MAYAZ'S CITRUS DRIZZLE CAKE

Cakes are not really my speciality yet because I love eating them I keep trying to make cakes one after the other some flop and become the biggest disaster and some come out fab fortunately, when I do them for family and friends i'm very ,very careful with measurements that is one way of making sure the cake turns out really well. And then there are other times when I'm baking for treating myself where I do all the experiments the trick then I use is very difficult to explain yet its as easy as saying I just follow my head automatically with no precision at all. These cakes become desasters in terms that they may not rise or burn , not have that taste I was thinking it will have but to honest they are alright if I do the denting painting I can use them. One of the first things I learnt in baking cakes was not to panic beacuse the more you panic the more bad result you get. One needs to enjoy the whole process irrespective of which cake you're baking. There are very different kinds of cakes and loads of different ways of having them some cakes are good with tea some are good with coffee some as deserts and some as treats or comforting elements in one's life. When I was younger we only had cakes at birthdays that too was served to the gustes and by the time we got it there was only the corner peices left which had more creame than the cake itself. I quite liked the decorative cakes but the issue that I came accross with those cakes were that they had way too many calories and I could only eat them once in a while. In my conuntry I could only find either pond cake or some decoratives but when i shifted to united kingdom I realized there were cakes that were lighter to have and less sweeter too.

A friend of steff once brought a lemon cake that was so light, fluffy and the best cake i've ever had in my life. I remember I had invited her over for a farewell dinner at our place and she'd brought this cake my husband and I fought over the last slice infront of them.since then i've been on a look out for recipes that are lemon cakes but are'nt even close to that cake of steff 's cake but this one I like till I have her secret recipe.This recipe I find too easy to follow all in one type cake. If and when i've made this cake no matter what size cake it is it just finishes with the same day. It always too little in size for the likes of my house hope its the same for you when you try it. Enjoy in good health..:)

INGREDIENTS:-

• 175g Self Raising Flour


• 175g Sugar


• 175g Butter


• 1tsp Baking Powder


• 3 Eggs


• 2 Tbsp Milk


• Finely Grated Rind Of 1 Lemon


• Grated Rind Of 2 Oranges

Syrup

• Juice Of 2 Lemons/1 Orange


• 115g Caster Sugar

METHOD:-

1. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg C, gas mark 4.


2. Grease your tin prefereably a 9" one.


3. Seive the flour and baking powder in a bowl.


4. Add all other ingredients in it and mix well but don't over do it.


5. Bake for 45 to 50 mins or until cooked well.


6. Till the cake is baked in a small pan add sugar and lemon/orange juice and warm it till the sugar melts, but make sure it does not boil.


7. Once the cake is bake and out turn it over and drizzle the syrup straight away.

Over mixing a cake batter lets all the air out of it and your cake may not rise enough and similarly cooking too long makes your cakes texture to be more crumbs like then it feels like you're have a thick cookie so don't be tempted to leave the cake in for over cooking it. I don't like too much sour taste so I use orange juice for the syrup but you can use either of the citrus fruit they are both equally good.

MAYAZ'S COOKIE DOOKIE...;)

Nothing better to have on a cold winter night than to have hot chocolate or coffee with nice homemade cookies. The good thing about doing home baking or cooking is that in the same amount of money you have double

the food that you would have if you bought a packet or ready made meals or cookie jars. There fore I've always prefered to cook my own meals plus it gives more satisfation of knowing what you're eating, your brain beomes more creative and the most important part of it is that if your children like to help in the kitchen you get more time to spend with them plus they learn a skill or two from you. In my case I love having them arround in my kitchen to see them lerning something new to do is a pleasure. Making cookies is their favourite thing to do with me they can be creative and make any shaped cookie or size they like. On occassions we have made cookies and used them as gifts to giv to our family and friends that we have. A lot of people think that its a hassle to have kids arround the kitchen, its more messy and so on but look at the broght side you're teaching them things that they will carry on teaching their kids plus its proven that anything thaught by play is the best way to teach any child so beleiving that I try and keep my kids playing in every task
arround the house keeping all the health and risk factors in mind ofcourse. These cookies I made first three years back for one of my boys birthday parcel great idea tht was kids loved it in school. I made them in round and star shapes you can make any shape that you like two batches will make about 90 cookies to keep and give out to friends which ever way you like. I also dip my cookies in hot melted chocolate and let them rest in the fridge over night you can leave them outside too if you like in a country thats not too hot climatically. These cookies are stored in an air tight container for about a week and a half mine don't last longer than thatbecause the kids finish it before that So am never sure if these will last longer or not. I hope this recipe will bring you joy, happiness and health sharing wih your friends and family on christmas and new year happy holidays..:)

INGREDIENTS:-

• Butter 225 g/8oz
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Plain flour 280 g/ 10 oz
• Caster Sugar 140 g/50z
• Pinch salt
• Cookie cutters
• grease proof paper two big square shaped peices.

METHOD:-

1. Pre- heat oven to 190 deg/gas mark 5.
2. Grease the baking sheet and line with baking sheets.
3. In a bowl mix butter and sugar and mix well until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
5. Sift the flour and salt into the mixture stir till the mixture is just combined don't over mix or your cookies will not rise well.
6. Halve the dough cover in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 40-60 mins.
   
7. Place one sheet of grease proof paper on the counter, now unwrap and place one dough ball on top of it and place the other sheet over it and roll. This will help preenting the dough from sticking on to the counter.
   
8. Once you've rolledout to the thickness of about 1/6 inch cut into the shapes you like with your cookie cutters.
9. Bake until golden brown just about 5-8 mins, when done place them onto a cooling rack until completely cooled down.

Once completely cooled you can decorate them as you like have on different ccassions dne different things but the best result I got was when I dipped them in chocolate and let the cool in the fridge. Best thing about these cookies is they are easy to make, keeps kids busy and can be used both as gifts and or to treat kids or yourself anytime. while baking these cookies make sure you keep them well apart because when the heat hits the cookie dough the butter,and sugar melt and expand needing more place then we may think they need. me and my family love making these hope you will too...healthy eating....:)

MAYAZ'S FRESH CREAM PINEAPPLE CAKE

I'm in particular is not a big fan of pineapples but a few years back I read somewhere online that it helps in muscular pains especially the after exercise ones. which sort of inspired me to learn this recipe and work to make it work in best ways for me. I love baking cakes and experimenting different flavours, over the years I can just bake the cake right to my taste and thought its best to share my techniques and give the confidence that I have to others that anyone can cook if you know your basics well then all you need is practice them till you get to a point where not only your guests,friends and family say its yummy but you like them too.

In this cake the other main key ingredient is ground almonds that's add to the flavour of pineapples. I'm no chef and cook but I can certainly say this combination works well for reason of its own. when I first baked the cake it was the biggest disaster ever but over the last 3 years I made it over and over again so many times than tried making for school fare's,one dish parties and you name it first few times people said it was nice but as I kept making it people praised it more and more every time, even more which gave me two things in particular one the confidence to bake and two to try out things and practice even more. If a person ever looses the confidence then he can't do anything I would advice Don't start with the thought of being a pro because that can make one over confident resulting in a disaster.

In this cake you need to cut half way and people who are perfectionists may want proper tools but a knife works equally well if your hand is sturdy. You can use any sort of decorating ingredients for example if your like chocolate more you can have chocolate icing or strawberry frosting and so on but just plain double creams works best, yet again I would say anything that's works well for your taste buds will work well with others too. Fresh pineapple cakes are not normals cakes they do require some patience in terms of making with a relaxed mind would be best, and make sure you're not making or doing anything other than this sponge cake. Sponge cakes can go wrong greatly if the timing is not right. I hope your family will enjoy this cake for lots of occasions and festivities in all different parts of the world....:)

INGREDIENTS:-

• 1 400g Pineapple can.( keeping the syrup from the can)
• 1/4 Pineapple juice.
• 1 Cup Self raising flour.
• 1/4 Cups Ground almonds.
• 1/2 Cups caster sugar(you can add 1/2 cups more if you like it sweeter).
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder.
• 5 Medium sized eggs separated.
• 300g Butter (soft but not melted, leave it out the night before).
• 1-2 tsp Vanilla extract.
• Pinch Salt.
• 200-300g Double cream for frosting.

METHOD:-

1. Line the tin preferably a round tin. (but if you don't have one its OK to use a square one too)
2. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg.
3. In a bowl separate egg whites and egg yolks.
4. Mix sugar,vanilla extract and egg yolks and beat well at medium speed if using electric beater.Beat until its become airy and fluffy.
5. In a bowl sift flour,salt and baking powder.
6. Add to the egg an sugar mixture, fold in very carefully making the shape of 8.
7. Then add ground almonds and mix very lightly not too much.
8. In a bowl beat egg whites at high speed, until they start to form soft peaks. don't over do it otherwise the cake will not rise enough and won't be light and airy.
9. Fold into the mixture now and with a spatula mix only till you don't see the egg whites, but still see the bubbles.
10. Pour the mixture in the tin and bake for about 35-40 Min's.
11. Once out of the oven let it cool down completely.
12. Cut it diagonally in half keeping hand steady and in the center, keep them both on separate plates facing the insides out facing you.
13. Now take the can syrup and pineapple juice mix them in a jug and with the help of a big soup spoon pour it oer both halves.
14. Don't have to use all the juice just use enough to soak you cake.
15. Leave them over night to soak well and the work well as a sponge.
16. Beat the double cream to make peaks.
17. Then apply a very thin layer of double cream to the side that you want to keep as the bottom of the cake.
18. Cut your pineapple in small pieces and spread it all round the cake over the cream.
19. Place the other half of the cake on top carefully since it will be ell soaked and fragile.
20. Now cover the cake all over with the double cream as lavishly as you like or as scarcely as you like according to you liking and decorate to challenge your creativity.

Remember this cake is not difficult to make and every one can bake provided they're timing is right,the temprature is right. Your frosting can have food colouring added to it so don't just stop at decorating it white get colourful and add some variety to life. Also there in no hard and fast rule that you have to use double cream you can use single cream of no cream at all. Its always great to remember that this is adding and subtracting from the basic recipes to your liking these recipes are what I like but is not compulsory that you may like the same taste. So feel free to be wild and creative and confident enough to try new things in life so you know what's you ad whats not....hope you enjoy making this cake will soon update this particular blog with more pics to make it easy for everyone...tata...:)

PS NOTE:- next up is "DO NUTS"

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Sorry first of all to all who follow my blog and are visiting here for something new every now and than .Have been extremely busy with studies and kids holidays. Finally got some time and thought for all who love cakes and that too a chocolate cake here's a treat.

The first cake that I ever baked was a chocolate cake when I was just about 10 years old. At the time had very little knowledge about the ingredients just knew there was flour,eggs and baking powder in it. But interestingly enough I did not know that this flour was not the wheat flour that we make chapatis with, it was plain flour I suppose its the language barrier because even when some one said plain flour the thought that came to my mind was that its simply plain flour. Any way I soon discovered that it was not the right flour I'm using and worked on my baking again and again and again. For me cake baking has become the easiest thing to do in the kitchen over the years. It took me some time to get the hang of it and the must thing that I learnt about baking is that one needs to practice a lot. sometimes the cakes go flat but that's the best thing about cake baking that even if its flat yet cooked properly its not a disaster its still successful cake baking in my opinion. Until a few years back I thought if the cake cracked in the middle it was not good enough to present in front of the guests but soon after I learnt a secret that's shouted out so loud that its no more a secret really which is that the icing is invented to cover up your cake cracks and hiding one's blunders.


Even though I've never been a very big fan of chocolate itself I still love making this cake with recently finding out facts that it has a lots of healing power and major health benefits, and the best two I found were that it helps muscles to recover from exercise and improves skin. It also helps in preventing blood clotting . As a child we got chocolates as treats and that too in ration and our mum always told us its not good for our teeth but what she didn't know was that later studies would tell us that it helps release mucus when we have cold and cough so in short its healthy if taken in moderation of course. With all that knowledge i hope you will enjoy making this recipe for kids, for yourself and or guests at a party.


INGREDIENTS:-

• 4 Eggs
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
• 300 g butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:-

1. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg.
2. Grease and line the tin before making the cake mix.
3. Put all the dry in a bowl through a sieve.
4. In a separate bowl mix sugar and butter well until they change colour and feel light and fluffy.
5. Make sure the butter being used is completely melted not in microwave just at room temperature.
6. Now add eggs one at a time gradually mixing well.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and do this initially spoon by spoon and than all of it.
8. while mixing add milk to it as well so that you have a smooth paste like consistency.
9. pour the mixture in the prepared tin and bake for 30-45 Min's in a pre- heated oven. check with a skewer or a butter knife.
10. let it cool down before you turn it over.

FROSTING:-

INGREDIENTS:-

• 100 g cooking milk chocolate
• 1 cup double cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream

METHOD:-

1. melt chocolate on a double boiler.
2. take it off the stove add the double cream and sour cream and mix well.
3. as you will mix the cold cream you will notice that's it starts to thicken a bit and then just pour it over the cake and dust it with icing sugar or decorate as you like.

when making the cake remember if you like it to be chewy add more butter and don't over bake the cake. if you like it a bit on the crumbly side then bake another 5 Min's. enjoy the luxurious delight as a treat with coffee or coke anything you like. Use it for kids party or dinner party for adults its a simple and delightful cake to enjoy. hope you like it.

cake...

Cakes are the easiest things in the world to make in my opinion. Its the practice you really need to make it perfect as we may want it to be like the ones we have either seen in a bakery,cooking magazine or in grocery stores. what we tend to forget is that those people who make them that perfect have been doing for so many years to get to that stage. When i baked my first cake i was about 9 years old. Since then i have loved making and experimenting with cake recipes. The most important things that i learnt in baking were one never panic,and second always know your basic recipe and you'll have a great cake. The trick is to keep you recipe simple in measurements and less in quantities. the simpler the things the better the less the quantities of ingredients the better the practice and less waste of food. when baking a cake decide if you want a sponge cake or simple pound cake.if making a pound cake keep the quantity of butter a little more than you would have in a sponge cake.

When you bake a cake first things first always preheat the oven to the required temperature and line a time before preparing for the mixture or batter. otherwise the air that's locked in the mixture is gone which helps the cake to rise so it may become a flat cake rather than a nice springy cake.

Here is a recipe that's always worked for me. Its of a simple pound cake recipe but once you're confident making it you can add and subtract in the recipe.you can even use this recipe for simple juicy sponge cakes. So here goes hope you like it and have fun making and eating as much as i do always.

INGREDIENTS:-

• 3 Medium eggs
  
• 1 Cup Self-raising flour
  
• 1/2 Of 500gs Butter pack
  
• Some milk
  
• 1Cup sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla essence/extract.

METHOD:-

1. Pre-heat over to 180 deg.
   
2. Line the tin or grease the tin with some butter and flour.
   
3. Keep the butter out of fridge and soften it at room temperature.
   
4. Sieve flour and salt together.
   
5. Mix the vanilla extract ,butter and sugar till light and fluffy,it should change colour from yellow to pale yellow or off white.
   
6. When the colour changes start adding eggs one at a time.
   
7. Now add flour spoon by spoon initially and then add all mix well.
   
8. If you think the mixture is too thick add a bit of milk and mix well not otherwise.
   
9. Now put the mixture in the grease or lined baking dish and bake for 35-40 Mins, or until the tooth pick comes out clean,and the cake is springy to touch.
   
10. Leave it in the tin till it cools down completely and then serve it with some coolie or sauce.

This is a recipe i have loved and has always worked well for me,but with making it almost every other week gave it its perfection so if you make it once and it does not come out well don't be discouraged. keep trying till you get to a point when you do all the steps automatically like a machine and your cakes ready in 30 Mins,do it till it becomes a habit to make a cake and without stress. ...enjoy and see you when i add a new recipe later... ;~)