Basket Weave Cake Tutorial | Cake Decorating Tutorial

Disclaimer - I am no cake decorating expert and do not claim that this is the right way to do a basket weave.I just find this method easy and thought of sharing it with you all :)

Cake decorating is something I developed an interest in a while back.Mostly because I was baking for orders and when I sell something I want it to look picture perfect.Though I am not saying my creations are perfect,but you know what I mean,right?

Someone asked me if this was my "Signature style" since I have done quite a lot of cakes in this pattern.If you follow me on Instagram,you must have seen a couple of cakes in this pattern.I would say this isn't exactly my signature as yet,but no reason why it shouldn't be right,it is indeed a pretty design!!I do this mostly on clients demand,most of them are intrigued by this pattern and I am not planning to tell them this is one of the easiest decorations ever[at least not any time soon :)]

So without further ado,let's see how to make basket weaves on cake :)

Basket Weave Cake

Things required

One 8' round Cake - Here I've used an Eggless Chocolate Cake*

One batch Dark Chocolate Ganache**

Basket Weave Tip - Ateco 48

Disposable Icing bags -1

Cake Board

Sugar syrup***

Bench scraper/Icing comb

Icing Spatula (Offset)

Cake Turntable

Serrated knife or a Cake Leveler

How to Proceed

*Bake the cake,let it cool completely and then cover it in cling wrap and refrigerate it overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.Chilled cakes are easier to torte and crumb coat.

I have used an eggless recipe here.You could use any recipe of your choice.I will add some recipe links at the end of this post.

**Make the ganache and set it overnight in room temperature or if you are short on time,refrigerate the ganache till it sets and use it as required.I have used a mix of Dark and Milk chocolate as that's how I prefer.

I used 250ml of Amul Cream and 450gms of Chocolate for one batch of chocolate ganache.

***Sugar syrup is made with one part of sugar to 2 parts of water.Just boil it till sugar dissolves completely and then let it cool down and use.I usually do not flavor the sugar syrup and use it as is.

I always lay sheets of newspaper on my kitchen counter before starting the decorating process so that when I am done,I just have to dispose off the paper leaving my kitchen counter clean.

Remove the cling wrap from the cake and 

level the top using a serrated knife or a cake leveler.

Torte the cake - this is just cutting the cake horizontally into layers(2 or more)so that you could fill it with filing of your choice.

Place the layers on individual cake boards and drizzle with sugar syrup.

This is done mainly to moisten the cake layers and keep them from drying out when you refrigerate the cake.

"How much sugar syrup to add" depends on the cake you have - I feel oil based cakes absorb more syrup while butter based cakes become soggy if you add more syrup than required.

Place the cake board on a cake turntable and dab a little ganache on the board.

Place one layer cake on the board and add the filling - 

I used ganache here.You could add chocolate chips,crushed Oreo,Butterscotch chips for added texture - 

I added some chocolate chips.

Place the second layer on top and do a crumb coat.

Crumb coat is a rough coat done mainly to seal in the crumbs and make it easier while you do the final coat of frosting.Refrigerate the cake for at least 15-20 minutes.

After chilling the cake,do the final coat of frosting.

Time to fill the icing bags.

I use the glass method to fill my icing bag.

Place the nozzle in the icing bag by snipping the end of the bag and placing the nozzle in it.

Use a big plastic glass and place your icing bag in it.Fill about little more than half of the bag with ganache.

Twist the bag closed and remove air bubbles if any by squeezing some of the icing by the tip into the bowl.

Mark vertical lines about half an inch apart on top of the cake using a scale (or as I did using the back of the serrated knife)

Start piping a vertical line of icing on the first marked line.

Beginning from the top of this line,start piping small horizontal stripes of icing with equal distance between all stripes.The distance should be the same as the size of the weave stripe.

Pipe another vertical line on the marked line-this should be on top of the horizontal stripes on the previous vertical line.

Repeat the steps.

Always do a vertical line first and then the horizontal stripes.It is slightly tricky when it reaches the end(also the beginning)since we are doing this on a round cake.

Finish off with a sprinkle of chocolate sprinkles on the sides(mainly to cover up the end portion but it looks pretty at the the same time!)


Video

Here are a few Eggless Recipes to try

Basic Vanilla Cake - This is one of the most foolproof eggless recipe you will ever come across.Once you master this recipe,you could add different flavors of choice and make this as a base for endless cake flavors.

Eggless Devil's Food Cake - If chocolate is your weakness,this recipe is one not to be missed.With a deep chocolate flavor and a lovely mahogany colour,this one is a gem.

Eggless Chocolate Walnut Cake - This recipe is the Chocolate version of the Basic Vanilla cake.It can be had plain as well as be used as a base for layer cakes(skip the walnuts if you want it plain or while using in layer cakes).

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Arjun's summer holidays are almost coming to an end and I have to admit,I am gonna miss having him around all through the day.I do crib about clutter all around and tripping and falling on toys at any given point of time or answering about 100 questions a minute,so on and so forth.But the fact is,he is bored.He wants to meet his friends and do 'activities' with his teachers and play in the swing and slide in his school.

I was pleasantly surprised when one day while watching Peppa Pig,he asked me to make some Chocolate chip cookies because Mummy pig was making some for Peppa and George.How could I say no to such a request,in fact I was yearning for the day he starts asking me to bake stuff for him :)

So I have made a couple of Chocolate chip cookies before.But when do we ever stop searching for 'the best recipe'.I made this one a while back and I have to say,this one is 'my best version'.Perfect texture,even better looks and tastes absolutely delicious.I hope you give it a try too!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe courtesy - Oh Yum by Anna Olson

Ingredients

Butter - 100gms /1/2 cup [I used Amul salted butter]

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Egg - 1

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Instant Coffee powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]

Flour - 1 1/4 cup

Cornflour - 1 tbsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Chocolate chips - 1 cup [ I used equal amount of chocolate chunks - half milk and half dark chocolate]

Method

In a large bowl add butter and beat for a minute.

Mix in sugar and brown sugar and beat well for 2-3 minutes or until creamy.

Add in the egg,vanilla and coffee powder and beat well.

Sift[or stir] together flour,cornflour,baking soda and salt.Mix into the creamed mixture and beat well.

Add the chocolate chunks and give a final mix.

Use a tbsp to measure out the cookies and place them on a greased tray[I got around 30 medium sized cookies with this measure].

Refrigerate the cookies for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 175C.Place the cookies on a greased tray with at least a 2 inch gap on all sides.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.The cookies should be browned at the edges and soft in the middle.Cool the cookies on the baking tray.

Step by Step Method

In a large bowl add butter and beat for a minute.

Mix in sugar and brown sugar and beat well for 2-3 minutes 

or until creamy.

Add in the egg,vanilla and coffee powder and beat well.

Sift[or stir] together flour,cornflour,baking soda and salt.

Mix into the creamed mixture and 

beat well.

Add the chocolate chunks and 

give a final mix.

Use a tbsp to measure out the cookies and place them on a greased tray[I got around 30 medium sized cookies with this measure].

Refrigerate the cookies for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 175C.

Place the cookies on a greased tray with at least a 2 inch gap on all sides.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

The cookies should be browned at the edges and soft in the middle.Cool the cookies on the baking tray.

Kadala Curry for Puttu | Simple Kadala Curry without Coconut

When Puttu makes an appearance,how can Kadala curry fall behind:).I have a couple of Kadala curry recipes here but this one is a bit different as in,it is not the so called 'authentic' way of preparing the same.I was so used to having Brown Kadala curry with Puttu that I was slightly amused when Ajay's mom prepared this curry.She makes this recipe for mainly two reasons,one Kabuli channa cooks quickly and two,this one is much lighter on the stomach as it does not have coconut.It pairs up beautifully with Puttu.

You can of course substitute this with brown channa if that's what you prefer.When I posted a picture of this curry on Instagram,someone commented that Puttu would taste great with Brown kadala curry and not this one.Every one's taste palette is different from one another right?What tastes delicious for one may not be the same for someone else.Anyway,I would taste something first before deciding if it is delicious to me or not!Authentic or otherwise.

So without any further ado,let's see how to prepare this super simple but equally delicious kadala curry which tastes awesome with Puttu.

Kadala Curry for Puttu | Simple Kadala Curry without Coconut

Ingredients

White Channa/Kabuli Channa - 1 cup,washed and soaked for 10 hours
Onion - 1 small,chopped
Potato - 1 medium,chopped
Salt to taste

Coconut oil(or any oil of your choice)- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Shallots/Pearl onions - 1/2 cup,chopped(you could use regular onions too)
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1/2 of 1 medium tomato,chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup,chopped
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp(optional)

Method

In a pressure cooker,add the soaked and drained channa.Add enough water,salt to taste and mix in onion and potato.
Pressure cook for 20 minutes or until well cooked.Slightly mash the potatoes and a small portion of the cooked channa-this would make the gravy a bit thick.
In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add curry leaves and onions and saute for a few minutes.
Once the onions turn light brown add in the spice powders.Saute on low flame till the raw smell of the powders leave.
Add the tomatoes and mix well.Add a bit of the cooked channa water and cover and cook till the tomatoes turn pulpy.
Now add the cooked channa and mix well.Once the curry starts boiling,simmer and coo for 10-15 minutes.
Add coriander leaves and garam masala and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with Puttu.

Step by step Pictorial

In a pressure cooker,add the soaked and drained channa.Add enough water,salt to taste and mix in onion and potato.

Pressure cook for 20 minutes or until well cooked.

Slightly mash the potatoes and a small portion of the cooked channa-this would make the gravy a bit thick.

In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add curry leaves and 

onions and saute for a few minutes.

Once the onions turn light brown add in the spice powders.Saute on low flame till the raw smell of the powders leave.

Add the tomatoes and mix well.

Add a bit of the cooked channa water and cover and cook 

till the tomatoes turn pulpy.

Now add the cooked channa and mix well.Once the curry starts boiling,simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Add coriander leaves and 

garam masala and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with Puttu.