Undersea Adventure ~ First Birthday Party for Ojasvi

For the last one year I've been doing my part of the research here. On and off it was there in my head and I had an idea what I would like to do on this day. And yet like every other thing, there were last minute changes which lead to this beautiful day!

One year ago I was blessed with a little bundle of joy. Now she bundles herself up in a blanket and brings joy, happiness and laughter to our lives each day!

She would most probably not remember anything when she grows up but these amazing photographs taken  by her dad will give her a chance to cherish her first Birthday...just like we did!

March has been a month of DIY's at our house. Everything from invitations...

Wall banners...

 to the Party themed wall-art!

Oh and two of these double layered Birthday cakes. :)

Her favorite ~ Strawberry icing for the cake smash, which she absolutely enjoyed having it to herself...

The kids ran all over the house on their sugar rush and we all had a field trip keeping them together.

Oh forgot the most important part... favors ~

Thanks to the cooperation of Sam from The Pipal. I managed to get these beautiful magnets {which fits the theme} on time. 

And the hard working lot sitting and enjoying little peace and silence when all left. 

Even if its only for a photograph ;)

Cheers!

Eggless Banana Raisins Muffin

I have a problem when people start judging things by the way they look.

Poor bananas all ripped and ready to be eaten. Sure they don’t look appetizing sporting huge dalmatian spots but they are still firm which totally means, they can be consumed without wrinkling your nose.

But you'll have to close your eyes...

So a simpler way to get these out of anyone's sight before they crash land at the bottom of the bin is a Banana Raisin Muffins.

Perfect Sunday morning breakfast with coffee.

Straight out of the oven, posing for pictures while cooling on the rack.

Extra moist and crumbly, these were putting everyone in doubt about being egg-less. 

Recipe follows:

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 of 3/4 Cup Granulated White Sugar
2 Ripe Bananas
1/4 Cup Raisins

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F (180 degree C) and ready Muffin pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda.

In a large bowl mix Olive oil with Sugar and and lightly whisk.

Add mashed bananas to the oil mixture alternating with dry ingredients. Add Vanilla and mix lightly until flour is wet.

Do not over beat.

In a small bowl mix Raisin with a tsp of flour. Mix with hands and add to the batter

With an ice-cream scoop divide the batter evenly into prepared pan and Bake for about 25 - 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool at the room temperature.

Happy One Year!

This last one year flew over my head.

I tried catching most of it but it was way too fast.

We traveled between three cities, welcomed a new member in our family, started full time job again and fought over time with my watch. Yet loved every second of it.

I started this blog exactly an year back and never thought I would make it this far considering writing was never my strongest point. Give me raw video footage to edit and you'd see the new side of me.

Forever a shy person, I'm here putting my kitchen adventures and stories behind them for everyone to read and overtime it has become a part of me. It works as an amazing stress buster after a long week in office.

So for everyone who gives my numerous hits throughout the day {I keep counting all day long}

Thank you all for helping me get this far.

Recipe follows:

For the Cake:

3 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp Salt
4 Large Egg
2 Egg Yolk
1 Cup Granulated White Sugar
2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Milk

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream 

3 Egg Whites
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
A pinch Salt
1/4 Cup Strawberry Puree

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F (180 degree C). Grease and line 9 - inch cake pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl beat Butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add Sugar and beat for another 2 minutes until incorporated.
Then add Eggs one by one. Scrape down the sides, add yolk and vanilla beating for few more minutes.

Putting speed on low add half of the dry ingredients to the batter. Scraping down the sides add milk and then the rest of the dry ingredients until well incorporated.  

Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and Bake for about 25 - 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool at the room temperature.

For the butter cream, put egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. With an electric hand mixer, beat constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot. Remove from heat.

Continue whipping the mixture until thick, glossy and cool. While mixing on medium speed, keep adding softened butter chunks until incorporated and mix till it has reached a smooth texture. If curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth. Add Vanilla and Salt.

Before frosting the cake, add strawberry puree in the butter cream and beat for around 10 seconds. Reserve 1 cup of butter cream for piping on top.

For assembling: Place one cake layer on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 a cup of frosting on the layer. Repeat this process with the second layer too. Smear the rest of the frosting on the sides of the cake.  

Cover and refrigerate the cake. Leave out in room temperature for a while before serving.

Misty Mountains Cake

For the first time ever I knew in advance what I was going to bake for Sid's birthday.

That's very rare as I am usually not a very organised person. I hunt for recipes at the last minute, raising expectations and then fighting tooth and nail to meet them. 

But this time I knew, no confusion, no last minute changes...none! Yay! 

Last year's birthday cake was beautiful and delicious! Even if it was a result of my cravings more than his birthday, yet it was very well received.

But this years Black Forest bewildered us all. It was not just beautiful mountain peaks but also the yummiest cake we've ever had. 

{Lots of chocolate, lots of cherries, lots of spiked cherry syrup and lots of whipped cream}

His birthday is one day when I love to push myself to limits I never believe are attainable. He gives me support and confidence in myself.

For a man who likes his things simple and food even simpler... 

Recipe Follows:

Chocolate Devil's Food Layer Cake : Fanny

3 Cups All purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
3 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
4 Eggs, room temperature
1/2 Cup Boiling Water

1 Cup Buttermilk, room temperature
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

For the Frosting

2-3 Cups of Whipping Cream

Additional

A small can of Cherries

2 Tsp Rum (Optional)
Chocolate Shavings

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F (170 degree C) and grease nine inch pan, and line it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, mix boiling water with cocoa powder until smooth.

On a medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. To the mixture add eggs, one by one. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Turn to low speed and add in 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of chocolate mixture. Repeat with the remaining mixture until just incorporated.

Divide the batter (about 1 cup) and pour into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Place the cakes on the wire rack to cool. Let them cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: Beat whipping cream in a large  bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy and just double in volume. 

Deseed and roughly chop cherries. Mix half a cup of cherry syrup with two tsp of rum ( if using).

  

For assembling: Place one cake layer on the serving plate and soak it with Cherry syrup following with chopped cherries. Spread about 1/2 a cup of frosting on the layer. Repeat this process with the second layer too. Smear the rest of the frosting on the sides of the cake.  

On top throw spoonful of frosting while pulling up the ends to form peaks from the whipped cream.
Cover the cake with chocolate shavings and cherries (if you like).

Cover and refrigerate the cake. Leave out in room temperature for a while before serving.