Strawberry Cup Cakes (Non Convection Microwave Cake Recipe)
I got to know that a friend of mine was baking big time. She is now into the business of cakes and cup cakes. And here I was with no baking experience (not true - I HAVE baked a few eggless cakes when I was in school and college) and without an oven. I kept pestering Shri for an Oven but never got one. He kept saying that our kitchen was too small for two ovens. So I had to somehow manage with just the non convection microwave oven. I have a Onida Non Convection Microwave (18 ltr) with power, grill and defrost option.
Now here is the situation. Bake it too much, and it will get hard, or burn. Bake it too little, and you end up with a mould of warm batter. It is supposed to be a cupcake, I suspect that if you try to bake a bigger portion at once, there will be enough temperature difference in different zones of the batter to get underbaked, baked and hard portions all at once. It seems that there is a very small heat frame in which it bakes right. The recipe for batter is everywhere on the internet. But how to bake it using the microwave that one has. I, for one, don't have an answer.
While on a sabbatical from work in Sep 2013, I thought I will give it a try again, for the love of baking. I tried various combinations resulting in a lot of burnt and half cooked cakes that have been thrown away while wasting all the ingredients and the energy. At last I found a consistency and timing for my microwave. And it turned to be a super hit. I have tried chocolate, strawberry, mixed berry, chocolate orange, and everything has been a super hit, at least within family and friends circle :P. I also made about 150 cup cakes for Su's 6th bday.
You will need:
Cake:
Maida - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup (Powdered)
Butter - 1 Cup (approx 150 - 200 gms) softened
Eggs - 2 ( I somehow find the packed eggs (Suguna brand) better than the other eggs)
Milk - 1/4 Cup (& 2 tbsp extra. Add this in the end in case the batter is too thick)
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Flavors
Strawberry/ Mixed Berry Crush - 3/4 Cup ( I use Mala's Strawberry or Mixed berry crush that I usually find in M K Ahmed or any other such stores)
Strawberry Color &/or Essence- 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Tutty Fruity - 1/2 Cup
Butter Cream topping:
Butter - 100 gms - softened
Icing Sugar - 100 gms
Vanilla Essence - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 2 tbsp (as required)
Vanilla sprinkles and other cake decorators - as required
Cup Cake Batter
Sieve floor, add sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix and keep aside.
Get butter to room temperature (DONOT heat/melt).
Beat eggs using a hand whisk for about 3-5 mins.
Add milk and whisk further for a minute(DONOT use blender).
Pour this in the mixing bowl.
Add Butter and whisk further till butter mixes well.
Add the dry powder mixture and mix well.
Add the Strawberry crush and Essence.
Mix well with hand.
Now whisk for about 30 secs using blender. (This step is optional. I use the Murphy Richards Blender/whisker).
If the batter is too thick, add a few tsps of milk.
The cake batter has to be used immediately.
Baking
Insert a cup cake liner into a silicon cake mould.
Add a spoon of cake batter or a little more. The mould should be less than half filled.
Add a few tutty fruity on top.
I kept the power at maximum which was the default power option.
Pre heated the microwave for 30 seconds.
Kept the filled mould for 30 seconds. (first cake for 40 secs)
Kept the setting time
Poked the cake with a stick.
If the cake looks uncooked its ok. There will be enough heat in the cake and the mould that it will eventually cook.
Keep the cake in the mould for about 30 - 45 secs for it cook further and settle.
The cake is ready for frosting.
You will have to bake 1 cake at a time.. :(
Frosting
Blend the softened butter and icing sugar together using a blender for 2 -3 minutes.
Add Vanilla essence and 1 tsp milk and blend well for another 1 - 2 minutes.
The frosting is ready. Use a piping bag to decorate the cake.
Sprinkle vanilla droppings, choco chips or any other cake decorations. These can be easily found in any store. (Again my 'go to' store is M K Ahmed).
Skill Level: Difficult (easy once you get the knack of it)
Makes: about 15-25 cup cakes (depending on the mould used)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Frosting time: 15 minutes
Goes well with: Just like that
Tips:
There has been enough written already. One last thing before I sign off - after every cup cake, vary the cooking time, consistency of the batter by adding milk to make it thin or add a spoon of maida to thicken it.
Good Luck!!!!
Now here is the situation. Bake it too much, and it will get hard, or burn. Bake it too little, and you end up with a mould of warm batter. It is supposed to be a cupcake, I suspect that if you try to bake a bigger portion at once, there will be enough temperature difference in different zones of the batter to get underbaked, baked and hard portions all at once. It seems that there is a very small heat frame in which it bakes right. The recipe for batter is everywhere on the internet. But how to bake it using the microwave that one has. I, for one, don't have an answer.
While on a sabbatical from work in Sep 2013, I thought I will give it a try again, for the love of baking. I tried various combinations resulting in a lot of burnt and half cooked cakes that have been thrown away while wasting all the ingredients and the energy. At last I found a consistency and timing for my microwave. And it turned to be a super hit. I have tried chocolate, strawberry, mixed berry, chocolate orange, and everything has been a super hit, at least within family and friends circle :P. I also made about 150 cup cakes for Su's 6th bday.
You will need:
Cake:
Maida - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup (Powdered)
Butter - 1 Cup (approx 150 - 200 gms) softened
Eggs - 2 ( I somehow find the packed eggs (Suguna brand) better than the other eggs)
Milk - 1/4 Cup (& 2 tbsp extra. Add this in the end in case the batter is too thick)
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Flavors
Strawberry/ Mixed Berry Crush - 3/4 Cup ( I use Mala's Strawberry or Mixed berry crush that I usually find in M K Ahmed or any other such stores)
Strawberry Color &/or Essence- 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Tutty Fruity - 1/2 Cup
Butter Cream topping:
Butter - 100 gms - softened
Icing Sugar - 100 gms
Vanilla Essence - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 2 tbsp (as required)
Vanilla sprinkles and other cake decorators - as required
Cup Cake Batter
Sieve floor, add sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix and keep aside.
Get butter to room temperature (DONOT heat/melt).
Beat eggs using a hand whisk for about 3-5 mins.
Add milk and whisk further for a minute(DONOT use blender).
Pour this in the mixing bowl.
Add Butter and whisk further till butter mixes well.
Add the dry powder mixture and mix well.
Add the Strawberry crush and Essence.
Mix well with hand.
Now whisk for about 30 secs using blender. (This step is optional. I use the Murphy Richards Blender/whisker).
If the batter is too thick, add a few tsps of milk.
The cake batter has to be used immediately.
Baking
Insert a cup cake liner into a silicon cake mould.
Add a spoon of cake batter or a little more. The mould should be less than half filled.
Add a few tutty fruity on top.
I kept the power at maximum which was the default power option.
Pre heated the microwave for 30 seconds.
Kept the filled mould for 30 seconds. (first cake for 40 secs)
Kept the setting time
Poked the cake with a stick.
If the cake looks uncooked its ok. There will be enough heat in the cake and the mould that it will eventually cook.
Keep the cake in the mould for about 30 - 45 secs for it cook further and settle.
The cake is ready for frosting.
You will have to bake 1 cake at a time.. :(
Frosting
Blend the softened butter and icing sugar together using a blender for 2 -3 minutes.
Add Vanilla essence and 1 tsp milk and blend well for another 1 - 2 minutes.
The frosting is ready. Use a piping bag to decorate the cake.
Sprinkle vanilla droppings, choco chips or any other cake decorations. These can be easily found in any store. (Again my 'go to' store is M K Ahmed).
Skill Level: Difficult (easy once you get the knack of it)
Makes: about 15-25 cup cakes (depending on the mould used)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Frosting time: 15 minutes
Goes well with: Just like that
Tips:
There has been enough written already. One last thing before I sign off - after every cup cake, vary the cooking time, consistency of the batter by adding milk to make it thin or add a spoon of maida to thicken it.
Good Luck!!!!
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