So many vegetarians I know avoid cakes, pastries and other bakery products because of the eggs used in them. Eggs are the result of great cruelty and millions of hens lead terrible, tortured short lives to forcibly produce eggs, injected with hormones and chemicals to produce more and more. They are killed in a few months as soon as their egg production becomes lower. Apart from this, eggs in themselves are extremely bad for the human body as they swim in bad cholesterol and fat. Each egg yolk has 250 to 300 mg of cholestorol. WHO advises one should limit their daily cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg.
Milk is another problem in cakes ? used as milk itself and butter. Both also add fat and, as I keep repeating, the egg and milk chain of cruelty is so horrible that any thinking human being would not want to be part of the consumer chain for whom this torment takes place.
The original inspiration of Butterless, Eggless, Milkless cake dates back to the Medieval Ages. Spices and raisins were popular ingredients of that time. Great spice cakes and steamed puddings are hundreds of years old. These recipes were brought to India by the British. The Chinese who do not use milk products t have a tradition of small cakes that do not use eggs or milk. Now they put a whole egg boiled and intact into the middle of their small cakes. In America until the late 19th century fruit/spice cakes were served as wedding cakes!
Meat eaters do not eat eggs and cakes for health reasons. So this week, I will give you a few recipes for healthy, cholesterol- free eggless, milkless cakes and cookies, which are delicious!
Baking powder/soda substituted for the eggs (to make the cake rise). A cup of milk (liquid) can be substituted with 1 cup of water or rice, soy, nut or coconut milk. White sugar can be substituted with brown sugar, corn syrup, or molasses. 1 Tbsp (TABLESPOON) butter can be substituted with 2 tsp (TEASPOON) of refined vegetable cooking oil
Vegans and vegetarians wanting to make an eggless and dairy-free custard/pudding can do so by using flour, soymilk, sugar, salt and whatever flavoring desired (vanilla, chocolate, lemon, etc.). These can easily be made on the stove top or in the microwave.
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients: 125 g Flour (Maida), 1 Tbsp Cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp Drinking Chocolate, ` ml refined Vegetable oil, 200-250 ml Pepsi, 1 Tbsp Baking powder or Baking Soda, 1 cap each of chocolate essence and vanilla essence, Vegetable oil for greasing the baking container.
Method: Preheat the oven for 30-40 minutes at 150 degree Celsius. Sieve Flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder thrice. Mix the dry ingredients with drinking chocolate and Pepsi. Beat the mixture well with hand in one direction only.
Pour the prepared batter gently into a well-greased baking container. Bake the mixture for 30 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius.
Sponge Cake
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (dalcheeni), 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (jaiphal), 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup raisins (kishmish), 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup icing sugar (pissi hui cheeni)
Method: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Lightly grease one 8 or 9 inch square cake pan. In a saucepan over medium high heat combine; the sugar, vegetable oil, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, raisins, and water bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let this Raisin mixture cool.
In another container, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add the flour mixture to the cooled raisin mixture. Stir the mixture well. Pour batter into prepared greased pan. Bake at 175 degrees C for 20 minutes.
Vegan Lemon Sponge Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup castor sugar, 3/4 cup vegetable margarine,1/2 cup hot water, 2 Tbsp malt extract, 2 lemons
Method: Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F and prepare the sponge tins by lightly greasing and flouring them. Use two 23cm/9 inch sandwich tins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the sugar and mix well by lifting and sprinkling, using a spoon. Put the margarine to melt in a small saucepan over a low heat. Remove from heat as soon as it's melted.
Put the hot water in a jug together with the malt extract and set aside. Finely grate the lemon rinds, add to the dry ingredients and mix in by lifting and sprinkling as before. Squeeze the lemons, and add the juice to the water and malt mixture. Stir until the malt has completely dissolved.
As quickly as you can, add the melted margarine to the dry ingredients and stir well in, followed immediately by the water, malt and lemon juice mixture. Beat well for a few moments only before transferring equal amounts to each of the two prepared sponge tins and placing them in the preheated oven. Bake till the top goes firm and golden brown at 100 degree Celsius for about 20-25 minutes, or test with a warm knife. Allow it to cool before removing from the tins.
Cookies:
Orange Snaps
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups plain flour (Maida), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp orange rind (powdered orange peel or pisa hua santre ka chilka), 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tsp vanilla essence, vegetable oil for greasing.
Recipe and Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Gradually mix in the orange peel, oil, orange juice and the vanilla until a well-blended batter is formed. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. Cool the cookies at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Raisin Cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable margarine, 1 cup raisins, 1/2 tsp salt,1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp poedered cinnamon,1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp powdered ginger (adrak)
Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F. Combine the sugar, water, raisins, margarine and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar and margarine has melted. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, powdered cinnamon and ginger in another container. Add the cooled mixture to it and mix well. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. Cool the cookies at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Tutti-fruities
Ingredients: 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (khumain), 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (khajoor), 1 cup chopped walnuts (akhrot), 1 cup flour, 1 can crushed pineapple (fresh or canned ananaas), 4 Tbsp cornflour (make a paste in little water, ensure that there are no lumps), 1 Tbsp vanilla essence, 1/4 tsp corn oil, 1/4 tsp salt
Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F Mix together the cornflour, oil, apricots, dates and vanilla. Add a little water or soya milk to aid mixing. Add the crushed pineapple and walnuts. Keep this moist mixture aside. Sift together the flour and salt in a separate container. Combine moist mixture with the flour and blend thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool the cookies on wire racks at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Milk is another problem in cakes ? used as milk itself and butter. Both also add fat and, as I keep repeating, the egg and milk chain of cruelty is so horrible that any thinking human being would not want to be part of the consumer chain for whom this torment takes place.
The original inspiration of Butterless, Eggless, Milkless cake dates back to the Medieval Ages. Spices and raisins were popular ingredients of that time. Great spice cakes and steamed puddings are hundreds of years old. These recipes were brought to India by the British. The Chinese who do not use milk products t have a tradition of small cakes that do not use eggs or milk. Now they put a whole egg boiled and intact into the middle of their small cakes. In America until the late 19th century fruit/spice cakes were served as wedding cakes!
Meat eaters do not eat eggs and cakes for health reasons. So this week, I will give you a few recipes for healthy, cholesterol- free eggless, milkless cakes and cookies, which are delicious!
Baking powder/soda substituted for the eggs (to make the cake rise). A cup of milk (liquid) can be substituted with 1 cup of water or rice, soy, nut or coconut milk. White sugar can be substituted with brown sugar, corn syrup, or molasses. 1 Tbsp (TABLESPOON) butter can be substituted with 2 tsp (TEASPOON) of refined vegetable cooking oil
Vegans and vegetarians wanting to make an eggless and dairy-free custard/pudding can do so by using flour, soymilk, sugar, salt and whatever flavoring desired (vanilla, chocolate, lemon, etc.). These can easily be made on the stove top or in the microwave.
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients: 125 g Flour (Maida), 1 Tbsp Cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp Drinking Chocolate, ` ml refined Vegetable oil, 200-250 ml Pepsi, 1 Tbsp Baking powder or Baking Soda, 1 cap each of chocolate essence and vanilla essence, Vegetable oil for greasing the baking container.
Method: Preheat the oven for 30-40 minutes at 150 degree Celsius. Sieve Flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder thrice. Mix the dry ingredients with drinking chocolate and Pepsi. Beat the mixture well with hand in one direction only.
Pour the prepared batter gently into a well-greased baking container. Bake the mixture for 30 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius.
Sponge Cake
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (dalcheeni), 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (jaiphal), 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup raisins (kishmish), 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup icing sugar (pissi hui cheeni)
Method: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Lightly grease one 8 or 9 inch square cake pan. In a saucepan over medium high heat combine; the sugar, vegetable oil, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, raisins, and water bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let this Raisin mixture cool.
In another container, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add the flour mixture to the cooled raisin mixture. Stir the mixture well. Pour batter into prepared greased pan. Bake at 175 degrees C for 20 minutes.
Vegan Lemon Sponge Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup castor sugar, 3/4 cup vegetable margarine,1/2 cup hot water, 2 Tbsp malt extract, 2 lemons
Method: Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F and prepare the sponge tins by lightly greasing and flouring them. Use two 23cm/9 inch sandwich tins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the sugar and mix well by lifting and sprinkling, using a spoon. Put the margarine to melt in a small saucepan over a low heat. Remove from heat as soon as it's melted.
Put the hot water in a jug together with the malt extract and set aside. Finely grate the lemon rinds, add to the dry ingredients and mix in by lifting and sprinkling as before. Squeeze the lemons, and add the juice to the water and malt mixture. Stir until the malt has completely dissolved.
As quickly as you can, add the melted margarine to the dry ingredients and stir well in, followed immediately by the water, malt and lemon juice mixture. Beat well for a few moments only before transferring equal amounts to each of the two prepared sponge tins and placing them in the preheated oven. Bake till the top goes firm and golden brown at 100 degree Celsius for about 20-25 minutes, or test with a warm knife. Allow it to cool before removing from the tins.
Cookies:
Orange Snaps
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups plain flour (Maida), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp orange rind (powdered orange peel or pisa hua santre ka chilka), 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tsp vanilla essence, vegetable oil for greasing.
Recipe and Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Gradually mix in the orange peel, oil, orange juice and the vanilla until a well-blended batter is formed. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. Cool the cookies at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Raisin Cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable margarine, 1 cup raisins, 1/2 tsp salt,1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp poedered cinnamon,1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp powdered ginger (adrak)
Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F. Combine the sugar, water, raisins, margarine and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar and margarine has melted. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, powdered cinnamon and ginger in another container. Add the cooled mixture to it and mix well. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. Cool the cookies at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Tutti-fruities
Ingredients: 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (khumain), 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (khajoor), 1 cup chopped walnuts (akhrot), 1 cup flour, 1 can crushed pineapple (fresh or canned ananaas), 4 Tbsp cornflour (make a paste in little water, ensure that there are no lumps), 1 Tbsp vanilla essence, 1/4 tsp corn oil, 1/4 tsp salt
Method: Preheat the oven to 180?C or 350?F Mix together the cornflour, oil, apricots, dates and vanilla. Add a little water or soya milk to aid mixing. Add the crushed pineapple and walnuts. Keep this moist mixture aside. Sift together the flour and salt in a separate container. Combine moist mixture with the flour and blend thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonful of the above-prepared mixture onto greased paper sheets. Keep the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool the cookies on wire racks at room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Maneka Gandhi
