Carrot Cake

Ingredients –

All-purpose Flour (Maida) – 2 cups

Baking Powder – 1 t-spoon

Baking Soda – 1 t-spoon

Salt – ½ t-spoon

Cinnamon Powder – 1 t-spoon (as per your taste)

Nutmeg Powder – 1/4^th tsp

Yogurt – 1 cup

Brown Sugar – ½ cup, packed

Sugar – 1 cup

Vanilla -1 t-spoon

Carrots – 2 cups, finely shredded

Walnuts – 1/2 cup, chopped (reserve few for garnishing)

Unsalted Butter – 1 stick (4oz), melted

Eggs – 2

Procedure -

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F or 180 C.

1. In a mixing bowl, add All-purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Cinnamon Powder and Nutmeg Powder. Mix well. Sieve if possible.

2. In another large mixing bowl, add Yogurt, Brown Sugar, Sugar and Vanilla. Mix until sugar dissolves.

3. Take two bowls and break eggs separating white and yellow of eggs. Beat yellow and white separately. White should be very light and frothy.

4. Add Eggs to the sugar and yogurt mixture. Fold in the Flour mixture until a smooth batter is formed.

4. Add shredded carrots, walnuts and butter. Mix well but lightly.

5. Grease the bottoms and sides of 2 9” cake pans and dust with flour. (A

9”×13” rectangle pan can also be used.)

6. Evenly divide the batter into the 2 cake pans and smooth the top.

7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F/180C.

8. Remove from Oven and allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

9. Flip them out onto waxed or parchment paper and allow them to cool.

If you wish to frost this cake let the cake cool completely and then start frosting.

Focaccia bread topped with onion, garlic and peppers -

Ingredients –

For bread -

All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 2 and ½ cups

Warm Water – 2/3^rd cup

Rapid Rise Yeast – 1 t-spoon

Sugar – ½ t-spoon

Salt – 1 t-spoon

Olive Oil – 2 tb-spoon

For toppings -

Onion – 1/4 small, sliced finely

Garlic – 3 cloves, sliced

Green pepper(or red pepper whichever is available)  –thinly sliced

Olive oil – 2 tb-spoon

 Salt – to taste

Procedure -

1. In the food processor bowl (or mixing bowl if kneading by hand), mix Warm Water,

east and Sugar. Cover and keep for 5-10 mins until foamy.

2. Add Salt, Olive Oil and 4 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour (more can be added as needed).

3. Pulse the food processor until the dough comes together. Run the food processor for 1 minute. Add more flour (1/4 cup at at time) as needed until dough forms.

4. Knead dough on a floured work surface or large bowl for 1 minute or until a smooth ball forms.

5. Generously drizzle Olive Oil to coat the bottom of a 15×10 inch baking pan.

6. Place dough ball in pan and press into the bottom into an even rectangle shape.

7. Cover with kitchen towel and keep in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to rise.

Preheat Oven to 425F/218C

8. With your finger, gently make indentations one inch apart all over the dough.

9. In a small bowl, mix 2-3 Tbsp of Olive Oil with Rosemary and sliced Onions.

10. Spread the Oil mixture over the top of the risen dough. Arrange Onions/Rosemary

evenly over the top.

11. Bake Focaccia for approx. 20 mins at 425F/218C

Note:

1. What you need is light brown shade all over, little darker at corners. Don’t let the corners get burnt.

2. I have used rapid rise yeast here. If you are using regular dry yeast, the process of kneading the dove should be done twice. Let the dove rise first and again you have to knead, remove all the air. Then let the dove rise in a greased baking tray.

3. Try to use fresh packet of yeast.