of the over ripened bananas...i like my banana just ripe....no more ..no less...even my li'l one enjoys hers the same way...usually we buy only a few at time, so that we don't have to worry about the over ripened ones...
was looking for ideas to use them, and happened to see this muffin recipe...which actually called for these over ripened bananas...bingo...there you go :)

and the crunchy topping.....an added bliss to the muffins...i have had these crunchy toppings in the store bought ones n have always wondered what they are...and here it is...a crowd pleaser...

You'll need:
For the muffin:
All purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups
Baking Soda: 1 1/2 tsps
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg powder: 1/8 tsp
Over ripened bananas: 4 nos
Chopped and roasted walnut or pecan: 1 cup
White sugar: 1/2 cup
Egg: 1 large
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick, softened)
Milk: 1/4 cup

For the topping:
All purpose flour: 2 tbsp
Cinnamon powder: 1/8 tsp
Butter: 1 tbsp
Brown sugar: 1/3 cup

How to make:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups or grease with butter.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg powder.
In a small bowl, mash two bananas with a fork, so that they still have a texture.Set it aside.
In another bowl, mash the remaining two bananas along with the sugar using an electric mixer.
Add butter, milk, egg and vanilla extract and beat it together until its completely incorporated, scraping down the sides using a spatula as and when needed.
Add the dry ingredients mixture to this in batches and mix just until its well incorporated.
Fold in the chopped nuts and the reserved mashed bananas to this.
For the topping, in a small bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon powder and sugar. Cut in the butter to this mixture, until it resembles coarse corn meal.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups using an ice cream scoop. Sprinkle the top of muffins with the prepared topping.
Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 18-20 min ,until the muffins turn golden brown or when the tester inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
Let the muffin tray cool on the wire rack for a few minutes, before you indulge yourself in those delicious yummy muffins...
Serve it hot...the best way to enjoy them, enjoy a few crunchy crumbs on the top first....and then dive into the muffin...yummm

Fluffy Flaky breakfast biscuits...

Warm fresh biscuits for breakfast, I love them..I guess I started liking it after having the breakfast sandwiches we get on warm biscuits in Dunkin Donuts...yummm

Okay, to be candid, I was not sure i could bake biscuits at home...its like the sugar glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts...I don't think I will be ever able to make such soft and spongy ones at home...wait a min...you  never know.....i might some day...oh!! how optimistic (not at all like me :)

Okay, go ahead and give this a try....I am sure you will be happy with the results...We started our new year with these fluffy home made biscuits for breakfast...

You'll need:


All purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Baking Soda: 1/4 tsp
Salt: 1 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 1 tbsp
Butter: 1/2 cup (chilled)
Buttermilk: 1 cup (chilled)

How to make:


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients, ie; all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the sugar.
Cut in the cold butter with a fork into the dry ingredients and mix it together...(there will be small chunks of butter, which is totally okay)
Pour the buttermilk and mix using a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.
Now knead using your hands for a couple of times. The dough should be sticky.
Turn the dough on to a  floured surface and knead it just until it dough comes together.
Roll the dough using a rolling pin  to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a biscuit cutter and place them on the baking sheet. (At this point you can brush the top of each with some melted butter...it gives the golden crust on top)
Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 min, or until it gets the golden crust on top.

Serve hot out of the oven....a perfect breakfast as such... good for sandwiches too...
sausage egg n cheese on a buiscuit, anybody....I am in :)

You'll have a good one :)

Date-Nut Bread... Welcome 2012!!

A very prosperous new year, 2012 to all of you :)
Winter has set in...that marks the beginning of baking time in our place...may be because I have more time in hand this time of the year, bcoz its cold outside and we tend to stay indoors with our li'l one :)
I don't know, may be another excuse to bake..I love to bake....not that all my attempts has always been a success...but still I love to bake...
hope you'll had wonderful new year's day celebrations....ours was a low key affair this time....watching ball drop slouched on the sofa, wishing everyone a happy new year, afternoon mass and a lunch buffet....

This date nut bread is something I baked for the first time...I had bookmarked it here
http://kateinthekitchen.com/2008/12/22/national-date-nut-bread-day/

A good bread to munch on as an evening snack...
Here is the recipe

You'll need:
All-purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups
chopped dates: 2 1/2 cups
Butter: 1/4 cup
Boiling water: 1 1/2 cups
Brown sugar: 1/2 cup
Egg: 1 no
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Chopped almonds: 1 cup

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a bowl, mix butter and dates. Pour boiling water into this and break up the clumps, if any. Let this cool down for a while.
Mix in the sugar and egg until well blended.
Add the flour mixture into the date mixture, and mix well.
Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 50 min or until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean :)

Marble cake.. perfect for holiday season

Hope you'll had a wonderful Christmas :) holiday cheer is still in the air...people visiting their near n dear ones..cooking together, enjoying meals together, shopping together and what not!! enjoy your holidays.....
an easy breezy cake to enjoy with your evening cup of tea when you catch up with your kith n kin....

You'll need:
All purpose flour: 2 cups
Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened
Sugar: 1 cup
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Eggs: 2
Milk: 1 cup
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp

How to make it:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5 pan and set aside.
Swift together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well until everything is well mixed together.
Mix in vanilla essence.
Add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk.
Set aside 1/3 of the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the cake pan.
Mix cocoa powder into the reserved batter, until well blended.
Pour spoonfuls of the cocoa batter over the white batter. Using a knife, swirl the cocoa batter into the white batter to give the marble effect.
Bake for 30 to 35 min, until an inserted wooden pick comes out  clean.
Transfer pan to a rack and let it cool for 10 min.

Enjoy your piece of cake. This is how i get mine in my fav coffee shop :)

Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake

This one my all time favorite :) i made this for my hubby's very first birthday after our wedding....a real delicacy :) and with oreo cookie...everyone's fav

The recipe is from Kraft's Food & Family magazine. Kraft publishes this magazine 4 times a year..one for every season...this magazine has really yummy and easy recipes for each season, most of them with kraft products..

Here is the recipe:

You'll need:

Oreo cookie: 20,crushed(about 2 cups, without the cream)
butter: 3 tbsp ,melted
Cream cheese: 4 pkg (8 oz. each) softened
Sugar: 1 cup
Vanilla: 1 tsp
Sour Cream: 1 Cup
Eggs: 4
Baker's semi-sweet chocolate: 6 squares, melted and cooled

How to make:


Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Lina a 13 * 9  inch baking pan with foil with the ends extended over the sides of the pan.(this helps to easily take the cake out of the pan).
Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press the mixture down onto to the bottom of the prepared pan.Use the base of the measuring cup to firmly press it down to the pan. Bake for 10 min.
Beat cream cheese,sugar and vanilla in a large bowl using a electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Now add the sour cream and mix well.
Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after adding each one, till blended.
Remove 1 cup of batter and keep it aside.
 In the remaining batter add the melted chocolate. Pour the mixture over the pan with baked cookie crumbs.
Top with spoonfuls of remaining plain batter randomly over the chocolate batter.
Run a fork through the batter a couple of times to make the swirl effect.
Bake for 40 min or until set.
Cool completely, and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnite.
Pull out the cheesecake with the foil handles and cut and serve...sweet :)

Nankhatai (Butter cookie)

This cookie is an all time favorite in our  family. Our mom used to make this for us and decorate it with a small piece of cherry on the top :) Its very easy and simple to make.It requires no special ingredients...only the common ones in everyone's pantry-flour, butter and sugar.thats it :)

Nankhatai

You'll need:


All-purpose Flour: 1cup 
Butter: 1/2 cup (softened)
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Vanilla: 1/3 tsp



How to make:


1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 

2. Sift the flour and set aside. 

3. In a medium-size bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. 

4. Add the flour to the creamed mixture a little bit at a time and mix well until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is too soft, cover and refrigerate for about an hour. 

5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them onto the baking sheet 1.5 inches part. 

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown on the bottom. Remove to wire racks to cool. 


Everyone's fav :)