Eggless Rasmalai Cake
Round layered eggless cardamom sponge with blended store-bought rasmalai filling, a light saffron milk soak, and rose-cardamom whipped cream. Semi-homemade party dessert cut into wedges.
Ingredients
For the eggless sponge
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 240 g; room temperature
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
- ½ cup neutral oil 120 ml; sunflower or canola; plus 2 tablespoons for greasing
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 190 g
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 6 tablespoons warm whole milk
- 12 to 15 saffron strands
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the rasmalai filling
- 16 to 18 pieces store-bought rasmalai about 500 g with milk; thawed if frozen
- ¼ to ½ cup rasmalai soaking milk reserved separately
For the rose-cardamom whipped cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 480 ml; very cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon rose water
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons slivered pistachios
- 1 to 2 tablespoons dried edible rose petals
Instructions
Bake the eggless sponge
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
- Stir warm milk and saffron in a small cup. Let infuse 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk yogurt and baking soda. Rest 2 minutes until slightly frothy.
- Add sugar, oil, saffron milk, rose water, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom over the wet mixture. Fold gently until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake 22 to 26 minutes until the tops spring back and a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
Prep the rasmalai filling
- Gently squeeze excess milk from each rasmalai piece. Reserve the soaking milk in a cup.
- Add rasmalai pieces to a blender. Pulse to a thick, spreadable paste, scraping down as needed. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved milk only if the mixture is too stiff.
Whip the cream
- Chill a bowl and beaters 10 minutes in the freezer.
- Whip cold cream on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar, cardamom, and rose water. Whip to stiff peaks. Refrigerate until assembly.
Assemble the cake
- Place one cooled sponge layer on a serving board or cake stand. Brush lightly with 2 to 3 tablespoons reserved rasmalai milk. The surface should look moist, not pooled.
- Spread the rasmalai filling evenly over the sponge.
- Spread about half the whipped cream over the rasmalai layer.
- Place the second sponge layer on top. Brush lightly with another 2 to 3 tablespoons rasmalai milk.
- Spread the remaining rasmalai filling over the top layer, then cover with the rest of the whipped cream. Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Garnish with pistachios and rose petals. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Cut and serve
- Run a long sharp knife along the chilled cake edges to tidy the sides if desired.
- Cut into 10 to 12 triangular wedges with a wiped-dry knife.
- Serve chilled. Drizzle a spoonful of reserved rasmalai milk around each wedge if you like extra sauciness on the plate.
Notes
Store-bought rasmalai: Nanak and Haldiram brands both work. Thaw frozen rasmalai in the fridge overnight. Pat pieces dry so the filling is not watery.
Sheet pan option: bake the same batter in one greased 9×13 inch pan for 28 to 32 minutes, halve crosswise, and layer the same way. Cut into squares instead of wedges.
Brush, do not flood: two to three tablespoons of rasmalai milk per sponge layer keeps the cake sliceable.
Make ahead: assemble up to 1 day ahead, covered in the fridge. Add rose petals the day you serve.
Storage: refrigerate covered up to 2 days. Not ideal for freezing; cream texture changes after thawing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!