This cake recipe is that of one I have experimented the most since baking with Pepper Delight.  Had been searching for a simple coffee cake recipe since a long time and that’s when I stumbled upon this jam filled delight on “#thebakefeed” and I’ve absolutely loved it ever since. The cake reminds me of honey cake from Iyengar bakery in its looks and style where it is topped with jam, whereas here the jam is a filling and that excited me more.

I have tweaked the recipe to compensate for some ingredients which I had ran out in my pantry and also to suit the likings of our palette (my husband is not a big fan of too much cinnamon in crumb topping). And boy! The cake came out so delicious with the jam filling in the center being the perfect match for the crumb topping. I’ve baked it so many times by now; each time adjusting the ingredients, covering the cake with foil and without, varying bake times, etc… lost count by now and ended up with this kickass cake! Trust me… it is definitely a FOOLPROOF recipe.

The cake is soft and tender with the perfect balance of sweetness from the jam, nutty flavors of the almonds, and the aromas of cinnamon & nutmeg, making it a perfect pair to enjoy with tea/coffee and family-n-friends.

Why it is called coffee cake but has no coffee?

This is a very common misconception many have and most of us don’t bother to check the recipe and think that coffee is an ingredient.

Well, the answer is pretty simple; Coffee cake is a cake which pairs up well with and can be relished with a cup of coffee or tea.

Few points to consider while baking this cake:

1. It is best to pipe the batter into the pan using a piping bag or ziplock bag, to create a well into which the jam filling can be poured and spread properly.
2. Ensure not to spread the jam to the edges as it will caramelize and stick to the pan, making it difficult to remove the cake.
3. You can use any berry jam of your choice, be it seedless or with seeds. They all work with this recipe.
4. Need a quick buttermilk recipe? Mix ½ cup whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until you start seeing curdling, its then ready.

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Interested in other cake recipes? Check these out:

1. Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam
2. Pear Loaf Cake
3. Pear Upside Down Cake
4. Chocolate Cake with Dulce de leche
5. Apricot Upside-Down Cake

This recipe is partially adapted from @thebakefeed.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Coffee Cake with Jam Filling

A simple one pan Coffee Cake with Jam Filling and an Almond Crumb Topping! The perfect companion for your evening cup of Coffee!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee cake, jam cake, tea cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 9 inch cake

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter (at room temp.)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs at room temp.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole buttermilk recipe above
• ½ cup berry jam of your choice whisked

For the almond crumb topping

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¾ cup slivered almonds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.
• Prepare wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well.
• Prepare jam filling: Whisk the jam with a fork until it is slightly loose and spreadable. Keep it ready.
• Pour half the batter into the prepared baking pan and level it with a spatula. Pipe a portion of the remaining batter on top of it along the edge of the pan to create a well. Pour and spread the raspberry jam in the center.
• Pipe or pour the remaining batter on top of it to cover the jam, and smoothen with a spatula.
• Crumb topping: Whisk all the ingredients listed under crumb toppings, in a bowl. Sprinkle on top of the batter.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan, slice it and enjoy with a cup of coffee/tea.

Notes

1. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for 3 to 4 days.
2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
3. Make sure to use butter, eggs and buttermilk which are at room temperature.
4. Do not open the oven in the middle of the baking process. This allows cool air to enter which affects the temperature and the baking.

The post Coffee Cake with Jam Filling appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Time Flies!! It feels just like yesterday I started my blog, but 5 years have gone by! From a hobby turned into full-time, knowing nobody in the food industry to working with famous Food Bloggers, collaborating and sponsorships with renowned brands, and hundreds of recipes behind… it has been truly an exciting journey!

2020 was a tough year for many, but we were lucky enough to welcome a new much-awaited member into our family; our cutie pie Ishaan! Being pregnant in the middle of COVID wasn’t easy either but we survived, bought a house with my dream kitchen, cooked a lot, delivered a baby, and got to spend 5 months with my mom who flew all the way from India to meet her new grandson. Amidst all this and being MIA from blogging and social media for an extended period, I am immensely grateful to each one of you for all the love and support throughout. Thank you all for the likes, comments, shares, and of course the re-creations from Pepper Delight.

To celebrate my half a decade of blogging, I am sharing a special recipe which I’ve been planning for a long time; a 3-tier Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting, a Dark Chocolate Ganache drip and Meringue Kisses! This dessert is truly a chocolate haven, there are a lot of elements going on in the cake and it tastes absolutely delicious! The Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is incredibly light n buttery with a glossy texture, and melts right away in your mouth.

So, what is Swiss Meringue?

Swiss Meringue is a common type of frosting which uses egg whites (cooked) along with the usual buttercream frosting ingredients. So why is it special? It’s glossy silky texture with the perfect balance of sweetness is what makes it stand out. Swiss Meringue is also much stable when compared to Italian or French Meringue and is good to pipe and decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Since its preparation calls for cooking egg whites in a double boiler, the steps can be a little tricky and error prone. But whatever goes wrong with the frosting, you can easily fix it with some handy tricks. Mistakes are bound to happen when making a Swiss Meringue Buttercream for the first time, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. First of all, use a clean bowl and whisker to prepare your frosting.
2. Ensure your ingredients (eggs and butter) are at room temperature (70 degree F). This is super critical, else your frosting can go either way depending upon the temperature.
3. While stirring egg whites and sugar over a water bath, make sure that the sugar dissolves completely in the egg whites. Otherwise, your frosting can end up with a grainy texture.
4. Slice the butter in advance for better time management and to keep up with the pace of the bake.
5. If your buttercream looks curdled, it’s coz it went cold. Heat it up in the water bath and whisk to get the right consistency.
6. If the buttercream looks thin or loose, then it’s too warm. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes and whisk away.
7. Once the frosting is ready, apply it at the earliest. If left idle for long at room temperature, it will lose its consistency.

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years’ Blog Anniversary Special Cakes:

• 2017– Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018– Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake
• 2020 – Key Lime Pie

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Chocolate Meringue Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chocolate cake, meringue, swiss meringue

Prep Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For three 6 - inch chocolate cakes

• 1½ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 3 tsp milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

• 4 egg whites (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1¼ cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled)

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

For the Chocolate Meringue Kisses

• 3 egg whites (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup fine sugar
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional)
• 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)

Instructions

For making three 6-inch chocolate cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to grease the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and milk.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar, whisk lightly until well combined.
• Set the bowl over a water bath (a saucepan of simmering water), whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the batter reaches a temperature of 160-degree F.
• Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and beat on high speed for 2 minutes using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cooled.
• Add sliced butter one tablespoon at a time while beating on high until smooth and creamy. Add the next slice only after the previous is completely blended.
• Once you are done with adding butter, beat for a few more minutes to get a smooth glossy frosting.
• Next, melt the chocolate in a microwave at 10 second intervals and whisking it until it is silky smooth (you can also use a double boiler for melting). Allow it to cool down for another 10 minutes (whisk continuously during this time).
• Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to the bowl of buttercream frosting, and beat on medium speed until smooth.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until the frosting is well combined and reaches a spreadable consistency.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the chocolate ganache.

For the Chocolate Ganache

• Combine chocolate chips with heavy cream.
• Temper the chocolate mix by either setting the bowl over a pan of simmering water, or microwave at a 30 second interval and stirring continuously until it completely melts.
• Ensure not to overheat or burn the mix as it will split and become unusable. Once melted, keep stirring to bring its temperature down until smooth and silky before pouring over the cake.

For the Meringue Kisses

• Preheat oven to 200-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites using the whisk attachment until foamy. Start by beating on low and increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add cream of tartar and continue beating while adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once the sugar has been completely added, beat for an additional 5 minutes until it reaches a glossy smooth finishing. Fold in sifted cocoa powder.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with your desired tips and pipe your kisses on to the parchment paper.
• Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and allow it to sit in the oven for an additional 1 hour to cool down.
• You can store meringues in an air tight container up to 2 weeks.

Notes

• If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.
• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Chocolate Meringue Cake – Celebrating 5 years of Pepper Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Celebrating 4 years of blogging @PepperDelight with a Sweet Treat!! And this year I’ve decided not to do a cake and instead I present to you one of my favorite desserts of all time – a Key Lime Pie!!

I was initially hesitant to publish this recipe post as it wasn’t the right time of the year for Key lime pies, nor did I happen to recently live or visit Florida where Key lime pie is the official pie of the state. But it’s my blog anniversary and I don’t need a better excuse to share one of my favorite desserts! Right?

2019 at a glimpse

2019 was indeed a special year for Pepper Delight; a lot of authentic Kerala recipes and a big step into photography as a business! The exposure & reach, sponsored posts work & photography kit upgrades, are a few to name among the year’s highlights… and on top of that I was able to stay true to my roots by publishing many authentic Kerala recipes too.

Indian food and its culture are so diverse. The endless varieties, especially vegetarian is something majority of the rest of the world is not even aware of. Its not just Butter Chicken, Naan or Chicken Tikka, each and every State and Union Territory of India has hundreds of dishes of their own, many of which we haven’t even heard about. I just hope to be able to continue doing my part of sharing as many authentic dishes from my small State Kerala, and a huge Thank You to all my wonderful followers who follow, appreciate, and inspire me to go on. Lots of love…!

Now Let’s talk about Key Lime Pie

It’s a delight! Sweet, Tangy, Light, and a pretty easy dessert which is equally refreshing to your taste buds. Key lime pie is a dish I crave and order often at restaurants. It’s equally sweet & tangy flavors are a reminiscent of my blog’s 4-year journey, the initial struggles to all the fun & excitement till date.

Key lime pie is considered as the official pie of Florida, primarily due to its main ingredient Key lime being grown in the state. This pie is the combination of a crunchy graham cracker crust with a luscious creamy tangy filling. And to complement the taste, it’s topped with some whipped cream – a balanced mix of three different textures & flavors! The traditional recipe is a no-bake dessert made with condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice, but nowadays since consuming raw eggs is considered as a major health risk, we bake this pie to cook it through and also speed up the thickening process of its filling.

This recipe calls for a lot of Key limes as the lime juice extracted from them is the core ingredient of this pie. Unlike regular limes, Key limes are smaller, slightly yellow colored, aromatic, and is difficult to find in your daily grocery stores. But don’t worry, you can use bottled lime juice (Nellie & Joes Original Famous Key West Lime Juice is an excellent option) or even regular limes for this recipe.

This classic recipe is super simple and is creamy smooth, just perfect for any occasions. I am pretty sure from the first bite; you will be closing your eyes and humming “yummmmm” as it all melts inside!

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Key Lime Pie

Buttery Graham Cracker Crust with a Sweet n Tangy Luscious Filling… this Classic Key Lime Pie is a Simple yet Flavorful Dessert, Perfect for any Occasions…!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dessert, key lime pie, pie

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 47 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)

For the filling

• 2 cans of 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup key lime juice (from 10 limes)
• Zest of one key lime

Garnish

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Lime slices (garnish)
• Mint leaves (optional, garnish)
• Grated lime zest (garnish)

Instructions

For the crust

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F.
• In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Make sure all the crumbs are mixed well and moistened.
• Transfer the mix to a 9-inch pie plate and firmly press on it with the back of a spoon or a measuring cup over the base as well as around the edges to form an even layer of crumb base.
• Place the pie plate in the oven and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, make sure not to brown or burn the crust. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

For the filling

• In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and grated lime zest.
• Pour the mix slowly onto the pie plate and allow it to spread and evenly cover the crust. Place the pie plate in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until the center is set yet wobbly. Remove the plate from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
• Once cooled, refrigerate for 3-4 hrs. for the pie to set properly.

Garnish

• In a large bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract together to make the frosting. Transfer it to a piping bag and decorate the pie as desired.
• Other optional garnishes are mint leaves, grated lime zest, and lime slices.

Notes

1. If graham cracker crumbs are not readily available, you can instead buy graham crackers and give it a quick blend in a food processor to make the crumbs.
2. Key limes are hard to get especially when off season, and an alternative would be to buy bottled key lime juice; Nellie & Joes Original Famous Key West Lime Juice is an excellent product for this recipe.
3. When baking the pie along with the filling, keep an eye not to overdo it otherwise you will start to see the filling curdle around the edges.
4. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 2-3 days.

The post Key Lime Pie – Celebrating 4 years of Pepper Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

December is here! The month of Christmas… the time of the year that we bake the most! I too had a lot of fun the previous years, baking some of my favorite Xmas desserts; Non-Alcoholic Christmas Cake, Alcoholic Christmas Cake, and Gingerbread Cookies. Although I do bake quite often, over the years I’ve started to grow a liking towards spicy flavors and took that as my inspiration for this Christmas. So here you go, a cupcake recipe from my pantry but with a twist of spicy gingerbread cookie flavors.

As I said before, these cupcakes are so different from the regular ones because they are spiced. The addition of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice gives it an aromatic flavor which reminds you of Christmas and the holidays. When you pull them out of the oven, your whole house literally starts to fill with the warmth and aroma of these spices, it’s pure bliss… I’m short of words to describe how good that feels!!

And to take the flavors of this beautiful dessert to another level, I have topped them up with Cream Cheese Frosting… a match made in heaven! A combo which keeps you craving for more…

Now if you want to impress your guests with some fun-filled theme-based presentation, top the frosted cupcakes with cute little gingerbread man icing decorations and Christmas sprinkles. The ones I’ve used were bought from Michael’s but you can also find them at Amazon here.

If you are in search for a good Gingerbread Cookies recipe, check out my Gingerbread Cookies post, it is a winner recipe and a definite crowd pleaser!

Merry Christmas & Happy Baking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Kick off this year’s Christmas Party and Impress your Holiday Guests with these Spicy Tender Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cupcake, gingerbread, gingerbread cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1½ cup flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup molasses
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 block (8oz) cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Gingerbread man icing decorations (optional)
• Christmas sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Add the egg and beat, followed by adding molasses.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with milk and beat until they combine well and the batter turns out smooth. The consistency of the batter is thick.
• Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them a little over half way full.
• Bake in the oven for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool completely before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until smooth.
• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and decorate the cupcakes as desired.
• You may store any leftover frosting in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using it again.
• Decorate with gingerbread man and Christmas sprinkles as desired (optional).

The post Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This post is sponsored by Florida Crystals® and is also my entry to the Florida Crystals® “Pure Joy Blogger Recipe Challenge”. Although I have received samples of their products, all the opinions in this post are entirely my own.

A few more days to go for Thanksgiving and I’m already excited to shop, celebrate, & enjoy! So how are your preparations coming along? Is your menu for the big dinner ready? This year I’ve decided to team up with Florida Crystals® and present you a twist to the usual classic desserts, with a 3 layered surprise. An orange cake, in a creamy orange buttercream frosting, glazed with a cranberry drip, and topped with sugared cranberries! It’s an absolute delight of holiday flavors; moist, tangy, fruity and tarty…!

The base orange cake has Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar as one of its main ingredients, which makes a great substitute to regular granulated sugar. Its fine golden crystals with a delicious hint of molasses, make it ideal for all baking recipes. The orange cake alone without the frosting is itself a delight to savor.

For the buttercream frosting I have used Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar, which is perfect for frostings, icings, sugar cookies and no-bake cheesecakes. I’ve also used both of Florida Crystals® sugars in the cranberry drip, which is the highlight of this recipe. The tarty glaze complements all the other flavors and keeps you asking for more with each bite.

The sugar-coated cranberries are an optional element, but it surely adds to the beauty of the cake with a winter outlook. This cake is perfect for any occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgiving or Christmas Holidays.

Florida Crystals® are the only certified organic raw cane sugar grown and harvested in the US. You can check out their products online and order through your retail shops by visiting their Products page here.

You can also order through Amazon here.

Follow Florida Crystals for more recipe ideas and other updates on Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest.

Happy Baking & Happy Thanksgiving…!

Interested in more Cake recipes? Check out my Cakes & Desserts Archives here.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Orange Cake with Cranberry Drip

Layers of Moist Orange Deliciousness with a Creamy Buttercream Frosting, Balanced in a Cranberry Glaze … The Holiday Cake of your Dreams …!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot cake, cranberry, orange cake, thanksgiving

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the orange cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup orange juice
• Zest of one large orange

For the orange buttercream filling and crumb coat

• 1½ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar sifted
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp orange juice

For the cranberry drip

• 1 cup cranberry
• ½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar sifted + more

For the sugar coated cranberries

• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 tbsp + ¼ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Decoration

• Orange swirls
• Freshly sliced oranges
• Sugar coated cranberries

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and zest of one orange.
• Add the dry ingredients in 2 sets alternating with milk and beat until they combine well.
• Add orange juice and give the batter a one last beat on low or until mixed well. The cake batter will be slightly dense.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 mins.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the filling and crumb coat

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and 1 tbsp orange juice, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add 1 tsp or more orange juice as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• For the sugar coated cranberries
• In a saucepan, combine 2 tbsp sugar with water and cook on a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the cranberries into the saucepan and stir to coat them well in the sugar syrup.
• Transfer the cranberries onto a wire rack and allow them to cool for 30- 45 minutes.
• In a small bowl, take the remaining ¼ cup sugar and roll the cooled sticky cranberries in it until they are sugar coated properly. You can also do this in batches to carefully coat each one of them.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable / cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating and filling to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the cranberry drip.

For the cranberry drip

• In a medium saucepan, cook cranberries with cane sugar, lemon juice and water.
• Cook until the cranberries pop open, and then lightly mash them so that it turns into a thick sauce. Switch off the flame, strain the sauce and keep aside.
• In a separate bowl, add the powdered sugar and mix the strained sauce 1 tbsp at a time and whisk well. Repeat until it forms a thick pourable glaze. If the glaze turns out thick, add the leftover sauce if any or water to thin it out. And if thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze.
• Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to fall through the edges to create that drip effect.
• Decorate the cake with sugar coated cranberries, orange swirls, orange slices if desired.

Notes

1. If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.
2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
3. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
4. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
5. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
6. Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.

The post Orange Cake with Cranberry Drip appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Goodbye Summer! It’s the first week of Fall 2019 and here I am with a treat for you guys, a Pear Upside-Down Cake !!

Although it is officially the Fall season, the weather doesn’t seem to be ready yet to let go of summer. It’s still pretty hot outside and the leaves are all green. But nevertheless, I am kick starting my fall baking with this delicious pear cake.

Pear is one of my absolute favorite fall fruits and I love baking with it. Last year I did a Pear Loaf Cake which became a hit among my family and friends, and so this time I thought to tweak the recipe and try out a Pear Upside-Down Cake. It came out really well; the soft textured cake topped with cooked pear in a caramelized crust… a heavenly combination of fruit & cake which takes the flavors to a whole new level!  Cooked pear is nothing like the raw fruit, its aroma in itself is satisfying and the sweetness is perfectly balanced and toned down, even if you use ripe pears. But if you are a cake lover with a very sweet tooth, bump it up by adding an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar along with the other dry ingredients.

This recipe calls for buttermilk and it was during my bake that I realized I did not have it in my pantry, so had to quickly prepare a homemade batch instead of my usual store bought one. In case you are interested in the recipe, here it is below:

Quick fix Homemade Buttermilk recipe instructions (½cup)

• Whisk 4 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp plain yogurt together in a bowl and allow it sit for 5-10 minutes. Your homemade buttermilk is ready.

Pro-tip: Since this is an upside-down cake, the base of the final dish will be the upper layer of the cake when coming out of the oven, which later would go to the bottom once inverted. As the cake rises in the oven, the top layer may not be flat creating an uneven surface once inverted and so the cake will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. So, you will have to level off the top by trimming the bulges with a knife.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with a cup of tea or coffee, Happy Baking…!

Interested in another pear cake recipe? Then don’t forget to check out my Pear Loaf Cake recipe.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Pear Upside-Down Cake

Pear Upside-Down Cake…Loaded with the Goodness of Pear in a Caramelized Crust, the Perfect Tea Time Cake…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pear cake, pear upside-down cake, upside down cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 pears (Bosc or Anjou pear)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)+ 3 tbsp (cubed, cold butter)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove the skin and slice into halves lengthwise along their stem. Scoop out the core and cut the stems.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim through its sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Into the pan, add brown sugar, cubed butter and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to allow the butter to melt. Remove from the oven and arrange the pear halves crosswise in the pan alternating their narrow ends with their cored side facing down flat. Keep it aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. Batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 30-45 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan for the cake to loosen. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface.
• Before inverting the cake, ensure its top surface is flat otherwise it will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. Level off the top by trimming of the bulges with a knife. Place a serving plate inverted on the top surface, and quickly n carefully invert the cake onto it.
• Remove the parchment paper and slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

The post Pear Upside-Down Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s Onam next week and how better can it get to post my first payasam recipe? So here you go, my Sadya dessert for this season… Ada Pradhaman!  As a Malayalee, payasam resonates festivity & tradition. Be it our festivals like Onam, Vishu or celebrations like marriages and birthdays, it is served as the dessert of happiness. Payasam is served as the dessert course in Sadya,  and is also served as the prasadam in temples (I’d drool for it!).  Payasam a.k.a Kheer is a term which commonly refers to authentic, syrupy, milk-based Indian desserts. Every state in India has their own version of this dessert, which varies based on spices used, type of milk, cooking method, the core ingredient like ada, vermicelli, lentils, fruits, and so on. Among them, vermicelli a.k.a semiya payasam is popular throughout the country.

Ada pradhaman is a sweet delicacy of Kerala which is made out of rice flakes simmered in a jaggery n coconut milk sauce, flavored with cardamom and dry ginger powder. The use of three versions of coconut milk with varying thickness is the highlight of this recipe and is key to the perfection of this dish. The cooking process is tedious, but is worth the effort. Traditionally, freshly squeezed coconut milk is used and tastes way better, but to ease the cook you can use store bought coconut milk or coconut milk powder and adjust its thickness with water.

There are different types of ada available in the market, some are made with rice flour and some with maida (all-purpose flour). Both works equally good for this recipe, however ada made with rice flour is my personal choice. Also, ada comes in different shapes; long strands, bite sized, thin granules, etc. You can also make your own ada (preferred), although that in itself is a time taking process. Instead you can buy store bought ones, I’ve used Nirapara brand’s thin granule sized rice ada which I personally do not prefer, but had no other choice due to the unavailability of other options in my town.

Pro tip: Payasam is delicious on its own, but also elevates it a level  further when savored with banana and pappadam… Ask any Malayalee!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Ada Pradhaman

Rich n Luscious Kerala Style Ada Pradhaman Payasam …!! Made with Rice Flakes, Jaggery & Coconut Milk, the Perfect Festive Delicacy!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword ada pradhaman, kerala, payasam, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 200 g Ada (1 packet)
• Water (as required)
• 400 gm (15 oz appro. ) ശർക്കര / Jaggery
• 2½ cup മൂന്നാം പാൽ / thin coconut milk
• 1¾ cup രണ്ടാം പാൽ / semi-thick coconut milk
• 1 cup ഒന്നാം പാൽ / thick coconut milk
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp ghee or more
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp ചുക്ക് പൊടി / dry ginger powder (optional)
• 2 tbsp Cashews
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 2 tbsp തേങ്ങാ കൊത്ത് / coconut bites

Instructions

• To prepare ada: Wash the ada 2-3 times in water until its rinses off clear, then drain and keep aside. Fill half of a heavy bottomed pan with water and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the washed ada and cook until it turns soft (should be mashable between your fingers). Drain and rinse the cooked ada under cold water (to prevent over-cooking) and keep aside.
• Prepare jaggery syrup: Add jaggery to a pan with 2 cups of water and heat on a medium flame. When the jaggery is completely melted into a lightly syrupy texture, strain it (to remove impurities and keep aside.
• Prepare coconut milk: You can use store bought coconut milk, coconut milk powder, or grated coconut, to prepare thin (മൂന്നാം പാൽ), semi-thick (രണ്ടാം പാൽ) and thick coconut milk (ഒന്നാം പാൽ). Keep aside.
• Prepare garnishes: Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews, raisins and coconut bites separately, keep aside.
• For the payasam: Onto a heavy bottomed pan / ഉരുളി, add the melted jaggery, cooked ada, and heat on a medium flame. Allow the ada to cook in the jaggery syrup until it is reduced and thickened, constantly stirring it to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add ¼ cup ghee while stirring the ada.
• Reduce the flame to a low and add the thin coconut milk (മൂന്നാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Now add the semi-thick coconut milk (രണ്ടാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Add the thick coconut milk, stir well and cook till right before it reaches boil, then switch of the flame. Ensure not to allow the dish to boil at this stage, so keep your flame at low.
• Add the cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, fried cashews, raisins and coconut bites. Add an extra 1 tbsp ghee (or more, if you like it’s taste), and give the dish a final stir.
• If the payasam turns out to be thick, you can add boiled n cooled cow’s milk to thin it out.
• Serve hot! Banana and Pappadam are malayalee’s favorite sides which are served Ada Pradhaman.

Notes

• I have used Nirapara brand’s ada (rice based) in this recipe as I have none other available locally. These are thin rice flakes and not my personal favorite, I would recommend using bigger sized rice ada.
• You can also use maida ada (all-purpose flour based) which works fine.
• You may vary the quantity of ghee used in this recipe per your palette.

The post Ada Pradhaman / Rice Flakes Jaggery Pudding appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I chose to try out this recipe purely for its fruity flavors. Its rich in pineapple, banana, coconut, and crunchy toasted pecans, spiced with cinnamon and all spice, topped with a delicious whipped cream cheese frosting… Voila! the Best Comfort Cupcake you can dream off…

So, why the name? This cake has its origins from Jamaica, and is considered to be sweet as the nectar hummingbirds hunt for, which happens to be the national bird as well and reminiscent to the tropical flavors of the Caribbean Island. Did you know? This cake is also known as Doctor Bird Cake, a nickname for the red-billed streamer tail which belongs to the hummingbird family.

The recipe gives you incredibly warm, rich, moist and soft cupcakes, with a sticky crust from the caramelized sugars in the fruits, and tastes amazingly good. If you are a fan of banana cake, then I am sure you’re gonna love this one. It’s also a party favorite which is why is popular as the “cake that doesn’t last”.

I know my piping skills have not been top notch for the recipe photos. I was in a hurry to pipe it, but make sure you refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 15 minutes at least before piping.

Pro tip: Use overripe banana and pineapple (with juices) for more flavor!!!

Happy Baking…!

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Hummingbird Cupcakes

A Spiced Cake filled with the flavors of Banana, Pineapple, Coconut and Pecans… The “Cake that doesn’t Last”! A Southern Classic, and it’s a Hummingbird Cupcakes...!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cakes, cupcakes, hummingbird cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1½ cup flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp all spice
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup canned crushed pineapple along with juices
• 2 bananas (mashed)
• ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
• ½ cup pecans/walnuts (toasted & chopped)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 package 8oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 5 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Spread pecans onto a separate baking pan and toast in the oven for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Chop them into fine pieces. Keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking salt, salt, ground cinnamon and all spice in a large bowl. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until they combine well.
• In the meantime, mix mashed bananas, pineapple and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Whisk well to mix properly.
• Add this mix to the flour mix and beat in low speed to combine well. Remove the paddle attachment and add chopped pecans and fold well by using a spatula. The batter will be thick.
• Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them a little over half way full.
• 1Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the crust turns golden brown.

For the cream cheese frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate it for
  15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and decorate as desired.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The post Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Did a year just go by in the blink of an eye? It sure did for me indeed, time flies so fast! Three years back when I started this blog, it was all about turning my passion into a hobby. Never did I imagine the amount of support and motivation I’d receive from my friends, family and the blogging community, and that Pepper Delight would become my full-time job. The whole thought of it seriously amazes me and being a self-taught cook and baker, I’m so darn proud of myself looking back at all these years.

This beautiful space has gifted me so many achievements and of course some good relationships too. I am fortunate enough to find many talented and inspiring people through the online world; those who follow my social media, read my blog, message me about my photos, recognize me at stores and stop by to talk about food n recipes… those are surreal moments and truly the most rewarding…!! So, I take this opportunity to thank all my dear friends and followers for the unconditional love.

I would also like to take a moment to give a big shout out to my dear friend Makos from The Hungry Bites who has been a constant support and guide throughout my whole journey. If you love Mediterranean food, then you must definitely check out his blog.

I am so excited to see what 2019 has in store for Pepper Delight. Thank you all for supporting and following…Cheers to many more years of Yummilicious Food…!!

Coming back to the highlight of today’s celebration – the Cake!

An Ombre cake had been on my to-do list for a long time, but I was a bit intimidated on how the whole thing would turn out. You know, all of my usual confusions before trying out any new cake style! But I am so glad that I tried it, coz it did turn out pretty well…!!

So, what’s a Neapolitan cake? Well, I am not going to dig into its history at the moment, but visually it’s a tri-colored 3 tier cake with each layer being a different flavour; strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Even before I got to know about Neapolitan cakes, I have been inspired to do a multi colored cake and that arose from my love for Cassata ice-cream which we used to get in India; a 3-tier vanilla, strawberry and pistachio ice-cream layered over a sponge cake with candied fruits n nuts. In those days, a cassata slice was the ultimatum…I was in heaven!!

So, I guess the first question on your mind after seeing the cake pics and the recipe would be, “this is a lot of work, three sets of batter & frosting?” Well, not exactly. The three different flavors are incorporated using a single bowl of batter. First, you have to make a base vanilla cake batter and pour it equally into three cake pans. Leave one pan as is for the original vanilla cake, mix into the second pan the cocoa powder for making the chocolate cake, and into the third the strawberry jam with few drops of food color for a pretty pink strawberry cake. Fresh strawberry puree also works. Bake… and your cakes are ready!

Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Neapolitan Cake

A Neapolitan Ombre Cake with an absolute delight of flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry Cakes in a Pink Buttercream Ombre!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword blog anniversary, cake, neapolitan cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (sifted)
• ¼ cup strawberry jam (pref. seedless)
• 5-7 drops red food color (optional)

For the filling and crumb coat

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp milk cream
• 3 drops of red food color

For the outer ombre frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp milk cream (or more if needed)
• 6-7 drops of red food color
• Fresh flowers (for decoration)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The batter will be thick, creamy and smooth.
• Pour the batter equally into three prepared pans (approx. 3 ladle batter per pan).
• Add the sifted cocoa powder to one pan for making the chocolate cake and mix well using a fork or a spatula. Keep aside.
• Whisk strawberry jam until it is completely smooth. You can microwave it for 15 seconds if thick, and whisk it for a smoother texture. Add it along with 6-7 drops of red food color to the third pan for making the strawberry cake, and mix well using a fork or spatula.
• 10. Place all the three pans in the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cooking times may vary per cake, for me the vanilla and chocolate cakes took 30 minutes and the strawberry cake took 35 minutes to bake.

For the filling and crumb coat

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add red food color and milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable / cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating and filling to set properly.

For the outer ombre frosting

• Once the crumb coat is set, you can prepare the frosting for the outer ombre coat.
• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable. If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• Divide the prepared frosting into 4 pans; the 1st for the flat top surface coat in white, 2nd for the side top coat in white, 3rd for the side center coat in pink, and the 4th for the side bottom coat in dark pink.
• To the 3rd and 4th pans add the red food color as desired and whisk to make the pink and dark pink colored frostings respectively.
• Using a spatula, start applying the dark pink coat from the 4th pan on the side bottom of the cake. Using a scraper, scrape off excess frosting.
• Now move on the center side coat from the 3rd pan. Repeat applying coat & scraping, and continue to the top side and top flat coats using pans 2 and 1 respectively.
• Once your ombre coating is complete, refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes for the frosting to set.
• Decorate as desired with flowers, your cake is ready to serve!!

Notes

1. If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.

2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

3. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.

4. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.

5. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.

6. Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.

7. Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Neapolitan Ombre Cake – Celebrating 3 years of Blogging appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Have you ever tried baking a pear cake without poaching? If not, I would highly insist you do. Honestly, I was intrigued to bake without poaching and confused with the cooking time, ingredients required, if wine or anything else had to be added, to get the flavors right. But to my surprise the pears cooked perfectly! A plain vanilla cake with pears and its aroma is just amazing, I would say it’s perfect to pair with a cup of tea for the cozy evenings of this Fall.

Like any other loaf pan cake recipe, this one also requires more than an hour to cook and the cake does not become dry in spite of its browned crust and edges. The juices from the pears infuse with the batter resulting in an insanely moist and soft cake. And the pears themselves become so tender and melt in your mouth.

You can use Bosc, Forelle or Anjou Pears which are ripe, (but slightly firm when you touch) to make this cake. Make sure to level the bottom of the pears so that they stand straight in the pan while baking.

Also, I definitely recommend lining your pan with parchment paper, which I regret not doing. Unlike other regular loaf pan cakes which have a flat top on which you can place a wire rack and invert, this once has the pear heads with the stems sticking out, making it really hard to invert and remove. In addition too, the pears make the cake heavy and susceptible to breakage, so unless you get into some serious acrobats (which I unfortunately had to), pulling out the cake in one piece from the pan without parchment paper linings will be a challenge.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with some warm tea, Happy Cooking…!

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A post shared by Akhila Shekhar (@pepperdelightblog) on Nov 4, 2020 at 6:37pm PST

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Pear Loaf Cake

Celebrate Fall with this Vanilla Pear Loaf Cake to fill your Holiday Dessert Menu! Simple, Easy & Non-Poached… This delightful Pear-Vanilla Combo is a must try if you’re a Pear Lover. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword fall dessert, pear, pear cake, pear loaf cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 pears (Bosc pears with stem)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove its skin keeping the stem intact. Level their bottoms so that the pears stand straight with equal height.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim of the pan on all sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. The resulting batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Insert the pears vertically / standing up, pushing them all the way down to the bottom of the pan until they rest on their levelled bottoms.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1hr plus 10-15 minutes until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface. Slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

The post Pear Loaf Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Finally, it’s here, my most favorite season… Fall! It’s a little late this year as the trees are yet to change their colors, but the weather has started to get cold for sure. Also, another beauty is that it’s the season of apples. I did not get a chance to go apple picking this year, but I’m sure most of you would have had a lot of fun. With bags full of apples in your pantry, it’s time to gear up your baker’s suit and start exploring some apple dishes. And that’s what I’m going on get on to, join me and read along!

Apple strudel is one of the easiest apple desserts you can make, with least efforts and the basic minimal ingredients available in your pantry. This dish tastes so damn good; its flaky, sweet, tangy & crunchy. Like I said, you can wow your guests with its taste, aroma and some fancy creativity by showing off your braiding skills.

For this recipe you can either make your own dough, or use a store-bought puff pastry sheet like I did, which will significantly reduce your work load. This is a simple dessert, but while you go through the recipe ingredients and instructions, I’m sure that you will have many questions popping up in your head. And so, here are my answer to a few:

1. Why roll your thawed sheets? Always roll your thawed puff pastry sheets to the right consistency and shape, this helps prevent the pastry crust from puffing-up too much.
2. Why add lemon juice? Always coat your apples with lemon juice (just like your avocados) as it prevents browning, plus it adds a slight tanginess to your strudel which very well compliments the sweetness.
3. Breadcrumbs, huh? Yep, you heard it right. Apples release juices while baking which the pastry dough tend to absorb preventing it from rising and making your strudel soggy. Breadcrumbs absorb the moisture keeping your strudel crispy n flaky. As a substitute, you can use plain flour too.
4. Fruit Substitutes? You can substitute Granny Smith apples with Honey Crisp apples as well, Pear is another good alternative to apples.
5. Nuts Substitute? Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds…

Serve these flaky apple strudels warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Apple Strudel

Wow your Fall Holiday Guests with this Flaky Braided Apple Strudel…! The Easiest Fall Season Dessert of your Dreams…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, fall dessert, strudel

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of a 17.3oz package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 2 Granny Smith / Honey Crisp apples
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Flour (to dust)
• Pinch of granulated sugar (topping)

Instructions

• Thaw your puff pastry sheet for 35-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg, and keep aside.
• Peel, core and slice your apples into small cubes. You can use 2 medium or 3 small sized apples.
• In a bowl, mix together the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, raisins and bread crumbs. Keep aside.
• Now let’s setup your work surface; Cut parchment paper large enough to fill your baking tray and place it on your work surface. Dust it with flour.
• To prepare the pastry wrap, unfold the thawed pastry sheet onto the dusted paper and apply some flour. Roll and stretch it using a rolling pin into a 16” x 12” rectangle shape.
• Now spoon the apple mix onto the center of the sheet, lengthwise. For preparing the braids, make ½” slits using a pizza cutter or a knife on both sides of the apple mix leaving a ½” space from the mix. Starting from one end, fold the braids one after the other, alternating sides, angled over the apple mix. Continue braiding till you read the other end, seal the ends properly.
• Brush the braids with egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Place it on your baking tray by lifting and transferring the parachment paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until flaky and golden brown.
• Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

The post Apple Strudel appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This Eggless Tiramisu is one of my favorite make-ahead desserts! In fact, it was one of my first trial-n-error dishes I had made long before I started cooking actively. Back to my Hyderabad memories, I still remember searching for mascarpone cheese and ladyfinger biscuits in vain, and then following Masterchef Pankaj Bhadouria’s Tiramisu recipe using sponge cakes, hung yogurt and custard…. Oh my, it was sooo delicious! That gave me the confidence to try it again, and after tasting the original version at various restaurants I absolutely fell in love with this dessert.

The authentic recipe of this classic Italian dish calls for ladyfinger biscuits drenched in an espresso coffee combined with a creamy mixture of eggs, sugar, mascarpone cheese, Marsala wine, and finally dusted with cocoa powder. Savoiardi/Ladyfinger biscuits is a pretty hard to find ingredient in a small town like mine, and so whenever I need them I head to the nearest World Market Store where you will definitely find it, or else replace it with Nila Biscuits which is an equally good alternative when making tiramisu, and quite commonly available in all stores.

In my recipe here, I have substituted Marsala wine with Baileys Irish Cream which is also a fantastic alternative and blends wonderfully with espresso and cream mixture. You can skip it altogether if you prefer an alcohol-free version. Also, for my vegetarian friends out there, this recipe is Eggless! Yes, you heard it…no raw eggs used!

This dessert is a definite crowd pleaser; perfect for your parties, can be prepared in a baking dish or in individual cups, & can be made in advance… If there are any leftovers, you can also refrigerate it for a few days!

For another Tiramisu flavored delight, check out my Tiramisu Swiss Roll recipe here. 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Easy No-Cook Eggless Tiramisu

Velvety and Luscious... A Classic Italian Dessert with a Twist! No-Cook, No-Bake… Eggless Tiramisu… the Perfect Crowd Pleaser!!   

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword dessert, eggless tiramisu, tiramisu

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making coffee

• 2 cups of water
• 5 tsp espresso powder

For making tiramisu

• 1 package (200 g ladyfingers biscuits (7.05 oz.))
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese 8oz. (softened)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp baileys Irish cream/Kahlua/Marsala wine (optional)
• Cocoa powder (for dusting)

Instructions

For making coffee

• Prepare a thick strong coffee by boiling water and espresso powder. Allow it to cool.

For making tiramisu

• Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• Beat mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract and sugar until creamy and smooth. Mix with the whipped cream and beat lightly for a smooth consistency.
• Combine the alcohol with cooled coffee. Keep everything ready near the baking dish to layer.
• Dip the ladyfingers biscuits in the coffee-alochol mix and arrange evenly on your baking dish . Do not soak the biscuits; quickly dip and take it out from the coffee, else it will become soggy.
• Spread a layer of the prepared cream mix on top of the biscuits.
• Repeat steps 4 & 5 on top of the cream layer, to create another layer of biscuits and cream thereby filling your baking dish its brim.
• Cover the dish and refrigerate for 5-6 hrs.
• Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Notes

1. If not available in your local grocery store, ladyfinger biscuits can be found in World Market, any international grocery store, or at Amazon. Nila Biscuits found at Walmart and other local stores is a very good substitute too.

2. You can refrigerate tiramisu for up to 2 days. Do not freeze.

3. Any coffee liquor, dessert wine, rum or brandy can be used for making tiramisu, or you can skip it altogether if you prefer alcohol-free.

The post Easy No-Cook Eggless Tiramisu appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love smoothies for breakfast…they are delicious, light, refreshing and of course easy to prepare on any busy morning. But I also prefer not to lose its goodness by compromising on the nutritional benefits & taste, for time. So, my solution… Chia!

Chia seeds have amazing health benefits. It is a grain free superfood, high in fiber, calcium, Omega-3, and a protein too. It’s high fiber and calcium content keeps you full for a longer time thereby controlling your appetite, and helping in weight loss. Chia is naturally gluten free, which makes it a great protein source for people with Celiac disease. In addition, it is found to boost your metabolism levels too.

In my home, chia is served as a smoothie topping, in puddings, and sometimes as an egg replacement (Yes, it works!). So, what does it taste like? Chia doesn’t have any taste, it’s basically a filler which easily blends with any core ingredient and at the same time packed with its own goodness. You can top it with yogurt, fruit puree, granola, nuts or fruits to make it taste even better.

The basic recipe of a chia pudding is extremely simple. All you need is to soak chia seeds overnight in any milk of your choice and a sweetening agent. The consistency of a chia pudding is a slightly thick, wobbly, gel like texture. There is hardly any recipe here for this dish, if you know the right ratio of chia pudding, you can top it with endless options.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Chia Breakfast Pudding

Brighten Up Your Day with an Overnight Chia Pudding with Fresh Fruits and Nuts…!! Vegan & Refined Sugar free… a Quick Breakfast and a Healthy Dessert...!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chia pudding, healthy

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For chia pudding

• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp maple syrup

For pink layer

• 4-5 strawberries
• 6-8 raspberries
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

For green layer

• ½ cup frozen mangoes
• a handful of spinach
• ½ of banana
• ⅓ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

For yellow layer

• ¼ cup frozen mangoes
• ⅓ cup chopped pineapple
• ½ of banana
• ⅓ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

nuts and fresh fruits (garnish)

Instructions

• Start with the chia pudding ingredients by mixing them in a glass container until well combined. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes and give another stir to avoid any clumps and mix evenly.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight in a closed container. The chia seeds will absorb the milk and swell up.
• Once the chia pudding is ready, prepare the different colored fruit layers. Blend each layer’s ingredients together until smooth, and keep aside.
• When ready to serve, add a layer of chia pudding to the serving glass. Carefully pour the colored fruit layer mix over the chia pudding with a spoon.
• Top with fresh fruits and nuts, Enjoy.

Notes

1. Substitute almond milk with your choice of milk. You can also use regular milk if you are not a vegan.

2. Vary the amount of maple syrup used to meet your sweetness needs. You can also substitute maple syrup with honey, dates, or any sweetening agent.

The post Chia Breakfast Pudding appeared first on Pepper Delight.

My blog turned 2… Happy Birthday Pepper Delight…!!

Two years of blogging, My My! Who would have thought about this twist in my journey into the world of blogs? There was never a moment in these two years I ever thought about quitting; in fact, it was one of the best decisions in my career. Life has been so beautiful with this blog on my side, a heavenly space where I can share my passion for cooking n photography, and opened for me a new world of knowledge; both food and styling, and of course an amazing pack of friends! So, Thank You my family, friends and my dear readers for the huge support you have showered me with… !

Every year for my blog anniversary, I bake something special to celebrate the big day, and an excuse to eat cake, right? Baking a matcha cake was on my list for a long time, but I was waiting for that perfect day. Last year for my blog’s first anniversary, I baked a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake which became the most popular recipe of 2017, and gifted me with so many features and shoutouts! Fingers crossed, let this matcha cake be another great beginning…

So, what is matcha? Matcha is the new sensational ingredient in the food industry; it’s powdered green tea leaves! The recipes with matcha are not limited to tea, but range from a wide variety of smoothies, cakes, to bread recipes. This green powder is a hot topic, the caffeine content of matcha is just half of that in a cup of black coffee and so makes it more favorable. Matcha is considered as a powerhouse of antioxidants, helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and also calms your body and mind.

And this cake? It’s the BEST!!! I know that I repeat this dialogue every time, but trust me guys…this cake is…OMG, seriously so delicious! The right balance of sweetness with a silky-smooth frosting, and a nutty white chocolate drip that just literally melts in your mouth. Don’t be intimidated by green tea, matcha not only gives the beautiful green color, the flavor too is amazing. This recipe is just perfect for any celebrations, birthdays, or anniversaries.

Don’t forget to check out my other Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

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Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Super Soft & Moist Matcha / Green Tea Cake with a Velvety Smooth Vanilla Buttercream and White Chocolate Matcha Drip…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword cake, matcha, matcha cake, naked cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Matcha Cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ½ cup + 3tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup milk (at room temperature)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup +4tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp heavy cream (at room temperature)

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 4 oz white chocolate

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder salt and matcha powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The cake batter will be dense, but that’s completely ok.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the matcha drip.

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• Into a microwave safe bowl, sift the matcha powder and add 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream. Mix well until the powder is dissolved and there are no lumps.
• Pour the remaining heavy cream and mix well evenly.
• Now add the white chocolate to the cream-matcha mix and microwave for 30 seconds. The chocolate would have partially melted and using a spatula mix well till all the chocolate has dissolved and you get a thick sauce. If chocolate lumps exist, microwave at 10 second intervals and repeat till completely dissolved.
• Keep stirring till the sauce has cooled down, and then pour over the assembled cake. Refrigerate it to set for 15 mins.
• Decorate with fresh fruits or flowers.

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• The vanilla buttercream frosting should be of the right consistency and spreadable. If it turn’s out to be loose, refrigerate for 15-30 mins to thicken. During winters, butter may turn cold and not stay at room temperature. In that case your frosting can become thick/buttery; either microwave the frosting for a few seconds, or try out the hair dryer method (worked out for me), and beat again till the perfect consistency.
• Hair Dryer method – While whisking your thickened frosting on a medium to high speed, point a hair dryer at high heat to the outer bottom of your bowl. You will see that butter starts melting and the frosting turn creamier. Turn off your dryer immediately (as the bowl will retain some heat), and continue whisking till you get the perfect consistency.  
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Assemble / decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly before topping with the white chocolate matcha drip. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip – A Blog Anniversary appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is coming to an end and you can already find traces of Fall here n there with the greenery slowly turning orange and yellow. This summer was so eventful and packed with festivals & celebrations, but time flew so quickly that I felt I didn’t get enough of it. So before Fall starts, I would like to savor every bit left of this season and enjoy the last few weeks of the heat. What better than a lovely dessert with a delicious summer fruit… a Cherry Crumble!

Cobblers, Crips/Crumbles are a wonderful means to make desserts with summer fruits as it takes minimal effort, especially when serving a big crowd. Last year I made a Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler and a Peach Cobbler, both turned out great. But after trying out this recipe, I guess now Cherry Crumble is my new favorite! The juicy brown sugar sweetened cherries and the crunchy crust with oats and almonds, makes it seriously delicious.

I love to try different cobbler & crumble recipes, but with the baking marathon I was into for the past few months, I had to postpone it. Thanks to Shyam for reminding me to post this recipe, and I finally managed to before summer ended.

So what’s a crumble actually? Crumbles or Crisp are cooked fruits with a topping made with flour, butter and sugar, which is basically crumbled and crunchy. The best part of a crumble is, you can customize it in a million ways:

1. Use any summer fruits like Cherry, Berries, Plum, Peach, Apple or Rhubarb.
2. Replace the flour with whole wheat flour, tapioca flour or almond meal.
3. Vary the toppings with your choice of oats, cereal or desiccated coconut.
4. Vary your nut toppings with almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Enjoy this Dessert Treat …!!

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Cherry Almond Crumble

Cherry Crumble made with Fresh Cherries, Oats and Almonds…!! Crunchy on the Top n Juicy on the Inside... A Delicious Fruit Dessert...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cherry crumble, cobbler, crisp

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the filling

• 2 cups of fresh cherries (pitted)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp corn starch

For the topping

• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temp, cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Grease a baking pan with butter, keep aside.
• To prepare the filling, add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar and corn starch into a bowl. Toss pitted cherries in it, set aside.
• In another bowl mix oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter pieces and mix together using your hands until the topping mixture turns into a coarse crumble form.
• Pour the prepared filling into the baking pan. Spoon the topping over filling evenly. Top with sliced almonds and sprinkle granulated sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping turns crusty and golden brown, and the filling starts to bubble.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream (optional).

The post Cherry Almond Crumble appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The last few months were a baking frenzy for me, 8 cakes and that was a lot, don’t you think so? Well… I guess not for many of you but, for me it was quite different from my usual baking routine, which was no more than a cake a month. I usually bake when I have something to celebrate, and this time… YES, it was my Husband’s Birthday! And the best part about this birthday post was its photoshoot, he posed for my photos!! I couldn’t be happier… Unlike my usual style of photography which includes hand modelling at times, it was my longtime dream to try out something different and I’m glad he finally agreed.

To celebrate his birthday I baked this Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting (which is his favorite). Last year it was a Tiramisu Swiss Roll which was a big hit at our party and this year we kept it simple with a Vanilla cake and prettied it up with props and other decos.

The cake is unbelievably soft and moist, perhaps the best I’ve done so far. If you guys read my posts regularly, you would know that I repeat this sentence every time, but trust me…that’s the truth. I’m still an amateur at baking and each episode of baking is a learning in itself, the results amaze me… be it the texture, moistness and the sweetness. So for all the beginner and amateur bakers out there, just keep trying n experiment new flavors, and you will make wonders!

The frosting of this cake is thin between the layers and on its outer side. I preferred it to be thin so as to balance the extra sweetness of the caramel drip. But you can double the measurement of the frosting if you like; to give it a thicker coat, decorate with rosettes, or design other shapes & styles. Now talking about the caramel drip, this was my first time preparing a caramel sauce, and Sweet Lord… one finger lick of it and it took me back to my childhood memories; Alpenliebe, Parrys Caramel Candy, and all those caramel toffies just sprung back to my mind! Never realized it was so easy to make, I infact thought of buying some toffee wrappers and make a few homemade caramel candy. And the final topping to the cake was the fresh raspberries; Awwweee. I just loved it… perfect to balance the sweet tooth.

As you read through the ingredients and instructions, it may seem intimidating but just follow them as is. I’ve tried to explain the cake assembling, key points, and notes to my best possible. So if you have any questions, just let me know in the comment section.

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

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Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Caramel Drip

Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting, topped with a Silky Caramel Drip and Fresh Raspberries…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, caramel drip, naked cake, raspberry cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 18 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup + 3tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup whole milk (at room temperature)

For the buttercream frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ - 2 cup powdered sugar
• 3-4 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the caramel drip

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (cubed)
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6 inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with whole milk and beat until they combine well. The cake batter will be dense, but that’s completely ok.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the buttercream frosting

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the caramel sauce.

For the caramel drip

• Make sure all your ingredients are ready before you start preparing the caramel sauce.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat sugar and water on medium heat until it completely dissolves and begins to brown. Swirl the pan while it starts boiling so that it melts evenly.
• Turn of the heat and while leaving the pan on the stove, add the cubed butter. Whisk until melted.
• Once the butter has completely melted, turn on the heat back to a low and add milk cream slowly by whisking it in parallel. Bring it to boil.
• When the mix start to thicken up, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 15-20 minutes before using. For a later use, transfer to air tight glass bottles and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
• This recipe measurement is enough for a semi naked /naked cake caramel drip. Once it cools down and thickens, pour slowly over the cake to create the drip effect.
• Decorate with fresh Raspberries.

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly before topping with caramel. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Caramel Drip appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This is a Chocolate Celebration straight from Heaven! Trust me, you are gonna say the same if you have a slice… this is the Best Chocolate Cake ever..!!

So, you might be wondering, how come a sheet cake all of the sudden? Well that’s right, my blog has all round pan cakes (except for one on a loaf pan) and the whole idea to do this came from my husband’s request. He wanted to treat his colleagues with some cake delight, and I knew that he had a decently sized team working with him. I started going through my cake recipes and the number of pans I had to bake a few at a time, and that’s when I saw this brand new sheet pan, unused and lying there since a long time. Silly me, that’s perfect for a crowd and was what I have been looking for … so that’s it, a Sheet Cake! My husband loves anything with chocolate, and also is fond of pastries, so thinking all that through, the Texas sheet cake recipe turned out to be the right pick for my bake.

This cake has many Wows; its aroma, the looks, moistness, gooeness, ease of preparation, and of course its taste…! Right from taking it out of the oven, to the time you open the lid of its box to grab the last bite, the cake is soo aromatic! The cocoa flavor, cinnamon and the butter toasted pecans, together emanate such a wonderful aroma that everybody around you inhales a deep breath in pleasure! Every bite of it is moist and feels like a light version of a brownie, and the credit for that goes to the hot cocoa mix used in this recipe unlike the other chocolate cakes.

This cake is so easy to prepare and requires neither fancy equipment nor any special decorating skills. Just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, bake, pour frosting and your delicious cake is ready!!!

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

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Recipe adapted from Texas Sheet Cake.

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Texas Sheet Cake

Classic Texas Sheet Cake topped with a Gooey Chocolate Frosting and Toasted Pecans…! Intensely Moist and Incredibly Delicious, a Perfect Crowd Puller...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, texas sheet cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk

For the chocolate frosting

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1¾ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup pecans (chopped and toasted)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a 9x13 inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper extending it a few inches over the sides. Grease the pan properly with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
• Sift dry ingredients in a bowl; flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add granulated sugar into the mix and whisk together well. Keep aside.
• In a midsized saucepan, melt butter on a medium heat. Add cocoa powder and water; bring the mixture to a boil while whisking periodically. Turn off the flame and pour the mix over the flour mix and stir to combine.
• Add eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk; whisk well to mix everything to a smooth batter. The cake batter is smooth and loose.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the chocolate frosting

• Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa powder, milk cream, and bring the mix to boil by stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth without any lumps.
• Pour the prepared frosting over the warm cake, spreading it towards the edges using a spatula. Sprinkle pecans over the cake immediately so that it sets along with the frosting.
• Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Notes

Toasting pecans is optional, but I highly recommend it. Heat 1tbsp butter in a pan on a medium flame, add chopped pecans and toast it by stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes until it turns aromatic. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool. Make sure your nuts are ready before preparing the frosting.

The post Texas Sheet Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

And finally Easter is around the corner…it’s time to save my appetite for some Easter goodies and I am all pumped up to get some baking done! As much as I love baking, so does my husband… in fact I feel he gets way more excited than me whenever I plan to bake a cake, he adjusts his schedule to be there in the kitchen and share all his wonderful tips and creative ideas. And he is a master at decorating too…Lucky Me…!!!

I have a lot of cupcake memories from my hometown and childhood days, but back then all the cakes were without any fancy frosting. I grew up in a small town and cupcakes were more of a delicacy, you would find them in bakeries more around the festival season and it was like a celebration dessert. Only two flavours were available; Vanilla or Chocolate. Me and my brother didn’t even know what the names meant back then but we loved them. All we would do is let our Amma (Mom) know that we want white or brown colored ones (or even both!!) and when she brought them home, it was the happiest moments. In the evening, she prepares tea and all of us sit down to enjoy our cupcakes with tea…… Aaaah, Good Old Days!!

Carrot cakes are one of my all-time favorites, and trust me, these cupcakes are the Best!!! Our friends love it, they are sweet and soft with the aroma of cinnamon and carrot, & the cream cheese frosting makes it even tastier. To give the fun Easter look, I decorated them with Cadburys Easter Eggs, but that’s purely optional.  I guarantee you that these Carrot Cupcakes will be the biggest hit for your Easter party…!!

Happy Easter…!!

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Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cupcakes topped with Classic Cream Cheese Frosting, Chopped Walnuts and Candied Eggs…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, carrot cake, cupcake, easter egg

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making cupcakes

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cup grated carrots
• Candied Easter eggs (optional)
• ½ cup walnuts (chopped)

For cream cheese frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 8 oz Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For making cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Grease them with oil or butter.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon powder. Keep aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and oil until well combined. Follow by adding granulated sugar and vanilla extract, and mix.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients in batches and mix well.
• Add the grated carrots; fold in the batter until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the muffin tins and fill up to 2/3rd of the liners.
• Bake for 20-22 mins until the muffins have risen and turned golden brown.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

For cream cheese frosting

• Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, whisk well until it is smooth.
• Transfer to a piping bag and decorate according to your choice.
• Top with chopped walnuts and candied Easter eggs (optional).

Notes

1. If you do not prefer heavy frosting, you can cut down the measurements; cream cheese to 4oz, and powdered sugar to 2 cups.
2. Baking time vary from oven to oven, on a safer side check the muffins after 15 minutes of baking.

The post Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Its celebration time… My blog turns 1 today…!! Wooohoooo……

That was pretty fast, it’s still unbelievable how a year went by. I still remember the many “firsts” during my blog journey, all as if they happened just yesterday; right from my blog going live, the first comment I received (I screamed with joy that day), being able to view my recipe in google search, Facebook, FoodGawker, Instagram and so on… Everything felt so special! Those were some of the best days of my life and I thank you everyone for your wonderful support! You guys are awesome, my inspiration to keep going with Pepper Delight and bring out the best of me…

As part of my blog’s anniversary celebrations, watch out for my “Behind the scenes” and “1 year as a blogger” posts to know all about my experiences and the fun I’ve had over the year. But for now, let’s celebrate with this beautiful cake which I have been planning for a long time, my chocolate hazelnut semi naked cake with chocolate ganache!

Semi-naked/Naked cake is one of the most preferred styles especially for celebrations, apart from the usual fondant cakes. These cakes are simple to bake and also have a finished surface but with a casual look unlike the fully frosted ones. Their highlight is being able to view the different cake layers through the finished cake, beautifully stacked on top of each other with the rich frosting in-between. And finishing off with the right ganache or toppings makes it even more elegant and party perfect! This is my first attempt with a semi naked style cake and, Boy am I happy with the outcome; It was damn delicious!!!

Mastering the art of baking a semi naked cake is quite easy as long as you keep an eye on the details. Here are a few valuable tips from my kitchen:

1. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
2. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
3. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
4. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting on the sides to create the semi naked effect.
5. Refrigerate the frosted cake to set properly before topping with ganache. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
6. And make sure to bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.

This is one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. They are moist inside, and the layered frosting makes it so rich with flavour. The dark chocolate ganache levels out the sweetness of the frosting and balances well with the chocolate cake and hazelnut flavour. And the crunchy Ferrero Rocher makes it perfect for any party/celebrations or even as your dessert.

Enjoy baking, Happy Caking…!!!

Don’t forget to check out my other Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

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Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Cake with a Chocolate Hazelnut frosting in a semi naked style, topped with crunchy Ferrero Rocher and a dark chocolate ganache dripping around the edges.  

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, hazelnut cake, naked cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For three 6 inch chocolate cakes

• 1½ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 3 tsp milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

• 4 oz mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
• 1¼ stick unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
• 1-3 tbsp milk

Chocolate Ganache

• 4 oz dark chocolate
• ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

Decorations

• Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Instructions

For making chocolate cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. 
• Line three 6 inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined. 
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and milk. 
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well. 
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

• Beat butter until smooth and creamy. 
• Add the powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese and hazelnut spread, beat until it turns out smooth and creamy.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure that the frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken. 

Chocolate Ganache

• Break the chocolate into small pieces and combine with heavy cream.
•  Temper the chocolate mix by either setting the bowl over a pan of simmering water, or microwave at a 30 second interval and stirring continuously until it completely melts. 
• Ensure not to overheat or burn the mix as it will split and become unusable. Once melted, keep stirring to bring its temperature down until smooth and silky.

Final Assembly of the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand. 
• Apply little frosting on the center of the base and spread. This helps the cake to stick and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a generous amount of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake with a ¾ to 1 inch thickness.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides. Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and using a spatula spread the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake. 
• Now apply a very thin layer of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper to create the semi naked effect. Finish with a small coating on top. 
• Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to set properly. 
• Pour the ganache over the chilled frosted cake. Quickly spread the ganache to the sides to create a polish finish on the top and to create the drip effect. Avoid further spreading.
• Decorate with Ferrero Rocher.

Notes

1. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
2. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
3. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
4. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting on the sides to create the semi naked effect.
5. Refrigerate the frosted cake to set properly before topping with ganache. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
6. And make sure to bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.

The post Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Halloween is around the corner; Trick-or-Treating, Ghost Stories, Costume Parties, Pumpkin Recipes, and many more… a fun time for families and kids..! And when it comes to food, your options for the sweet tooth are endless… Kids love Halloween, the time of the year where they run around collecting sweets, stocking them, and bragging about their collection. They would go bonkers for lollipops, and if it’s a spooky treat? Ho Ho, You’ve just made their day…!

This is my first Halloween since I’ve started my blog and every year I have been quite intrigued with the spooky edible food decorations, in all shapes & colors throughout the stores. I love to watch all the Halloween creativity, isle after isle, and be mesmerized. So this year I made up my mind to definitely put on the Pepper Delight Witch’s hat and cook up some spooky treats. Woooooooohh……

Cake pops is something I have been eyeing on for a while. In fact my recent baking experience with cheesecake  showed me how wonderfully graham crackers go with cream cheese. I had some leftovers and so it was the perfect timing to use them with something new. I was so tempted to grab all the edible spooky decorations from the store, but decided to stick myself to those cute candy eye balls and spookify them on my lollipops with little blood red gel.

This treat is an attention grabber n sooo easy to make. And the bonus:

• no cooking
• no baking required
• 4 ingredients
• Both kids and adult friendly

The only tricky part for any newcomer is the tempering of the chocolate. You may not get the glazed coating right the first time, and if you didn’t, don’t Worry..! Even I couldn’t, and actually that adds even better to the spookiness..He He..!

Happy Halloween my dear friends, Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 30 -45 mins
Serves: 12 lollipops

INGREDIENTS

• 14 graham crackers
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (chips)
• Lollipop sticks
• Candy eye balls
• Edible decor (red color decorating gel)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Grind graham crackers in a food processor until finely powdered.
3. Transfer it to a bowl and add the cream cheese. Using a mixer or with your clean hands, blend it well until properly mixed into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into ice-cream scoop size portions and roll them into equal sized small round balls.
5. Place them on the baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 mins to harder a bit.
6. Take the tray out and insert the lollipop sticks half way through each ball, and place back in the refrigerator for another 15 mins to set.
7. Melt the chocolate chips in a deep microwave safe bowl by microwaving at 30 second intervals and whisking alternatively until completely melted, loose and runny.
8. Dip each ball in the liquid chocolate to give it an even coat. Tap the stick of the pops on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess liquid to drip off. Allow it to stand by fixing it on a lollipop stand or a Styrofoam block.
9. Attach the candy eye balls to the pops and pipe some red color gel on top of it, Or use your favourite Halloween icing decorations to create your spooky lollipops.
10. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set completely.

Note:

1. Ensure that the dough is thick enough to stay intact and not fall apart.
2. Roll the dough into small balls so that it would be easy to coat with chocolate, and also will not fall apart from the sticks due to its weight.

The post Chocolate Monster Lollipops appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Now that’s my first attempt with a cheesecake, and surprisingly YES, it turned out to be way better than I expected for a newbie, and a grand success. Cheesecake is one of those desserts I would prefer baking only on special occasions, and fortunately I was able to club this as a surprise for my friend’s birthday…!!

This 3 layered New York style cheesecake is actually not a cake, it’s basically a custard pie with tons and tons of cheese, baked on a crunchy graham cracker crust, topped with a layer of any fruit toppings. I have prepared a berry compote whose sweet and tangy flavour complements the sweet sour taste of the cheesecake perfectly.

Did you guys know that there is a National Cheesecake day? Well Yes; July 30 is celebrated as National Cheesecake Day, dedicated to America’s favourite dessert…

One of the most common issues while baking a cheese cake is the formation of cracks. A few pointers to be noted:

• Ensure all ingredients are brought to room temperature before preparation.
• Do not overmix the batter.
• Avoid opening the oven door unnecessarily in-between the bake, this brings in sudden temperature variations.

Enjoy baking, Happy Caking…!!!

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Prep time: 30 minutes + 2 hr baking time + cooling time
Serves: 12-16

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter (melted) + to butter the pan
• 12 graham cracker crumbs or digestive biscuits
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp salt

For the filling

• 2½ pound (40 oz) cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sour cream

For the berry compote

• 2 cups berries (I have used frozen blackberries, blueberries, & raspberries)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter the sides of a 10-inch springform pan and keep aside.
3. To make the crust, grind the graham crackers in a food processor until finely powdered.
4. Add butter, sugar, and salt to the processor and grind it for a few seconds to combine it to a finely moistened mixture.
5. On to the buttered springform pan, transfer the mixture and press it down and up the sides (an inch high on the sides) firmly using the bottom of a measuring cup or anything with a flat surface.
6. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the crust becomes dry at the bottom and a little golden on the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling

1. To a mixer bowl add the cream cheese and sugar, beat on a medium speed using the paddle attachment for about 3 minutes, until its turns fluffy, scraping the sides using a spatula as needed.
2. Add the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice and beat for another 2 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined.
4. Finally add the sour cream and give it a last round of beating for another 2 minutes, until properly mixed.

For the berry compote

1. Combine berries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a sauce pan and boil till it turns into a thick syrup.
2. Allow it to cool completely.

Preparation of the cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Boil enough water required for your water bath.
3. Place the cooled pan on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil around the pan ensuring there is no gap. This is to ensure no water seeps in while we bake the cake in the water bath.
4. Pour the filling into the pan. It will fill above the crust, smooth out the surface using a spatula to make it flat.
5. To prepare the water bath, place the pan inside a large and shallow roasting pan. Carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
6. Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check the cake after 80 minutes; it should be set but lightly jiggly in the center. Continue baking.
7. Once done, take the springform pan of the water bath and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan and allow it to cool for another hour.
8. Place the pan in the refrigerator to cool overnight.
9. Once cooled, unlock the springform pan to remove the cake.
10. The cheesecake is now good to be served as is, or with fruits.
11. To top your cake with the berry compote, pour the cooled syrup on top of the cake and level it. Cool it in the refrigerator for another 30 mins to allow it to set, and serve.

Recipe heavily adapted from New York-Style Cheesecake.

The post Cheesecake with Berry Compote appeared first on Pepper Delight.

What is the best thing we’d love on a hot summer day? Without any doubt, Ice Cream…!!! And I guess it would be everybody’s unanimous answer across all age bars!!! They are seriously so addictive that not only on summers, even on a snowy day we’d love to take a bite.

My ice cream memories in St. Louis take me to a few favorite spots; Ted Drewes, Oberweis, and Cold Stone. And today morning while I was preparing this recipe I came across this news post of our local ice cream shop Ted Drewes winning this year’s “World’s Best Ice Cream”. What a pleasant surprise to kick off my first ice cream recipe post!!

Ice Cream and Oreo cookies; one of my favorite sweet treats! This easy-peasy three ingredient dessert can be prepared without an ice cream maker. Did u hear that? Yes, no churner required, Seriously? Doesn’t that sound a big “O” surprise to you? Hmm Yes, same here. Not until recently did I discover that you can really bring in the flavours of a good ice cream without churning. I know there are a lot of people like me, ignorant of the fact that you can prepare an exceptional ice cream like this recipe, at your home.  Nothing fancy here, all you need is to refrigerate and wait patiently (which is the hardest part) and your ice cream is ready!!

So, how does a non-churn ice cream work? Usually in an ice cream maker as the mix freezes, the churning process incorporates air in the mix thus preventing the formation of crystals and giving it a smooth finish, rather than that of an ice block. Whereas in a non-churn ice cream, the beaten whipped cream holds the same airy creamy texture needed for a good ice cream.

You can customize these ice creams with your favourite flavours and choices. This recipe calls for the basic instructions of preparing a no-churn vanilla ice cream. If you are not a big fan of Oreo, omit the Oreo cookies from the recipe. It’s simple, and you can finally top it off with your choice of fruits, graham crackers, sauces or sprinkles.

So enjoy this Delicious, Silky, Smooth, Creamy Ice Cream with crunchy Oreo… Happy Cooking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Prep time: 20 minutes + 6hrs / Overnight for freezing
Serves: 2 -6

INGREDIENTS

• 14 oz. (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 8-10 Oreo cookies (crushed)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• Ice cream cones (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form (5-7 minutes). Fold in the vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk.
2. Add the crushed Oreo cookies and mix well.
3. Pour the ice cream mixture into a 9 inch loaf pan, cover with a cling film to keep it air tight. Refrigerate for 6 hours / overnight for it to turn smooth and scoopable.

The post No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream appeared first on Pepper Delight.

What more can you ask for?? No baking, no eggs, minimal ingredients, easy to prepare, looks gorgeous, and tastes delicious… Woohooo!!! Yummm, I love it…

I just love desserts and experimenting with them is sooo much fun! It was my husband’s birthday two weeks ago and I was hosting a party for his friends. I had a long list of dishes to prepare including the birthday cake, appetizers, entrees, and I was on the lookout for a dessert which was simple, sweet, elegant, & delicious. Also something which I could make in advance to avoid the last minute rush. That’s when it struck me about a mousse I had made earlier and my friend’s mom suggesting me to try this mango version the next time. Thank You Beena Aunty for your idea, and that’s how I finalized on this wonderful dessert!!

A “less effort dessert” is always a life saver, especially when you are cooking for a big party. And this mousse seems to be a perfect fit! All you need is some fruit, cream and sugar; puree the fruit and fold it in the cream, your dessert in ready in minutes! I have added my own twist in this recipe with white chocolate as my hero, and layered with mango puree which compliments the chocolate flavour and gives that beautiful classy look in the glass, topped with a mint leaf.

So chill, go grab your fruit and try this out, don’t forget to comment…

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

Wanna try more mousse recipes? Check out my Strawberry Mousse recipe here.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

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White Chocolate Mango Mousse

Creamy, Chocolaty, & Fruity… White Chocolate Mousse with a touch of Mango!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword mango, mousse, white chocolate mousse

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling time 4 hours hours

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 250 g 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cup chilled heavy cream
• 3 tbsp + ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 mangoes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp water
• mint leaves (garnish, optional)

Instructions

For making Mango Puree

• Peel and slice mango into cubes. In a pan, cook mangoes on low heat with lemon juice, water and ½ cup sugar. You may vary the amount of sugar added according to the sweetness of your mangoes.
• Cook until it turns mushy. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely.
• Blend in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate it while you prepare the mousse.

For making White Chocolate Mousse

• Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl by microwaving at 30 second intervals and whisking alternatively until completely melted. Fold it in ½ cup heavy cream to prevent further thickening. Keep aside.
• In another bowl, beat rest of the heavy cream along with vanilla essence and 3 tbsp granulated sugar, until soft peaks form.
• Add the white chocolate mix to the whipped cream in batches and fold gently until smooth (do not beat).
• Pour the mousse into the dessert glasses equally. This recipe is enough to fill them till the half mark.
• Chill for about 4 hours/overnight to set.
• Serve by layering mango puree over white chocolate mousse, you can either pour with a spoon or pipe it neatly. Top with mint leaves.

The post White Chocolate Mango Mousse appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, it’s a “Happy Birthday to me” …!!!

And I baked a cake for my birthday… Yaaay…!!!

Do you make your own birthday cake? I did it for the first time. It’s my first birthday since I started baking and blogging, and so I thought to prepare a cake with my favorite white chocolate. I believe there are two categories of people in this world – dark chocolate lovers and white chocolate lovers; I belong to the second category.

There are few crazy facts about my craving for white chocolate:

1. I love white chocolates so much that when I hear people talking about the benefits of dark chocolate over white chocolate, I usually turn my face away from them… hehe…
2. I just love to crash serious discussions / heated debates with my friends, by dropping the “dark or white chocolate” question and watch their perplexed and surprised faces.
3. White chocolate with cookies, Yummm.
4. I hardly have met any white chocolate lovers.

Anyways, so coming back to the cake, this is the best Vanilla cake I have ever baked and is super soft, rich and moist. One of my key tips to bake a perfect cake is to ensure that the ingredients, especially the refrigerated ones, are brought to the room temperature before preparation. The use of cold eggs, milk, or butter makes big air pockets which affects the texture of cake.

This recipe will make two 9 inch vanilla cakes. Cake frosting can be done in batches and refrigerated, to ensure that each coat sets properly before applying the next.

And finally, decorate with cherry sauce and fresh cherries.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag your picture with #pepperdelightblog to all Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

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White Chocolate Cake with Cherry Sauce

Vanilla cake coated with white chocolate butter cream, topped with cherry sauce and fresh cherries. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, cherry sauce, white chocolate cake

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making Cake

• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 stick unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk

For making Cherry Sauce

• 3 cup fresh cherries (pitted and halved)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp corn starch

For making White Chocolate Cream

• 2 stick unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 3 cup powdered sugar
• 4 oz white chocolate (melted)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• Fresh cherries (to decorate)

Instructions

Preparation of cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Apply butter to two 9-inch pan and keep it aside. 
• In a small bowl, swift and mix dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). 
• Add eggs one at a time; scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, beating well after each addition.  
• Mix with the vanilla extract and beat well.  
• Add the dry ingredient mix at this stage, slowly alternating with milk and flour. Batter will be smooth, thick and creamy. 
• Carefully spread batter equally into two pans. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. 
• Unmold the cakes by running a knife or a rubber spatula over the sides of the pan. Carefully flip them over. 

Preparation of Cherry Sauce

• Remove the stem and pit the cherries. 
• Bring a saucepan to medium heat with cherries, sugar, water, lemon juice and corn starch. Allow it to boil. 
• Stir occasionally and bring to low, stir for about another 4 minutes until it is thickened. 

Preparation of White Chocolate Cream

• In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. 
• Slowly add salt and vanilla extract, followed by adding powdered sugar. 
• Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave for 30 second intervals. Stir between each interval, until it is completely melted. 
• Combine melted white chocolate into the mix, add milk cream as needed  for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.

To frost the cake

• Level the cake by placing on a cake turn table. Using a sharp knife, turn the table, and make a gentle cut to make it even. 
• Apply base coat frosting using a spatula on all the sides of the one cake. Sandwich the other cake and apply base coat to the same. Allow it to cool in fridge for about 30 minutes. 
• Apply second layer of frosting and set for another 30 minutes. 
• Top with cherry sauce and decorate with fresh cherries. 

The post White Chocolate Cake with Cherry Sauce appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Its berry season and a wonderful time to bake delicious desserts with these colorful fruits which are a pleasure to your eyes and taste. A cobbler to me is the right start… Cake crust with fruits; Yummm, my favorite kind of dessert!

I had previously uploaded a Peach cobbler recipe, but this is a different preparation as the berries are naturally sweet.

Another twist I have tried to introduce is replacing flour with wheat flour, which results in a denser dish… perfect for a quick filling.

This whole wheat berry cobbler is the right combination of sweet and sour flavour. You can either use a mix of different berries or even pick just one, whichever suits your choice and taste. The berry mix on the base is crusted with a cake mix and sprinkled with sugar on top… overall… Delicious…!!!

And to serve, make it a combo with Vanilla ice cream… a picture perfect summer dessert …!!!

Prep time: 30 – 45 minutes
Serves: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups mixed berries
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Apply some butter on the baking pan and keep aside.
3. Combine berries with lemon juice and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, oats, baking powder and salt. Whisk it by adding melted butter until crumbly. Add milk and stir it to aerate the batter.
5. Spread the berry mix in the pan.
6. By using a large spoon, drop the batter on top of the berries.
7. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
8. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes until the crust become golden brown. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The post Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I am deeply fond of chocolate soil and I love to try it with different combinations. Being a blogger I love to experiment with everything which comes my way, but inventing new combinations is what makes me excited. And of course with tasty desserts you can make a full house of precious smiles…!!!

Creating three components may be difficult on a first thought. But if you have the time and patience to explore, it’s fun to try out. I had previously uploaded a Chocolate Garden recipe and here I am again with my next dessert in a chocolate soil. This time I’ve made a custard sauce which is a perfect creamy combo with the crunchy chocolate soil, and the final twist from the sweet n sour raspberry sorbet to complement the flavors of this beautiful dessert.

Managing your time to prepare this dessert can be quite easy if you plan ahead, like preparing the raspberry sorbet a day before. Refrigerate it and it will be good for the next day. Also while the Chocolate soil gets ready in the oven, you can utilize the time to prepare the custard sauce. Or you can even prepare all the three a day ahead, store and refrigerate in an air tight container. All you need to do the next day is to plate it in your style, and believe me; you will surely wow your guests and stun them with your effort in bringing a restaurant quality dessert from your kitchen.

Prep time: 1 hr 30 mins
Serves: 5-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For raspberry sorbet (without ice cream machine)

• 18 oz raspberries (reserve 3-4 to decorate)
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ of lemon juice

For chocolate soil

• 125 g caster sugar
• 1 ¼ cup almond meal
• 50 g cocoa powder
• ½ cup flour
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt

For custard sauce

• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 2½ cup of milk
• 5 tbsp sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of Raspberry Sorbet (without ice cream machine)

1. Boil sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Allow the syrup to cool.
2. Blend raspberries, lemon juice, and the syrup in a food processor until smooth.
3. Pour through a strainer to remove seeds (pits).
4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pour the puree and freeze until set.
5. Break the frozen puree into pieces and blend again until smooth. Pour again and freeze it and repeat the process one more time.
6. Serve immediately or let it soften for a few minutes before serving.

Preparation of Chocolate soil

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with melted butter. It will appear mealy once properly mixed.
3. Line a baking tray with sheet, spread this mixture.
4. Bake for 30 -35 minutes by stirring occasionally.
5. Cool and then store in an air tight container.

Preparation of Custard Sauce

1. Add custard powder to ½ cup of milk and stir to make a paste, keep aside.
2. Mix sugar in 2 cups of milk and bring to boil.
3. Add custard paste to the boiling milk and keep on stirring continuously until its texture becomes slightly thick. Turn of the flame so that the custard sauce maintains its consistency (slightly thick n syrupy).

The post Trio Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

One of the biggest surprises since I started my blog was a gift I received from my brother n sister in laws recently; a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer…!! Though I am a beginner and still exploring, it was such a beautiful piece of gift to my baking dreams…

The timing of the mixer was perfect as my friends anniversary was around the corner as I was still half minded on what to cook. And that answered my confusion; a Cake it is, with all Chocolate. Perfect to kindle the sweet memories for this lovely couple…

Chocolate cake is best known for its taste, and is unbeatable when combined with a chocolate frosting. It is super soft, moist, has the perfect balance of cake and frosting, and is light and creamy.

So here I am sharing my best chocolate cake recipe with a yummy delicious chocolate frosting. Try it out, and you will surely love it…

Prep time: 1 hr 30 mins
Serves: 6-7 servings

INGREDIENTS

For chocolate cake

• 2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1½ cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For chocolate frosting

• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (tempered)
• 1½ cup butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup water
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and grease with butter using a brush.
3. To prepare the cake, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, beat butter until it is softened. Ensure that the butter is brought to room temperature before softening.
5. Beat granulated sugar and brown sugar into the butter, until blended well.
6. Add eggs one at a time to the butter and beat well. Add the vanilla extract too.
7. Slowly add the prepared dry ingredients to the bowl in portions, alternating with buttermilk, until the cake batter is mixed well without any lumps.
8. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and place in the oven. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes and until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Once the cakes are done, take them out of the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
10. Unmold the cakes by running a knife or a rubber spatula over the sides of the pan. Carefully flip them over.

Preparation of chocolate frosting

1. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder with water until smooth and keep it aside.
2. To temper the chocolates, place it in a double boiler, or in a metal bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Stir it continuously using a rubber spatula while it melts and keep measuring the temperature. The mix should not be too runny and should melt uniformly. Ensure that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl, whisk butter until soft, followed by whisking and adding cocoa mix and salt. Stop the mixer and scrape down its sides.
5. Add powdered sugar, whisk well.
6. Turn mixer into medium and add tempered chocolate and half of the heavy whipping cream slowly, and beat well. Add the remaining mix until you have reached the desired consistency. It should be light and creamy and spreadable.
7. It can be stored in an airtight container, make sure to bring to room temperature before apply for frosting.

The post Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This easy five ingredient 30 minute strawberry mousse recipe is the best dessert to celebrate this spring with its refreshing taste.

Recently a friend of mine had asked for an easy recipe with strawberry, and at first a berry cobbler came to my mind. Since I had already posted a peach cobbler recipe here earlier, I thought of trying out something new. And today when I bought this big pack of strawberries, I decided that it’s finally time to post my first Mousse…

This mousse recipe can be made in different ways with varying ingredients like eggs, gelatin, cookie crumbles, etc. Gelatin gives stability to a dessert, but here I have kept it simple n easy without any additives and refrigerated the mousse to make it denser.

To complement the mousse you can add toppings like sliced strawberries for a fleshy texture, or for a crunchy nutty flavour add pistachios, cashews, almonds, pecans or even cookies. A drizzle of chocolate sauce would be perfect to balance the sweet-sourness of strawberries, and of course strawberries dipped in chocolate is a match made in heaven.

Make sure not to over stir after adding strawberry puree to the cream mixture.

This strawberry mousse is:

• Refreshing
• Creamy
• Delicious
• Fruity
• a Spring dessert
• Served in glass
• a 30 minute recipe
• has 5 ingredients
• needs no baking

Prep time: 30 minutes, refrigerate for 1 hr.
Serves: 4-5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups strawberries
• 5-6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cup heavy whipping cream
• chocolate sauce (drizzle)

To decorate

• Pistachio
• Sliced strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Puree the strawberries with 3 tbsp of sugar in a food processor.
2. Beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla essence along with 2 tbsp of sugar using a stand mixer until soft peaks form.
3. Add the pureed strawberries to this mix and beat on low speed. Do not over-mix.
4. Transfer to serving glasses in equal proportions and drizzle chocolate sauce on the top.
5. Decorate with sliced strawberries and pistachio.
6. Refrigerate for an hour if you would like the dessert to be cold and thick.

The post Strawberry Mousse appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Eggs can be prepared in different ways, and it’s super easy if you have an egg mold. In this recipe I did not use a mold and thought of trying out Easter eggs made with wine, cake, and chocolate. It’s soft, moist, chocolaty, and has a cheesy taste from the cream cheese filling.

Now if you do not prefer alcohol, you can use Sparkling Apple Cider although there is no wine substitute that tastes exactly the same.

Wish You All a Very Happy Easter and hope you enjoy this recipe…

Prep time       :  2 hours
Serves             :  6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For making cake
Flour                                : 1 cup
Baking powder             : ½ tbsp
Salt                                   : ½ tbsp
Eggs                                  : 2
Butter                               : ½ stick (4 tbsp – melted at room temp.)
Sugar                                : 2/3 cup
Vanilla extract               : 1 tbsp
Sparkling white wine  : ½ cup
Cream cheese                : 12 oz.

Decoration
White and dark chocolates
Edible food colors
Chocolate sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

For making Wine cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9 inch baking pan with butter and keep side.
3. In a small bowl, whisk and mix the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer or a hand mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating them after each addition with sugar and vanilla extract.
5. Mix in sparkling white wine, alternating with the dry mixture and combine well.
6. Pour into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and turn it upside down.

For making eggs

1. Crumble the cake using hands or using a blender. Avoid the edges of the cake as it is hard and may cause difficulty when molding the cake mix.
2. Mix in cream cheese, and mash it and mix well till it becomes doughy.
3. Make small balls from the mix and mold it to an egg shape using your hands. Place the molds on a parchment paper.
4. Keep in the refrigerator and allow it to cool and set for half an hour.
5. Chop dark chocolate into pieces. To temper the chocolates place it in a double boiler, or a metal bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
6. Stir it continuously using a rubber spatula while it melts uniformly and keep measuring the temperature. The mix should not be too runny but should melt uniformly. Ensure that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees.
7. Dip each egg in that chocolate mix using a spoon and fork. Allow them to rest on a wire rack to remove excess chocolate drippings. Transfer to a baking tray with parchment paper. Allow it to air dry for about half an hour.
8. Temper white chocolate similarly ensuring that it doesn’t exceed 105 degrees.
9. After melting white chocolate, pour few drops of edible color liquid and stir fast to mix it. You can vary the color according to your choice; I preferred 4-5 drops to create the light blue and green effect.
10. Dip each egg immediately in the colored mix and allow it to stand in a wire rack to drip excess liquid and then air dry.
11. Decorate with sprinkles.

The post Easter Eggs with Sparkling Wine appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Here you go, a Peach Cobbler..!

A cobbler is like a baked fruit pie with only an upper crust. It is three layered, with the bottom being butter, fruits in the middle, and topped with a cake crust. If you prefer stone fruits, nectarines are also a good alternate since they are also semi-sweet, and to lift the sweetness just cook them in sugar syrup.

My first attempt in making this was a failure, as I tried to fill up the pan with the batter, and while baking it started to rise and the sugar syrup spilled out, making a mess of my oven. So, use a large baking pan and leave enough room for the batter to rise.

So no more waiting, go get your fruit, make your cake batter, and start baking. And tell me how it tastes…

Prep time         :  1 hour
Serves               :  6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Peaches                        : 5
Sugar                            : 1 cup
Lemon juice               : 1 tbsp
Unsalted butter         : 6 tbsp (melted)
Baking powder          : 1 tbsp
Flour                             : 1 cup
Milk                              : 1 cup
Cinnamon powder   : 1 tbsp
Salt                                : a small pinch

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel, pit, and cut peaches into thin slices and keep it aside.
3. Melt butter and pour it to the baking pan.
4. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and slowly add milk by constantly stirring to form a thick batter. Pour this batter into the baking pan on top of the melted butter. Do not stir.
5. In another pan add the peach slices, lemon juice, sugar, and heat on a low flame with the lid closed for two minutes till the sugar melts. Open the pan and toss slightly so that the sugar syrup forms a thick coating on the peaches. Make sure to stir it constantly to prevent it from sticking on to the pan. When the sugar syrup starts to bubble up and thicken, switch off the flame. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
6. Pour this peach mixture over the batter. Do not stir after pouring.
7. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder on top of the mixture. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until you see a golden brown crust on the top.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Note:

• Ensure that you do not stir as instructed to maintain the layering of the dessert.
• Make sure the baking pan is big enough, as the batter will rise while baking and should not spill.

The post Peach Cobbler appeared first on Pepper Delight.

As mentioned in my previous posts, I started baking very recently and am still a beginner. I love cupcakes and knew I would be trying one very soon, but my biggest confusion was to pick a flavor, as both vanilla & chocolate were my favorites. That’s when my hubby proposed a half-n-half cake, and we loved the end result. The cupcakes when topped with butterscotch frosting, made my day…!!

The preparation was fun, as pouring the batter of the two flavors together into the pans was a bit tricky. The vanilla is much denser and displaces the chocolate batter as it rests. To make a proper half-n-half, there was this fine line of filling and baking which we had to trial and error. My hubby and I took a batter each and filled them simultaneously, and I must say that with his help it turned out pretty well.  You can do it on your own too, either by using separate piping bags and filling, or buy pouring them together if you can multitask well.

As the preparation of the batter for both flavors are different, I have provided their recipes separately. You can either use only one flavour, or try out a half-n-half like I did, and if you would like to go a step further make a marble cake style by giving it a swirl.

To make your cake super soft, light and moist, do not overbake them.    Once the cake cools down, you can top them for decoration in many ways, I did a butterscotch frosting with chocolate sprinkles and it tasted good. I used a readymade butterscotch frosting this time, will surely attempt my own recipe and post it soon.

Prep time        : 50 minutes
Serves              : 24 cupcakes

 INGREDIENTS

For Vanilla Cupcake :

Flour                              : 1 ½ cup
Baking powder            : 1 ½ teaspoon
Salt                                  : ¼ teaspoon
Eggs                                : 2 (cooled at room temp.)
Sugar                              : 2/3 cup
Butter                             : 6 oz (melted at room temp.)
Milk                                : ½ cup
Vanilla extract              : 2 teaspoon

For Chocolate Cupcake :

Flour                                               : ¾ cup
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) : ½ cup
Baking powder                            : ½ teaspoon
Baking soda                                  : ¾ teaspoon
Salt                                                  : ¼ teaspoon
Eggs                                                 : 2
Granulated sugar                         : ½ cup
Brown sugar                                  : ½ cup
Oil                                                     : 1/3 cup
Vanilla extract                               : 2 teaspoon
Buttermilk                                      : ½ cup

Cupcake liners
Chocolate sprinkles
Butterscotch icing

INSTRUCTIONS

For Vanilla Cupcake :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange the baking pan with the cupcake liners.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, add sugar and eggs (cooled at room temperature) and beat till it becomes light and foamy.
5. Mix the butter and vanilla extract and whisk.
6. Add the dry ingredients into this mixture in portions, alternating with milk and stir. Do not overmix the batter.
7. To ensure equal sized cupcakes, fill each liner in the pan to the same level, at about half way to avoid spilling when baking. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes, or till a toothpick when inserted in the center of a cake, comes out clean.
8. Cool the cupcake in a rack for 10 minutes.

For Chocolate Cupcake :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange the baking pan with the cupcake liners.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients; cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs (one at a time). Add oil and mix well.
5. Add the dry ingredients into this mixture in portions, alternating with buttermilk and stir. Do not overmix the batter.
6. To ensure equal sized cupcakes, fill each liner in the pan to the same level, at about half way to avoid spilling when baking. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes, or till a toothpick when inserted in the center of a cake, comes out clean.
7. Cool the cupcake in a rack for 10 minutes.

 Chocolate cup cake recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Preparation of  a Half-n-Half Vanilla Chocolate cupcake :

1. Follow the instructions of both vanilla and chocolate cupcake batter preparation till the 5^th step.
6. The only difference here is how you pour both batters together. You can either take someone’s assistance in adding one of the batters while you add the other simultaneously. Or if you can manage on your own, fill the two batters in different piping bags and pipe them together into the liner. Also, if you prefer a marble cake style, add the batters one after the other and give it one swirl.
7. Follow the remaining steps as instructed earlier.

Decorate with butterscotch frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

The post Half-n-Half Vanilla Chocolate Cupcake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Black forest cake is a German dessert named Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte; refers to a set of chocolate sponge cakes sandwiched between cherry and whipped cream. There are different ways to make it, like for example the use of alcohols varying from rum or whiskey, and also like the use of kirschwasser spirit in Germany which is made from sour cherries and used while layering the cake.

The cherries used for layering and topping the cake can either be fresh ones which you will have to soak in rum, or the readily available canned cherries which come in a syrup solution. In this recipe, I have used whole pitted dark sweet cherries. Also to add flavor and give a slight tint to the cream, you can mix a small portion of the left over syrup while preparing the whipped cream.

So, the whole idea to make this cake came while I was planning to gift my dear friend on her birthday, and that’s when she talked about her favorite cake…..

INGREDIENTS

For Cake:
Flour                                    : 2 cup
Cocoa powder                   : ¾ cup
Granulated sugar             : 1 cup
Salt                                       : 1 teaspoon
Baking powder                  : 1 teaspoon
Baking soda                       : 2 teaspoon
Butter                                   : ¾ cup
Brown sugar                      : 1 cup
Vanilla extract                   : 2 tbsp
Eggs                                      : 3
Buttermilk                          : 1 ½ cup

For whipped cream :
Heavy whipping cream  : 2 ½ cup
Powdered sugar                : 5 tbsp
Cherry syrup                     : 1 tbsp

For decoration :
Cherries                               : as required
Chocolate sprinkles         : a small box

 INSTRUCTIONS

For Cake :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare the cake, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl by sifting flour, baking powder, baking salt, cocoa powder and salt. Keep aside.
3. In another bowl, beat butter until it is softened. Ensure that the butter is brought to room temperature before softening.
4. Beat granulated sugar and brown sugar into the butter, until blended well.
5. Add eggs one at a time to the butter and beat well. Add the vanilla extract too.
6. Slowly add the prepared dry ingredients to the bowl in portions, alternating with buttermilk, until the cake batter is mixed well without any lumps.
7. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and grease with butter using a brush. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and place in the oven. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes and inspect with a toothpick.
8. Once the cakes are done, take them out of the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
9. Unmold the cakes by running a knife or a rubber spatula over the sides of the pan. Carefully flip them over.

For whipped cream :

1. Chill cream for 15 minutes.
2. Whip cream into soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and beat well using a beater.
3. To give a cherry flavor and a slight tint on the cream, add a teaspoon of the cherry syrup to it and mix well.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

1. Cut the cakes horizontally into equal halves. Lay the cut halves on a flat surface with the cut sides facing upwards. Brush off any crumbs on top of the cut sides.
2. Out of the 4 halves, both the bottom halves and one of the top halves will be used for layering. Powder the other top half in a blender, and keep aside. We will use this later for decoration.
3. To begin layering, first take one of the bottom halves. Using a rubber spatula, apply a layer of whipped cream evenly on top of the cake.
4. Spread cherries on top of the cake.
5. Now carefully lift the second bottom half and place it on top of the first layer so that its cut side faces up. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
6. Place the third layer; the remaining top half, upside down so that it’s cut side faces the bottom. With this, the layering is done and now it’s time to decorate the cake.
7. Using the spatula, spread frosting evenly on top and on the sides covering cracks and holes on the cake if any.
8. Carefully fill half of a piping bag with the whipped cream.
9. Start piping to make floral designs on the top of the cake.
10. Decorate the cherries on each cream floral pattern.
11. Decorate the center with powdered cake.
12. Decorate the sides and top with chocolate sprinkles.

The post Black Forest Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Okay, so this one is my favourite…… Chocolate garden..!!!

A dessert which I first saw in “Masterchef Australia”! I am an addict of the Masterchef TV Series, especially the Australia version. The show opened the doors to understand food, how to respect and love the ingredients we use, and a lot more…. And of course; Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris are my favourite judges.

I have read about various ways of using Chocolate soil, and always wondered on the techniques used in making it. Finally gave it a try and I managed to re-create this with a small twist.

I have added hard sauce in my recipe to introduce a wet component to the dessert, so that it complements the dryness of the soil. Hard sauce is an excellent combination with chocolate soil, as it’s creamy, buttery and sugary. The mint parfait brings in a refreshing taste, and together with the soil and the sauce, it makes an awesome combo to dig in to. We decorated the garden with chopped raspberry and chopped fresh mint leaves, to represent the flowers and grass.

The chocolate soil recipe has been referred from Jason Atherton, and hard sauce from Lousiana Kitchen and Culture.

Prep time        : 90 minutes (chilled overnight)
Serves              :  6 servings

 INGREDIENTS

For Chocolate soil :

Caster sugar       : 125 g
Almond meal     : 1 ¼ cup
Cocoa powder    : 50 g
Flour                     : ½ cup
Butter                   : 1/3 cup
Salt                        : 1 teaspoon

For Hard sauce :

INGREDIENTS

Butter                                  : 3 tbsp
Vanilla extract                  : 3 tbsp
Sugar                                    : ½ cup
Flour                                    : 1 tbsp
Nutmeg                               : ¼ tsp
Heavy Whipping cream  : 1 cup
Dark rum                            : 1 ounce

Mint parfait :

INGREDIENTS

Eggs                                      : 2
Sugar                                   : ¼ cup
Mint leaves                        : 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Heavy Whipping cream : 180 ml
Lemon zest                        : 1 lime

Decoration :

Mint leaves      : 3, 4
Raspberry        : 3, 4 chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of Chocolate Soil :

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with melted butter. It will appear mealy once properly mixed.
3. Line a baking tray with sheet, spread this mixture.
4. Bake for 30 minutes by stirring occasionally.
5. Cool and then store in an air tight container.

Preparation of Mint parfait :

1. In a small saucepan, add sugar, zest of lemon, chopped mint leaves and water on a low heat and gently simmer. Whisk until well combined, smooth, and starts to thicken.
2. Remove from heat, and whisk again to cool.
3. Blend with whipped cream and then pour into a silicon mould.
4. Keep in the freezer to set.

Preparation of Hard Sauce :

1. Melt butter in a pan, add sugar and nutmeg.
2. Blend in flour and mix thoroughly.
3. Whisk in cream, vanilla extract and rum.
4. Cook till the sauce is about to boil, do not allow it to rise.

Assembling dessert

Place hard sauce in a plate, topped with chocolate soil and centered with parfait. Sprinkle chopped mint leaves and raspberry to decorate.

The post Chocolate Garden appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The sweet-sourness of blackberry-blueberry compote complements the creaminess of the panna cotta, together it is a heavenly combination and an awesome dessert.

Prep time  : 40 – 45 mins (and chilled for 6 hours)
Serves        : 7 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Panna cotta :

Heavy whipping cream     : 2 cup
Milk                                       : 1/2 cup
Sugar                                     : ½ cup
Vanilla essence                    : 1 ½ teaspoon
Unflavoured gelatin            : 1 packet
Butter/Cooking spray         : to grease
Ramekins or shot glasses   : 7

For Blackberry-Blueberry compote :

Blackberry      : 150 g
Blueberry        : 150 g
Sugar                : 75 g
Lemon juice   : 1 tbsp
Water               : 1.5 cup

INSTRUCTIONS

Making Panna Cotta:

1. Dilute gelatin by mixing in 3 tbsp cold water and gelatin powder in a small bowl. Let it stand there for few minutes until it become thickened to syrupy form.
2. In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk and sugar on medium heat, by stirring continuously. Add Vanilla essence and mix properly, switch off the flame.
3. Mix with the dissolved gelatin and stir till it get mixed to the cream mixture
4. Spray some cooking oil to ramekins or grease with butter .
5. Pour the cream mixture to these glasses and let it stand in the refrigerator for 6 hours.

Making Blackberry-Blueberry Compote:

1. In a pan, add water, blackberry, blueberry, sugar and lemon juice. Heat by gently stirring the liquid. Bring to boil and then heat on low heat. Simmer for 10-15 mins, until slightly syrupy and allow it to cool completely.

The post Vanilla Panna Cotta with Blackberry-Blueberry compote appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Here is the recipe I have tried out (adapted from Rachel Ray), and the cake goes well with Vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Print

Tennessee Honey Whiskey Cake

The Ultimate Whiskey Cake with Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Tennessee Honey Whiskey Cake, whiskey cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 oz butter (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey
• 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a bowl, and keep aside.
• In a separate bowl beat the butter at a medium high speed using a stand mixer. Once creamy, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue till properly mixed.
• To the above mixture add 3 eggs, one at a time after mixed well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition of eggs.
• Add the dry ingredients which are already mixed to this butter mixture one third at a time alternating with the addition of milk.
• Followed by adding molasses on a low speed, and whisk with stand mixer for 50 seconds until smooth.
• Add the star ingredient whiskey finally and beat well for another 30 seconds more.
• Add chopped pecans and stir to the mixture.
• Line a butter greased parchment paper on a 10 inch baking tray. Pour the mixture to the pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
• Serve with Vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce drizzle.

Notes

For those who don’t prefer using Whiskey, you can substitute it with water (3 tablespoons), and vanilla extract (2 teaspoons).

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