Thursday, June 16, 2011

Eggless Golden Vanilla Cake

The last month went by at warp speed- it seemed that mere minutes after my sister arrived, her visit was over and she's winging her way back to India. We packed much crafting, cooking, eating, shopping, walks and movies into a few short weeks and made a lifetime's worth of memories.

One of the highlights of the trip was the Sunday when we rented kayaks and went on a float trip on the Meramac river. Kashmira is a water baby and enjoyed every minute of paddling downstream; at the end of the trip, she jumped into the river and had herself a good swim too.

A couple of weeks ago, Neighbor Girl announced that she will be going to Haiti to spend a few days volunteering in an orphanage. Kashmira jumped up right away and decided to sew a few toys to send to Haiti. And that's how she ended up with a dozen stuffed chickens and a couple of stuffed fish. We hope they bring big smiles and hours of play for a few little kids in Haiti.

These toys are very simple to sew, even for a beginner like me, and we'll write a little tutorial one of these days if any of you are interested in making them.



And I am thrilled to announce that my ratty old oven mitts have been replaced with these vibrant new ones, sewn by my sister of course.


Kashmira and I swapped skills- she gave me sewing tutorials and I taught her some basic crochet stitches. A few hours after learning to make her first crochet chain, she made these adorable little butterfly clips. The cute and easy butterfly pattern is here.


I bought a punnet of local strawberries and wanted to make a simple vanilla cake to serve with them. This recipe was a runaway success- I would never have expected that a simple eggless cake made with the most basic pantry ingredients could taste so moist, tender and crave-worthy.

Eggless Golden Vanilla Cake
(Adapted from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World 
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero; I found the recipe here)


  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
  2. Spray an 8 inch round cake pan with baking spray.
  3. Stir 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar into 1 cup milk and set aside for 10 minutes. 
  4. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside: 1  1 cup all purpose flour, 2 tbsp. cornstarch, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt
  5. Cream 1 stick (1 cup) butter and 3 cup sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  6. Alternately fold the dry ingredients and milk into the butter-sugar mixture.
  7. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden on top and baked through. 
I served slices of the cake with sliced fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream for a summer treat. It would be lovely to turn this cake into a festive dessert centerpiece by slicing it in layers horizontally and sandwiching the layers with strawberry preserves, then topping the cake with a thick layer of strawberries and cream. 

Speaking of cake, my darling friend Sutapa was telling me about a very fun cake fundraiser that she hosted a few weeks ago. She baked a variety of baked goods and asked her friends to contribute funds to be donated to the Child Aid Foundation which educates underprivileged kids in Andhra Pradesh, India. Sutapa baked chocolate cake and carrot cake using a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, self-frosting Nutella cupcakes, and lemon coconut cake. Sutapa says she wants to thank her friends BS, NS, BS again, AH, MH, CB, JP, UJ, RP and FB for showing up on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, devouring cake and donating generously, because they raised enough money in a couple of hours to buy rice for a few months for the school lunch and to subsidize school for one little girl. Cake to rice- I love it! 


Enjoy the rest of the week, everyone.

38 comments:

  1. Those chickens look so cute! I am glad you had a wonderful time with your sister. This is a simple cake recipe for the summer time!

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  2. Dear Nupur, I have never been much of a needle person as I am always a bit impatient. But after seeing those cute little chickens I have decided to wait for your post on instructions.

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  3. those toys are so damn cute, and its so thoughtful of your sister to give of her time and talents. am gonna try this cake soon... i prefer eggless bakes even tho i do eat eggs

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  4. Very, VERY good looking cake! I am a fan--which should not surprise you one bit! (LOL!) I am also a big fan of the sew-alongs you and sis shared. How fun--I bet you miss her terribly. Those oven mitts are adorable!

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  5. All the homemade stuff looks absolutely adorable. You sisters are definitely crafty. Eggless vanilla cake looks yummy.

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  6. Glad you had so much fun on your trip. Those toys and mitts look so cute, I would love to learn them to sew :)

    The golden vanilla cake is absolutely gorgeous and awesome looking :)

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  7. Those toys are so adorable!! That's absolutely wonderful of your sister to chip in while on her vacation. You sisters are really talented!

    I'm taking inspiration from all the baking you lovely bloggers do...am starting to take up baking slowly. great recipe.

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  8. what a beautiful gesture to give these cuites to kids , these sure will bring a smile on their face.

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  9. Your sister is a sweetheart and so are you. The cake looks delicious.

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  10. Lovely cake !

    Your sister is extremely talented ! those toys look adorable and will definitely bring joy to kids in Haiti...

    -Mili

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  11. those toys are sooo darn cute! :) love the cake too!

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  12. The cake looks awesome! Will try it soon.

    The fabric toys are SO cute! How thoughtful of Kashmira to make some for those kids. And those mitts...oh LOVE the fabric she used for them.

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  13. wow..the fish and chicken look fabulous..my kids are happy just seeing them online :)Can I contact Kashmira here somewhere in India? Cake looks so good..

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  14. Wow Nupur, you sisters are so talented and creative...loved the stuffed toys, they are cute..Does she have a store in Bangalore or does she only sell it online ? Do let me know..The cake looks lovely, must try sandwiching it with mangoes and cream...

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  15. Please do write a tutorial about the chickens. I have a 7 year old at home who dreams of sewing things and i on other hand is absolute illiterate on that.
    So a tutorial from you will be great.
    Also a small start up kit ideas plus tutorials with photo on crochet will be great.
    The cakes looks yummy.
    I have started organising a baking club in the govt. quarters we are living. 5 girls including my one participate and we do have a great fun.
    Here I have noted down the whys and concept of having this all fun baking club.
    http://blog-e-zine.blogspot.com/2011/04/swirly-chocolaty-muffins-genesis-of.html
    Any ideas for this are welcome.

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  16. The toys are so adorable! Please do post a tutorial… would love to make them with my baby and nieces! :) The cake looks good too!

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  17. Sharan- Thanks! Yes, this cake can be dressed up in different ways (or eaten plain) and is perfect for summer.

    Radhika- I'll try and post the tutorial in the next month. Crafts do need a certain amount of patience but this project is a quick one.

    arundati- I can't say that I do much eggless baking but I was very impressed with how this recipe turned out, and no eggy smell :)

    Kelly- Oh yes, I do miss her terribly. Hopefully video chats and e-mails will keep our craft-alongs going :)

    Pavani- Thanks! Yes, the two of us do enjoy crafting very much :)

    Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal- Thank you. The cake did turn out very well and is a keeper recipe!

    Snehal- If you are new to baking, this recipe is a good one- easy and with few ingredients. Give it a try :)

    Sreelu- I do hope so! We're very eager for Neighbor Girl to get back from her trip and tell us about her experiences.

    indosungod- My sister certainly is, me, not so much! :D

    Mili- Thanks!

    Manju- Thank you!

    Amruta- I loved that fabric that we picked out for the mitts too, it is so cheerful and retro somehow. Kashmira made V a lunch tote from the same fabric :)

    Madhuli- Aww- there are more colorful pictures on Kashmira's Facebook page if your kids would like to see them:

    You can contact kashmira on this e-mail ID: Kala DOT Koyree AT gmail DOT com

    Arch- Ooh mangoes and cream would be divine, if I got good mangoes here that is :)
    Kashmira does sell in a store and various craft bazaars in Bangalore and out of her home. If you're interested, e-mail her at Kala DOT Koyree AT gmail DOT com

    chandrima- Your baking club sounds like a lot of fun. As for crochet tutorials, there are dozens of great ones on the Internet, a quick search will give you lots of ideas. Check out the comments on this post for lots of ideas on kid crafts:
    http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/02/home-style-punjabi-dal.html

    The Housewife- I'm not sure that the tutorial would be suitable for a baby to do, it requires using scissors and a sewing machine but I'll post it and let you decide!

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  18. Hey Nupur,

    Yes ! Yes ! Yes !
    Would love to learn to sew those cute chickens & Fish ! I'm already a fan of Kala Koyree on Facebook !

    Cake looks awesome- will try it out soon........

    Love to Dale !
    Leena

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  19. Wowww.. now this is soooo soo Yummy looking.. I lovee cakes :D

    PS: Thank you for the Amti recipe.. It came out great.. :D

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  20. Those toys are absolutely darling!!! Can't wait to see the tutorial. Thanks to you, I've crocheted some toys for my little one.

    Mamatha

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  21. Hi Nupur,

    Thanks a lot for the sweet mention on your blog. Its really nice of you :) Do let us know of neigbour girl's experiences in Haiti. I'm sure the children will love the stuff toys. Oh! I have a question about your cake - could you please suggest a substitute for the apple cider vinegar? I'd really like to make this one some time soon.

    Love,
    Shoots :)

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  22. Those are the cutest toys and I shared the FB pics with everyone I know in Bangalore (and others too). :)

    The vanilla cake - would not be possible to be so fluffy without the buttermilk (separated milk) - I have realised that it makes a huge difference - what a beautiful cake.

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  23. Leena- I'll try and post the tutorial in the next couple of weeks so please check back. Thanks so much for supporting Kala Koyree on FB- I really appreciate that!

    thekitchenaffaire- Glad the amti recipe worked for you!

    Mamatha- You made some amigurumi? Love those cute little patterns!

    Shoots- Instead of the vinegar-yogurt mixture, use some buttermilk or plain yogurt. I think that would be a great substitute. And wow, I am impressed with your baking skills (and baking enthu), girl!

    Miri- Thanks so much for sharing the FB pics- very very sweet of you! You are right, buttermilk (whether dairy or a vegan version) is what is making this cake fluffy and tender.

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  24. Cute stuff and yummy cake.

    Could I have Kala Koyree's details in Bangalore. Kashmira has stuff my mother would love to take a look at.

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  25. I haven't seen a recipe that calls for sour milk in a long time -- back in the 'old days' that was a regular substitute for the leavening power of eggs or even baking soda/cream of tartar. Cake looks great and so does the mushroom pulao previous! And you went out for Ethiopian, hooray!

    I especially love the stuffed chickens :)

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  26. What darling toys and a lovely cake! Can I leave out cornstarch?
    Also, is regular vinegar ok, instead of apple cider vinegar?

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  27. Cute, cute, cute!! The fishies, the mitts and the clips are all so sweet. The cake looks delish too and since my bestie has gone vegan, it's nice to find more eggless recipes around. :)

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  28. Hey,

    I made this tonight for a cousin's birthday because I had to feed kids with milk and egg allergies. And guess whatI used the original recipe with soy milk but tup instead of margarine.

    thanks a lot,

    Vishakha

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  29. Nupur, I just spent an hour reading all the previous posts. Congrats to your sister! She has a beautiful collection. I have bookmarked the etsy store and will browse it more leisurely. The toys are the cutest. I have also bookmarked this vanilla cake recipe and will be trying it over the weekend. Hugs,

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  30. Hi Nupur,

    I love reading your blog and trying out your recipes. Have you given any thought to add your recipes to a recipe organizer software (online) like Kitchen Monki or something which allows organizing recipes and preparing shopping lists much easier? Thoughts?

    Best wishes,
    Mudita

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  31. wow! you sisters are so wonderfully talented! I loved those toys she made and the gloves and the hair clips too! They're are absolutely creative and lovely!

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  32. Sister times are simply the best, aren't they :)

    Being a vegetarian and a home-baked caked lover is quite difficult. After trying many recipes for that correct cake, finally my sister and I have settled on this one:

    Maida: 1 and 1/2 cups
    Cocoa powder: 1 cup
    Powered/castor sugar - 1 cup
    Or 1 400 gm tin of Nestle's Milkmaid(sweetened condensed milk)
    Butter - 125 gms
    Flovouring essence of your choice : 2 teaspoon
    Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
    Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
    Little milk to mix

    Mix all the ingredients and ensure there are no lumps.

    Scrape in to a greased baking bowl and bake till fully done (check by inserting a knife all the way through and removing, no residue must show.)



    If you put in some melted chocolate before baking, you get a very interesting cake(incase baking soda by half a spoon)


    Remove the cocoa powder, half a cup more maida, pineapple pieces and essences....voila! Pineapple cake!


    Cake are my all time favourite treats, hope you enjoy my recipe :)

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  33. Nice cake!!! I'm always on the lookout for a good eggless cake recipe!!

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  34. Raaga- I've e-mailed you details of Kala Koyree's contact info- thanks for the interest!

    Linda- I know, sour milk is a great substitute because I don't always have buttermilk on hand (although these days I keep buttermilk powder in the fridge).

    Manasi- Cornstarch adds lightness to the cake so I would not leave it out. You could try with regular vinegar, hope it is not too harsh tasting in the final cake.

    May- Thanks :) Using vegan butter/margarine and soy milk would make this cake vegan.

    Vishakha- Glad the recipe worked for you and make kids happy!

    Mandira- Thanks so much :) hope you enjoy the vanilla cake.

    Mudita- I'm glad you enjoy my blog! No, I have no plans to add my recipes to any organizer.

    Anu- Thank you very much!

    farustar- Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Rujuta- Thanks!

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  35. Hello Nupur,

    Stumbled on your blog from ..(i dont remember now! :)) Was surfing around and landed up on your page and am glad I did :)
    Your page is very pretty and I loved the little chickens and fishes- very cute!
    Will stop by again soon.
    -Soumya

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  36. If apple cider vinegar is not available then what can be used as replacement?

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  37. This cake turned out great! I used thinned out yogurt instead of milk+vinegar and cardamom powder instead of vanilla. It was light and soft. I will definitely make this again. Thanks Nupur!

    - Priti

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  38. Nice Recipe...eggless vanilla cake i will try this . I have tried Eggless Cake Recipes .this one is slightly different i will try this.

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