White cupcakes

Prep time - 20min
Serves - 20

Ingredients
For the cake
1. Egg yolk - 1
2. Egg whites - 3
3. Confectioners sugar - 1 cup
4. Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
5. All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
6. Milk - 1/2 cup
7. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
8. Baking powder - 1 tsp
9. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

For the icing
1. Whipping cream ( chilled ) - 1 cup
2. Icing sugar - 3 tbsp
3. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Procedure

1. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until fluffy
2. Add the sugar and mix it until the sugar is well incorporated .
3. Now add the egg yolk making sure that the yolk gets blended well into the mixture.

                                                       

4. Add the essence and butter.
5. Add the flour alternating with the milk making sure that you start and end with adding the flour .

                                                        

6. Add the baking powder and soda and mix the batter at high speed for 3 min .

7. Preheat your oven at 170 ° c.
8. Place the cupcake liners into the cupcake mould and fill 3/4 with the batter and bake for 20 min .

9. Your cupcakes are ready when a tester inserted into them comes out clean ! 

10. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack .
11. Now for the icing , whip the cream until you get soft peaks and add the icing sugar and essence .
12. I added 1 tbsp of blackcurrant concentrate for some flavour .
13. Decorate your cupcakes with the icing!!

Plum cake :)

Serves- 8

Prep time- 1 hr 30 min 

Ingredients 

Raisins to be soaked

1.Currents- 100 g

2.Figs - 60 g

3.Cashew nuts- 60 g

4.Dates - 40 g

5.Rum -250 ml

6.Red wine-300 ml 

For the cake 

1.Unsalted butter - 200 g

2.Brown sugar-200 g

3.Eggs - 4 

4.All purpose flour-200 g

5.Vanilla essence-1 tsp

6.Baking powder-1 tsp

For the caramel 

1.Sugar-3 tbsp

2.Hot water - 60 ml

Procedure :

1. Soak the raisins in the rum and red wine for at least 2 weeks before you start baking the cake .

2.For the caramel , caramelize the sugar on a pan and add hot water to obtain camel syrup. Cool and keep it aside.

3.Beat the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer till they are fluffy .

4.Add the brown sugar and vanilla and beat the mixture until well blended .

5. Add the butter and blend the mixture well.

6. Add the caramel to this mixture .

7.Add the flour and baking powder and blend the mixture on high speed for 3 min.

8.Now line the a loaf tin with parchment paper and fill it with the cake batter .

9.Now take the soaked raisins a plate and coat them with some all purpose flour ( this makes sure that the raisins do not sink to the bottom of the cane tin.)

10.Place the coated raisins on the batter and lightly cover them with some batter . 

11.Bake at 160 °c  for 1 hr .

12. You will know that your cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean .

Mocha cupcakes !!

Prep time - 25 min
Serves - 24 
Ingredients
1.Eggs- 2 (large)
2.Unsalted butter- 1/2 cup
3.Confectioners sugar- 1 1/2 cup
4.All purpose flour- 2 1/4 cups
5.Strong decoction- 3/4 cup
6.Instant coffee powder- 1 tbsp
7.Cocoa powder- 3 tbsp
8.Sour cream -1/2 cup
9.Baking soda- 1 tbsp
10.Salt- 1/2 tsp
11.Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
12.Chocolate ganache(for frosting)

Procedure
1.Preheat oven at 200 degrees c .
2.In a bowl , blend butter , eggs, and sugar until smooth.

3.In the 3/4 cup of espresso, add in the 1 tbsp of instant coffee powder and cocoa powder and add it to the batter.
4.Divide the flour into two halves and add it to the above mixture , alternating it with the sour cream.

5.Add the vanilla , baking soda and whisk the batter on high speed for two minutes.
6.Line the cupcake moulds with cupcake liners and distribute the batter evenly into the moulds and bake for 22 min.

7.When the cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake , your cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

8.Top your cupcakes with the ganache and decorate 'em with sprinkles as seen below :

Chocolate ganache

Ganache is a glaze/icing/sauce/filling for pastries made from chocolate and cream. Depending on the kind of chocolate used, for what purpose the ganache is intended, and the temperature at which it will be served, the ratio of chocolate to cream is varied to obtain the desired consistency. Typically, two parts chocolate to one part cream are used for filling cakes.

Ingredients

1.Chocolate of your choice -200 g 

2.Heavy cream- 100 g
3.Corn syrup- 2 tbsp.
4.Unsalted butter - 3 tbsp.

Procedure

1.Cut the chocolate into small pieces and cover the chocolate with the cream.

2.Heat this in a microwave for 3 min on high.

3.Mix the melted chocolate and cream until both the ingredients are equally distributed. 

4.Then add the butter and corn syrup and mix properly. Keep aside and let it cool.

5.Use immediately or freeze it upto a month.

Mixed fruit cake

Prep time - 20 mins 

Serves- 8

Ingredients

1.Eggs- 2(large)

2.All purpose flour- 120 g

3.Sugar-120 g

4.Unsalted butter- 100 g 

5.Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

6.Baking powder-1 tsp

7.Yogurt- 3 tbsp

8.Dried figs- 30 g

9.Dates-20 g

10.Dried grapes-40 g

11.Cashew nuts- 20 g

Procedure

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

2.Cut all the dry fruits into smaller pieces , place them in a bowl and heat for 20 seconds in a microwave.

3.Now dust the dry fruits with the flour and keep them aside.

4.In a bowl , whisk butter, sugar and eggs together until creamy.

5.Divide the flour into 3 parts and add it to the above mixture alternating it with the 3 spoons of yogurt.

6.Add the vanilla and baking powder and mix the batter on high speed for 2 min.

7.Grease a rectangular pan with butter and dust it with flour.

8.Top the batter with dusted dry fruits  and bake for 25 min.

9.After 25 min poke your cake with a cake tester , if it comes out clean , your cake is ready to be served!

Chocolate mousse

Prep time- 30 min
Serves- 6

Ingredients
1.Bittersweet chocolate- 8 ounces
2.Eggs(large)- 3 separated
3.Sugar-3 1/2 tbsp.
4.Pinch of salt
5.Heavy cream, cold- 1 cup
6.Vanilla essence- 2 tbsp

Procedure
1.In a bowl whip the cream til you get soft peaks and chill the cream.

2. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place them into a heat proof bowl, and melt the chocolate over a water bath. Let it stand.

              

3. In a bowl combine the egg yolks and sugar.Add the melted chocolate.

4.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites till you get soft peaks. Now combine the egg whites with the above mixture.

5.Fold in the whipped cream.

6.Divide the mousse evenly into 6 serving dishes , cover and refrigerate for 2 hours at least !

Mini raspberry cheesecakes !

Prep time - 25 min

Serves- 16

Ingredients 
For the crust 
1.Graham cracker crumbs (or) biscuit of your choice- 150 g
2.Unsalted butter- 4 tbsp
3.Sugar- 45 g
4.Salt (optional) - 1/2 tsp

For the filling 
1.Raspberry preserve - 6 tbsp
2.Philadelphia cream cheese- 1 package (or) 8 oz
3.Sour cream- 1 cup
4.Eggs- 2 (large)
5.Sugar- 3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp
6.Vanilla essence- 2 tsp

Procedure 
1.Grind the cracker crumbs into a fine powder and mix the sugar, butter, and salt until the mixture holds by itself .
2.Line your cupcake moulds with cupcake liners.
3.Press the above mixture onto the base of your moulds and refrigerate for 15 min.
4.Now place the moulds in the oven and bake the crust for 5 min at 170 degrees.

4.Use an electric mixer to make the cream cheese soft and creamy.

5.Add eggs one by one making sure that they are evenly mixed.
6.Add the sugar, sour cream and vanilla.

7.Make sure you scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
8.Now pour this mixture into the moulds and bake them at 200 degrees for 20 min.

9.After the mini cakes are done, spread a layer
of raspberry preserve onto the cheesecakes, chill for 3 hours before you eat them all up !