These are buttery tea cakes infused with cardamom powder and mawa. Mawa or khoya is achieved by heating down milk over low heat until all the moisture evaporates. The solids left behind is mawa or khoya which is used in preparation of many Indian sweets. It adds richness to the sweets and with the addition of mawa in the cake batter, these cakes are truly unique and utterly delicious. I have perfected this recipe to achieve moist cakes. Do not over bake or you will end up with dry ones.
Mawa Cake
(Makes 6 cakes)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup mawa
2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of saffron (optional)
cashewnuts for garnishing
Method:
Butter a bundtlette pan and place cashewnuts at the bottom.
Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
In a food processor, pulse the mawa to break it down to a fine powder.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder, keep aside.
Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C.
Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the butter till light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat. Break egg one at time into a cup and then add into the butter mixture. After the eggs have incorporated, add flour mixture little at a time, alternating with milk. Finally add mawa, vanilla essence and cardamom powder. Divide batter evenly in the cake pan. Bake till cake tester inserted comes out clean, around 20 minutes. Please do not over bake the cakes.
Note:
(Makes 6 cakes)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup mawa
2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of saffron (optional)
cashewnuts for garnishing
Method:
Butter a bundtlette pan and place cashewnuts at the bottom.
Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
In a food processor, pulse the mawa to break it down to a fine powder.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder, keep aside.
Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C.
Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the butter till light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat. Break egg one at time into a cup and then add into the butter mixture. After the eggs have incorporated, add flour mixture little at a time, alternating with milk. Finally add mawa, vanilla essence and cardamom powder. Divide batter evenly in the cake pan. Bake till cake tester inserted comes out clean, around 20 minutes. Please do not over bake the cakes.
Note:
- In case you are using saffron, add it to the milk, microwave, cool and then add to the cake batter.
- Cakes can be baked using cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Top cakes with cashewnuts before baking. Makes 12 cakes with cupcake liners.
- Alternatively, the batter can be baked in an 8-inch cake pan.
Royal Rava Mawa Cake
(Serves 8)
For a special occasion, prepare this unique, attractive and delicious cake. The buttery goodness, rich milky mawa flavour, fluffy texture from the rava, bite of the nuts along with the tutti frutti sweetness is a real party in the mouth!!!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup mawa
2/3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 cup rava (semolina)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
a pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup tutti frutti + extra for garnishing
few walnuts and cashewnuts for garnishing
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Grease and dust with flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Line only the bottom with parchment paper.
Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
In a food processor, pulse the mawa to break it down to a fine powder.
Heat milk in the microwave with saffron and set aside to cool completely.
Using an electric hand beater, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat well. Include the eggs one at a time then, flour and rava alternating with milk. Keep the batter aside for 30 minutes so that the rava can bloom.
Finally include the mawa, baking powder, vanilla essence and cardamom powder.
Note:
With a spatula, mix in the tutti frutti. Transfer mixture into the prepared cake pan. Decorate with nuts and tutti frutti.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Do not over bake.
Cool cake in the pan before unmoulding. Invert the cake onto a plate and remove the bottom parchment paper. Reinvert cake with the top side up. Cut and serve.
Note:
(Serves 8)
For a special occasion, prepare this unique, attractive and delicious cake. The buttery goodness, rich milky mawa flavour, fluffy texture from the rava, bite of the nuts along with the tutti frutti sweetness is a real party in the mouth!!!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup mawa
2/3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 cup rava (semolina)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
a pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup tutti frutti + extra for garnishing
few walnuts and cashewnuts for garnishing
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Grease and dust with flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Line only the bottom with parchment paper.
Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
In a food processor, pulse the mawa to break it down to a fine powder.
Heat milk in the microwave with saffron and set aside to cool completely.
Using an electric hand beater, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat well. Include the eggs one at a time then, flour and rava alternating with milk. Keep the batter aside for 30 minutes so that the rava can bloom.
Finally include the mawa, baking powder, vanilla essence and cardamom powder.
Note:
- Do not incorporate too much air during the mixing process.
With a spatula, mix in the tutti frutti. Transfer mixture into the prepared cake pan. Decorate with nuts and tutti frutti.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Do not over bake.
Cool cake in the pan before unmoulding. Invert the cake onto a plate and remove the bottom parchment paper. Reinvert cake with the top side up. Cut and serve.
Note:
- Cake is perfectly sweet. In case you prefer it sweeter, increase the amount of sugar.
- One cup measure used is 250 ml.
- If you are using salted butter then, omit the salt.
- To prepare mawa at home, click here and read note.
