Eggless Condensed Milk Cake

It was yet another day when I bored of cooking the same old stuff..roti, dhal, channa. sambhar...I was thinking of other options for dinner...but nothing came to my mind. I could have atleast spent that time browsing or reading a nice book rather than pondering over what to cook??? I drag myself to the kitchen to make dinner and finally decide to make roti and dhal...when I open the shelf  tada...I find the condensed milk sitting right there behind my wheat flour...so I finish making the dough for the roti...cook the dhal...and set out to make this yummy condensed milk cake...

It was rich and delicious..and  tasted similar to the famous plum cake that we regularly get to eat from the bakery back in India. I always love to eat the deserts as soon as I finish making it ..hot hot hot ....and could not wait to eat it..I let it cool down and turned it on a plate..it just came off without sticking at the bottom of the pan..I was so happy..I rejoiced the moment  and then cut a piece and took a bite....it was soft, moist (warm too) and nutty in the middle and was crispy (from the edges) on the sides.....everyone must enjoy baking this cake some time or the other...Before I forget...this recipe is also one from the book that my Perima gave...This does not call for too much butter or sugar so in a way that is goooodddddddd.....

Ingredients for making it -

1/2 Tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4th Cup Chopped nuts - Raisins, Pecan, Walnuts and Almonds
1/2 Stick Butter (50 gms)
1 Tsp Cocoa Powder
2 TBSP Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Pinch Salt
1/2 Cup Water

Sift the Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Cocoa Powder and Baking soda.
Rub in the butter and sugar and mix well.

Roast the nuts in the microwave (except raisins) for about 2 min in total (microwave them for 30 min and then stir it up repeat the process). After they are roasted toss it with the all purpose flour.
(Note: Whenever you are adding nuts or fruits always remember to toss it in little flour before adding it to the mix. That way these nuts do not settle at the bottom while baking.)

Add the condensed milk, water and the nuts and mix well.
Grease the pan. You need a 9 inch cake pan for baking this cake.
(Note before pouring the cake mix into the pan - Always sprinkle little flour on the greased pan and turn it upside down to get the excess flour out. This helps in preventing the cake to stick at the bottom and come off easily when getting the cake out of the pan).

Pre-heat the oven for 350 degree.
Pour the mixture in the cake pan. Bake the cake for 25 minutes or until the fork comes clean when immersed in the cake.
This cake is good to be served as is since it has lot of nuts in it. You may top it with whip cream just before serving.

Condensed milk burfi

This is one of the burfi which I love to eat. I am not a sweet lover but love this burfi. When I was a kid I never waited till it was made into burfis...I would just scoop the boiling chocolate mixture in a cup and eat it. Back home we were never allowed to touch until the sweet was made and offered to God ( I started following the same now!!).

Whenever my aunt used to make this sweet....she would just make it into a ball and just roll it on the kitchen counter top and cut into squares!! I am not that adept at making this...make it the traditional way -"pouring the contents in to the greased plate and then cut it after it sets".

This cocoa burfi when made with roasted nuts.....even the people who do not like sweets will start loving it!! Even as I write my mouth is watering..I make this sweet very often. My husband loves it and my two year old who is not that fond of sweets loves it too.

This was one of the sweet I made for Diwali.



Items needed:

Condensed milk - 1 tin
Sugar - 1/2 tin
Cocoa - 2 to 3 tsp (as per your taste)
Water - 1/2 tin
Butter - 100 gms ( 1 slab)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp (optional)
Chopped nuts - almonds, cashew and raisins
Ghee for frying the nuts

Method -

Take a tsp of ghee and roasts the nuts and keep it aside. Always grease a plate before starting on the burfi.

In a heavy bottom pan mix condensed milk, sugar, water and bring to a boil. Add cocoa powder and keep stirring.

When it starts dividing add the butter. Keep it on stove till it starts leaving the sides of the vessel. Add the roasted nuts and mix well.

Pour it on to a greased plate. Make pieces after it gets cooled.

The yummy cocoa burfi is ready to be served....