A Secret Bake!!

How would you feel if you are biting a piece of chocolate cake & something suddenly struck your teeth....and when using your super fabulous testing skills, you try to identify what was that...and suddenly you realize, it was an almond or a pistachio or a raisin!! How would you feel then?? Won't  you feel as if it is some secret within that bake? Does that sound funny....but that was something Y felt after having the first bite of this cake which I surprisingly made on the 1st day of this year and so I thought of naming it this way.

After the Winter Special- Mawa Ladoo post this one is again dedicated to one of the same categories- The Dry Fruits!! After sharing with one of my friends about what did I do on the New Year, he composed a Quatrain for my post understanding my special love for Dry fruits this season. Would like to share it with you all here:

Rooms shift seasons, sometimes in Summer & sometimes in Winter

Tastes shift occasions, sometimes in Watermelon & sometimes in Almond

Its a taste, its a passion

Its a journey, its a bond!!

- Amit Ghosh

This is a simple chocolate cake with some dry fruits added to it. I assure you, it will not last longer once you give it a try :)

Dry Fruit Chocolate Cake

Serves: 3-4                Preparation Time: 15 mins                      Baking Time: 20-30 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 tbspn for dusting the pan

1 egg

1/4 cup refined vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbspn cocoa pwd

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 1/2 tsp baking pwd

small pinch of baking soda

7-8 raisins

1/2 tsp ghee

Coarsely Powder:

3 cashews, 3 pistachios, 3 almonds, 2 dry dates( kharik)

Step 1: While you prepare the batter, keep the Pressure cooker on the gas stove to preheat. Refer Pressure Cooker Magic- Choco Lava Cake post.

Step 2: Grease a pan with oil & whole wheat flour. Keep aside & work with the batter.

Step 2: Sieve whole wheat flour, baking pwd, baking soda & cocoa pwd. Mix well & keep aside.

Step 3: Heat ghee in a pan & saute the raisins till golden. Set aside.

Step 4: Beat the egg & oil till smooth & creamy. Add milk & mix well.

Step 5: Add sugar & beat well till it dissolves & gives a creamy liquid base.

Step 6: Add vanilla essence. Add the whole wheat flour mix prepared in Step 2 in batches. Mix well. Make sure not to overbeat now. It should just be mixed nicely with the liquid base.

Step 7: End up adding the powdered Dry Fruits & golden raisins. Mix again.

Step 8: Pour the batter in the greased pan. Put the pan in the preheated pressure cooker. Cover with a plate placed upside down.

Step 9: Cook on a medium flame for 15 mins. Reduce the flame & cook till the knife inserted comes out clean. 

Step 10: Once cooled, remove from the pan & serve with a cup of Ginger Tea!! Heaven!! :)

Note: You may vary the type of Dry Fruits and their quantity as per your choice! I ran out of walnuts but they will surely add a crunch!