Substitutes for Eggs in Baking

March 11th, 2015

There are many substitutes for eggs for the process of baking or any other recipe requiring eggs. Majority of egg substitutes are available at health food stores or most grocery stores.

 The main functions of eggs are threefold: To act as binders, leavening agents or moistening batter.

If eggs are useful as binders: they can be replaced by Soy Lecithin, Arrow root, Pureed fruits, Flax-seed mix, Silken tofu, Agar Agar ( vegetarian gelatine without flavour). Measurement is ¼ cup of substitute for every egg replaced.

If eggs are useful as leavening agents: Yogurt, butter milk, Commercial egg replacement powder (Ener- G) and baking soda can be used instead.

If eggs are used for moisture: Water, fruit juice or pureed fruit/ vegetable may be used.

Here are the ways in which eggs can be substituted:

Commercial Replacer for Eggs:

Commercial egg replacers like Ener-G, Organ, Bob’s Red Mill and other brands of powders.

To use: Whip together 1 and a half tsp powder and 2 tbsp water in a blender or food processor. At times, more than 2-3 times as much of powder in same amount of water gives good results.

 The result is flavourless, without affecting taste of the baked item. Works best for cookies and other baked goods.

Silken Tofu:

It is a blessing for those who want to avoid eggs. From cakes to scrambled eggs to frostings, silken tofu is a welcome substitute for eggs.

How?  Replace each egg with 1/4 cup of whipped silken tofu.

Result:  Baked goods will not brown as deeply, but they will be heavy and moist.

Best suitable for: Cookies, brownies, breads and dense, moist and rich cakes.

Flax Seed:

Make flax seed powder by grinding together flax seeds at home or from stores.

How: Blend/ whisk together 1 tsp of flax seed powder with water (1/4 cup) to replace each egg.

Result: Baked goods are dense and heavy. They have a nutty flavour of the flax seeds.

Ideal for: Pancakes, waffles, breads, oat meal cookies, bran muffins, etc.

Pureed Fruit:

Non –sweetened apple sauce, mashed bananas, plumped raisins, softened dates and pureed prunes are some of the substitutes for eggs.

How? Use 1/ 4 cup instead of each egg.

Ideal for: Brownies, breads and cakes.

Vinegar and Baking Soda:

Vinegar works well as egg substitute in muffins, cakes and cup cakes making them fluffy and light. Most commonly used are apple cider and white vinegar.

How? 1 tbsp of vinegar with 1 tsp of baking soda.

Ideal for: Quick breads, cupcakes, cakes.

Butter Milk/ Yogurt:

These are used as egg substitutes in cakes, cup cakes and muffins. Vegan buttermilk can be made by mixing non-dairy milk with some vinegar.

How: If there are no other ingredients available to make the cake rise, use butter milk or yogurt instead of eggs. Replace amount of liquid in the recipe with same amount of yogurt or buttermilk.

Suitable for: Flat breads, bars and cookies

TIP:

Substitute for egg wash: Just use dairy/ non dairy milk, dairy/ non dairy butter, oil and light corn syrup (1/4 cup for replacing an egg).

These are some of the substitutes for eggs in recipes. After you make an eggless cake, you can gift it to your vegetarian friend. Use cakes online delivery UK to send your cake to your loved one.

Tips on making the perfect sponge cake

March 11th, 2015

Cake baking is a vital part of British and Irish cuisine. We are ardent bakers, who are most interested in baking the lightest of cakes. The sign of a good baker is mostly his creation of a light and airy sponge cake.

This has resulted in many myths surrounding the baking of a sponge cake. As such, many are deterred by the prospect of making a good sponge cake. But here are a few simple tips to make the perfect sponge cake:

  • Groundwork:

Before you start out with mixing ingredients, it is wise to measure and keep ingredients ready so that you don’t waste too much time at the procedure for mixing. You can prevent over mixing the cake by working quickly. Also, if you waste too much time in weighing ingredients after starting to cook, the cake batter will start losing air.

  • Preparing Cake Tins:

You need to grease tins and line the bottom with parchment paper. Doing this in advance makes it simple to fill in the cake mix. Less time spent in the kitchen for steps like preparing tins will result in a lighter cake.

  • Preparing Oven:

Always pre-heat the oven for saving time. Additionally, arrange the shelves in advance since most sponge cakes do well to be baked in the middle shelf.  This is not necessary if you have an ultra modern fan oven, which enables you to cook the cakes, keeping them anywhere.

  • Temperature:

It is vital to keep all ingredients at room temperature. For instance, cold eggs may not whip easily and will not contain as much air as a slightly warm one.

  • Sifting Flour:

Sift flour at least three times to remove lumps and aerate it. This enables you to create a light sponge cake. Always do sifting of flour into the cake mix or add baking powder and sifting thereafter. Air is added to the mix by sifting and makes it light.

  • Beating The Mixture:

When you start beating the mix, utilize electric beaters at high speed to make air pockets. Now to keep it airy and light, downgrade speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes or till the beaters leave a ribbon trail when you lift them. Avoid beating for too long as it will result in making the mix thin and also lose its airiness.

  • Adding Dry Ingredients: 

During the process of adding dry ingredients, make use of a large metal spoon to slowly add the mixture till well combined. Avoid using a wooden spoon: it is heavy and thick and can cause the mixture to squander air.

  • The Butter:

Ingredients of cake must be at temperature, but butter or the baking spread you use must be slightly warm (not hot). Butter must be soft but able to hold together. If butter is too soft, it will become oily and the cake, dense and heavy. If butter is cold, it will take a long time to mix in with eggs or sugar and result in over mixing and a heavy cake.

These are some tips for making a perfect, light and airy sponge cake. Above all, enjoy the baking process and get cakes delivered to the doorstep of your loved ones far away from you. Nothing could make for a better way to say you care!

Quick, Effortless & Yummy Cake Recipes

February 12th, 2015

How many times we think of making someone feel special on their birthdays or anniversaries with a personalized touch. The easiest and simplest way to do that is to bake a cake for them. Why spend time and money going to a bakery shop when you can do it on your own? Here are some of the best short-cut recipes for some delicious cakes.

 

Chocolate Cake: Well, this one is really easy.

  • Take a cup of all purpose flour and equal amount of powdered sugar.
  • Sieve the two properly in a bowl, add 2 spoons of cocoa / chocolate powder, 2 pinches of baking powder and mix them thoroughly.
  • Take another bowl and smash 3 eggs in the same, beat it properly till the time it becomes an extremely light foamy syrup, then add 3/4th cup of refined vegetable oil to the same and a 2 spoons of vanilla essence. Keep beating to ensure proper uniform mixture.
  • Add the flour mixture to the eggs.
  • You can use a hand blender to mix the 2 components completely.
  • Coat a microwave safe glass utensil with vegetable oil and sprinkle all purpose flour on the same evenly.
  • Pour the mixture into the utensil uniformly and spread some flour coated cashew nuts or almonds over the same.
  • Insert the utensil into the microwave and set the timer for just 4 minutes and your cake is ready.

 

Strawberry Cake: Truly a visual delight!!!!

  • Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Take a cake pan, butter the same, line it with parchment paper and sprinkle flour over it.
  • Take a bowl, add 1 cup of all purpose flour, 3/4th cup of powdered sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, whisk these and add butter, 1 egg, ½ cup milk and vanilla extract.
  • Put the batter inside the oven and cook for about 25 minutes.
  • Once baked, take the cake out of the pan by turning upside down and leave aside to cool down.
  • Take some strawberries, slice them and coat them with powdered sugar.
  • Whip some fresh cream with granulated sugar and vanilla extracts and refrigerate it to settle down properly.
  • Once your cake cools down, cut it down into 2-3 layers and uniformly arrange the sweetened cream and sliced strawberries onto every layer.
  • Pile up these layers one upon another to make your perfect strawberry cake.

 

Pineapple Cake: Unique texture and flavours

  • Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Take 2/3rd cup of brown sugar and sprinkle it even over 2 round cake pans and place a layer of butter above the sprinkled sugar.
  • Place the pineapple slices in a single layer over the sugar coating with a cherry in the centre of each slice for each pan.
  • Separately prepare a mixture of cake mix, 1cup water, 1/4th cup oil and 3 eggs and whisk them uniformly.
  • Equally divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 to 33 minutes.
  • Allow the cakes to cool down and invert them on separate plates.
  • Place one cake above the other in a reverse manner to give it a same-to-same upside down look.

 

Feel like sharing these yummy delicacies with your distant relatives, as well? You have multiple options available as these cakes last a long time without getting pungent. So, delight your closed ones staying out of town or overseas. Send cake by post in UK, US, etc. with the help of quick online services.

Recipes for Sponge Cakes

February 12th, 2015

Sponge cakes are truly delicious and easy to make. Here are some popular recipes:

Chocolate Sponge Cake:

Ingredients:

  • Cocoa powder, not sweetened – 1/3 cup
  • Cake flour, sifted-1 cup
  •  Baking powder- ½ tsp
  • Granulated sugar-1 ½ cups
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 6 eggs, large and separated
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar.
  • Vanilla extract- 1 and half teaspoons

Method:

The oven must be heated to 375 degrees. Together sift cocoa, cake flour, 1 cup sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, beat together cream of tartar with egg whites till wet and smooth. Whisk in remaining sugar till stiff.

Blend together vanilla, water and egg yolks. Add to dry mix and blend till smooth. Slowly fold in egg yolk mix into stiff egg white mix.

Pour into ungreased tube pan that measures 10 inches and bake for around 35 minutes. Let it cool in pan. Take out from pan and top with your favourite glaze or dust with sugar that is powdered.

Italian Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

  • Honey-1/3 cup
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Splash of water
  • Sponge cake shells-4
  • Vanilla ice cream-1 pint
  • Sliced strawberries-8

Method:

Heat lemon zest, honey and water in a pan or microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Cover cakes with sauce. Fill each cake shell with ice cream and put strawberries on top.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

  • Cake flour sifted: 1 cup
  • Baking powder-1 tsp
  • Salt-1/4 tsp
  • Eggs -3
  • Sugar -1 cup
  • Lemon juice-2 tsp
  • Hot milk- 6 tbsp

Method:

Measure flour after sifting, and then add salt and baking powder to the flour and sift at least 3 times. In another bowl, beat eggs for a few minutes till it is light yellow and thick. Beat in sugar stirring constantly. Now, put in lemon juice. Add the flour bit by bit. Pour in hot milk, blending and mixing thoroughly. Pour into 9 inches ungreased tube cake pan. For around 350 degrees and about 35 minutes, bake the cake mix in the oven. Take out from oven and invert pan after 1 hour or when totally cool.

Pineapple Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

  • Egg whites -6
  • Salt-1/4 tsp
  • Sugar-3/4 cup
  • Egg yolks-6
  • Sugar-3/4 cup
  • Lemon juice-1tbsp
  • Pineapple juice-1 cup
  • Cake flour- 1 and a half cups
  • Baking powder-1 tsp

Method:

Beat egg whites till they form fluffy white peaks. Slowly fold in ¾ cup sugar. Beat egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar till it forms a thick mix in another bowl. Add pineapple and lemon juice and blend till sugar has dissolved.

Sift together baking powder and flour; beat into egg yolk mixture till it is well blended. Add the egg whites. Pour into ungreased 10 inches pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. The cake is done only when it bounces back on light application of pressure. Invert the pan to cool.

This cake has got a unique flavour because of lemon juice and pineapple juice. If you are not confident about baking sponge cake yourself, you can invest in ordering cakes online. There are many online stores, which will help buy cakes like sponge cakes online.

5 Steps for Organizing a Kitty Party Anywhere, Anytime!

February 10th, 2015

A ‘Kitty Party’ is the particular case that does not require any reason to celebrate. It is an event to take a load off while enjoying with your friends. Arranging a kitty party is not as difficult as it may seem! Just, read this post and set aside your day to day works to set up a kitty party with an exceptional get together.

So why wait! – Fix a date and begin making a rundown of your closest companions for the kitty party. You can welcome them through calls, messages or the most intriguing route is to welcome your companions through customized welcome cards. To take it further, choose a nice theme for your Kitty party that your companions will appreciate. You can pick your subject as indicated by the season, design, films or well-known identities. Finally, to add extraordinary appeal to your kitty party, play some fascinating and fun diversions or else try for music and move. Apart from these, you can get ready for a most recent motion picture to watch together with your companions. Here are a few steps to get going:

Step 1: Set up the theme for the kitty party

Think about a strange theme for kitty party, this can be awesome fun. Select a kitty party subject that your companions will appreciate. Women like magnificence, style, films, etc. This will make your party fascinating and enjoyable to go to.

Step 2: Choose the Menu for the Meal

Arranging the menu for your party well ahead of time will provide you an opportunity time to appreciate the recreations on the day. In addition, it will help you manage different works. Your supper ought to contain at least 3 courses. Make several expounded dishes that get some adoration from your visitors. Likewise, arrange for a few dishes that will run with your theme. To make things simpler, you can order a cake online delivery.

Step 3: Set up the Entertainment

List thoughts for the party, those are both captivating and intriguing. Google out for some fascinating options, have your music framework prepared and in the event that you are anticipating a motion picture, then have your framework set well ahead of time and have extensive variety of alternatives for the film.

Step 4: Make the Party Informative

Don’t confine your kitty party to simply diversions and films; make it enlightening by having a cooking or calligraphy demo. You can likewise have a demo on some makeup tips or style.

Step 5: Be Welcoming

Upon the arrival of your kitty party, be merry and welcome all your visitors warmly. You should converse with each one of them as opposed to simply staying around with only one or two. Keep the discussion as light as could be expected under the circumstances; remember to thank them when they are taking off.

Have a fabulous time arranging your kitty party and enjoy the appreciation!