Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes/Sponge Cake 1

So here goes my first post on Eggless Bakes. I love cakes, cuppies, cake-jars, anything to do with cakes. I have been baking cakes for almost 7 years now. Just that, at that point, I never took pictures.. It is only off-late that I started my blog and I knew I had to take ''good pictures'' to increase one's appetite..hahaha....
   I have tried endless vanilla cake recipes and there are a couple of versions which turn out great. I will be sharing others as well in separate posts..For now, this is a no fail Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes/Sponge Cake recipe, which includes butter in it. It is extra spongy, melts in your mouth,when you take your first bite (if you include optional ingredients) and disappears in no time. The aroma of vanilla is so pleasant the it actually calms your mind and will definitely make you forget what you were busy thinking of. Excited ?? So lets get baking...


Ingredients

• Maida - 150 Gms
• Butter- 60 ml (room temperature)
• Condensed milk- 250 ml
• Baking soda - 1/2 Tsp
• Baking powder - 2 Tsp
• Water- Half  Cup
• Vanilla essence/Powder - 2 Tsp

Optional Ingredients

• Milk Powder- 2 Tsp
• Plain yogurt(Curd) - 1 cup (250 ml)
• Cooking oil - 2-3 Tsp
• Milk - 2 Tbsp

NOTE : Use curd at room temperature


Method:

Measure all the dry ingredients and sieve maida ,baking powder, baking soda, milk powder,vanilla powder twice to incorporate air which make the cake light and fluffy.

Cream the butter, till it turns pale and fluffy. You can either use a hand mixer or stand mixer. If  you don't have either, then, you could use a hand whisk and work your arm muscles!!

Add the condensed milk, vanilla (if using extract/essence), water, optional ingredients (liquids) and beat well for about 3 minutes.

At this stage, if it looks like your batter has curdled, don't worry, at the end it will all combine to form a smooth batter.

Now add the sifted dry ingredients mix (optional ingredients as well),  spoon by spoon, till it all combines well. Do not over mix. Mix only until you see no lumps.

Preheat your oven at 180 deg Celsius for 10 mins.

Meanwhile grease your cake tin with butter at the bottom and the sides, put  parchment paper on the bottom and pour the batter into the tin and keep it ready.

If using cup cake/muffin mould, then line the cavities with cup cake liners and use an ice cream scooper and scoop out equal amounts of the batter in each case. Fill only 3/4th of it.

Bake this for 35-45 mins or once a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

These two images are shared by my sister Divya Ostwal.

Allow the cake to cool down completely and then once cool,  invert it on a cooling rack and remove the butter paper. Then you could enjoy it as is or frost it..

A few Tips:

• Don't get frightened looking at the additional ingredients. This is a standard recipe, where the actual ingredients makes a soft sponge, but, with what I have experimented with, is the usage of these additional ingredients makes my cakes extra moist and buttery soft. 

• Also after the batter is ready, do not allow the batter to sit for more than the preheating time as baking soda reacts faster.  Cakes might get hard if the batter is left for 30 mins after mixing.

• I make both cakes and cupcakes from this recipe.

• Always select a pan such that the batter is close to 3/4th of it or slightly above 1/2 of it. And the time for baking depends on the cake pan and oven too. Mine usually  bakes in 35 mins.

• While inserting a knife/skewer or toothpick, try checking the centre of the pan. If it hasn't cooked completely even after the specified time and is slightly sticky. Just cover the top of the cake with butter paper/foil or leave it as is and bake it for another 5 -8 more mins, it will be perfect. The butter paper covering will avoid more browning on top at the same time the centre will be cooked perfectly.

• In another  recipe post I will be teaching baking basics for beginners and also how  to cut layers, torte, fill and frost a cake with fresh cream,butter cream and ganache.

Watch this space for more....

Do try this and leave me a comment!