Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Bottle Gourd Chocolate Cake

New Year...new outlook towards life...new resolutions...and a new you...is what we all have in our minds. But do we need excuse of new year to start something which is good for us...No... Each day is a new day which brings lots of hopes, promises and good things in life, and the resolutions are meant to be broken..so do not make resolutions but make good choices and take decisions which have positive effect in life. 

I used to make resolutions every year but now have stopped making them cause I know I will not be able to stick on even a single of those. But I have promised myself to try to live each day to its fullest, to spend more quality time with my DH, play lot more with my daughter and make more new friends but cherish the old ones for ever :)



I am a big fan of veggies in baked goodies, earlier I have made a beet bundt, carrot muffins and even a savoury pumpkin scone, so now this time I sneaked bottle gourd in chocolate cake. The cake turned out to be super moist and no body could guess that bottle gourd was in it..hehe (evil smile).

I dressed up the cake with chocolate sauce and it was divine.




( Recipe inspired from goshthatssovegan)
Ingredients:

For the Cake-

All Purpose Flour- 1 Cup
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- 6 Tbsps
Sugar- 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsps
Baking Soda-1 Tsp
Instant Coffee Powder- 1 Tsp
Salt- 1/8 Tsp
Canola Oil- 1/4 Cup
White Distilled Vinegar- 1 Tsp
Vanilla Extract- 1 Tsp
Water- 3/4 Cup (Approx)
Bottle Gourd- 1 Cup grated and packed

For Chocolate Sauce-

Sugar- 1/2 Cup
Soy Milk or Dairy Milk- 1/2 Cup
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- 1/2 Tbsp
Salt- A Pinch
Vanilla extract- 1/4 Tsp
All Purpose Flour- 2 Tsp

Procedure:

For The Cake-
  • Preheat the oven at 180 Degrees C for 10-15 minutes.
  • Grease a cake tin with oil and line up with a parchment paper then grease the top of the paper with oil and keep aside.
  • Grate the bottle gourd and measure 1 cup packed and keep separate.
  • Sift all the dry ingredients ( flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, coffee, salt) together in a large bowl.
  • Make a well in the centre and pour the wet ingredients ( oil, vinegar, vanilla, water) in it.
  • Mix all the ingredients together. 
  • Squeeze out water from the gourd and mix the grated gourd in the prepared cake mixture. Stir gently till everything is combined.
  • Pour the batter in prepared cake tin. Choose a cake tin so that batter is more than 1/2 in the tin.
  • Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 180 Degrees for 35-38 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. I baked the last 10 minutes with the top of the cake covered with aluminium foil.

For Chocolate Sauce-

Combine all the ingredients together in a saucepan and mix well so that there are no lumps. Boil the sauce for   
about 2 minutes in slow heat. Remove from heat. The sauce thickens as it cools. If the sauce gets too thick then add in more milk and heat it up a bit.

Pour the sauce on the cake and serve warm.




Sending this cake to Veggie/ Fruit A Month- Bottle Gourd which is a brainchild of Priya of Mharo Rajasthan and currently being hosted at my space.

Also linking this to Cooking Concept's Chocolate Fest.

Vardhini's Bake Fest #3 hosted at Pumpkin Farm.

Srivalli's Chocolate Mela

Vardhini's NewU event

Suma at Veggie Platter's Cook Eat Delicious Desserts event.









53 comments:

  1. Just a while back I read a friend's status message:
    "Every year you make resolution to change yourself, this year make a resolution to be yourself."

    Thought of sharing after reading your introduction to this post :)

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  2. And I love the recipe, it looks simple enough with basic ingredients. The lauki is sure gonna be a surprise! Good clicks too.
    I'm def trying this one SOON! :D

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  3. wow super cool.. this is out of the box..super cooll yumm cake..

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  4. wow oh wow! What a great addition...healthy and chocolaty I must say!! Loved it :) Great pictures too Raji!

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  5. innovative using bottlegourd is new .
    brpwnee is looking delicios

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  6. OMG!!! a veggie in a cake. That's amazing dear. This is so unique and very innovative.

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous pictures. Ha.

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  8. that is a smart move :) :) it looks tempting :)

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  9. wolf whistle and happy hoots to this cake - am a huge fan of veggies in the cake too and am seriously drooling at this yummmmmmm delight. Hey warm wishes to u & family for a great 2012 and your resolutions for living life to the fullest is appreciated

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  10. You were right Raji,when u said to make good choices every single day and not only on the first few weeks of the new year.The cake looks fabulous and nobody would be able to guess the secret ingredient unless u tell them.I've something in mind with the veggie and submit it soon.

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  11. Wow! Cake with bottle gourd sounds interesting and very delicious. Great job dear.

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  12. gorgeous clicks...something different ! happy new year raji :-)

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  13. Trust me or not,i was planning to make some cake with bottlegourd too,urs looks absolutely stunning Raji..

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  14. Wow adding bottle gourd is a nice twist...beautiful clicks and tempting cake

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  15. Very innovative recipe. Cake looks so soft and moist and the sauce looks awesome!

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  16. very unique cake..never seen cake wid bottle gourd

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  17. How clever! :-) It looks really decadent too.
    Might have to try veggies in cakes to get everybody eating some..

    Beautiful photos. esp the last one.

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  18. wow thats a beautiful click and nice recipe too. The second one was superb.

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  19. Wow bottlegourd cake looks yumm and never heard before.Nice innovation.

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  20. wow awesome dear....luv the addition of veggie...and luv the presentation and clicks...
    SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" Series - CARDAMOM (Dec 5th to Jan 5th)

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  21. Wow !!cake looks so moist and luv the addition of bottle gourd to it,nice and innovative recipe dear...

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  22. wow this is absolutely intelligent, chocolate to top it, love the idea.
    thanks for linking to the event

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  23. this cake looks wonderful
    happy new year to you and family

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  24. soft and super tempting cake tempts me a lot,mouthwatering here..

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  25. wow cake with bottle gourd is very new to me !! Superb cake !!
    Thanks for linking to my event.

    Ongoing Event - CC-Chocolate Fest

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  26. Unique one..with the sauce it looks so tempting

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  27. i love veggie sin baled goodies too! the chocolate cake looks moist and soft.. perfect topping too! and gorgeous clicks Raji!

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  28. chocolate cake with bottle gourd ah?? very innovative...cake looks soft,moist n delicious...h it tasted??
    Spicy Treats
    OnGoing Event ~ Dish It Out-Brinjal n Garlic

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  29. Cake with bottle gourd!!??sounds great..

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  30. This is a tough one! A great vegan cake...Will try soonest! Thanks for sharing!

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  31. Wow! This is such a creative use for the bottle gourd...Amazing! And looks quite delicious :)

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  32. Looks delicious. Would love for you to share your pictures with us over at foodepix.com.

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  33. Fantastic idea Raji .. to add veggie in cake ! I bet it would be a clever way to feed some veggie to kids ;)

    Love the second shot ... just beautiful!

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  34. This looks fantastic, what a gorgeous cake! And love the 'secret' veggie inside, looks delicious! :)

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  35. thats a nice way to disguise the veggie to a chocolate cake...love it!....
    Hey u can send this also to the event on Suma of Veggieplatter's blog...
    thanks for ur comment on my blog!

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  36. Thanks for dropping by Raji! The cake looks fabulous, no one can guess it has bottle gourd inside it, and the chocolate sauce looks divine!! Happy blogging! Loved your page, following you now!

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  37. very innovative raji - never knew we could cakes out of this - gosh i always made a raita - nothn more nothn less ...lol !! lovely post !

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  38. I love recipes with bottle gourd because its very low in calories and very nutritious...
    Why have you used Vinegar can we do without it?
    I have to try this cake soon very soon....

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  39. @Mahek- Thanks for dropping by..vinegar is used in cakes where baking soda is used to create gas and there will be foaming action which helps the cake to rise. Instead of white vinegar apple cider vinegar can also be used.

    I dont think the cake will rise much without vinegar.

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  40. Fabulous cake, looks soo chocolaty and rich. Love such veggie cakes!

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  41. An award is waiting for you dear,drop at my space and collect it.

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  42. wow...looks sensational & yummy..
    wish you & yours a very happy new year Raji..:)
    Tasty Appetite

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  43. OMG Cake with bottle guard sounds so interestingggg will def try thisssssssss

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  44. Raji, the cake looks fabulous. Thanks for linking to my event.
    I wish you and your family a happy new year.

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  45. wow!!Bottle guard in chocolate cake??Surprised first!! :) Looks so delicious & innovative way...
    Midweek Fiesta
    Decorating Challenge-Royal Icing

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  46. Bottle gourd in cake is new. Lovely clicks and thx for linking to the event.

    Vardhini
    Event: New "U" - Healthy Eats
    Event: Healing Foods - Cauliflower

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  47. Raji!!!!! I am dying to taste this cake!! Oh boy! It's the best looking chocolate cake I've seen in ages! I am so going to try this ! Actually I was looking for a chocolate cake recipe - what better than this? Super photography too my dear!! Thanks for all ur comments on my blog - I have finally settled in after a loooong break, so will check all ur posts in peace!

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  48. Wow..what a combination..poor bottle gourd really gets a facelift! And the pics are beautiful too!

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  49. never listened or tried b.g in cake..looking new n awesome too...u have a nice space dear....visit my space wen u find time..

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  50. Awesome treat..will be making this sometime..sounds so good..with bottle gourd?..never would have believed it!

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