Recently, some of my friends are changing their diets to become vegetarian or vegan and I am trying to adapt…well not really because I am in my comfort zone with vegetarian recipes and one of my daughters went through a vegan phase…However, I had not put too much effort into vegan or egg-free baking but lately I have been trying my hand at biscuits and cakes minus eggs.

I have eaten delicious eggless cakes growing up a few times because one of my closest friends was allergic to eggs and her mother baked her birthday cake with buttermilk. Also, lighting candles and cutting cakes on your birthday was just becoming trendy when I was in elementary school and fairly new.

My parents’ birthdays were of course celebrated by their families but it was minus paper crowns, return gifts, balloons or a dinner party. Their mothers and grand mothers would make a sweet dessert and they would be blessed by the elders. My father recalls that he would be showered with white cotton strands to symbolize his growth into a ripe old age (it has definitely worked).

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Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease a small loaf pan (approximately 5″x2″) with ghee or oil.
3. In a mixing bowl add the yogurt and baking soda. Mix them well and keep aside for about 10 mins till the soda react with curd and bubbles.
4. In the yogurt mixture add sugar, melted ghee, milk, vanilla/orange essence and mix well.
5. Add in the flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, orange zest and gently fold to make a smooth batter.
6. Pour in the batter and gently tap the loaf pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
7. Bake for 30-35 mins till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven, let stand for a few minutes before serving with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Some Tips

Make sure you melt the ghee, I forgot to do so in one attempt and the loaf was lumpy as you could not mix the batter well.

This loaf is not as spongy and airy as traditional cakes because it does not have eggs nor butter.

The aroma is simply delicious and very appetizing.

The loaf melts in your mouth and is not overly sweet.

This has become a favorite go-to recipe for me now.