Eggless Gulab Jamun Cake

Okay, you’ve read the name of the recipe, and I need to tell you at the very onset; no Gulab Jamuns were harmed in making this cake… coz, none were used. *evil grin*

I have known apprehensive souls go ‘urgh' at the mention of this name. I sent them a piece of this cake, and they asked me for the recipe. Yup, that’s how good this cake turns out… every single time. I have baked this one so many times, I’ve actually lost count of how many cakes I’ve baked.

I saw this recipe on Saee Koranne – Khandekar’s Instagram profile and I just had to try it. I hadn’t baked a cake in over three decades, and not in a million years had I ever thought I’d restart my ‘cake’ journey with this eggless beaut. Best decision, ever!

The cake crumb is dense and moist, quite like a semolina mawa cake. The base and the sides get baked to deep shades of brown every time, resulting in a gorgeous lightly-chewy exterior. This cake does not have too much of a ‘rise’ so please do not fret about that. Just know it’ll turn out really well.

This recipe belongs to Saee. I haven’t changed the recipe at all. All I’ve done is convert the ingredients down to the last gram. Also, the bake time of her oven differed from mine. Other than that, I have made no changes at all. Follow the recipe to the T and you’ll bake a superb cake each and every time! Saee, heartfelt thanks for this gem!❤️

Ingredients (Dry):

1 cup / 100 grams Gulab Jamun Mix (I used Chitale brand)
½ cup / 80 grams fine semolina (Barik Rawa)
½ cup / 85 grams powdered sugar
1 teaspoon / 4 grams baking powder
2 teaspoons / 6 grams Everest Milk Masala
8 -10 strands of saffron, lightly crushed

Ingredients (Wet):

1 cup / 200 grams fresh yogurt / dahi (not sour, not sweet – just bland/pheeka) - smoothened
100 grams packet salted butter, melt and cool to room temperature
14 - 15 tablespoons milk
A little extra butter to grease and line the cake tin

Ingredients (Garnish - Optional):

10 almonds, sliced/slivered
10 pistachios, sliced/slivered

Method:

1. Grease with butter and line an 8-inch cake tin with parchment paper.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Preheat the oven to 150 deg Celsius.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add the smoothened dahi, milk, and mix.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add the cool melted butter and mix the batter until the butter is well incorporated into the batter. 
   
   
   
   
   
6. This will give you a thickish batter.
   
   
   
   
7. Pour the batter into the cake tin.
8. Sprinkle the slivered nuts at the inner perimeter of the cake tin.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
10. When done, bring out the cake and allow it to cool a bit.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Remove it from the cake tin and allow it to cool completely. Voila, done!
    
    
    

Chef Notes:

1. Preferably, procure the Chitale Gulab Jamun Mix. I’ve used that every single time and never had a problem with it. In case you don’t have access to it, of course, any Gulab Jamun Mix will work. Please note this Gulab Jamun Mix is in powder form. It is not a paste. Just clarifying. 
2. My oven takes about 40 – 45 minutes to bake this cake. The temperature setting of your oven may differ, so do keep a keen eye on your cake after the 30-to-35-minute mark.
3. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
   
   Some more photographs: