Apricot Plum cake

It has been a long dormancy for the blog.
What better way to break it with a homemade apricot plum cake.
Belated July 4th to my American readers.

I made this cake for July 4th to celebrate America's 243rd year of Independence.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour             - 1 1/4 cup
Atta( whole wheat flour) - 1/2 cup
Plums                              - 4 ( peel off skin , scoop out the flesh)
Apricots                           - 2 ( peel off skin , scoop out the flesh)
Yogurt(curd)                    - 1/2 cup
Sugar                               - 1/2 cup
oil                                     - 2/3 cup
Baking powder                - 1 tsp
Baking soda                    - 1/2 tsp
Apple cider vinegar         - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder          - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder               - 1/4 tsp 
Salt                                   - 1/4 tsp
Almonds                           - 1/2 cup(chopped)

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients - the flours, baking powder, salt, cardamom, nutmeg and sugar in  a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a baking pan.
In a separate mix the oil/butter/yogurt/vinegar and the fruits together. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients taking care not to beat the mixture too much. At the end fold in the almonds.
Add the baking soda and mix gently. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 45 minutes or until done.
I baked mine in 2 pans.

Tips:
1.The original recipe used soy milk and vinegar. I replaced it with yogurt and half the quantity of vinegar.
2. I used a mix of oil and melted butter in the ratio 2:1.
3. My plums and apricots were very ripe so i was able to scoop the flesh out. you can chop them if they are firmer as per the original recipe.
4. I used a little more flour than the original recipe to make it the right consistency for a cake batter.
5. Flavoring with unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder will add to the taste of the cake.

Recipe source
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/eggless-plum-cake-recipe/

Ginger snap cookies

With the cold weather already settling in early this year it is time to get the baking recipes started and light up the fireplace.I started off my first cookie baking this year with ginger snaps.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour       - 1 1/2 cups

All purpose flour         - 1/2 cup

Soy flour                     - 1/4 cup

Baking powder           - 1 tsp

Nutmeg powder          - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Cocoa powder            - 1 tbsp

Fresh ginger               -  1 tbsp( grated)

Brown palm sugar     - 3/4 cup

White sugar               - 1/4 cup

Large egg                   - 1

Butter                         - 1 stick

Oil                              - 3 tbsp

Almond milk             - 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Salt                            - 1 tsp

Leave the butter out in room temperature for half hour. Powder the brown sugar.

Add all the dry ingredients together in the food processor and blend well. Now add the melted butter, oil and the egg yo the dry ingredients. Let them blend well. Add the milk and run the processor in dough setting for a couple of minutes until it forms a soft dough. 

Take the dough out and refrigerate it for an hour to two wrapped in cling wrap or a tight container.

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into one inch balls and flatten it to 1/2 inch thickness on a baking tray. Bake it for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 40 cookies.

Recipe source:

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/11/gingersnaps/