 |
| Mine's purple, really! |
This is my secret to making multiple cakes for every Shabbat, with very little effort (I usually bring cakes to kiddush). I really don't have time for complicated baking, and erev Shabbat is super crazy - so here's what I do to bake 2-3 cakes every week - and only spend about 10 min. on it (besides baking time)!
Makes TWO 9 x 13 inch baking pans, or 3 round cake pans
Cake Batter:
4 tablespoons flaxseed mixed with 1/2 cup hot water, (allow to cool)
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour (I used whole spelt, you can make it with whole wheat or white wheat, or a mix too)
pinch of salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 cup water + 1 tsp vinegar
Toppings (these are my go-to options, you can be as creative with this as you like!):
1.
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
2 Tablespoons of oil - best if solid like palm shortening or coconut oil
2. chocolate chips, sprinkled on top
3.
Reserve about 1/4 of the cake batter after filling the pans and add 1/3 cup cocoa powder, mix well. Add to a half filled pan and mix very gently - to make marble cake
4. fruit jam of your choice folded into one of the pans
Instructions:
Mix together flaxseed/water mixture, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Combine flour with salt and baking soda. Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients. Mix well to combine (this is best done with a mixer or a whisk). Add water/vinegar mixture slowly while whisking. Whisk till smooth.
Pour HALF the batter into each 9 x 13 inch baking pan, or reserve some if making the marble cake option. Top with your choices of toppings.
Voila! You've got (two or) three very easy cakes ready to go into the oven!
Bake for about 1 hour at 175 C (check with toothpick to make sure it's done)
Allow to cool before cutting.
Enjoy!
This Shabbat I decided NOT to make my usual cholent.
Instead, I made this Crock Pot Lentil Soup which was a really great way for us to warm up at lunch! And it was so simple to make!
And, since we were just 3 for lunch, we have plenty of leftover soup for Melave Malka after Shabbat!
Here's the recipe:
Crock Pot Lentil Soup
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small potato, diced
1 cup whole barley grains, soaked if possible, drained, and rinsed
500g whole red lentils, picked over and rinsed
water to fill the pot
salt and pepper to taste
Fill Crock-Pot
with all the above ingredients. Cook on high for a couple of hours, then switch to low till lunchtime, or at least 5 more hours (although my low setting is not working well - it's TOO low, so I left it on high and it was perfect for lunch!)
Note: My crock pot is a 6 or 6.5L crock pot, like this one:
I was hanging around my house in the crazy heat today, feeling like my brain was fried. I just wanted to go to sleep.
So I got myself up and into the kitchen, threw the window wide open (just hoping it would bring a cool breeze), and baked some muffins. They smell amazing so if they don't get eaten NOW, they'll be part of our break the fast meal after Yom Kippur!
This recipe came about because I didn't have much sifted flour left on hand, and I had a LOT of mushy bananas (note to self: stop buying too many bananas!)
Banana Coconut Oat Bran Muffins
6 overripe bananas, mashed well
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 T. ground flaxseed
1.5 -
2 c. water + 1 tsp vinegar (or whey from kefir cheese making, or you can use half
water/half orange juice to give it an interesting extra flavor)
combine well.
Add:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran (finished off my stash)
1.5 cups oat bran
3/4 c. shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Mix well
This makes 12 generous muffins.
Pour batter into muffin tin lined with paper cups. Bake at 350 F/175 C for 25-30 min
