I first baked this cake seven years ago when Suma Rowjee of @cakesandmore shared the recipe on her blog. Much later, I found out that the credit for the original recipe goes to Bina Garimella of @bitwholesomely. It has since become one of my favorites and is filed under the “dangerously good” category. I use the word “dangerous” because this cake never lasts long. I have to give it away (not even kidding) to stop myself from eating it all.

The cake is deliciously rich from the addition of mawa (condensed milk solids). For the sake of convenience, I use store bought mawa. If you wish to make your own, Héléne Dujardin has shared her recipe for a homemade version on her blog.

This cake has a tender, buttery crumb flavored with cardamom and the subtle floral hint of rose water. The rose water addition is optional - if you are not a fan, substitute it with a touch of saffron, pure almond extract, orange blossom water or lemon zest. You could also simply omit it (the cake will still be very tasty). The cake is so good on its own that it does not need any glaze or frosting. Over the years, I have made a few changes to the recipe based on my personal preference. If you enjoy simple, fuss-free cakes, you will love it.

Recipe

Cardamom and Rose Water Mawa Cake

(Makes one 8” cake)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
7 tbsp (100 gms) unsweetened mawa/khoya, crumbled
6 tbsp (85 gms) salted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar*
Seeds from 3 green cardamom pods
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp rose water (optional, add more if you are not using a concentrate)
6 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp cashew halves (optional)

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and flour an 8” round cake pan and set aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the nutmeg and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mawa and butter. Using an electric handheld mixer, blend until smooth. Alternately, you can use an electric stand mixer.

Powder the sugar along with the cardamom seeds and add to the mawa-butter mixture. Whisk until pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl midway.

Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding the vanilla extract and rosewater with the second egg. Whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once more.

Use a silicone spatula to fold in the flour until just combined. Add the milk and whisk again for about 30 seconds until the milk is incorporated (do not over mix).

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and tap it gently on the kitchen counter to spread. Sprinkle the cashew halves on top and place the pan in the oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Oven temperatures differ, so baking time can vary - start testing the cake after 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and tent it with aluminium foil if the top starts to get too brown.

Once done, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edge to release it from the pan. Invert it onto a plate or a piece of parchment paper. Then place it (right side up) on a wire rack to cool completely.

Slice and enjoy the mawa cake with hot tea or coffee.

Note: The batter can also be baked into muffins. Fill the muffin liners only until 2/3rds full and reduce the baking time to 25-28 minutes. This recipe yields about 10 muffins.

*The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. I have reduced it by three tablespoons because that is sweet enough for me.