Cakes
CAKES
BANANA CAKE - Bananas are one of Oman's favorite fruits. There are a number of varieties that grow here as well as many imported varieties, but bananas go ripe very quickly in the summer heat. Here's one of our favorite recipes for using those very ripe bananas.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of softened (or melted) butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups smashed very ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups of white flour
1 rounded Tablespoon baking powder
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. When it is well mixed, add the mashed bananas.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, beating a little after each addition.
Pour into a lightly greased and floured 9" x 13" cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
VARIATION 1: Add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.
VARIATION 2: For a chocolate swirled cake – divide the batter in half. To one half add 1/4 cup baking cocoa. Spread the plain half of the batter into the baking pan. Spoon on the cocoa batter and swirl with a knife. Bake as per instructions.
VARIATION 3: For a chocolate banana cake – add 1/2 cup of baking cocoa to the batter with the flour. Bake as per instructions.
ORANGE-DATE CAKE
Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine or butter (room temperature or melted)
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (or substitute white sugar)
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
powdered sugar (optional)
In a mixing bowl beat the margarine with the sugar. Add about half of the flour, the orange peel, half of the orange juice, the egg and the baking powder. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour and orange juice. Then, stir in the nuts and dates.
Pour batter in a lightly greased and floured 9" by 13" cake pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cake. Sift powdered sugar over the top, if desired. Then, cut and serve.
ORANGE-VANILLA CAKE
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup of white flour
2 Tablespoons of baking powder
1/3 cup of powdered milk
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of orange juice
2/3 cup of vegetable oil or melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and powdered milk. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar, until well mixed. Add the orange juice and mix well. Add the oil and vanilla and beat again. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, beating between each addition. Beat for another minute or two minutes. Pour into a 9" x 13" greased and lightly floured cake pan and bake at about 350 degrees F until a toothpick or knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
VARIATION: Sprinkle sesame seeds on top before cooking. Or reserve 1/3 of the batter and mix it with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Swirl the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter and bake as instructed.
JUZ AL-HIND CAKE - "coconut cake"
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of white flour
1/2 cup of farina ("khabeesa" or "Cream of Wheat")
1/3 cup of sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons of baking powder
1 cup of desiccated coconut
2 eggs
1 cup of prepared milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or pineapple flavoring
FOR THE SYRUP: 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water
Make the Syrup: Mix the 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl mix the flour, farina, sugar, baking powder, and coconut. In another bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and stir until well mixed. Pour into a 8" x 11" lightly greased cake pan and bake at about 350 degrees F until a toothpick or knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If the top is not already a golden brown, then broil the top for a minute or two to achieve this color.
Remove from the oven. Over the hot cake, pour the cooled syrup. Leave to cool, then serve.
APPLE-FILLED CAKE
Ingredients:
3 cups of chopped, peeled apples
2 cups of sugar
4 Tablespoons of cornstarch
3 cups of white flour
1 Tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/3 cup of butter or margarine, soft but not melted
2 beaten eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup of white flour
In a saucepan combine the apples and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes until the apples are tender. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and the cornstarch. Stir into the fruit mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook two more minutes. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl stir together 1 cup of the sugar, the 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, and baking soda. Reserve 4 Tablespoons of the butter. Add the rest of the butter to the flour mixture and "cut in" until it resembles fine crumbs. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spread half of the batter into an 9" x 13" cake pan. Spread the fruit mixture over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by rounded Tablespoons over the top of the apple filling. Do not spread it. Leave it in mounds (evenly spaced) on top of the filling.
On the side, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the 1/2 cup of flour. Cut in the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle over the cake. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.