Rich home-baked treats

These are some simple home bakes that can be made with easily available regular kitchen ingredients. All one needs is an oven, either an OTG or a convection oven that comes in combination with a microwave oven. These are bakes that are quick to whip up and do not need any special skills. Enjoy these homemade treats as evening snacks

Multigrain Blueberry Cake with Lemon Syrup

Ingredients

Multigrain Wheat Flour 1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp

Baking powder 2 tsps

Salt 1/2 tsp

Plain yogurt 1 cup

Sugar 1 cup

Eggs 2

Grated lemon zest 2 tsps

(approximately 2 lemons)

Vanilla essence or extract 1/2 tsp

Vegetable oil 1/2 cup

Blueberries, fresh 1 1/2 cups

(if using frozen - thaw and rinse)

For the Lemon Syrup:

Lemon juice 1/3 cup

Sugar 1/3 cup

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 180 C). Grease bottom and sides of one 9 inch round cake tin dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, egg replacer, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Pour it into the dry ingredients and slowly with a gentle hand, incorporate them to make a batter.
• Sprinkle the reserved flour over the blueberries and toss them. Gently fold into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
• Make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.

Elaichi Cookies

Ingredients

Maida 1¼ cup

Ghee 1/3 cup

Salt 1/4 tsp

Elaichi powder 1 tsp

Baking powder 1/2 tsp

Icing sugar or finely

powdered sugar 1/2 cup

Method

• Sift the maida with the baking powder and salt.
• Cream the ghee with the sugar and elaichi powder. When it gets creamy and fluffy, add the maida in three parts, mix gently to form a dough. Add a few teaspoons if the dough needs some more moisture.
• Chill the dough for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• Pinch off little pieces of dough as big as a small coin. Roll between the palms like a laddu and flatten slightly.
• Place them on a greased baking tray.
• Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F) and bake them for 15 minutes. Cool them on a wire rack before serving.

Lemon Raisin Loaf Cake

Ingredients

Maida / all purpose flour 1 cup

Sugar (powdered in the mixer) ½ cup

Baking powder 1 tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Raisins 2-3 tbsp

Egg 1

Milk 1 cup

Melted butter 3 tbsps

Grated lemon rind 2 tsp

Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and raisins. Make a well in the centre
• In another bowl beat the egg, melted butter, milk and lemon rind. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• Pour this mixture into a greased and floured cake tin, or spoon mixture into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 mins or till a skewer comes out clean.