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…!

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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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.

Winter has started to kick in with the weather getting chillier day by day, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Black Friday deals are already out, everyone is busy planning their holidays, and how are your preparations coming along? Did you give a thought about all the delicious dishes you plan to put up for this year’s Thanksgiving feast? I have started mine! So stay tuned for my upcoming posts will all my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. And to keep the ball rolling, here is a wonderful cocktail recipe… with family and friends coming over, you certainly need a drink to start off your party. I know limoncello is not a winter drink, but this Lemony Flavored Blueberry Cocktail is definitely a crowd pleaser!

This is my first attempt with a limoncello. I did some research to know more about this drink, and came across many interesting articles about the history and preparation of limoncello. This popular Italian lemon liqueur is made from the infusion of lemon peel in alcohol. It is kept covered for weeks, then strained and mixed with simple syrup, creating this yellow neon colored drink which is then served chilled. Being rich in lemon, the combination of limoncello with fruity flavors and other beverages gave rise to many wonderful cocktails, which are tangy, fruity and delicious.

Limoncello with blueberry juice gives you the right balance of sweetness n tartness. Give it a touch of fizzy soda and there you go! Its fun, festive, and refreshing, making it perfect for your parties and impressing your guests alike…

Enjoy…!

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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Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail

Jazz up your Thanksgiving Party with this Vibrant and Festive Limoncello Blueberry Cocktail…!  

Course Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword blueberry, cocktail, limoncello

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 oz limoncello
• 1 oz blueberry juice
• 5 oz lemonade
• ½ oz soda water
• Ice cubes

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and pour limoncello, blueberry juice, and lemonade. Place it’s cap on and shake well.
• Pour to a serving glass and top with soda. Enjoy!

The post Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail 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 Spanish drink; Spiced Red Sangria is a very popular alcoholic beverage in the US & Europe, and is widely gaining its attention elsewhere too. It’s a perfect drink to sip on your Christmas Eve or toast at your New Year Party, the aromatic flavors blend well with the holiday mood.

So how are your Christmas plans coming up? Damn, this year’s winter is pretty cold and I seem to be spending most of my holidays roaming around in heavy coats. I will surely need something to spice and warm things up and I bet I have the right refreshment in hand!

For those who love to try dry red wine but prefer something sweeter and fruity without giving away the kick, Sangria is the answer. It stands right in the midst ticking all your preferences but at the same being crisp, smooth and fresh like a fruit drink. This Red Sangria an evergreen all-season beverage, refreshing & smooth.

Traditional sangria is made of dry red wine, fruits, fruit juices, sugar, and an alcohol, preferably brandy or rum. The ones made with White wine are called Sangria Blanca. A Sangria gives you a wide range of options to customize your drink, to suit your occasion or color theme by varying the fruits and juices incorporated. Even the Rum or Brandy used can be varied to suit your palate. And just set the drink overnight for the fruits and spices to infuse, and the resulting beverage you get the next morning is a whole new experience.

So here I am, signing off my Christmas recipes for this year with a Traditional Red Sangria indulged a spicy touch of cinnamon and star anise.

Interested in more Christmas recipes? Check these out;

• Christmas Fruit Cake / Kerala Plum Cake (Alcoholic)
• Christmas Fruit Cake (Non-Alcoholic)
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Enjoy, Merry Christmas!!!

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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Spiced Traditional Red Sangria

Crisp & Refreshing, Fruity rich with Apples n Oranges, Spiced with Cinnamon n Star Anise, Boozed in a splash of Rum… A Traditional Delight to celebrate your Winter Holidays… Spiced Red Sangria…!!

Course Drinks

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword christmas, sangria, wine

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Resting time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (750 ml dry red wine)
• 1 cup orange juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup rum / brandy
• 2 apples (sliced thinly)
• 1 orange (sliced thinly with rind on)
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 1 star anise

Instructions

• In a large pitcher, add red wine, orange juice, rum, orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. Stir with a spoon to mix the sugar.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight for the fruits to infuse its flavor.
• Serve chilled.

The post Spiced Traditional Red Sangria appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This is a pretty famous dish which has its roots running through the states of Goa & Kerala (my hometown) in India. The name Vindaloo comes from a Portuguese word “carne de vinha d’alhos” which means meat marinated in wine and garlic. The history of Vindaloo goes all the way back to the days when Portuguese sailors visiting India, used to preserve meat in wine and garlic for their food needs during their journey on the sea. This method of preservation helped the meat to last longer both for their sea journey and also at land in India’s hot climate.

Goans adopted the recipe and later modified it by incorporating chilies, tamarind, black pepper, cardamom and cinnamon, making a spicier version of it. This dish became popular in Goa and Kerala through the Anglo Indian community who passed on the recipe through generations. In India, a funny fact is that the name vindaloo is at times mistaken for an aloo (potato) dish! The recipe later travelled to England where again it was modified to lower the spiciness and tanginess, but still staying close to the original version.

Traditionally pork meat is used to prepare a Vindaloo, but later modified versions using chicken and beef become popular and began filling tables in restaurants.

The highlight of the dish is the harmonious blend of Sweet, Sour and Spice.  The spiciness can be varied according to your choice from mild-to-hot by altering the amount of chili used. When preparing Vindaloo, Tenderloin or shoulder cut of pork is preferred. A fattier cut adds a lot of flavour but if you are looking for something healthier use pork shoulders. The fat renders oil and also helps avoiding addition of extra oil while cooking.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking !!!

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Pork Vindaloo

A Portuguese inspired Goan Delight… Spicy, Slow Cooked n Aromatic… Pork Vindaloo…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword goan, indian, pork vindaloo

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For masala paste

• 2 lb. pork meat
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 8-10 garlic cloves
• 1 big piece of ginger
• 1 tbsp black pepper corns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 cloves
• 3-4 cardamom
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp sugar/brown sugar
• 3-4 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• water (as needed)
• salt (as needed)

For the curry

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• Oil (as required)
• 1 cup hot water (or more)

Instructions

• Clean and cut pork into small cubes.
• Prepare the masala by grinding the ingredients listed under masala above, to make a paste. Add water as needed to make the paste smooth.
• Marinate the pork in the masala for at least 3-4 hours, overnight marination would be ideal.
• Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute by adding a little salt until they are soft and caramelized.
• Add the marinated pork pieces and place the lid, cook on a high heat for 8 minutes stirring midway so that the meat gets evenly seared.
• Add 1 cup of hot water (or more if you prefer more gravy to your dish), close the lid and slow cook on low heat for about 45 mins to 1 hour until pork becomes tender. Stir at regular intervals to allow the juices from the pork to ooze out and cook well with the masala.
• Once the curry has reduced and pork tender, check the seasoning, add if needed, giving it a final stir.
• Serve warm with Rice, Appam or Naan/bread.

Notes

1. Meat with more fat is preferred, tenderloin or shoulder cut goes well too.

2. Adjust the spiciness according to your choice while adding chilies.

3. You can use distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the marination.

The post Pork Vindaloo appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello December…! Well, we are into the last month of the year and I’m already in a vacation mood. This whole month is going to be busy for me with shopping, vacation, visiting family, and of course Christmas recipes …!! This being my first Christmas since I’ve opened my blog, I have been planning over a month to finalize all my recipes, researching through some authentic Christmas dishes and even got some great ideas from my friends on dishes served at their homes in a pure traditional style. So stay tuned to Pepper Delight, Delicious lip-smacking recipes are on their way!

Going back to my beautiful memories of Christmas, I have a lot to cherish… especially about Cakes. This is the time of the year where plum cakes start filling the racks of every bakery in my hometown. I love Plum Cakes but my brother wasn’t fond of it. And like any other responsible sister, I had to share everything with him (which of course I didn’t like to, hehe), but when it comes to plum cakes I didn’t have to as he didn’t like it anyways and I get to have it whole, Waah! And the funny fact; to add to his misery, all our friends & family who visit us gift plum cakes only. What more do you need to piss him off, my poor little brother!!

Fruit cakes are made with dry fruits or chopped /candied fruits, soaked in an alcoholic liquid with nuts and spices. The sweetness of the fruits, sourness from the liquid, the crunchiness of the nuts, and the flavours of the all spice, makes it a well-balanced Christmas cake.

Another aspect of this recipe which I like is the variety and the options available for the ingredients of this cake. For all my non-alcoholic readers, in today’s recipe I have substituted the alcohol with orange juice. At first look, soaking fruits in orange juice and then adding more to the cake batter might seem a bit scary and a sweetness overload, but the nuts add the needed crunchiness & balance the sweetness. And if you wanted to try the alcoholic version, check out my Christmas Fruit Cake/Kerala Plum Cake. 

I highly recommend you to read the tips section below to find out the variations in dry fruits and nuts, and also the notes section for critical points to be considered while baking a fruit cake.

A few tips:

1. Dry Fruits varieties: Raisins/Sultanas, apricots, dates (seedless), prunes, currants, figs, tutti fruit, glazed cherries, dried unsweetened cranberries.
2. Nuts: Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts.
3. Soaking liquid (alcoholic): Rum, Brandy, Amarula, Baileys Irish Coffee.
4. Soaking liquid (non-alcoholic): 100% grape juice, apple juice, orange juice, or water.
5. Spices: Ground all spice; ½ tsp cinnamon powder+ ¼ tsp cloves

Thank You Beena Aunty for all your valuable tips for this recipe.

Enjoy baking, Merry Christmas…!!!

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Christmas Fruit Cake (Non Alcoholic)

Indulge your family & friends with this flavor packed, Fruity n Nutty, Sweet n Moist Cake…!! A Non-Alcoholic Christmas Fruit Cake. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas fruit cake, fruit cake, kerala plum cake, plum cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For soaked dry fruits

• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup apricots
• ½ cup dates (seedless)
• 1½ cup orange juice or more

For caramel syrup

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp + 4 tbsp water

For cake

• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1¾ cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• Juice of one orange
• 1 orange zest
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup cashews

Instructions

Preparation of fruits

• Chop dry fruits into bite size pieces. Place them into a dry glass container along with the soaking liquid. Ensure that the fruits are completely immersed in the soaking liquid.
• For soaking instructions and other tips, refer the notes section below.

Preparation of caramel syrup

• Add the sugar and 1 tbsp water into a pan and heat on a medium flame.
• As the sugar melts and starts turning golden brown, lower the flame and keep stirring till it turns a bit darker and thicker.
• Now add the remaining 4 tbsp of water, switch of the flame and keep stirring till the syrup cools down.

Preparation of cake

• Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, allspice and salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
• Drain the soaked dry fruits in to a separate bowl and add 3-4 tbsp of the above prepared dry mixture. Mix to flour coat the fruits, this helps preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Line parchment paper on the bottom of a 9 inch nonstick springform pan and also along the sides extending 2 inches above the rim of the pan. Butter the paper throughout and set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Add brown sugar and beat until light and mixed well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, which helps to mix it evenly.
• Add eggs one at a time followed by grated orange zest, and mix.
• Meanwhile prepare the caramel syrup as instructed above, and add the cooled syrup to the cake batter and mix.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with orange juice, and mix till blended well.
• Now fold in the flour coated dry fruits, and nuts (slivered almonds and cashews) into the batter. Optionally you can reserve some nuts to garnish later.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and garnish on top with nuts (optional). Bake for 1 hour and 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with little or no moist crumbs.
• If the cake looks to be sticky, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the skewer test. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool.
• Gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and then unlock it. Move the cake to a wire rack keeping the lined parchment paper intact and let it cool completely.
• Once cooled you can remove the paper, and the cake is now ready to be served.
• To store, you can wrap the cake in an aluminum foil and keep in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.

Notes

• Soak dry fruits in either an alcohol or a non-alcoholic liquid to enhance the flavour. If using non-alcoholic, I recommend soaking for at least a day but you may do so for a few days up to a week. Refrigerate it after 24 hours. If using alcohol, you can soak it at room temperature for up to 6 months.
• The fruits to be soaked should be chopped into bite sized pieces. Use a clean air tight glass container to soak the fruits. Stirring it periodically or at least once a day helps it to rehydrate and not to dry out.
• After draining the soaked dry fruits, coat them in a few spoons of the dry flour mixture. This helps the fruits to stick on to the batter preventing it from setting down to the bottom of the pan while baking.
• While adding orange juice into the batter you might notice that it begins to curdle. This is absolutely fine and it happens due to the citrus nature of the orange.
• After removing the baked cake from the pan, allow it sit on a wire rack to cool down at room temperature. Do not remove the parchment paper from the pan when the cake is hot, it might crumble.
• Wrapping the cake in an aluminum foil helps it to retain moisture and prevent drying out.
• You can keep the cake in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.

The post Christmas Fruit Cake (Non Alcoholic) appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love the Year end Holidays, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas n New Year, all very close and one after the other. You’ve got family & friends getting together, gifting, & partying. Also it’s the time of the year when you host parties, dinners & potlucks, which requires preparation and finalizing your recipes, especially with every occasion having its own delicacies. To me as important the main course, appetizers or desserts are, is also my Drink Recipe!

So, how fun is creating a Cocktail? Of course, leave aside the experimenting, tasting and blogging. For me, it’s photography is the best part. Playing with colors, lights, the reflections, creating the mood, contrast; all these are a fun experience and a lot of learning. And the best part… Cleaning up! It hardly takes time unlike other recipes… you can wrap up your shoot in no time, and a soothing drink awaits you after all the easy works.

Just two more days for thanksgiving and I’m so excited to host my party for our friends visiting town! While I’ve already finalized my dishes, I decided to try something new with a fruit flavored cocktail. The tangy tickles from the pomegranate citrus combo along with the bubbly fizz from the champagne makes it party perfect! It’s so easy to prepare, no pre-work needed. Just Mix & Serve…!!

Happy Thanksgiving & Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup champagne
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• pomegranate seeds (garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine pomegranate juice and lemon juice, pour it into chilled serving glasses / champagne flute.
• Top with champagne and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

The post Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Red Velvet cake also known as Red Waldorf Cake is a layered cake with the flavour of cocoa powder in an attractive red color, and a classic cream cheese frosting. The cake is all about love and romance, and the romantic stories behind it go all the way back to the times of the civil war, where southern American ladies baked them to seduce and keep their husbands home and from going for the war. The origin of the Red Velvet Cake is known to be from America in the early 19^th Century. Though not popular initially, it was around the beginning of 1996 that the cake gained much attention and now it is the most famous dessert in America, and well known all over the world.

Red Velvet Cake is all about love and romance, and I really wanted to give justice to the cake by creating the same emotions in my photos, and with its preparation & flavour. To set the mood, how better can it get than a dark background with candle lights. Romance is incomplete without red roses, and an erotic novel by Sylvia Day to accompany it takes the whole frame to another level. Seduction and Champagne, hand in hand… and the beautiful glow of the candle light makes my fairytale romance complete…!!!

I have been planning for a while now to bake a red velvet cake and it was this second attempt where I was able to find success. The cake is moist and fluffy, with a perfect balance of sweetness which is not overpowered by the saltiness from the cream cheese. Though the recipe adds cocoa powder, you hardly notice the chocolate flavour.

I am happy to share this recipe as it turned out pretty well and the effort behind it was worth every bit. I have also included some tips for making the rosette, because I know how hard it is for a beginner. Be patient and practice, that’s the main advice I can give.

Tips for making Rosette:

1. I used a Wilton 1M/2D rose tip to decorate the roses.
2. It is ideal to chill your frosting for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before you pipe, so that your rosette stands firm.
3. If your frosting turns out to be too thick, add a few drops of milk and beat till you get the perfect consistency.
4. Make sure you have enough frosting to pipe the roses. Sometimes these roses take a lot of frosting, so be prepared for it. The measurements which I have provided here is enough for two 9inch round cakes as seen in my pictures.
5. I highly recommend you practice the roses on a flat surface first to avoid any mistakes before decorating the cake, especially if you are a newbie like me.
6. Always start decorating from the bottom of the cake. It is easier to clean up any mistakes or mess from the bottom. If your roses start to slide down, chill the frosting for another 15 minutes to set and redo.
7. To decorate the roses; gently pipe a center point, and start moving the tip in a circle, counter clockwise direction, and repeat the process. Pipe your roses tightly leaving no gaps between them. Fill the spaces in-between by piping a dot or a flower bud.
8. When you are done with decoration, chill your cake for another 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set completely.

Enjoy baking, Happy Caking…!!!

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Print

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Rosette

Red Velvet Cake with Classic Cream Cheese Rosettes...!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, red velvet cake, rosette, valentines day

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Decoration 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making cake

• 2⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup corn starch
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1½ tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs (separated – at room temperature)
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 3½ tbsp liquid red food color
• 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

For making cream cheese frosting

• 16 oz + 8oz full fat cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• ½ cup + 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• 4 tsp liquid red food color

Instructions

For making cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Apply butter on two 9 inch cake pans and set aside.
• In a small bowl, sift and mix dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (1 min).
• Add granulated sugar, beat for another 2 mins to mix.
• Add oil and beat on high for 2 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
• While beating on high speed, add the vanilla extract and egg yolks. Beat well to mix properly.
• Add the red food color slowly along with vinegar, beat well to mix and give the batter a proper red color.
• Add the dry ingredient mix at this stage, slowly alternating with buttermilk and flour on a low speed. Do not over mix the batter.
• In the meantime, beat the egg whites in another bowl vigorously until soft peaks form (3 mins). The peaks should hold their shape when beaters are lifted.
• Fold in the cake batter using a rubber spatula. The batter will be smooth and thick.
• Pour the batter equally into the prepared pans, Bake for about 30 – 32 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.

For making cream cheese frosting for filling inside and covering around

• Beat cream cheese (8oz) and butter (4 tbsp) on a medium speed and until smooth.
• Beat in sugar (2 cups), vanilla extract (1 tbsp) and milk (1tbsp) on a high speed for another 3 minutes.
• Level the top surface of the bottom cake by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Apply a thick base coat of frosting evenly using a spatula on top of the shaved cake surface. Sandwich the second cake on top of it and apply the base coat on the top and sides of both cakes. Allow it to set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

For making cream cheese for rosettes

• Beat cream cheese (16oz) and butter (½ cup) on medium speed until smooth.
• Beat in sugar (4 cups), vanilla extract (1 tbsp) on a low speed, and slowly increase speed to medium, beat for 3 minutes.
• Add liquid red food color (4 tsp) at this stage; beat on low for another 1-2 minutes. This gives a bright pink color as seen in the picture. If you want to go for light pink shade, cut down the red food color to 2 tsp.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This helps to pipe the roses nicely.

Notes

1. Make sure your eggs, butter, buttermilk and cream cheese are brought to a room temperature. Otherwise it will affect the texture of the cake.
2. When you mix oil with butter, it may not combine well but that’s completely okay. It will melt inside while baking.
3. Always use fresh eggs and while beating the egg whites, do so till soft peaks are properly formed and hold their shape when lifting the beater.
4. I used 4 tsp of liquid red food color to get a bright pink color for my frosting. If you prefer light pink, cut down to 2 tsp. If you do not want any color, make sure you thin the frosting by adding milk to get the right consistency.

The post Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Rosettes appeared first on Pepper Delight.