I am an erratic baker at the best. So when I saw the Sweet Punch site in a fit of madness I requested for membership hoping that at least now I would stop playing around with the ingredients and follow the recipe.
I just cannot describe the joy I felt when my request was accepted!
Then started the dread and the self-doubts, especially on seeing the beautiful bakes that the members have churned out regularly.
Can I tag along? Only time will tell.
This time at Sweet Punch we were to bake anything of our choice.
Then started the treasure hunt for the recipe that I have wanted to retry after a long time!
When I turned with a bottle of Pepsi my daughters were sure I had lost my marbles, for just the day before I had told them off for drinking the stuff.: D Then followed my strict instructions don't touch the bottle. The younger one had to be warned not to touch the milkmaid tin forget to open the tab and lick it. I need it to bake a cake!!
I had "help" to bake the cake (read will get the leftover Pepsi) and but I enjoyed the baking!!
Help, not only from my daughters Apeksha and Akanksha but also from Stacy, my neighbour's kid. They cheered me when I thought the cake sank, and helped me to join it when the cake broke. Left to myself I would have baked another one but since there was a lot of love the kids had poured in I continued. I have tried this icing myself for the first time!! The pictures are all by the girls. The only picture I have taken is of the girls' leftover chocolate party after which they were so full that they ate the cake the next day. And hence the cake lay at rest in full honours' in the fridge.
Thanks, Sweet Punch for a memorable time I have had!!!!!!!!!
Ingredients for the cake:
100 grms Amul butter
1 tin milkmaid
2 cups Maida
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate
2 tablespoon cocoa (The original called for 3 tablespoon bournvita or caramel)
1 tablespoon drinking chocolate
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
250 ml Coke or Pepsi (in the past we used Thumbs up hence the name thumbs-up cake)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Greased and dusted 9" round pan.
2. Sieve the Maida, baking powder, soda bicarbonate and cocoa and the drinking chocolate.
3. Melt the butter add milkmaid and mix well.
4. Add the essence & the sieved ingredients and fold.
5. At this stage the batter is very stiff now add the Pepsi and stir.
6. Transfer to the greased pan.
7. Bake till done i.e. the baked cake leaves the sides or a knife inserted comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
I was wondering what to put as the icing on the cake when one of the girls reminded me of the dark chocolate I had been hoarding.
Hardly had I agreed and they got out the milk cooker that I use as a double boiler, washed it, filled it and dumped the chocolate for it to melt. Guess they were too worried that I may change my mindJ!!
I was already on net and I went to the first person I thought of at that moment who else, the cake lady, as my younger daughter Akanksha calls her, at LOVE 2 COOK and googled for chocolate cake and landed bang on the page that I needed. Chocolate ganache!!
Love 2 cook called for
500 grams chocolate (finely chopped)
300 grams heavy cream (I used the only cream we get, Amul Fresh Cream too 200 grams)
30 grams butter (I used about 10 grams more)
Love 2 Cook's instruction we to heat the heavy cream till it boils. Add the chocolate after putting off the flame mix well finally add butter. Cool and use.
In my case, it was too late to change the way the melted chocolate was. I added the fresh cream and butter and mixed well. Since the chocolate had a lot of ants, the 2 legged varieties, I poured it directly over the cake.
After it set we put it up in the fridge as the girls were too full of leftover chocolate.
The next day I made butter icing with softened butter that I used
50 grams butter
100 grams icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
About ½ tablespoon milk (sprinkle as needed)
1. Beat the butter till soft.
2. Gradually add the sugar essence and beat.
3. Sprinkle the milk as needed to get a firm paste.
4. I put an old icing nozzle lying in my fridge in the corner of a clean dry plastic bag.
5. Next I filled all the butter icing sugar in the bag and sealed the bag firmly.
6. Press the bag firmly after snipping off the edge so that the tip of the nozzle comes out in whatever designs you want.
I did not want to risk it so I just piped these stars.
Priya Sreeram says
archana- the family pic is a treasure! loved the recipe totally- with pepsi in the cake i am bookmarking this to try out soon !
Torviewtoronto says
enjoyable cake delicious
lovely pictures the girls are having fun 🙂
Nandini says
This cake is so wonderful! I just want to steal it!
Lena Rashmin Raj says
woww.. this looks super yummy and soft.. gnanche looks amazing 🙂
sliceofmylyfe says
Felt a rush of emotion when I saw your recipe that used pepsi to compensate for the lack of eggs. My mum used to bake a similar one using coco cola. It looks fabulous and why wouldn't it, since you had such wonderful helpers.
Lovely photograph of your daughters and their friend.
divya says
Just drooling over that delicious cake,simply inviting..
Usha says
I was never successful baking an eggless cake.. Should try this recipe.. Cake looks great and love the picture of your daughter!
Roxana GreenGirl says
what a cute picture of the girls. and the cake, mmmm, I want a slice or two.
Priya says
Wow thumbs up in cake,that truly very interesting,wonderful looking cake..
Ria Mathew says
Archana, we are so happy to have you bake with us! 🙂 That cake looks fab! I admire anyone who can do step-by-step with pictures 😀
Anu Nandu says
The looks and the smiles say it all - I'm sure this was a wonderful cake. Ganache is perfect!
Babli says
Cake looks soft, yummy, tempting and mouth watering. I cannot resist myself. Wonderful presentation.
Archana says
Thanks all of you. Your comments are treasured.
@Ria: I have not taken the pics. The girls have done it.Mostly clicked one another . They had a gala time clicking pictures,spilling the flour then writing on the flour!
Achu says
Wow awesome will try it for sure thank udear 🙂 U are lucky to have your daughters 🙂 Daughter is very precious 🙂 very happy dear.