Windy weather, chilly nights,
Lips chapped, face blushing in frostbites,
Layers of clothes , only my eye in sight ,
A frozen snow-woman , That's my winter's plight............ :(
The winter season has kicked in full swing ... and I hate it simply ,I hate that I can't eat ice creams anymore ,I hate that I've to wear the same sets of sweaters/coats every other day to keep myself warm and going ,I hate that it covers my beautiful embroidered salwaar kameez or my beautiful tops,I hate that I can't wear sleeveless dress anymore,I hate that I can't wear my small or long skirts and feel free and light,I hate that I am stuck at home most of the time,I hate that I feel nothing less than a polar bear going to be in a hibernation mode ..Oh I loathe you winter !!
This is me ...in every winter ...but so much hate-ttitude..isn't it ??? This list can in fact go on and on .However, thankfully it's also a season of gratitude so I better change my attitude as it's Thanksgiving eve here in the US. Well the name of the festival of this month speaks for itself. A day dedicated to express and celebrate your blessings with good food, fun and family togetherness . A day when women are the busiest here not at their office,party,or their kid's soccer game but exclusively in their kitchen striving hard to make the yummiest stuffed (12 pound) Turkey "especially" plus other desserts and side dishes and men either helping their spouse in kitchen or busy watching games or chit chatting without any fear of being nagged :P,kids happy to meet their aunts , uncles,cousins ,grand parents after a long time under one roof and everyone looking forward to say grace and enjoy the big birdie :).
I am also extremely happy to come across this festival here which I was totally unaware of in India and I must say I feel kinda nirvana. I love it...In fact , I also celebrate this festival not by preparing the big birdie but by regrouping my thoughts, counting my blessings , expressing my gratitude, accepting my problems , ignoring my pains, cherishing my happiness , wiping my tears, smiling more, sighing less, meditating more, understanding myself and others more, expecting less, giving more, glad to be alive , always thanking more.... to the almighty , family & dear ones...
This is exactly what festivals do to me- They make the philosopher and the foodie in me go par. You met the philo in me ,now I'll introduce you to the food I am extremely grateful to (though like it or not am thankful to all foods provided by God)...
So, my dear friends the food that I am extremely grateful to on this gratitude day is none other than ,"Black Forest MUG CAKE" , yepp !!,a classic chocolate-cherry cake (though alcohol free) made instantly in a microwave with unsweetened cocoa powder and though traditionally cherry brandy Kirschwasser is used for the true flavor, I substituted it with cherry & it's juice instead and decorated it with the usual whipped cream and of course red juicy cherries and let me tell you this is one of the best and easiest black forest cake I've ever made.
And the best part, it's made in a MUG/large cup within 2-3 MINUTES max.
Now, you know why I call it my grateful food !!;) I can't THANK enough the lady who invented this mini sinless version of black forest cake , you can have it anytime if you have a microwave ,microwaveable cup and then I can't thank enough , Dr. Percy Spencer for inventing the microwave in the first place : D.. aaah I am thankful for everything Lord.....
Black Forest Mug Cake
Inspired by Leslie Bilderback 's cookbook (St. Martin's Griffin, 2013)
Ingredients
Self-rising flour - ¼ cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
Chopped cherries,canned or fresh - ¼ cup
Cherry juice - 2 tablespoons
Egg,large - 1 no.
Vegetable oil- 3 tablespoons
Sour cream - 3 tablespoons
Pure vanilla extract - ¼ teaspoon
Stevia/sugar free - 1/2-3/4 cup
Salt a pinch
Vanilla pudding - 2 tablespoon (optional)
Sweetened Whipped Cream - ½ cup
Sweetened Whipped Cream - ½ cup
Shaved chocolate - 2 tablespoons
Method:
- Take a microwaveable bowl or a cup ,combine the chopped cherries , it's juice and microwave it for 20 seconds and keep it aside.
- In a microwavable large mug/cup ,whisk nicely egg and oil .
- Stir in the sour cream,vanilla,salt,sugar.Mix it well.
- Add the flour and cocoa.Beat well the batter until smooth and mixed.
- Add the warm chopped cheeries and juice into it and mix well.
- Divide the batter between either two small greased (light oil spray) cups or 1 large cup/mug.
- Microwave (if using two small cups) separately for 2-3 minutes each until risen and firm.
- Insert a tooth pick and check for doneness,it should come out clean.
- Top each cake with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream ,cherries and garnish with shaved chocolate.
- If you don't have self-rising flour,use all purpose flour + 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
- Add 1 teaspoon baking soda for more softness.
- Use a microwaveable cup/mug only.
- Always put 1/2-3/4 of batter in the cup/mug used .Otherwise it'll overflow.
- Usually distilled cherry brandy kirschwasser or any rum is used for the traditional BF cake but to make it alcohol free ,I used cherry juice .You can also use apple juice ,Black cherry, raspberry, black currant juice or syrups .
- If you are using sugar use only 1/4 cup as per the original recipe.
- I used pudding to make it little more soft which is not there in actual recipe.
- In microwave it'll initially rise and later on deflate that is expected .
- My microwave is of 1000 watt .So adjust the preparation as per yours.
“We only live once. We all have an expiration date after that we will never come again. I am not saying that to make you sad. I am saying that so you can cherish each moment in your life and be grateful that you are here and you are Special” ― Pablo
Happy Thanksgiving !!!
