It was 3.00pm on a Sunday afternoon. My grandson and I decided to do some baking. …A tutti fruity Cake he said and the preparations began. Decided on a fresh cream /malai version since we had a newly opened cream carton. My little one bombarded me with questions as he lent a helping hand ….sniffed the vanilla extract bottle, mixed sugar and cream, sprinkled the tutti fruity and most importantly was my official videographer. The cake was popped into the oven and he was just about to lick the bowl when he said, paati if I give you 5/10 don’t react like Tarla…. I was stunned for a moment and then realized that he was referring to the movie that we had watched over the weekend. I waited with bated breath for his evaluation and laughed when he declared that it was 9/10.

The aroma of the baking cake enveloped not only the house but also me, evoking nostalgic memories….. .memories formed in childhood a time of carefree days. We three sisters would crowd round my mother during the monthly baking spree of hers. Baking those days was laborious…. Creaming using a wooden spatula till you get stiff peaks and baking in a tin oven placed over a stove. Cake pans were dusted and lined with brown paper. We did not have a weighing scale and so it was cup measures. It was trial and error baking and my mother would simmer or place the flame on high based on her previous experience. Nothing was automatic. The only commonality that I could see in what happened today and then was the constant happy chatter and the bowl licking.

Foodialogues shares a Malai/Fresh cream cake from my recipe chest. Eggless version loaded with fruity bits. The cake uses semolina partly and hence slightly dense yet crumbly soft and moist. The liquid is 20 gms more than the dry ingredients and this helps to soak the semolina and soften the cake. Now a days I bake at 160 degrees in place of usual 180 since it results in a smooth baked surface, a lesson learnt from Gayathri’s Cook Spot @gayathrikumar_gcs.

MALAI SEMOLINA EGGLESS CAKE / FRESH CREAM SEMOLINA EGGLESS CAKE RECIPE

Ingredients for Malai Semolina Eggless Cake:

• Maida/Refined Flour 100 G
• Semolina 80 G
• Fresh Cream 320 Ml
• Sugar 120 G
• Tutti Fruity ¼ C
• Baking Powder 1 Tsp
• Baking Soda ½ Tsp
• Vanilla Essence 1 Tsp

Preparation Method for Malai Semolina Eggless Cake:

• Powder the sugar and mix cream until dissolved. Add vanilla essence.
• Sieve all dry ingredients.
• Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
• Pour into a dusted cake pan. Rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before placing in the oven.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

Soft & Delicious “Malai Semolina Eggless Cake” is ready