Choco Carrot Cake

I really wanted to make something really different for Valentine's Day. I also wanted it to be eggless since my daughter should avoid eggs in her diet. I found this recipe on Active Cooking and had to give this a try. It really tasted wonderful and my daughter was happy to see these hearts in her hands.

Ingredients:
Flour/Maida - 1½ cups
brown sugar - ½ cup
white sugar - ½ cup
cocoa powder - ½ cup
baking powder - 1 tsp
baking soda - ¼ tsp
grated carrots - 1½ cups (approx 2 medium)
melted butter - ¾ cup
vanilla essence - ½ tsp
walnuts - ½ cup, crushed
milk - ¼ cup

Method:
Grease a cake tin dusted liberally with flour. I used the muffin moulds.
Sift the baking powder, cocoa, baking soda with flour. Mix in the walnuts.
In a bowl, take butter and sugar and beat well.
Fold in the flour mixture, carrots. Mix well add milk to get the pouring consistency.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Preheat the oven at 200 degree centigrade. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degree centigrade. Reduce the temperature to 160 degree centrigrade for further 20 minutes till done.
Remove and allow it to cool completely. Invert and tap out gently and then serve.

This cake is off for the following Events:
My Favourite Things: Love - Heart Shaped Foods hosted by Bindiya at "In Love with Food"
Cook and create with luv for luv since I made this just for my 2 cute hearts in my life!!!! hosted at Asankhana.
Just for You by Alka at Sindhi Rasoi

Walnut Crunchies

This is my first try on cookies and gave a try just to send it for Christmas Events. It was a huge hit. I am totally new to this blogging world but yet trying to make it up fine. The main reason for not trying these cookies were the amount of butter which goes into it...you know...But on occasions its perfectly fine!!! And when the whole world is enjoying the Christmas Eve...why stay behind and whats the best gift to the kids than baking cookies at home, yea Sakshi helped me while preparing these crunchy cookies!!!! By the way i got these cookie recipe from NDTV contributed recipes. I made a few changes though.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
white Sugar - 1/2 cup (recipe asked for brown sugar)
unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
crushed walnuts - 3/4 cup
vanilla essence -1 tsp
salt - 2 pinches

Method:
Blend sugar to fine powder or use castor sugar.
Beat sugar and butter till light and fluffy.
Sieve Baking powder and All purpose flour together.
Add these sieved mix to the beaten butter-sugar mix. Add vanilla essence and mix well to form a dough. Add the crushed walnuts mix well.
Form small flat rounds. Preheat the oven, arrange the cookies on a baking sheet. Place the cookies giving some space between the cookies to fluff up. Bake at 180 degree C for 10-12 minutes or till light brown. Cool well and store in a airtight jar.

These cookies are my entry to the Holiday Cookie Baking Event hosted by Sharmi at Neivedyam and Christmas Feast Event hosted by Purva at Purva's Daawat.
and Santa's Holiday Challenge Event hosted by JZ at Tasty treats.
and Baking for Beginners Event hosted by Vandana Rajesh at Cooking up something nice.