EGGLESS ORANGE CAKE

    Before writing about Eggless & Butterless Cakes, I should say that I have finally found a recipe which is quite apt for the time. 2020 bought forth a situation that our generation has never experienced before. So this recipe seems to be quite apt for the current situation. A cake which came into limelight during the Great Depression in the 1930s during World War I. The "Depression Cake" or the "Poor Man's Cake" found its popularity as the Cakes recipes didn't call for Butter, Eggs or Milk. They were even known as War Cakes, as they avoided ingredients that were scarce, specifically the ingredients were saved for the Soldiers.
   If Depression Cake found its popularity during WW I, Wacky cake, also called Crazy Cake/ Joe Cake came into limelight during World War II. Also called the WW II Cake is a spongy, cocoa-based Cake. Wacky cake may have been created as the result of rationing during World War II when milk and eggs were scarce. Active ingredients in wacky cake include flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, vegetable oil, white vinegar, salt and vanilla extract. The eggless batter means that the structure of the cake is entirely supported by gluten, which is strengthened by the acidic vinegar and salt.
     "Eggless, Butterless, Milkless Cake" or "Poor Man's Cake" is still praised for its practicality and declared to be "the most worthwhile cake ever made."
    I had always thought these type of cakes found its popularity due to its demand among Vegetarians or people with lactose/egg intolerance. But my preconception about this recipe proved me wrong. So, along with a piece of Eggless Orange Cake let's try to solve the Mystery behind Eggless Cakes. All these years I have been thinking that Eggs & Butter holds an important part in making Cakes soft, fluffy and rich. I was even wondering how Cakes without Eggs & Butter or sometimes even without Milk turned out to be soft, fluffy & moist. Baking according to me is a precise art and involves a lot of science in it. Precise measurements, perfect beating, ingredients added etc., makes quite a lot of difference to a Cake. The egg holds an important part in making the cake fluffy and cloud-like. Egg structures the cake, stabilizes the cake, makes it fluffy, add moisture to the base and the layer.
   So how does a cake without Eggs turn out to be fluffy, moist and stabilized? Before talking about the replacements of eggs, first, let's look deep into the role of egg in baking a cake. The egg is a leavening agent and helps in the rising of the cake. It also gives a structure to the cake. The major content of the egg is protein when exposed to heat after incorporating sufficient air, undergoes irreversible changes in its protein structure called denaturation. So this imparts that fluffy nature to the cake.
   So what we need do here is to Mimic the very nature of Egg in Eggless versions. 2 or 3 Ingredients can be used to get a similar structure.

Can use leavening agents such as Sodium bi Carbonate, Baking Powder etc., The amount of these agents should be increased relatively depending on the recipe.
Curd/Buttermilk when combined with Baking Soda helps in the rise of Cakes, while baking.
Some recipes use Condensed Milk which helps to impart structure to the Cake.
Yet another ingredient which works well as an Egg substitute is Vinegar. Mostly White Vinegar/Apple Cider Vinegar is used in such recipes. It is mostly used while making Muffins & Cupcakes making it light & fluffy.
Another most secret ingredient used in Eggless Cake(not popular among Bakers as such). It is the Cola or aerated Drinks. The Fizz in these drinks helps to rise the Cake.

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Recipe Type - Cake, Dessert
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 1 Medium Sized Cake
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

Cooking Time - 45-50 Minutes

HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS ORANGE CAKE

EGGLESS ORANGE CAKE

Yet another Eggless & Butterless Cake recipe. Impressed by my previous Eggless Marble Cake, I am using the same recipe to experiment it with flavours and I am getting overall good results. My premonition about Eggless, Butterless cakes has changed drastically and I've started to love them. I have always loved the smell of Oranges and it is one flavour I love the most. Fresh and rejuvenating. I remember eating a Biscuit during my childhood days and it had been my favourite - Orange Delite Biscuit which had Orange flavour in it. It was not the cream-filled type which had the filling in the centre of the biscuits. It was an overall Orange flavoured Biscuit. I have never come across any other Biscuit or Cookie which satiated my love for those Biscuits.
When I make Christmas Fruit Cakes I initially used Orange Juice instead of Alcohols to soak the Dry Fruits and since then I have always wanted to make a cake with Orange Flavour. And my main quest was that it shouldn't have any eggy smell. So this Eggless Cake recipe gave me the confidence to try out my wish and there you go with my Eggless Orange Cake Recipe. I used the same recipe as for Eggless Marble Cake with same measurements, added 1/2 Cup of Fresh homemade Orange Juice(No water, no Sugar) added Orange Zest and Orange Marmalade for an extra note of Orange flavour in this Cake recipe. The cake recipe was foolproof and as usual yielded a fluffy, soft & moist Cake and this Orange Cake additionally appeased me with this fruity Orange Flavour. It reminded me of my favourite Orange Flavoured - Delite Biscuits.

*Please do read all the instructions for a perfectly textured Cake.

MEASURING THE INGREDIENTS (Updated as on 7th October 2020):

My friend recently made this Cake and said the cake became dense. She had scooped out the flour and didn't level it off. So the quantity of Flour ended up to be more than necessary for the recipe making the cake dense.

So, I am updating few tips for you to get perfect Cakes. Make sure to measure the ingredients perfectly. I have given both Cups & Grams measurement for your convenience. Grams measurements works perfect, but if you do not have a weighing scale use Cup measurements.

While measure the ingredients using a Cup make sure to follow these basic instructions for every ingredients.

FLOUR - Use Spoon & Level Method. Do not scoop out the floor from the container. Instead spoon in the flour into the Cup. Do not pack the flour in the Cup and Do not tap the cup for the flour to settle down. All these can alter the final texture of a Cake. After you have spooned in the Flour into the Cup use the back of a Knife or a spoon to level off the top of the measuring Cup.
BAKING SODA & BAKING POWDER - Both these ingredients can settle down in the containers in due course. Shake it before scooping out with a spoon and then level the top with the back of a spoon or a knife.
SUGAR - Sugar is heavier then flour. So it is unlikely to settle down in the measuring cup. Scoop it out from the container with a spoon and then finally level it off with the back of a knife or a spoon.
LIQUIDS - Liquids such as Oil, Milk/Yogurt/Buttermilk, Fruit Juice & Water should be measured at the eye level. It would be advisable to use a liquid measuring Cup. Bend down to the eye level and make sure the measuring requirement is perfect.

INGREDIENTS:

For Orange Cake Batter:

Curd/Yogurt - 1 Cup (270 Gms)

Sugar - 1 Cup (240 Gms)

Vegetable Oil - 1/2 Cup (110 Gms)

Vanilla Extract - 1 Tspn

Fresh Orange Juice - 1/2 Cup

Orange/Lemon Zest - 1 Tbspn

Orange Marmalade - 1 Tspn (Optional)

All-purpose Flour - 2 Cups (340 Gms)

Baking Soda - 1/8 Tspn

Baking Powder - 1 Tspn

Salt - a Pinch

Water - 4 Tbspn

EGGLESS ORANGE CAKE

METHOD:

For Eggless Orange Cake Batter:

Sieve All-purpose Flour along with Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Salt once and keep it aside.
In a large bowl, combine Curd/Yogurt, Sugar & Oil.
Whisk it using a hand beater or a wire whisk until Sugar dissolves.
Beat all the above ingredients using a hand whisk or an electric beater.
Add in the Orange Marmalade.
Just beat until the Sugar dissolves, do not overbeat.
Now add the Flour mixture alternated with Orange Juice in two or three batches.
Add in the Orange/Lemon Zest.
Gently fold it up using a spatula.
Fold all the ingredients until well combined.
Pour in 4 Tbspns of Water and fold it again until well combined.
Keep the batter aside.

For Eggless Orange Cake:

Preheat the oven at 180 Degree Celsius for about 10-15 Minutes.
Grease the Cake Tin and dust them up with the Flour.
Line the greased Cake Tin with Baking/Parchment Paper.
Pour in the Orange Cake Batter into the tin.
Let the Cake batter spread-out naturally.
Once all the batter is poured into the Cake Tin, gently hit the Cake Tin to settle(even-up) the batter.
Bake the cakes in the preheated at the centre rack of the oven at 180 Degree Celsius for about 45 -50 Minutes or until the skewers come out clean.
Let the Orange Cake cool in the Cake Tin on a rack.
Remove the Eggless Orange Cake from the pan carefully and peel off the baking paper.
Cut the Orange Cake into the desired shape and store it in an airtight box.
When stored properly it stays good for up to 3 days @ room temperature.

For Longer Shelf Life :

Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate the Cake. Can be refrigerated up to a week.
Before serving remove them from the plastic wrap and serve once it reaches the room temperature.

EGGLESS ORANGE CAKE

NOTES:

For easy removal, ensure there is an inch of baking paper (parchment paper) overhanging the edge of the baking pan.
For the best tasting vanilla cake, stick to flavourless vegetable oil. According to me, Sunflower Oil/Canola Oil works best.
Be careful not to over mix the batter, otherwise, the cake will be dense and heavy.
This is a mildly sweet cake, Can adjust the amount of Sugar to suit your preference.
Adding Orange Marmalade is purely optional.
I have used 1/2 Cup of Fresh Orange Juice in this recipe.
No sugar & water was added while making Orange Juice.
Some recipes call for adding Orange food colouring to the batter for an Orange hue in the Cake.
I have not used Food Colouring in this recipe.
The Cake was rich with Orange Flavour and had a naturally mild Orange colour.
The colour I got was from the Orange Juice and the Marmalade I used.
Do not over-bake the cake, as it continues to cook in the pan as it cools.
Adjust the baking time according to your oven settings.

SHOP RELATED PRODUCTS:

NANNARI LEMON SARBATH

   Nannari or simply the Indian Sarsaparilla is a wonder herb which comes into the limelight during Scorching Summers. You can see small roadside Juice shops in South India selling Nannari Sharbat. The seller would be busy vending Nannari Sharbat and there would always be a long queue for the drink. Lime Juice, Lime Soda and Nannari Sarbath are the most common cold drinks sold in these shops.   I have fond memories of this Naranga Nannari Sarbath and the smell of it takes me en route my childhood days. The smell of fresh Limes and the intrinsic smell of Nannari reminds me of our trips to Pooram/Vela in our family Temple in Palaghat. A quick drink prepared by the seller by ladling out a few spoons of Nannari Syrup into a tall glass topped up with crushed Ice and then he would squeeze out half a lemon with his Lemon Juicer and there comes the final touch - the ceremonial musical melody, a Ting Ting Ting sound made while mixing the drink with a spoon. Ok... ok... I wanted to say something here...
    Anything from the roadside, especially these drinks were banned by my Mom. She would say the ice is not made with clean water. True to the fact, but there, my Dad came up with an idea. He would ask the vendor to prepare this drink with Soda. The native Goli Soda - a Bottle tightly shut with a Glass Marble alias Goli. We have to press the glass marble with a pressure to open the bottle and there comes the jiffy carbonated water - the Goli Soda. Though we couldn't drink it cold - me with my Tonsillitis problem and my brother with Wheezing problem we were never ever taken near cold food/drinks. At least we were convinced that Soda took the drink to the next level, our father convinced us into it. It took me long years and obviously, it was my husband who introduced me to all types of street food.
     It had been a routine that my husband used to buy few bottles of Nannari Syrup & a bottle of Rose Syrup from the 5 Corner Vendor(CBE) at the strike of Summer. Then there goes glasses and glasses of Nannari Sarbath in various forms & versions. With Lemon/Lime, Tender Coconut, Soda etc., & etc., Yet to try Kerala's Kulukki Sarbath. And it followed even after coming to Malaysia. I always used to stock up few bottles of Nannari Syrup during my every trip to CBE. Recent turn arounds due to Corona has made me find a way to make my own batch of Nannari Syrup at home.
   Well, now I can make innumerable glasses of Cold Lemon Nannari Sarbath... no restrictions... And I am now overwhelmed that I can make it out with my Homemade Nannari Syrup. The moment I finished making Nannari Syrup, I immediately tried out my first glass of Lemon Nannari Sarbath loaded with Ice Cubes. Wow!!! I was immensely pleased with my job and was like- Hey Supriya - Good!!! Good!!! Great Job!!! And least to mention I immediately made other few glasses and went ahead with my Photo Shoot for this Post. The pictures are from the Lemon Nannari Sarbath which I immediately made from my Homemade Nannari Syrup. When I get damn confident with the recipes, the first thing I do is to plan it to post it in my Blog.

To read about the HEALTH BENEFITS OF NANNARI/INDIAN SARSAPARILLA ROOTS, Click here...

Cuisine - South Indian
Recipe Type - Juice/Drink
Difficulty - Easy

Yields - 2 Glasses (Medium sized )
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes

For HOMEMADE NANNARI SYRUP, Click here...