It is baking time :-) - A Simple Chocolate Walnut Cake...

An Old recipe re-published ;-)
This cake/ brownie is a one stop solution for following situations

- You are craving to eat a cake but there is no bakery nearby
- Your fren is giving a treat and you want give him/her something different & special
- You want to surprise somebody special but have no culinary skills as such
- You want make your day special for yourself, pamper yourself....
- You have just remembered that its your best friend’s b’day as he/ she calls u, you don’t have time to buy a gift….
- You have hurt somebody & want to patch up sweetly
- Somebody has hurt you, you can suggest him/ her to do this for you ;-)

It can make your day special and It will also make the day special for someone else :-) as you have toiled for it and something which is home made always manages to touch us....

BUT before I start away with the finer details, few things which you need to do before starting baking
- Put up a smile on your face, it affects the sweetness in the cake :-)
- Start imagining some special day of your life...to add on to the excitement
- Wear a lovely dress before u start the process of making & baking (but wear an apron on it otherwise you’ll be cursing me)

Now let's work on the Creating the Magic

:::: Go Get these ::::

~~ Microwave or Oven

~~ A baking dish(Choose a shape as per your mood if you are baking it for your loved one then choose a heart shaped dish... capacity would be 1-1.5 liters)

~~ Brown Sugar (Powdered)1 1/2 cup...if you are not able to find the brown sugar, use normal sugar. The amount of sugar can be increased suiting the sweetness you need

~~ 4 Eggs

~~ 1 Cup Butter / Refined oil

~~ 1 Cup Maida (Flour)

~~ 200 Gms of cooking chocolate (Chocolate bar) Easily available in any bakery, use the bitter chocolate. DO NOT USE EATING CHOCOLATE AS AN EXCUSE, IT AFFECTS THE TASTE

~~ Chocolate/ Vanilla Essence

~~ 100 Gms of Walnut, grounded but not finely

~~ Black cherries

~~ Baking Powder 2 tbsp.

While buying these, buy some flowers, it will freshen your mood :-)(BTW Cup is a normal sized cup usually used for drinking tea/ coffee)

:::: Time for Some Action ::::

Stop!!!!!! Play some nice music in the background and do a jig, it will put you in a good mood and the brownie will come out lovely...BUT don’t fall while doing the jig ;-)

~~ Sift the flour & baking powder. Use a thin channi and sift it 8-9 times, this ensures there will be no lumps in the cake.

~~ Melt the chocolate in the microwave & let it cool down.

~~ Separate the egg yellow and beat the egg white, after it is beaten to death ;-) add the yellow part in it and beat it.

~~ Now add the powdered sugar and oil/ butter in it and beat it.

~~ Once that is done add the flour and fold it. DO NOT beat it just mix it slowly -slowly avoiding making lumps.

~~ Once that is done add 1 tbsp of essence. Take the melted chocolate and mix it in the above batter.

~~ Add the Vanilla & chocolate essence...just few drops

~~ Also add the walnuts in it along with the cherry.

~~ Spread some oil evenly in the baking dish and then pour the batter in it...sprinkle some cherries & walnuts in the batter

.:::: Oh La La!!! Its Baking Time ::::

~~ Pre-Heat the microwave in convection mode for 2 minutes.
~~ Put the lower grill of the micro wave and put the baking dish in. Temperature & Time. In case its convection mode – 180 degree C, initially set the timer for 37 Minutes. After the times is up take out the dish, take a knife put it in the center of the cake if it comes out clean then its ok otherwise put a further timer of 5 minutes. After that let the dish be, in the microwave for 10 minutes. Then take it out and let it cool down (though hot cake too sounds yummy!!!)

In case it’s a Microwave- Temperature would be 540 Degree C. And time would 8-10 minutes and rest all process remains the same.

If you have a choice bake in convection mode, since it's slow cooking the result is 100 times better, the brownies is softer and anything which is softer is better ;-)

Few things to be kept handy

- Gloves to handle the microwave
- Hanky to wipe the drool :)
- If you have kids keep them with you poora time, they might come in between sometimes but the memory of home made cake, the aroma & the whole process will be etched in their mind forever.
Give them the eggs to beat...they will love doing it, trust me. Am saying this from experience....cake baking used to be an occasion at our home and I still love reliving those moments....

Few things you are sure to feel while the batter gets pregnant and delivered...

- A sense of achievement when you see the cake swelling up
- A sense of achievement for doing something yourself for your loved one
- An excitement to get it out quickly
- When the aroma will flow across there will be tingling of your taste bud & of your padosi’s too ;-)
- AND please keep smiling poora time...there is nothing sweeter than a smile and even the cake will start smiling seeing your smile and would come out better.

You know na, Smile is infectious ;-)

Total time spent in getting this ready would be one hour and you’ll gain so much after this one hour..as in weight, happiness & love....

And you’ll also spread...weight ;-), love, sweetness & happiness...

So happy caking & baking....

And yes, am not fond of sweets but can’t keep my hands off this one ;-)