Plain Vanilla Cake

Baking a cake sounds so hard but it's the easiest form of cooking to me. It's all about measurements. If you have followed the instructions then it's really difficult to mess it up. This vanilla cake has been my all time favorite. So here you go...

Ingredients:

AP flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Baking Powder - 1-1.5 spoon
Salt - 1 pinch
Oil - 2.3 cup
Eggs -3 Large
Vanilla essence - 3 spoons
Milk - 1 spoon
I used a 81/2 inch round baking dish for this cake.

Method:

Pre-heat oven at 450F
Mix all liquid and dry ingredients separately
Make a batter with the these two different mixture
Grease a baking dish
Pour the batter in baking dish
Put it inside oven for 30 minutes
Later keep on checking if it is done
If a toothpick/knife can come out clean from the cake then it's ready to serve

coffee cake in a cup

Ingredients:

All purpose flour- 5 Tbsp
Granulated sugar- 7 Tbsp
Cocoa/coffee- 3 Tbsp
Salt- a pinch
Baking powder- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Egg- 1 large
Milk- 5 Tbsp
Vegetable oil- 4 Tbsp
Choco chips - a spoon full
Pure vanilla extract- a dash
2 microwave-safe coffee mugs

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a coffee mug to make the cake.
3. Add all liquid ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour out half of the batter into each coffee mug.
5. Microwave the coffee mugs,one at a time, half- filled with the batter, for a minute. If it does not get done in a minute, keep for another 20-30 seconds. (I kept it for 1 minute and 20seconds)
6. Let it cool and dig in.
7. It will be wonderful if you can top with vanilla ice cream

Notes:

1.The baking powder makes it less dense and more soft when compared to the original recipe.(thanks for the idea "not quite Nigellla" !)
2.The top of the cake looks a bit gooey when you take it out from the microwave after a minute. But it will be done already and do not over cook.
4.The cake rises up while cooking, but when you take it out it comes down. So a tall mug/microwave safe utensil is recommended.

Pineapple upside down cake

Upside down Pineapple cake (http://food-thought-for.blogspot.com/2011/01/vacation-that-never-ended-pineapple.html)

2 cup all purpose flour + 1 tsp for dusting

1 1/4^th  cup sugar

1 stick of butter molten + 1/3^th stick molten separately + 1 tsp for coating the pan

1 tsp of vanilla

1 tsp of baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup of milk

1/8^th tsp of  salt

1 can of sliced pineapple.

1 cup pf brown sugar

1 9 inch round pan

Butter and dust the pan
Spread the brown sugar on the pan. Coated the bottom completely.
Pour 1/3^th stick of molten butter evenly on top of the sugar. Now place the four slices.

In a bowl beat the rest (1 stick of butter) for 2 mins.
Add the sugar slowly and keep beating till foamy. About 3 mins.
Add the eggs one at a time and keep beating well after adding each one.
Now add the vanilla.  

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
Add the dry mixture to the egg-sugar –butter mixture. BUT along with the milk. Start with the flour mixture followed by the milk. Do this is three installments, beginning and ending with flour. Beat well.

Now, carefully spread the batter over the pineapple in the baking pan.

Preheat oven to 350F for 8 mins. Place the pan in the warm oven and bake for 1 hour, or till tooth pick comes out clean when inserted in the center

Turn off oven and let the  cake rest inside the warm oven for 15-20 mins. Take it out and let it cool completely. 1 hr.

Loosen the edges by running a knife around the edges in a smooth motion. Place your hand on the cake and carefully flip the pan. Tap the back of the pan gently till cake comes out :)