Chocolate Cupcakes!!

Cupcake recipes are wonderful inventions!
Cupcakes are versatile little cakes that suit any occasion.
You can get as creative as possible and are only limited by your imagination.


Here I've made these chocolate cup cakes & they just turned out deliciously delectable!
Here's how it looked...

If you are tempted to try this easy recipe, follow the black magic cake recipe from my previous post and reduce baking time to 20 Minutes.

The reduction of cooking time was one of the reasons for the discovery of cute Lil cup cakes.
It's that the cake batter was cooked in teacups and other small containers since it took such a long time to cook cakes in hearth ovens. The small teacups cut the cooking time of cakes dramatically.

Chocolate magic cake!



Black Magic cake with Simple butter creame icing!!



After 6-7 long months, I found an interesting recipe and an equally enthusiastic friend to explore the joy of baking!

Was joyous over it's success :)

This is a simple and the best recipe! The cake is moist, fragrant, rich and dark... there is no reason to search for a better chocolate cake.

Ingredients

3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

1 cup white Sugar

1/4 cup and 2 tbsp of unsweetened Cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee

1/2 cup butter milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease and flour one nine inch cake pan.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center.

3. Add the egg, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla extract. mix well with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes in medium speed. Batter will be thin, pour this into the prepared pan. (Most of the cake batters are never this thin, the first time we make it, we are doubtful of the best result, but don't worry... this will be good, though the batter is comparatively thinner)

4. Bake at 350 deg F for 30-40 minutes. Insert a toothpick at the center of the cake and it should come out clean. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack.

The frosting can be totally your choice... Here in the picture posted, i've made the simplest form of frosting.

I have used Butter, icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Beat these together, put them in an icing bag, fix appropriate nozzles and get all creative :)

Happy Baking!! 

A sense of purpose...

A lot of us confuse "wishes" and "fantasies" to passion. Do we really know what we want?

There are so many of them who have chosen a path and then come to a conclusion, it is not for them and choose a different one... A wish or a strong desire, both cases people will talk passionately about it. Sometimes in case of a highly articulate person, it seems like a greater confusion.

The experience gained is valuable, but how do we know the difference?

Identifying your strengths and deploying them in activities you choose out of interest will get you to a deeper satisfaction. Add purpose to what you are doing and you've got meaning.
Purpose is what drives you. It's the source of inspiration and the compass that guides your way and makes the difference, and at the same time, to the deepest level of happiness.
And that's the real deal!

PS: My purpose of writing this blog?
I should be able to meet my readers on a personal level, foster trust which is an essential part of any blog
Have a wonderful weekend ahead!!

Donuts - Happy Allround :)

A weekend and we had some friends visit us... They placed a packet on our dining table and insisted i opened it and tasted it because it is at it's best when eaten hot.
I didn't think twice and I quickly obeyed them. Since we were new to the US, Krispy Kreame was something u heard of. The packet read Krispy Kreame, it had 12 good looking glazed donuts. I am not a person with a sweet tooth and wasn't keen on tasting.

I took two plates and offered them to my Husband and mother, since our guests were in full praise for the donuts, served them too. All of them after a bite were all oooh and aahhs and i was curious to try them.

I sunk my teeth into one of them and it melted! It was oh, so damn tasty!!
I quickly finished one and was about to grab another, for those who knew my tastes, it was a surprise. I don't just "not like sweets" i avoid them, more like a sweet intolerant. These sweet rounds are just so delicious that it is so easy to become a sweet addict... eh, well for now a donut addict!

Soon i got hooked on to Donuts. There is a store close to home and I am their regular customer. They are nice to have 6 Donuts for $6.99 and super nice to have 12 donuts for $7.99.
An extra $ and you get half a dozen more... Cool isn't it!

One of their outlets has 3/4th of their space dedicated to their workstation. It is covered with glass and the making of these yummy sugary sweet" happy-all-round" donuts can be seen. From the dough to frying and then getting under the sugar glazed fountain, it's such an orderly defined process! the rest of the store offers some seating and a coffee-billing counter.

The best ones are the original glazed donuts. The others I have tasted are glazed devil's food cake, chocolate iced creame filled, Chocolate iced custard filled and chocolate glazed donuts. There are a lot more varieties like the blueberry, strawberry, cinnamon, apple and lots more. They also have colorful sparkler donuts for the kids. The ever ready staff give you time to choose over the many varieties of donuts. The place also offers some nice coffee and cool flavoured-crushed drinks.

Krispy Kreame donuts will definitely be my sweet crush for a long time, am sure ;-)

Pics courtesy: Google images

India's WorldCup Win... A Personal Profound Moment!

It was one of those fun weekend get togethers at a dear friend's house, the weather, snacks and our conversations were interesting. The world cup was going to begin and one of the topics we discussed was Cricket.

I suddenly made a statement, a strong one stating "It will definitely be the INDIAN Team to lift the world cup 2011"


For which everyone said why they agree and not agree, there was one of them who asked me, Why i so strongly feel that way... and here's what I said...


"My husband (who is an passionate cricket player) was born in the year 1983 and that was the year India won the world cup. What a fantastic moment that was! This year my son will be born and so i strongly feel we would win the world cup!"


A few laughed and smiled, a few liked it, one of them loved it and one called me an astrologer!
We were all Indians away from home in the united states and the fact that we were away from home made us more fanatic towards anthything that had to do with our motherland :)

Our conversations continued...

The world cup season began and you all know what happened, Match after match, we won them all and reached the final.
It was the day of the Finals...


My son was due the next month and it was quite an effort to get up and watch the match at 2 in the midnight, however my enthusiastic spirit and sleeplessness were high and it helped.

After an absolutely thrilling match, India won!

My Husband's Facebook Wall Message read...
"1983 - India won the worlcup, I was born!
2011 - India wins the world cup again, My son will be born!! Yahoooooo.... "

What a profound moment it was... It was one of the happiest days of my life
What a Proud INDIAN I was and always, will be :)

Pics Courtesy: Google Images

"C" A special Delivery!

It was the big day 19-May-2011, Since i was a week over my due date, I was scheduled for a pain induction, however I started having my contractions at 1:10 am that very day. All set and ready we started to the hospital, I was always sure I am going to have a vaginal birth and would never find myself under the bright lights of a surgical table, I was young, healthy and was ready to get the baby out in an old fashioned way!


So imagine my surprise, after 19 hours of labour including induced labour, I found myself being wheeled down the corridor and headed for the operating room because my cervix wouldn't budge past 7 centimeters dilated. I was scared, sad...
Now after the surgery, I feel i should have been better prepared.

The important thing is to hold a healthy baby in your arms, however you deliver the little bundle. A surgical birth can be as joyful and meaningful as a vaginal birth.
It's important to case your big day if it doesn't go exactly as planned, arm yourself with the info and they'll help you sail through the surgery and beyond!



As far as surgery go, C-sections are considered safe, but as any operation there are small but real risks. They include bleeding, blood clots, infection (around the incisions, but the IV antibiotics can help fend off the bacteria)

The moment that last stich is sewn, the healing begins, here are a few tips for a faster recovery.
Get moving - women feel extremely delicate during those first few days ( even laughing can make you wince) not only will you feel better once you're upright, but revving circulation from head to toe can prevent the formation of blood clots.
Have a bite - One needs energy to tackle healing and the new motherhood. Think about it: if you had just run a marathon, wouldn't you stop and refuel?

Stay on top of the pain - Take your painkillers, pamper your scar.

Delegate the Heavy lifting - No picking up anything that weighs more than your baby!
Make sleep a top Priority - Try and snooze at every oppurtunity so your body can repair itself.

More information on C-section The history is interesting!
Pics courtesy: Google images

After A year...

Wohoooo... So soon it has been a year

When i started my blog, I thought I would write a post atleast once a month if not a meaningful one ;) and i have failed to keep that up... After a year, Here I am...

Quite a lot happened while i was absent here! These are definitely not excuses i am giving for not writing.

1. Too much work at office, a promotion, additional roles more responsibility

2. A huge Crush and an insane addiction to Farmville

3. Expected a baby! Became insanely Happy, Sluggish and of course the morning sickness :(

4. A wonderful family get away to Ooty and amidst the euphoria, the BIG news - Vinay's travel to the Unites states for a good long time, The farewell parties, the excitement, the miss you moments before moving to this land of dreams

5. Quit my job

6. Landed in states, Celebrated and welcomed the new year, explored the place around, met so many people, made new friends, Found out it's a BOY Baby, became the wife of the most happiest man in the World!!

7. Missed home :( Skyped almost everyday! (Seriously what a saviour skype is)

8. The world cup! what an awesome moment it was to see Team India become the world cup champions 2011

9. Hurray!! Mom was here! Great fun showing her the place around... God could not be everywhere and so he definitely created Mothers :) Loved every moment with her!

10. Some amazing food, super pampering, the 9 month restlessness and anxiety, The DDay - the pain!

11. Became a parent, the feeling to see and hold your baby for the first time is just magnificent. Aarav Vinay, My son was born, I am proud mother who just melts at his every touch... :)

With all these memories life is just as beautiful as ever!

Thank God for all that he has given to me and this blessed life :)