Eat Cake!!

So its that time of the year, when all the paper mache and the bells, stars and the decorative lights, come out of the attic. And the Christmas tree is decorated, with an expectation of pleasant season ahead. And in my house, I cannot neglect to bring out the Getco, my humble oven, which has assisted me during my countless baking experiences in this short life.

Yes, it’s also the time for Cake. Though, I would agree that there is no specific time to have a cake( and eat it too.) Eating a good cake is one of the most pleasing experience, a person can have in life. Cake is said to be the dispersant of all the worries and troubles. An entire novel has been written around the cake(which I read and found to be light and interesting).

Personally I have never loved a cake, if its not the mawa cupcake from the merwan bakery(at Grant Road in Mumbai)(here, I deviate from my rule of not advertising any establishment or product through my post, simply because I have not found any competition to those light, delicious cakes, and they are worth making an exception.), or if I have not made it personally. I have had many cakes from different bakeries, and many I liked, but none I loved.

I personally bake a cake atleast twice a year(Cooking being one of my hobby, and baking a cake being at the core of it). Once for Christmas and once for the Easter. I have tried many cook books, seen many TV shows, to find out the best method of preparing a cake. But I never seemed to get it right. The cake was either heavy, or more crumpled. Until last year, when the brother-in-law, of my brother-in-law(whew!! exhausted while typing it twice), gave me a very basic recipe for preparing a cake. And I found it to be one of the best for home made cakes. So let me share it with you all.

You require 1/4 kg butter, 1/4 kg Refined flour, 1/4 kg Powdered  Sugar, 6 Eggs, Vanilla Essence and Half a teaspoon of Baking powder and a pinch of Salt. You can also use equal quantities of Semolina(Rava) and Refined Flour to get 1/4 kg of the mixture instead of using refined flour. Any bigger size you require, increase the ingredients in proportion. And finally you will need all the dryfruits that you want to have. Some people prefer to soak the dry fruits in white rum, to get a different flavour. I am extremely sorry for all my veggie friends, but I do not know how to make a veggie cake. I can’t imagine how a cake can be without eggs. No offense meant.

Its very easy. Whip the butter, Whip the eggs. Mix them. Add sugar. Mix well. Add flour ( or flour and semolina mixture) and mix well. Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well. Then add half a teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt. And mix again. Be sure not to leave lumps of butter, sugar or flour during all this mixing. And loo!! You have the batter.

Now just add some dryfruits(if you need a fruit cake), and get it baked at your local bakers or in your oven. Use the oven’s manual for correct temperatures since I do not know them( my getco didn’t have a temperature indicator. There were only two modes, baked or unbaked, which was determined by a thin poking stick).

My getco is no longer functional after all these years of service. But my neighbouring baker is in good business. So I am destined to bake my own cake this year too.

Happy Baking to all…… and Eat Cake.