Dream Cake

I tried out this cake after I completed the Wilton cake decorating class. I baked this cake for my friend's wedding anniversary party. The icing did not turn out very smooth as the cake was not completely cooled and there was crumbs in the icing. However, everyone loved this cake.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 cup cold water
1 package dream whip
1 small package of pudding & pie filling (not instant)
1 cake mix (any flavor other than choclate)

Icing:
Butter cream icing or Ready to use Wilton Decorator's icing

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Materials Needed:
Wilton tiers display set
Wilton decorating tips

Method:
1. Bea t the eggs and add oil, water and the cake mix.
2. Add the dream whip and pudding filling
3. Pour the batter in 2 baking pans
4. Prepared the pan using a pastry brush or paper towel and solid vegetable shortening. For best results, do not use butter, margarine or liquid vegetable shortening. Cake release works well too.
5. Bake at 325 degrees and test after 40 minutes.
6. Cool the cake completely for icing.
7. Ice the cake smoothly set on the tiers so there are no crumbs
8. Use desired colors with the icing for the borders and use the tips for the shell design and the piping lines.

Tie Cake

Tie Cake for our friend Ajay's birthday.

I used a box cake mix and followed directions. I baked this cake in a square pan and cut the cake into the shapes I wanted and patched it with homemade buttercream icing and decorated with sprinkles and dried blueberries.

Recipe for Butter cream icing:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Chegodilu for Indian Cooking Challenge

The Indian cooking challenge for November is Chegodilu. This event is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life. I had never tasted this snack before. I looked for pictures on google and it looked similar to the South Indian Kodbele though the ingredients are different. I enjoyed trying out this snack. I followed Srivalli's recipe, I added a few spoons of more rice flour to the recipe to get the correct consistency. I shared this with my friends and they all loved it. Thanks Srivalli for introducing me to another tasty snack.



Chegodilu

Ingredients Needed:

Rice flour - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour/ Maida - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric really a pinch
Salt as per taste
Oil to deep fry

Method:

1. Boil 1 cup water in a bowl, add salt to it.

2. When the water starts boiling, remove from stove, add ajwain, red chilli powder, turmeric and flours. Stir with a ladle to make sure it is mixed well. Pour ghee on it and cover.

3. Once it cools, knead it to form smooth dough.

4. Pinch out small balls of dough and roll them like threads between your palm, bring the ends together to form into small rings

5. Fry them in hot oil til they turn golden in colour.

Handbag Cake

Handbag Cake for my friend Anju's Birthday!

I used a Vanilla cake mix from Trader Joe and followed directions. I baked this cake in a square pan and cut the cake into the shapes I wanted and patched it with homemade buttercream icing mixed with food colors and decorated with M&M candies and dried blueberries.

Recipe for Butter cream icing:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.