Servings: 1 lbs Cake, serves 4-5

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1/2 cup milk powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour “Maida” (sieved)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt (if using unsalted butter)

Procedure:

Step 1: Take a cooker with wide opening in which cake pan can easily fit. Remove the whistle from the cover of cooker and just place it over the cooker, no need to lock the cover. Keep the cooker over the gas on medium heat. This will enable the cooker to pre-heat. Now we will move on to making batter for the cake. Take butter and sugar in a deep bowl and beat it till it is light in color and fluffy.

Step 2: Add milk powder and beat again.

Step 3: Add vanilla essence and some milk and beat again.

Step 4: Now keep adding maida and milk, alternatively and keep mixing the batter.

Step 5: Now finally add the baking powder and mix gently.

Step 6: Grease the baking pan using edible vegetable oil or butter,then dust the pan with all purpose flour and tap the cake pan to remove any extra flour. Pour the batter into the pan. Now by this time cooker is completely preheated. Place a aluminium or steel bowl at the bottom of the cooker in the inverted position and this will act as cake stand and helps to bake the cake properly from all the sides. Now place the cake pan safely over the bowl and close the lid of the cooker (with the whistle removed). Now bake the cake for about 35-40 Minutes.Check the cake by inserting a clean knife or tooth pick and if it comes out clean this means cake has been baked properly.Take out the cake from the cooker safely and let it cool for about 10 mins in the pan and then unmould it on the wire rack and let it cool completely. Then you can cut it and enjoy !!

Handy Tips:

1. This cake can be made in oven also,the whole procedure is same just the cooking medium is different. Now for this pre heat the oven at 180 centigrade s and then bake the cake at the same temperature for about 35-40 minutes.
2. Mix/beat the butter, sugar and milk powder nicely but after adding all purpose flour and baking soda only, mix gently.Make sure that the all purpose flour is mixed properly. Do not over beat the batter after adding flour and baking soda. This trick ensures that you have a soft cake.
3. It is a well known fact that good baking means correct measurements of ingredients but if you do not have measuring cups or spoons this does not mean you cannot bake a proper cake. I will share a secret with you. Take any small Bowl and use the same bowl for measuring all the ingredients, do not change the bowl and you can use any simple tablespoon for measuring.
4. 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoon
5. 1 teaspoon = 1/3 tablespoon
6. 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoon
7. This recipe of cake will make a 1 pound cake.If you need to make a big cake just double the ingredients.
8. You can also put some cherries and nuts in this cake.

For many interesting cake ideas keep reading this blog. Coming Soon, icing cakes and many other mouth watering deserts. Do share your comments, feel free to post / email me your queries or if you need any additional details.