Every year, International Cake Day is celebrated on November 26. Cake, a baked treat is essential when it comes to celebrations. Apart from adding happiness to an occasion, it symbolises milestones, and makes for a perfect gift to warm the heart of your loved one. We mean it, when we say nothing can be as sweet, decadent and indulgent than a cake. It never misses to make things extra special. There are numerous cake recipes, many of which are centuries old. Rachel Goenka, CEO & Founder, The Chocolate Spoon company shares two of her traditional recipes with a twist.
Chocolate Barfi Cheesecake
Ingredients
Digestive biscuits 110 g
Unsalted butter, softened 45 g
Granulated sugar 20 g
Chocolate barfi (only brown layer) 550 g
FILLING Philadelphia cream cheese 380 g
Castor sugar 75 g
Cornflour 7.5 g
Eggs 2
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Dark chocolate, roughly chopped 200 g
Heavy cream 175 g
GARNISH Chocolate barfi 150 g
Roasted almond flakes 20 g
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
In a food processor, pulse the biscuits to a fine crumb. Add the softened butter and pulse until mixed. Add the granulated sugar and pulse again.
Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch spring form cake tin.
If the chocolate barfi you are using is brown and white, cut out the white and only use the brown layer.
Layer the chocolate barfi over the crumb base. Gently press down to eliminate any gaps.
In a bowl, mix cream cheese, castor sugar and cornflour, and whisk till smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a saucepan, heat the cream and bring it to a simmer.
Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute before stirring till smooth.
Add vanilla essence to the ganache. Gently fold the cream cheese mixture with the ganache and then pour the batter over the chocolate barfi crust.
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath (place the cheesecake pan in a larger square tin and pour hot water in the tin till it comes halfway up the sides of the pan). Bake for 45 to 50
minutes or until the centre is set.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake, then cool for 60 minutes longer.
Garnish with cubes of chocolate barfi and roasted almond flakes.
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Red Velvet Swiss Roll with Shrikhand Frosting
Ingredients
Cake Refined flour 220g
Castor sugar 400g
Baking soda1/2 tsp
Baking powder1/2 tsp
Salt1/2 tsp
Cocoa powder 30g
Oil 200 ml
Egg 2
Buttermilk 200 ml
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
A few drops of red food colouring gel
White vinegar 1 tsp
Coffee powder 2 tsp
Frosting
Shrikhand 500g
Whipped cream 100g
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 13×9-inch baking tin with butter and line with butter paper.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder together.
In another bowl, using a hand whisk, beat the eggs for 5 minutes on high speed till light and fluffy.
Lower the speed and add sugar, oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, food colouring and coffee powder to the beaten eggs. Mix till combined well. The colour of your batter should be a vibrant red.
Add the dry flour mixture and whisk on low speed. The batter will be on the wetter side but that makes for a light sponge.
Spread the batter evenly on the baking tray and bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when you press it. Allow the sponge to cool and chill in the fridge for two hours.
To make the frosting, gently fold the shrikhand into the whipped cream. Chill in the fridge.
Unmould the sponge and peel off the butter paper. Place the sponge on a fresh piece of butter paper that is larger in size.
Spread the frosting evenly on top, leaving an inch clear around the edges as the frosting will spread when you roll the cake.
Gently start rolling the cake. Use the butter paper to keep the roll tight. Take the paper between your index finger and thumb, and use the rest of your fingers to push the roll over.
Chill in the fridge for three to four hours to set. Slice it at the time of serving.
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