Condensed Milk Chocolate Cake

I had half a tin of ordinary sweetened condensed milk leftover from a dessert and wanted to try a cake with it.. This recipe from Nestle desserts is indeed a keeper for those times when you want something light..fast..and easy. This recipe has no eggs..and no creaming.. just mix all the ingredients in a bowl..and you are ready to bake.

This is the crumb of this cake..firm but very soft. Not too sweet..there is no added sugar apart from the condensed milk.
Made half of the original recipe in a loaf tin.
http://www.nestle-family.com/recipes/english/light-chocolate-cake_43166.aspx

Ingredients

• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk or 405 g
• 100 g butter, melted
• 150 ml water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or 5 g
• 200 g plain flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder or 50 g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder or 10 g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda or 5 g

Combine the Sweetened Condensed Milk, melted butter, water and vanilla essence in a large bowl. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients into the condensed milk mixture until just combined.
Pour the mixture into a lined 23cm spring form cake tin. Bake in a preheated 150°C oven for 45 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from tin and cool completely.

A Birthday Cake

I think birthdays are times, when those culinary scientists decide to smother their loved ones with the results of their experiments.:)....
It was Papa's birthday....(and he has a sweet tooth..)..so this time, I decided to try out a new cake recipe. I wanted something white..but not plain..and finally got one from Allrecipes.com, which I thought would be nice. It was a white chocolate cake with nuts and coconut.
The cake, by itself was firm and I have a small feeling I baked it a little longer than necessary. It was supposed to be done in a 9" round pan and I made it in a bundt pan. So I just baked it a little more. Anyway no harm done... :) The frosting was plain whipped cream... not too sweet as the cake was sugary enough. (because of the white chocolate in it, maybe). I didn't know how it would turn out to be.. :) and was finally glad when the thumbs up sign came. The firm nutty cake with the soft whipped cream was a good combo and if you like coconut, you are going to love this dessert.
Here is how I made it..

White chocolate cake with nuts and coconut

(The original recipe made 3, 9" cakes, so I made only one-third of the mix as I didn't need such a big cake. The recipe given below is the original one.)

 Ingredients:

• 4 (1 ounce) squares/ 112gm white chocolate, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup chopped pecans or almonds (I used almonds and cashew)
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 4 egg whites

I dry roasted both the nuts and coconut separately for about 5 minutes before adding them to the mix. It will improve the flavour of the nuts.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line 3 (9 inch) pans with wax paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Put the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl and melt it over a pan of simmering water. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks one at a time, then stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in the nuts and coconut.
3. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Divide batter into prepared pans.

  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.( I baked for 50-55 mins, as I used a bundt pan. The time varies, depending on your oven.) Allow to cool.

           The cake was frosted with sweetened whipped cream. You can also give a layer of whipped cream or custard sauce in the middle after halving it horizontally.

 

Weight of common ingredients in gram

Ingredient	Weight - (ounces)	Weight - (grams)
1 cup of whole wheat flour (sifted, then measured)	4.5 oz	125 g
1 cup of All Purpose flour (spooned into the cup)	4.25 oz	121 g
1 cup of AP flour (sifted, then measured)	4 oz	114 g
1 cup of cornstarch (lightly spooned or sifted)	4.2 oz	120 g
1 large egg (in the shell)	2 oz	56.7 g
1 large egg (without shell)	1.75 oz	50 g
1 large egg yolk	.65 oz	18.6 g
1 large egg white	1.05 oz	30 g
1 cup of butter	8 oz	227 g
1 cup of clarified butter or ghee	6.8 oz	195 g
1 cup of vegetable shortening	6.75 oz	191 g
1 cup of vegetable oil	7.7 oz	218 g
1 cup water	8.3 oz	236 g
1 cup of heavy cream	8.2 oz	232 g
1 cup of sour cream	8.5 oz	242 g
1 cup of full-fat yogurt	8.6 oz	243 g
1 cup of buttermilk	8.5 oz	242 g
1 cup of whole milk	8.5 oz	242 g
1 cup half and half	8.5 oz	242 g
1 cup mascarpone	8.8 oz	250 g
1 cup of granulated sugar	7 oz	200 g
1 cup of dark brown sugar (packed)	8.4 oz	239 g
1 cup of light brown sugar (packed)	7.7 oz	217 g
1 cup of powdered sugar (dip and sweep)	4 oz	125 g
1 cup of honey	11.75 oz	336 g
1 cup of molasses	11.25 oz	322 g
1 cup of corn syrup	11.5 oz	328 g
Cocoa – nonalkalized or natural (dip and sweep)	3.33 oz	95 g
Cocoa – nonalkalized or natural (spooned into the cup)	2.9 oz	82 g
1 cup almonds – whole	6.7 oz	191 g
1 cup almonds – slivered	4.2 oz	120 g
1 cup almonds – sliced/coarsely chopped	2.6 oz	75 g
1 cup almonds – finely ground	3.7 oz	107 g
1 cup almonds – powder fine	3 oz	89 g
1 cup pistachios – whole	5.32 oz	152 g

Leaveners and other ingredients
1 tsp baking powder		4.9 g
1 tsp baking soda		5 g
1 tsp yeast, instant		3.2 g
1 tsp yeast, active dry		3.1 g
1 tsp salt		6.7 g
1 tsp gelatin, powdered		3.1 g
1 tsp vanilla extract		4 g
1 tsp cream of tartar		3.1 g
1 cup raisins	5 oz	144 g

It might be helpful to refer How to measure in Baking 

volume conversions, weight to volume conversions,

How to Measure in Baking

Measuring accurately is probably the most important cooking skill in the kitchen especially when you are baking. I have had some trouble with this earlier and so decided to make a post for future reference or for some poor souls who struggled like me.. :)
To begin, make sure that you have actual commercial measuring utensils.Measuring cups and measuring spoons are needed and try to get them in different measures i.e. cups in 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup, and 2 cup sizes and spoons usually range from 1/8 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon.Approximating with your teacup or stainless coffee spoon is just not okay! For liquid ingredients, you need a graduated, clear, glass or plastic cup with a pouring spout.So here is a basic guide to measuring common ingredients.

• Flour
  Stir flour in the storage container or bag. Using a large spoon, lightly spoon flour from the container into the measuring cup. Do not shake the cup and do not pack the flour. Using the back of a knife or flat blade spatula, level off the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup. Don't use the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the container. 
• Baking powder and Baking Soda
  Stir in the container. Using the measuring spoon, lightly scoop out of the container. Use that knife to level off even with the top edge of the measuring spoon. 
• Granulated white Sugar
  Sugar is measured by scooping the cup or measuring spoon into the container or bag until it is overflowing, then leveling off with the back of a knife. Do not shake the cup and do not pack the sugar.  
• Brown Sugar
  This needs to be packed into the measuring cup. The sugar should retain the shape of the cup when it is dropped into the other ingredients.  
• Powdered Sugar
  Powdered sugar usually needs to be sifted to remove small lumps. It is measured by spooning the sugar into the measuring cup from the container, then leveling off with the back of a knife. 
• Liquid Ingredients
  Liquids need to be measured at eye level. Using the liquid measuring cup, pour the liquid into the cup. Then bend over so you are on the same level with the measuring marks. The liquid should be right at the mark, not above or below. 
• Semi-Liquid Ingredients
  Ingredients like sour cream, peanut butter, and yogurt are measured using dry measuring cups because they are too thick to be accurately measured in the liquid cups. Level off sour cream and peanut butter with the back of a knife.
• Shortening and Solid Fats
  Butter and margarine have measuring amounts marked on the sides of the paper wrapping. It is better to use the weight equivalent i.e.1 cup of butter equals 226 g.
• Liquid Ingredients in Spoons
  Make sure that you don't measure small amounts of liquid ingredients over the mixing bowl. It's just too easy to spill, and you don't want 2 teaspoons of almond extract when the recipe only calls for 1 teaspoon!  
• Dry Ingredients in Spoons
  Ingredients measured in these small amounts still have to be measured carefully. Overfill the measuring spoons and level off using the back of a knife for the most accurate amounts. Accurate amounts of ingredients like baking soda and powder are critical to the success of any baked product. 
• Chopped Ingredients
  Pay close attention to whether or not an ingredient is to be chopped or minced, and whether they are measured before chopping or after. Then they are placed in the measuring cup so the top is level with the ingredient.

Please read the entire recipe before you decide to cook and it is better to measure or weigh out all your ingredients, keeping them ready, before you begin.
When you bake cookies, cakes, breads, pie crusts, and candies, measuring accurately is really critical to the success of the recipe. When you are cooking casseroles, soups, stir fries, and meats, you can vary amounts more and the end result will still be good.