Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Egg less Pistachio Cake | Butter free Cake

  Our region is reeling under sweltering heat and there seems to be no respite for now. Mornings however are fresh and sometimes surprisingly breezy and pleasant. It is  our daily regimen of spending some time in the kitchen garden to collect menthol and tulsi (basil)for tea and our daughter loves to compete with me as she runs to collect the sun ripened Baels (wood apple) that fall and lay hidden in the dry vegetation that covers the ground. Last week during one such sultry morning, a movement in the baked vegetation caught our attention. It was the Indian Pitta, a lovely migratory bird that had made appearance for the fourth year in a row. “Was it the same bird?”, I wondered as we all admired the myriad hues on its agile body. The bird hopped and hid behind the curry leaf plant merging completely with its foliage. We retraced our steps intending not to disturb her and later managed to click some good pictures of the winged guest.

Yesterday at the behest of my daughter I baked a cake. I used the basic egg less recipe and added 1/3 cup of sliced pistachios. 

The cake was moist and fudgy. 

We had it plain but it would pair well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold custard.

This is how I made Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Egg less Pistachio Cake

Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Egg less Pistachio Cake | Butter free Cake

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup fresh yogurt

1 cup muscovado sugar (any other sugar will also do. Quantity of sugar can be adjusted accordingly)

1/3 cup sliced pistachios

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup olive oil

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coffee dissolved in 2 teaspoons of hot water

A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line, grease and dust one 6 ½ inches round cake pan.

Beat yogurt till smooth. Add sugar and leave till sugar dissolves. Add baking powder and baking soda and mix well. The mixture will become bubbly. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Add coffee and oil. Mix well.

Whisk together whole wheat flour, cocoa powder and salt. Sift the flour mix.

Add flour mix to yogurt mix in three round mixing well after each addition. Stir in sliced pistachios. Reserve one tablespoon for sprinkling on top of the cake.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Level with a spoon, sprinkle remaining pistachios evenly on top.

Bake at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 175 degrees and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges by running a knife along the sides and remove the cake from the pan. Cool in the rack. Slice next day.