Spiced Lauki Cake (eggless)

Everyone makes a carrot cake, so tried to experiment with a variation - lauki ! By itself, lauki (or bottle gourd ) is  a very bland tasting vegetable, so I chose to spice things up with ginger and cinnamon.To match the colour of the gourd, added some pistachios as well. The end result - a deliciosuly moist and flavoursome tea cake !


Ingredients

1/2 tin condensed milk
50 gms butter
40 ml milk
1 cup flour
1 cup grated lauki/bottle gourd
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3/4 teaspoon grated ginger

1. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees (this temperature will be reduced later)
2. Beat the condensed milk and butter for 3-4 minutes till thick and creamy.
3. Beat in the milk at speed 1. Add the lauki and beat again tillmixed in.
4. Sieve the flour,baking powder and baking soda together.
5. Add the flour mixture in two parts, beating continuosly till folded in. Beat for further two minutes.
6. Add the vanilla essence,pistachios, ginger and cinnamon. Mix well with the batter.
7. Pour into a 5/6 " diameter tin and place in the oven center rack. Reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. When done, cool and remove from tray. Cut into squares and serve.