Greek Yogurt Banana Muffins

Day 7 of my guest post series and today we have Beula from The EatersSpot. I know Beula for quiet sometime and my first guest post Mushroom Masala was for Beula’s page.  Beula has a great collection of recipes. I approached her for toddler friendly recipes and seeing Greek Yogurt Banana Muffin, I was happy as I always find ways to include fruits in my son’s diet, and these muffins with eggs, banana and yogurt sounds like a great option. I have a version of banana muffins which is coming soon but right now its time to check the moist and yummy muffins from Beula:-)

Over to Beula,

 

Hello to the amazing foodies at Traditionally Modern Food. I feel quite honored that Vidya asked me for a guest post. I have been blogging for over five years at THE EATERSPOT, a very multi-cultural blog with recipes for everyone!

Website: www.myeaterspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/EATERSPOT/115036465185497?fref=ts

RECIPE:

My husband had bought way too many bananas thinking our 3 year old who usually loves them in her smoothies or oatmeal would eat them, but that one week, she was totally off bananas so I was left with 3 very over ripe bananas by the end of the week. Instead of throwing them away, I decided to make these muffins for her. My hubby and I ate a couple of them too (they are perfect with a cup of coffee or chai for the adults!) – They are just delicious … Hope you enjoy them

Ingredients:
3 Bananas, mashed
2 Eggs
1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Brown sugar
1 cup     Chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
4 tbsp     Butter

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line the muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.

In a bowl I first mixed the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, first cream together the sugar and butter. To it add the mashed bananas, eggs,vanilla and the yogurt and mix together.

Slowly add the flour mixture to this and mix until combined. If you are adding chocolate chips, you can add it now, but its totally optional.

I poured about 1/4 cup worth of battter into each muffin cup, and then baked  for around 20 minutes. Allow it to cool before taking them out of the tin.

Store the leftovers in an airtight container. I like them lightly warmed, maybe for around 20 seconds in the microwave and then spread a little butter … yum! yum!

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Happy New Year 🙂

Special day calls for a special dessert. Caramelized Apple Upside down cake is a perfect dessert for welcoming a new year:-)

Recently I had Pineapple upside down cake and was so tempted to the try it in home. Since I didn’t have pineapple, I thought of using apple for my cake. When I searched for the recipe I found upside down cake recipe in “Laura in the kitchen” channel. Followed her recipe with few changes

Ingredients:

For the caramel:

Light brown sugar – 1/3 cup

Butter – 4 tbsp

Cinnamon powder – 1/8 tsp

Apple – 2,  peeled, cored, thinly sliced

For the cake:

All-purpose flour – 1 cup + 1/3 cup

Apple – 1/4 cup, peeled, cored, finely chopped

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Nutmeg powder – 1/8 tsp

Cinnamon powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Brown sugar – 1 cup

Butter – 1/2 cup, melted in room temperatures

Eggs – 2

Vanilla extract – 1/2 tsp

Milk – 1/3 cup

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Add parchement paper to the  baking tray and grease it with butter/cooking spray. In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat until melted. Add the brown sugar. Bring it to a boil and remove from heat. Pour into the bottom of the greased pan. Arrange the apples circularly over the brown sugar mixture

• Seive flour, baking powder and salt 2-3 times and keep aside.In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat till mixture becomes pale. Add milk and mix well

• Add flour in small portions and gently mix without beating heavily. Add chopped apples and transfer the batter over apple layer; spread evenly

• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes and invert gently. Run knife along the edges of the cake and flip upside down on a pan

My Notes:

• Instead of apple, pineapple, peaches and any firm fruits can be used
• Few drops of lemon juice can be added to prevent Chopped apple from turning brown when kept for a long time
• Instead of baking them in a cake pan, can also bake them in muffin tray for individual serving
• Cake tastes great with whipped cream. Beat whipping cream on high until soft peaks start to form, and add sugar
• Self  raising flour can be used instead of all purpose flour and baking powder
• Wheat flour can be used instead of all purpose flour

Cream Biscuit Microwave Cake

Hurray! its my 100th recipe. I cannot believe I reached this special number so soon. I started this blog when my Little one was 6 months old. One day, hubby suggested I do something interesting, and spend some time away from everyday chores. That’s when a kitchen chef like me turned into a blogger. I thought I will end up posting something once a week, but constant comments and encouragement from Co-Bloggers, friends and family is keeping me motivated.

Biscuit cake – sounds interesting? I saw a recipe for this in a facebook group. The original recipe used Oreo biscuit, and I am not a big fan of chocolate. So didn’t try it for a long time. Recently when we were in the grocery stores, I told hubby about Oreo cake, and he asked why can’t you try with some other cream biscuit. I was like why it didn’t strike me!!! Since we were in the Indian store, I got Britannia cream biscuit and tried this cake after coming home. Believe me, it was super moist and tasty. I wouldn’t say its a no-sugar cake, as biscuits already have sugar 😉 let’s call it a no-extra-sugar cake 🙂

Cream Biscuit Microwave Cake

Preparation Time : 2 mins |  Cooking Time : 5 mins

Recipe Category : Dessert

Ingredients:

Britannia cream Treat Biscuits – 20 (I used Strawberry flavor)

Milk – 1 cup

Baking Powder/ Eno salt – 3/4 tsp (I used Baking powder)

Butter/Oil/Cooking spray – to grease (I used Cooking Spray)

Vanilla extract – 1/8 tsp

Method:

• Grease a microwave safe bowl/cake pan. I used a cake pan made of Silicone
• Put the biscuits into the blender and blend into fine granules

• Add baking powder, vanilla and milk and blend well

• Pour the batter into the bowl and microwave for 5 minutes

• Take it out and wait till it comes to room temperature. Once it is cooled, you can slice and serve.

My Notes:

• Any cream biscuit/cookies can be used
• Since I have used silicone baking tray, I was able to unmould easily. If you are using any other microwave safe bowl grease generously with oil/ butter
• Adding parchment paper/wax/butter papers helps to unmould easily

Eggless Dry Fruit and Nut Cake

After adding walnuts to Wheat and oats banana bread, hubby and I liked the nutty flavour, so thought of trying  a cake with nuts and dry fruit.  I have read that dry fruit and nut cake tastes great when the ingredients are marinated in Alcohol for a day. I wanted to replace alcohol with a fruit juice, and remembered Eggless Mango cake, in which fruit pulp replaced eggs. This time, tried a cake by marinating the ingredients in orange Juice (that’s what I had in the fridge, so used it). I have to thank my dear friend Lori@ creatingbeautyinthekitchen for inspiring me to try a cake without adding sugar. Have used honey and dates syrup instead of sugar. It came out well, no compromises in the sweetness!

Eggless Dry Fruit and Nut Cake

Preparation Time : 10 min | Marination Time : 10 hours | Cooking Time : 40 min

Recipe Category : Dessert/Baking

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1 pinch

Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp

Cardamom Powder – 1/2 tsp

Orange juice – 3/4 cup

Mixed Dry Fruits and Nuts – 3/4 cup (I used chopped almonds, walnuts, cashews, cranberries, raisins and apricots)

Honey – 1/3 cup

Dates – 7

Butter – 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Method

• Soak dry fruits and nuts in 1/4 cup orange juice overnight

• Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the cake tin with parchment paper and grease with butter/cooking spray
• Soak dates in hot water for 10 minutes
• Blend the dates by adding 2 tbsp of water (adjust if required)
• In a mixing bowl, add dry ingredients and sieve it (To ensure even mixing). Add soaked dry fruits and nuts mix gently
• Add honey, dates puree, butter and vanilla and Mix a gently until combined,Do not over mix

• Pour this batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean

My notes:

• Dates Syrup can also be used instead of Dates Puree
• Use nuts of your chioce
• Any fruit juice can be used
• Every oven differs keep an eye after 35 minutes
• Sugar can be used instead of honey
• Any fruit juice can be used instead of orange juice
• All purpose flour can also be used instead of wheat flour

Eggless Mango Cake

It is going to be almost a month since I had Mangoes. After eating too many mangoes, both in fruit form and dish form, I decided no more mangoes for this season. But day before yesterday, when we went shopping, saw fresh mangoes, and they were inviting! While eating the mangoes, Hubby asked me why don’t you prepare Mango dessert. Being a dessert lover, if I hear this, I can’t stop myself. But was confused what to cook. That’s when my friend called me casually and asked why am I not baking these days. I released it is been long time since I baked, so thought of making a Mango cake. I have never tried Mango cake before, and I wanted to try eggless version, as I have read that fruit pulp, yogurt and vinegar are great replacements for eggs. Google without you what will I do 😉 Referred many recipes, and liked the one by holy cow! vegan recipes. Made few changes to that, and here is my version of mango cake.

Eggless Mango Cake

Preparation Time : 10  mins | Cooking Time : 40 minutes |

Recipe Category: Dessert

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/4 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp

Cinnamon Powder –  1 tsp

Mango Pulp or Puree – 1 cup + 1 tbsp

Milk – 1 tbsp

Butter/Canola oil/Coconut oil – 1/4 cup (I used butter, melted at room temperature)

Granulated Sugar/Brown sugar – 1/4 cup (I used brown sugar) adjust sugar according to the sweetness of mango

Vanilla Extract – 1/4 tsp

PAM cooking spray – to grease (You can even grease the pan with butter/oil)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fagrenhait
• Seive all purpose flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda well. (I did thrice). Add cinnamon powder and cardamom powder to seived flour

• Puree the mango and add vanilla, sugar, butter and milk to a bowl, mix well

• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a  whisk just until you have a smooth batter.

• Grease the baking tray, pour the batter and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes

My Notes:

The cake can be topped with powdered sugar icing

Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches cake – Divine is the word. One of the best cakes I ever had. Thanks to my co- sis for introducing me to such a delicious cake. Tres Leches is a Mexican cake with three milks (condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream). Well, this was told by my co – sis. We visited their home, and she ordered this cake for us from Safeway. That night hubby and I skipped dinner and had this cake instead 😉 After our vacation, I searched for this recipe in many blogs and altered the recipe to suit our tastes. Baked this cake for Hubby’s birthday.

Tres Leches Cake:

Preparation Time : 45 mins | Cooking Time : 1 hour | Serves : 10

Recipe Category: Dessert

Ingredients:

All-purpose Flour – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Eggs – 5 whole

Sugar – 1 cup

Vanilla- 1 tsp

Milk – 1/3 cup

Evaporated Milk – 1 can

Sweetened, Condensed Milk – 1 can

Heavy Cream – 1/4 cup

FOR THE ICING:

Heavy Cream, For Whipping – 1 pint

Sugar – 3 Tablespoons

Method:

• Add all purpose flour, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk well
• Separate 5 eggs – put all the Yolk in one bowl and whites in the other
• Add 1/2 cup sugar to the yolk and beat well with electric mixer, in high speed. Beat till it becomes pale yellow and approx. doubled in quantity. It took 4-5 min for me. Add milk and vanilla extract to the pale yellow mixture

• Gently add the flour to this mixture. Set the electric mixer in low speed and whisk well

• In a separate bowl, beat the whites in high speed till they become like a soft foam. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and keep it aside

• Gently mix this to flour yolk batter with the mixer in lowest setting

• Pour the batter to the greased cake pan and bake it at 350 f for 30-35 min, till the cake is baked (a toothpick inserted inside should come out clean). Let it cool

• Add condensed milk, evaporated Milk and heavy cream in a jar and whisk well.

• After the cake is cooled completely, poke it gently using fork all over and pour the milk mixture gently everywhere including the sides in batches (say about 1/4 cup at a time, let it absorb well and then add another 1/4 cup)

• Cover it with cling wrap and set aside to absorb. I kept it overnight.

• Frosting – Nextday add heavy whipping cream to a bowl. Whisk well with the electric mixer in high speed till the cream becomes soft. Continuously mix for speeding up the process. Add sugar and mix well

• Apply the frosting all over the cake and delicious tres leches cake is ready to taste. I topped it with some fresh strawberries

 

Zesty South Indian Kitchen – Tasty Recipes From All Over The World

My Notes:

We refrigerated the cake and had it the next day. Tasted yum!