Eggless Chocolate Pound Cake with condensed milk

When Madhuri came up with the idea that some of us get together and do something fun in our own kitchens working around a central theme, she had me on a bait. The 'some of us' who now call ourselves Free Spirit Bloggers, (yes the 'says it all badge' is for the group), include me along with some very talented, super smart girls who are passionate about whatever they do, viz. their respective jobs, managing their homes, cooking (and baking) amazing stuff and blogging about that.

Madhuri has posted an introductory post in Cook-curry Nook today. Please welcome the group and cheer us to bring interesting stuff month after month. Towards the end of this post You will find who else is with me in this fun filled experiment.

This month we worked on a theme Baking labs by baking Pound cake (that usually makes good use of eggs), substituting for the eggs. We chose to work on one chosen egg replacement each (we had 17 such workable substitutes). I chose the condensed milk to substitute the 4 eggs that are used in the original recipe.

Now, though there is a basic recipe to work on, we could choose to alter to some extent lest the whole experiment fails. We have been careful as we are sharing the recipe with all of you and hope it works like a breeze if anybody chooses to try it from our blogs.

The recipe I have tried is given here and in brackets the original measures.
Also I have mentioned where I made any changes in the procedure, though I did not have much to do with this substitute.

If I may, let me add a disclaimer. Please do not expect the cake will be as light as it would with eggs. And since the sweetened condensed milk tastes delightfully sweet, the cake is bound to be sweet too.





Ingredients:
240 grams All purpose flour (250 grams in the original) (I adjusted in proportion with the weight of my condensed milk contents)
50 grams cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (1/2 teaspoon if using eggs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
180 grams unsalted butter (250 grams butter) (I have reduced butter because of the condensed milk)
1 tin condensed milk/385 grams nett (4 eggs in the original recipe. 100 ml of condensed milk replaces 1 egg) (If your tin of condensed milk has 400 grams nett contents, use 250 grams of flour)
No sugar (250 grams granulated sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
150 ml water (milk as required to get the batter to a dropping consistency)

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.
Prepare the desired cake tin greasing and dusting it and lining with baking sheet. I used a 7" and1/2" square tin.
Bring the butter to room temperature and allow it to soften.
Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together thrice. This exercise incorporates air to the flour.
In the mixing bowl, cream the butter and the condensed milk until it is creamy.Add the vanilla essence and beat to a light mixture.
(If eggs are used, beat them until they fluff. Cream the butter and the sugar well and add the vanilla essence. Then add the beaten eggs and beat well until they have been well incorporated.)
The next step is to gently incorporate the flour mix to the creamed mixture.
Mix the flour and the water alternating between the two, mixing gently into the creamed mixture.
This mixture is slightly thinner than the usual batter, but the cake turned out well.
Pour this batter into the prepared tin.
Bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 45 minutes. Check by inserting a skewer in.
Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Allow to completely cool before slicing.




My cake had a slightly crumbling texture yet very moist. It tasted absolutely delicious.

I could just improve on the techniques or adjust the ingredients next time to get a spongy cake. Until then, you may all enjoy this cake.

Anu, Deepti, Dhivya, Madhuri, Mridhu and Nagalaksmi have all worked on different substitutes to feast you all with egg less chocolate pound cakes. Siri has been otherwise busy and had not been able to participate this time. Head to their blogs and enjoy an array of cakes. You will sure be spoiled for choices!

And please come back again for more excitement by the end of next month and the next and the next and so on.