Eggless Apricot, Walnut, Raisin Cake with Wheat + Rice flour - flavored with Cardamom.

After making this first eggless cake, today I tried another eggless cake without using Maida (all purpose flour), combination of  wheat and rice flour is used. I generously  enriched cake with  Akrod (walnut), Apricots and golden raisins. Coconut milk was used along with regular milk to form the Cake batter. Baked cake looked rustic and  traditional, it  got nice dense, a bit crumby  texture and  fruity taste. Cardamom aroma  along with rice and wheat flour gave a very bold desi taste to the cake. I  made few mini cup cakes,  one  loaf and round shape cake. This is wonderful baked  Holiday Dessert.

Self Note : Recipe published on 01-11-11

Ingredients :-

• 1 Cup wheat flour - roasted until aromatic
• 1/2 cup rice flour - roasted until aromatic
• 2 Tb.spoon rava - roasted until aromatic
• 2 Tb.spoon soy flour
• 12 Apricots cut into tiny pieces (1 cup tightly packed yield)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 stick butter + 1.5 tbsp extra to roast flour ( you can use ghee for roasting flour)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk ( used Renuka Brand)
• 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1 heaped Tb.spoon golden flax seed meal (regular is fine too)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup regular sugar
• 8-10 cardamom - finely powdered
• 1/2 T.spoon baking soda
• 1/2 T.spoon baking powder

Cake making Process :-

1. Roast  wheat flour, rava  in a heavy gauge pot  on a  medium heat by adding  1.5  tbsp Ghee or butter. You need to stir frequently. After 6-7 minutes add rice flour and continue roasting  until mixture of flour changes to slight darker shade and releases nice toasty aroma. It takes total 10-12 minutes.Mix cardamom powder in roasted flour and  Keep it aside to cool.
2. In a small glass bowl add 1 heaped tbsp flax seed meal with 4 tbsp water. Heat in microwave for one minute.Set aside liquid to cool.
3. In  a deep bowl add softened stick of  butter - beat it for 1 minute. ( I used hand mixer)
4. Add boiled flaxseed meal liquid  - beat along with butter for 2  minutes.
5. Add coconut milk - beat for one minute.
6. Slowly add brown sugar - beat until incorporated. 1.5 minutes.
7. Pour in milk - beat for one minute.
8. Now add regular sugar + 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda - beat until all mixture turns light and fluffy - 1.5 minutes
9. Slowly start adding roasted flour + soy flour and continue beating for 1 minute..make sure all flour is properly combined.
10. Mix Apricot, walnut, raisins  - Fold in with spatula until evenly distributed. Scrape down all sides of the bowl with spatula and give one quick beat with mixer for 30 seconds. Cake batter is ready to bake.
11. Scoop the batter into greased  cake pan  and smooth the top.  Gently tap the pan 3-4 times on counter to set batter without any loops / bubbles. You may sprinkle few walnut pieces on top.
12. Bake in a pre heated ( 350 degree F) oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes.  To check for doneness, insert toothpick in the center of the cake;  if the toothpick comes out clean, take the cake out and allow it to cool.
13. I poured remaining cake mixture into small loaf pan.(4x8) It took 20 minutes to bake @ 300 degrees F. Once toothpick came out clean, I left cake pan in oven for another five minutes and then removed out of oven. Also I made 12 tiny cup cakes. It took less than 20 minutes to bake cup cakes. You may have to increase bake time based on the type of cake pan you use and quantity of batter  you fill in the pan.
14. After cake is cooled down cover it with plastic cling wrap to keep moist. Enjoy this cakes as a great holiday treat  or dessert.

Some more Pictures ....