Whole wheat cinnamon rolls with simple icing

A cinnamon roll is a rolled sheet of yeast-leavened dough onto which a cinnamon and sugar mixture (and raisins or other ingredients) is sprinkled over a coat of melted butter. Then the dough is rolled, cut into small portions, and baked. Its main ingredients are flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter which provide a robust and sweet flavor.

 Cinnamon rolls aka cinnamon buns is always a favorite desert in my home. I tried this cinnamon buns with whole wheat flour and it is a hit at home now. It is usually served with cream cheese icing, but here I am giving you a simple icing recipe that everyone can do at home. You can have it without icing too.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 500g/ 2 3/4 cups

Brown sugar -  65g/ 1/4 cup

Milk powder - 2 tbsp(optional)

Salt - 1 tsp

Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp

Warm milk - 1/2 cup

Instant yeast - 7g/ 2 1/4 tsp

Warm water - 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup

Brown sugar - 1 tsp ( to activate yeast)

For filling:

Melted butter - 1 tbsp

Brown sugar - 6 tbsp

Cinnamon powder - 3 tsp

For glaze:

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Melted butter - 1 tbsp

Heavy cream - 2 tbsp

Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Video to bake cinnamon rolls:

How to bake:

1. In the warm water add yeast, sugar and mix well. Leave it aside for 5 min until it becomes foamy and frothy. Alternatively you can add it directly to the flour and mix it. This step is to check whether our yeast works well or not. 

2. In a mixer, add whole wheat flour, sugar, milk powder, salt and mix well in a slow speed.

3. Add the yeasted mixture, warm milk and continue to mix in slow speed. If the dough is not formed, add 1tbsp water and let it mix. If you have flour left again, continue adding 1 tbsp water extra each time and continue the process until dough is formed. For my flour I added 6 tbsp extra water to form a dough. Each flour acts differently and so this may vary. Don't add all the extra water altogether and the dough might become watery. So add 1 tbsp extra each time and check whether you have to add more or not. 

4. When all the flour becomes a dough, add butter and continue to run the mixer at speed 2 for about 5 minutes. If you are using hand, knead well for about 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes so soft and spongy. This step is necessary to develop gluten in the dough.

5. Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough inside it. Cover it with a damp cloth and place it in a  warm space for about an hour or until the dough is doubled in volume. Alternatively, you can keep it in an Instant pot greased with oil, close the lid and set in YOGURT option for about an hour. The dough will be doubled after an hour.

6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and keep it aside.

7. Punch down the dough and place it in a oiled surface and roll it into a thin rectangle. Spread the melted butter all over the dough.. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture over the rolled dough. Roll into a long rectangle and pinch on the ends and along the sides too and roll it all over.

8. Now cut onto 1" on the roll and place it in a oiled 13x9 pan with an inch apart. Cover it in a damp cloth and let rise for another 1/2 hr. Now your dough will touch one on another.

9. Meanwhile preheat you oven at 350F/180C.

10. Place your pan in the bottom rack and bake for 18-22 minutes. Mine took 22 minutes. Remove when your dough changes to golden brown color. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

11. Prepare the icing. Melt butter and mix sugar, cream and vanilla extract and drizzle it over the roll. Enjoy your warm roll.

Notes:

1. Check the expiry date of your yeast before you bake the bread.

2. You can have your rolls without icing too.

3. You can half the recipe and you can bake it a round pan too. But check timings for that.

Whole wheat double chocolate banana cake

This is a simple cake that can be baked with the ingredients easily available at home. Usually I bake chocolate cake which is a favorite for my kids at home. This time I added banana to it to add extra moist and soft cake.

How to bake:

1. Peel bananas and cut into small cubes. 

2. In a mixie jar, add sugar and cubed bananas and blend together to form a smooth batter.

3.  In a mixing bowl, add the banana-sugar mixture. To this add coconut oil, vinegar and vanilla and mix well until oil is well combined with other ingredients. 

4. In an another mixing bowl, place a sieve, add whole wheat flour, corn flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sieve it well so that no lumps are there in your dry ingredients. 

5. Mix wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix them well. Don't over mix. Add water and mix them thoroughly.

6. Prepare a pan either by greasing the pan or just lining with parchment paper all sides. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan.

7. Add chocolate chips on the top.  Bake it in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 35 min. Check out whether it is baked or not by a toothpick test. If inserted in the center comes out clean, it is done. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.

A small video clipping to bake this cake:

Here comes the full recipe:

Makes - 1 9" x 5" loaf.

Ingredients:

Blend:

Banana - 3 large (ripe well)

Turbinado raw sugar - 3/4 cup

Wet ingredients:

Banana puree 

Coconut oil - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Vinegar - 1 tsp

Dry ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Corn flour - 2 tbsp

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Chocolate chips - 3 tbsp(for topping)

How to bake:

1. Peel bananas and cut into small cubes. In a mixie jar, add sugar and cubed bananas and blend together to form a smooth batter.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the banana-sugar mixture. To this add coconut oil, vinegar and vanilla and mix well until oil is well combined with other ingredients.

3. In an another mixing bowl, place a sieve, add whole wheat flour, corn flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sieve it well so that no lumps are there in your dry ingredients.

4. Mix wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix them well. Don't over mix.

5. Add water and mix them thoroughly.

6. Prepare a pan either by greasing the pan or just lining with parchment paper all sides.

7. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. 

8. Add chocolate chips on the top.

9. Bake it in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 35 min.

10. check out whether it is baked or not by a toothpick test. If inserted in the center comes out clean, it is done. 

11. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.

Note:

1. You can use any flavorless oil other than coconut oil. No groundnut or sesame oil. Use sunflower oil instead.

2. I have used raw cane sugar. You can use any other sugar the same quantity.

coconut flour avocado brownies

Coconut flour is a gluten free flour obtained from dried coconut meat. If you want to make it at home, after extracting coconut milk, you have only the coconut that is soft which you can spread it on a baking tray and bake it at low temperature to dry it. Cool it to room temperature and make a powder.

Ingredients:

Coconut flour - 1/2 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Avocado - 1 large
Mashed bananas - 1/2 cup
Maple syrup - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 3
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Chocolate chips - 1/3 cup(optional)

How to Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.
2. Grease an 8"x 8" pan with a baking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add eggs one at a time and mix well using a hand mixer. 
5. In a blender, add avocado, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend to a smooth mixture.
6. Add the avocado mixture to the flour mixture and combine well. 
7.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth on top.
8. Add chocolate chips on top to garnish or you can combine into the mixture itself.
9. Bake for 25 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.
11. Slice and serve.

Note:

* If you don't have coconut flour, you can substitute almond flour too.

* For maple syrup, you can use honey.

* I use bob's red mill brand coconut flour.

Whole wheat MW mug brownies

Chocolate brownies, simply referred to as brownie, is a square or rectangular baked chocolate baked treat. Brownies can be either in the form of fudge or dense depending upon the recipe. Nuts, cream cheese, chocolate chips can be added to the recipe. If needed, it can be frosted according to your taste buds. The brownie was developed in the US in Palmers House Hotel in Chicago and was popularized in the US. It  is accompanied with milk, can be served warm with ice cream, topped with whipped cream, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or just simply as a fudge.

This recipe is a simple instant brownie that can be baked in microwave and can be quickly served for your kids. I use only healthy ingredients for my baking and here i have tried this brownie in wheat flour.

Here is to make it:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in the bowl itself with a fork or else you can mix all in a small mixing bowl and transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and bake. It can be baked in your microwave-safe coffee mug too.
In a microwave safe bowl, add whole wheat flour, cocoa.

2. To the same bowl, add cane sugar and salt. Mix well with a fork until all are well combined.

3. Now add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients we have mixed already in the bowl. Add oil, water, and vanilla extract.

4.  Mix well with the dry ingredients until they are all well combined. Remove fork, and add chocolate chips on the top to garnish for the extra chocolaty flavor or else you can omit it. Place the prepared bowl in the microwave and bake them for about 45 seconds. Open the microwave and check your bowl. If you have water floating on the top, bake again in microwave for about 30 seconds intervals. Remove the bowl from microwave when there is no water is floating on top of the baked brownie.

5. Enjoy your warm brownie.

A small video of the recipe is here:

Here comes the recipe

Makes - 1 small brownie

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 3 tbsp
Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
Cane sugar - 3 tbsp
Pinch of salt
Water - 3 tbsp
Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Chocolate chips - few(optional)

How to bake it:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, add whole wheat flour, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients in the bowl itself with a fork.

2. Now add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add oil, water, and vanilla extract . Mix well with the dry ingredients until they are all well combined.

3. Remove fork, and add chocolate chips on the top to garnish for the extra chocolaty flavor or else you can omit it.

4. Place the prepared bowl in the microwave and bake them for about 45 seconds. Open the microwave and check your bowl. If you have water floating on the top, bake again in microwave for about 30 seconds intervals. Remove the bowl from microwave when there is no water is floating on top of the baked brownie.

5. Cool it for about 10 minutes in the bowl and serve warm with ice cream, or you can grab it as such.

Note:
1. Dont use milk. It doesnt give good results.
2. You can prepare in any MW safe mugs and bowls.
3. Use any flavorless oil of your chice. I prefer coconut oil in baking nowadays.
4. Each MW has different power settings and so timing of baking your brownie may vary.

Whole wheat old fashioned butter cake

This recipe is best butter cake for frosting. This recipe says it is a 100 year grandma recipe and it is a keeper definitely for frosting cakes. I tried this recipe with whole wheat flour and the aroma of butter filled the entire house. Do give a try to taste this rich buttery cake for your taste buds.

Adapted from: 

Reeni from cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice

Makes: 2 8” cake or 1 bundt cake

Ingredients needed:

Whole wheat flour-1 1/2 cups

Cane sugar-11/4 cups

Baking powder-1tbsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Unsalted Butter -1/2 cup

Milk-1cup

Vanilla extract-1tsp

Eggs-2

How to bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C.

2. Grease 2 8” cake pans or bundt pan.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. In another bowl, add butter, milk and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes. Don’t skip it.

5. Add both eggs and beat again 2 minutes. 

6. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for 

(a). 30-35 minutes for 8” cake pan

(b). 50 minutes for a bundt pan

7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

8. Unmould from the pan and cool completely in a wire rack.

9. Slice and store in a airtight container for 3-4 days.

Whole wheat lemon sour cream loaf with coconut oil

Never knew that a cake can be baked with coconut oil.

And that amazed me to experiment more with this in coming days. 

This is an easy cake baked with coconut oil and sour cream and the entire house is filled with coconut flavor.

Ingredients needed:

Wheat flour-1 cup +2 tbsp

Baking powder- 2 tsp

Salt-1/4 tsp

Cane sugar- 1 cup

Lemon zest- from one lime

Eggs-3

Sour cream-1/2 cup

Coconut oil-1/2 cup

Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp

How to bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C. Line a 8” by 4” loaf pan and set aside.

2. Sieve the dry ingredients together.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk sugar and zest together.

4. Whisk in sour cream, eggs and vanilla.

5. Add the dry ingredients to sour cream mixture and fold in using a spatula.

6. Add in coconut oil and using a spatula fold till it is blended well.

7. Now pour the batter in the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 mins or toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven. Unmould and cool the cake completely to slice and serve.

Store in an airtight container for 3 days.

Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies- adapted from New York Times chocochip cookies

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour-1 1/2 cup

Baking soda-3/4 tsp

Baking powder-3/4 tsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Butter-1 1/2 sticks - 3/4 cup

Brown/cane sugar-1 1/4 cup

Eggs-1

Vanilla extract-1 tsp

Chocolate chips- 1 1/2 cups

How to bake:

1. Sieve all the dry ingredients together.

2. Cream butter and sugar till creamy.

3. Add in eggs and mix well.

4. Add in vanilla extract and mix.

5. Now add in the sieved dry ingredients and mix well. Now this becomes a soft dough.

6. Add in chocolate chips and mix it with a spatula.

7. Store this dough in a airtight container in refrigerator for 36 hours.

8. While before starting baking keep the dough outside for 20 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven @350F/180C.

10. Scoop the dough in a cookie scoop and place it in a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in distances. The dough will expand into a big circle and so keep the scoop so that it doesn’t touch each other.

11. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes.

12. Remove from the oven and keep it in tray for 5 minutes and then keep it in a wire rack for further cooling.

13. Keep the next batch of cookies the same way and bake remaining dough.

14. Store it in a airtight container after all the cookies are cool.

One bowl whole wheat banana choco chip muffins

One bowl whole wheat banana choco chip muffins

Whole wheat chocolate cake

Whole wheat chocolate cake:

Inspired to bake this from: http://sumodtomzcuisines.com

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Flour, sifted - 2 cup & 2 tbsp
• Cocoa Powder - 1/3 cup
• Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Baking Soda - 11/2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 2 cup
• Salt - 3/4 tsp
• Butter - 1 cup
• Eggs - 6 large
• Milk - ½ cup
• Sour cream - 1 cup 
• Vanilla extract - 2 1/2 tsp
• 
  

How to bake:

1. Let all the ingredients are at room temperature. 
2. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/350 degree F. Prepare two 9" round cake pans by greasing and flouring the pan.
3. Sieve together all the dry ingredients. 
4. whisk in the sour cream and add in milk to make a smooth cream.
5. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until it is soft and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat by scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The mixture will be soft and fluffy.
7. Now add the vanilla extract and mix well.
8. Start adding the flour mixture alternating with the milk and sour cream mix, little at a time. Gently fold in the mixture using a spatula until the flour is fully mixed with the butter, sugar and eggs. Do not over mix. 
8. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and fold the mixture. Batter should fall like a ribbon when poured.
9. Divide the batter into 2 pans and bake at 180 C for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and dry.
10. Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
11. Unmold the cake from the baking tin and let it cool completely. Slice the cake with a serrated bread knife and store it in an airtight container. 

How to prepare sour cream: 
To prepare sour cream at home, mix equal parts of hung curd and thick cream and leave it overnight. 

How to flavor the cake:

You can flavor the cake by adding 2 tablespoons of strong coffee decotion, if u really like coffee flavor.