Eggless - Saffron and Cardamom flavored Arabian Cake ~ Day 70

I was browsing through Pinterest and this recipe caught my eye.  I quickly went through the recipe and sure enough, I had all the needed ingredients and immediately started making it.  It is a simple, mildly sweet cake infused with rich and aromatic flavors of saffron and cardamom.  Can any dessert go wrong with this flavor combination?  Try and see.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Recipe source: Munatycooking

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Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour - 1 cup
• Corn starch - 1 tbsp
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Milk - 6 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Saffron - 1/4 tsp
• Yogurt - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup (original recipe calls for 6 tbsp, I added 2 tbsp more)
• Melted butter - 2 tbsp
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
• Chopped nuts - for garnishing

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and cake pan and set it aside.
2. Add cardamom and saffron to milk and keep it aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, corn starch, and salt.  
4. In another mixing bowl, beat yogurt, sugar, saffron milk, butter, and oil until sugar dissolves.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir gently.  Do not mix more than 10 - 15 seconds.
6. Pour the mixture in a greased pan.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  It took 30 minutes in my oven.
7. Garnish with your choice of chopped nuts.

Cardamom Flavored Snowball Cookies

Happy Holidays!!!

Recipe (slightly modified) source: Wilton

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter - 2 sticks or 1 cup, softened
Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
Pure vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
All-purpose flour - 1 3/4 cup
Ground almonds - 1 cup
Confectioners sugar - for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix well.
3. Add flour and ground almonds.  Mix with electric mixer on low speed until dough forms.
4. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.  Remove to cooling rack.  Cool for 5 minutes.
6. Roll warm cookies in confectioners sugar.  Cool completely before storing.

Cardamom Flavored Corn Bread - Eggless

Ingredients:
Yellow Cornmeal - 1 cup
All Purpose Flour - 3 cups
Sugar - 1 1/3 cups
Baking Powder - 2 TBSP
Salt - 1 tsp
Vegetable / Canola Oil - 2/3 cup
Melted Butter - 2/3 cup
Apple Sauce - 1/2 cup
Plain Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 4 TBSP

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt.
3. In an another bowl, whisk together the oil, melted butter, apple sauce, yogurt and milk.
4. Pour the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish.  Sprinkle 4 TBSP of sugar on top of the batter and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven.  Serve Warm.