Lemon Sponge Cake

Back in Pilani where I spent 4 wonderful years is where I started baking. No fancy ovens, no clean utensils even. With broken hindi and cocoa powder weighed in an old fashioned balance n bundled in a day old newspaper - some of us would set out to make cookies or cakes in one corner of our hostel's mess. Mess, is a good name for it all. =)

Often times, these baking experiments were remedies to forgotten birthdays, bad exams or a way to cope with lonely nights far away from your family. But over the years - they've come to mean something else. The smell from the oven as the cake rises to fill the mold brings with it memories of midnight gossip over coffee n cookies. I cannot imagine life @ Pilani without my wing.

 Here's a toast to good times!

Butterscotch & Chocolate Brownie Bites

13th October, 2012 is going to lock down some bitter sweet memories for a bunch of us in New Jersey. At Rutherford, NJ there's a house that's been home to almost all of my friends on the east coast at some point or the other. A bachelor pad + frat home, one that has always welcomed then girlfriends, now wives of the once-upon-a-time bachelors. A duplex with a huge hall and a carpet that's had much of the wine n biryani from any party!

Ever hospitable hosts (RN & SMK) have made that a second home to all of us. This month, we bid the house farewell and tonight we plan to party... one last time at that venue.

Anyway, just like bitter-sweet memories, I have a batch of semi-smoked, semi-sweet butterscotch-chocolate brownies that I plan to take with me. Recipe follows...

Blueberry - Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee Crumb Cakes are Awesome. Enough said! The crumbs aren't even that difficult to make. :)
For an 8" cake, here's what you'll need.

Almond & Lemon Zest Pound Cake

I've seen Chefs in a number of these cook shows reference the use of Orange Zest/ Lemon Zest in recipes. I've wondered how some scrapes of a lemon or orange can actually add any distinct taste to the dish you are trying to make.... and decided to try it out myself. And wow, it does add a unique flavor and surprises you by surfacing at times you'd least expect it to pop !

While a Pound cake is buttery, rich and delicious all by itself... but it tastes equally stunning and can take quite a number of variations. I added some almonds and finely grated lemon zest & lemon juice to it.

Spiced Cake with Golden Raisins

Despite the multiple cuisines that I have access to, Indian is still the hands down favorite. Come Friday, our dinner choices default to Mylai Masala or Saravana Bhavan. So when it comes to cakes and baking, why not give it an Indian twist?

I baked this cake with a number of spices including Coriander, Cayenne Pepper & Cinnamon, and glazed with Honey on top. The combination was different and quite addictive. I'd urge you to try it. It tastes brilliant with a mug of Ginger chai!