A decadent Indian dessert or to say Indian sweets inspired cake; this Gulab Jamun Cake is literally going to sweep you off your feet. Completely Egg-Free this moist, sweet, light and fluffy fusion Gulab Jamun Cake is what you need to make any occasion special.
Gulab Jamun Cake is something that I am really gonna hold close to my heart.
You know why? (How would you.. so stupid of me 😛 )
That is because I baked this cake for my daughter who turned 3 last week. It is truly said with kids days are longer and years are shorter. How I wish to go back to the day when I held her for the first time <3
Awwww... I know right!!
Well, recently I got an opportunity to bake this for a client and I was so so impressed with the gulab jamun decoration that I had to recreate the exact same design for my daughter. Not only that but also I wished to share with you all because IMO it is one of the beautiful cakes I have made so far.
In this post, you can find details on
- What is Gulab Jamun Cake
- Tips to Make Gulab Jamun Cake at home
- How to serve the cake
Indian inspired cupcakes and cakes are taking over the market these days..
On my last visit to India, each and every bakery shop that I visited had some or the other kinds of fusion cake in the display. The most popular one was, of course, Rasmalai Cake. (Let me know if you would like to have a video post on Rasmalai Cake since it is such a common cake I am not sure of making it anytime sooner.)
I also had the chance to taste Kaju Katli Cake which was pretty good too.
Now there are two kinds of people - One who likes fusion cake and ones who are totally against it... Which category do you belong to?
To make Gulab Jamun Cake you would, of course, need some gulab jamuns.
What is Gulab Jamun?
Gulab jamun is a milk-solid based sweet from the Indian subcontinent.
These milk solids, known as khoya, are kneaded into a dough, with a small amount of flour (maida), and then shaped into small balls and deep-fried at a low temperature. The balls are then soaked in a light sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom and rose water or saffron.
Then what is Gulab Jamun Cake?
It is basically a variation of my Eggless Vanilla Cake recipe or to be precise Eggless Fruit Cake recipe.
So instead of vanilla or fruit essence, I have used Rabdi Essence in this recipe.
It is a rabdi flavoured cake, the even light and fluffy layers of cake with soft crumbs are then drenched in the sugar syrup that is scented with rose and saffron, layered with the smoothest cloud-like whipped cream frosting sandwiched with bits and pieces of soft gulab jamun that literally melts in your mouth which is then dressed up in the most amazing silky smooth whipped cream frosting.
A slice of this cake would surely make you close your eyes and enter into the state of nirvana 😀
No no no I am not at all exaggerating here; since everything is made fresh and at home, including the gulab jamuns which are totally homemade you get the best experience ever.
I always prefer to make homemade Rasmalai and homemade Kaju Katli or any Indian sweet like, in this case, homemade gulab jamun for all the fusion cakes, the final outcome has to be impressive.
Surely I would share a detailed post on how to make gulab jamun at home for you guys.
Gulab Jamun Cake ingredients:
1. Cake Base:
Haha.. sounds silly right.. so obviously you would need a cake base for which I have used the same base recipe from my Fresh Fruit Cake post except that in this case substituted the fruit essence with Rabdi Essence.
Feel free to use any of your favourite cake recipes or check out this simple eggless vanilla cake recipe made without condensed milk that is perfect for beginners.
2. Gulab Jamuns
You can make your own gulab jamun mix using mtr gulab jamun, gits gulab jamun or any gulab jamun packet for that matter.
Or make gulab jamun from scratch like I did, using mawa.
Simply just refer google for gulab jamun near me and just buy it from there. 😉
You would need 10 pieces of gulab jamuns for this cake.
3. Whipped Cream
The only type of cream that is available to me here is non-dairy whipping cream so that is what I use to fill my cakes most of the time.
Since it is not as stable as the non-dairy whipping cream that is available back in India, I often make a Stabilized Whipped Cream and use it for frosting my cakes.
Have also used Pistachios and Rose Petals as garnish.
Actually have added some pistachios along with gulab jamuns in the filling so I think this cake can pass out as being named: gulab jamun pistachio cake 😉
Tips for making Gulab Jamun Cake:
- I feel that the gulab jamuns make this cake pretty heavy so I would advise you to work with chilled cake as far as possible.
- Always soak the cake to keep it moist for 3-4 days. Soaking with the syrup that came along with gulab jamuns is just ideal for this cake
- Use an ice-cream scoop or ladle to add even layers of cream as part of filling. This is a useful tip especially if you are a beginner.
- Make sure to chop your pistachios and also gulab jamuns to bite size pieces.
- Always place the gulab jamuns on top of your cake as part of decoration right before delivery as the gulab jamuns is heavy there are possibilities that it might slide down with the passage of time. Though mine stayed firm throughtout the travelling and reaching the client's house just a precautionary step is what I wanted to tell you.
How to serve Gulab Jamun Cake?
Well, this technique is not only applicable to this cake but for all the cakes that you would cut and serve going forward.
Instead of making a regular triange slice on cakes like we usually do while cutting it, we should cut it into rectangles for serving.
What I mean is make horizontal and vertical cuts like rows and columns and then serve them to your guests.
If you were to cut a triangle slice the max pieces that you would get is 8 in any cake whereas if follow the method of cutting the cake in rows and columns it would serve a large number of guests.
This is exactly what a catering guy would do while serving wedding cakes.
Makes sense right!!
[click_to_tweet tweet="4 simple steps is all you need to make this luscious Gulab Jamun Cake #snf" quote="4 simple steps is all you need to make this luscious Gulab Jamun Cake #snf" theme="style5"]Finally, let us see how to make Gulab Jamun Cake at home from scratch
Eggless Gulab Jamun Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake Base
- 1.5 cups All purpose Flour/Maida
- 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- pinch Salt
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Yogurt
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 1/2 tsp Rabdi Essence refer notes
Sugar Syrup
- Syrup that came along with Gulab Jamuns
Cream Filling
- 175 gms Whipping Cream
- 44 gms Icing Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Rabdi Essence
Gulab Jamun Filling
- 4 nos gulab jamuns
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios
Cream Frosting
- 53 gms Cream Cheese refer notes
- 225 gms Whipping Cream
- 56 gms Icing Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Rabdi Essence
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence
Instructions
Step 1 - For the Cake Base
- Sift together the dry ingredients - Flour, Baking powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Sugar and keep aside.
- Take milk in a bowl. Whisking continuously add the oil to help it emulsify. Next, add the yogurt and essence and combine together.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet in two batches. Combine to form a smooth batter
- Divide the batter evenly between three 6 inch pans that have been greased with butter and lined with parchment paper. Approximately 275 gms in each tin.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 180°C for 35-45 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Step 2 - Cream Filling
- Take the measured out whipping cream, icing sugar and essence in a bowl.
- Whip until stiff peaks form and it is ready to use.
Chop the gulab jamuns into bite size pieces
Step 3 - Cream Frosting
- Whip the cream cheese until it is creamy
- Whipping continuously add the whipping cream little by little. Scrape the bowl using a spatula and then add icing sugar and fruit essence. Whip until stiff peaks form.
Step 4 - To Assemble
- Layer the cake onto a cake board. Trim off the top to even the cake.
- Soak the cake with the sugar syrup that came along with the gulab jamuns
- Add half of the cream filling and spread it out evenly.
- Top with half of the bite size gulab jamuns and slivered pistachios.
- Place the other cake layer on top and repeat the steps.
- Crumb coat the cake with the leftover cream filling and let it chill for 30 mins.
- After 30 mins frost the cake completely with the stabilized whipped cream frosting till you get a smooth finish on the sides and top. Refer the video on how to frost your cake for a better understanding.
- Let it chill once again for 30 mins.
- And the decorate the gulab jamun the way you like. I have used a total of 10 gulab jamuns to fill and frost the cake.
Video
Notes
- If you do not have radbi essence, (though I would highly recommend using it as it is easily available also these days) you can flavour the cake with cardamom powder.
- And for the cream, you can use any other essence like almond or even rose water or rose essence.
- Simply follow my stabilized Whipped Cream frosting recipe for a much detailed recipe step to get the perfect smooth frosting.
- If you liked the writing on top of the cake and you would want to master the art of writing on cakes? Then definitely check out my post for the 6 tips that would help you master it.
- Allow the cake to chill for a few minutes between crumb coating, frosting and decorating stage.
- Feel free to use saffron strands, rose petals, edible silver foil and some more slivered pistachios as part of the decoration.
Conclusion:
In all get away from your regular baked gulab jamun cheesecake or no bake gulab jamun cheesecake and give this interesting Eggless Gulab Jamun Cake recipe a try.
This Cake is
Light with soft crumbs
Moist
Delicious filling
Soft gulab jamuns
Looks so good; Ain't it?
And if you try this recipe then do let me know by tagging me, tweeting me or Instagram me. I would love to follow you and your posts.
Pin this to your Baking board 
I will see you soon with yet another one
Until then
Hugs
Sushma
Subhashini Balaji says
Hi Mam,
I am planning to bake this cake for my son’s birthday. I have few questions plz help me out. Instead of rabdi essence can I use rose essence and also can you give the measurements for cream cheese and whipping cream in cups.
Thank you
sushma iyer says
Hi Subhashini.. Rose essence will work but do not add much.. My 1 cup liquid is 250 ml and 1 cup flour is 120 gms. Thank you
Shalini says
Hi.
How is the recipe with yogurt? Is it better than the one with no condensed milk ? What Should the consistency of yougurt be like ? Thick like Greek yogurt ? Or wobbly with water content
Thanks 😊
sushma iyer says
Hi Shalini.. the other recipe is a really basic recipe that has not much flavour to it as compared to this one. So I would highly recommend you use this one only. That recipe can be used when you are really short of ingredients and have no other alternative. And yogurt should be thick like greek yogurt
Sanjana says
Is the measurement good for 2 - 8" cake pans, or should I change it ?
Thanks in advance!
sushma iyer says
Hi Sanjana.. Yes would work fine for 2 - 8 inch cakes
Dhara says
Hi Sushma
I love your cakes, want to try this one but don’t have two 6inch pan. I have two 9inch. What measure should I change for the base and frosting?
Please let me know.
Thanks
sushma iyer says
Hi Dhara..
You can use 1.5 times the recipe for two 9 inch cake pans. Thank you
Nameera says
Hello!
I'm in love with your presentation xx
I was wondering if it would be okay to add a few gulab jamun pieces into the cake batter and then bake it? I wanted to try it out but wasn't sure about it, since gulab jamun cake recipes don't usually do that.
sushma iyer says
Hi Nameera.. Thank you.. glad to know that you liked it..The gulab jamun pieces might dissolve in the cake batter and won't give a prominent taste if cut too small and if too big it might not be easy to slice it may be.. Unless I try I cannot comment on the same.. But I think it should not be much of an issue because I have tried it in cupcakes like inserting a whole gulab jamun in the centre of the batter and it was fine..
So I guess you can give it a try..
Regards
Sushma
Nameera says
Okay, thank you! I actually wanted to try gulab jamun browniesss!! 😀
Vi says
Hi! I'm trying to find the rabdi essence but if I can't I will use cardamom powder. I would like to know if I still use the same measurement/quantity of cardamom powder? For the cake it says to use 1/2 tsp of the rabdi essence, do I use the same amount if I use cardamom powder?
Thanks so much!
sushma iyer says
Hi Vi..
You can use any Indian based essence - Mawa, Cardamom, Almond, Pista, Kesar etc. If you do not have any of those then you can use 1 tsp of Cardamom powder instead 🙂
Regards
Sushma
Lavrine says
Awesome recipe!...made the exact way u have mentioned here but I made a two layered 6 inch cake...u have a wonderful blog..keep it up...u r so very sweet to share such wonderful recipes!...thank u so much and God bless u
sushma iyer says
Hi Lavrine..
that is so good to know.. glad to know that you liked the recipe. thank you for sharing your feedback with us.. appreciate it 🙂
Regards
Sushma
Lavrine says
Hi Sushma...hope u r doing fine...am attempting dis cake again with an 8 inch this time...is it possible to bake the cake in advance and keep n den frost just before thE party..advance I mean around 4-5 days as I don't have the time dear..would really appreciate if u cud help me out..tHanx a ton
sushma iyer says
Hi Lavrine.. Yes you can make it ahead of time. Once cooled, wrap in cling wrap and store in the refrigerator for upto 5 to 6 days.
Priya says
Amazing recepie. Tried with
eggs and butterscotch essence as the one mentioned by u was not available. Turned out too good for my baby's 4th month birthday celebration. Thank you
sushma iyer says
Hi Priya..
That is awesome.. so good to know that the substitutions worked for you. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback with us.. appreciate it 🙂
Regards
Sushma
Shirley says
Ma’am, this is beautiful! You’re amazing ❤️ Small query: How much grams is one cup?
sushma iyer says
Hi Shirley..
Thank you so much.. pleased to know that you liked it.. My 1 cup flour is 120 gms and 1 cup liquid is 250 gms
Regards
Sushma
Manasa says
Can you please let me know if i can make the cake 1 day before and the frosting and decoration next day? And also can i make half quantity of the cake, by reducing all the ingredients to half? Is it going to disturb the cake measurements? Please guide me. Urgent query please. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
sushma iyer says
Hi Manasa.. As mentioned earlier you can make it in advance and about the quantity if reducing by half then I would suggest baking in a 4 inch cake tin or in one single 6 inch cake tin.
Regards
Sushma
Shruthy Jacob says
Can it be made as 7” cake?
sushma iyer says
Yes definitely 🙂
Asha says
HI,
Thank u for sharing the recipe. PLS check step 2. Mix milk n sugar?
sushma iyer says
Hi Asha..
thank you for pointing out the error.. I have now rectified it.. sorry about that 🙂
Regards
Sushma
Anita says
Hi Sushma,
You have mentioned to use cardamom powder ,can we use cardamom essence in the given quantity for the cake ,filling and frosting..Thanks in advance
sushma iyer says
Hi Anita.. Yes you can 🙂
Anoop says
Hi... Love the way you have assembled the cake... can you please help .. if I dont have rabdi essence can I use rasmalai essence ? Also can you give a tip to keep the frosting intact..
sushma iyer says
Hi Anoop..
You can use rasmalai essence too.. No hard and fast rules here.. But that might confuse your palette with both the flavours gulab jamun and rasmalai..You can also use cardamom powder, almond essence, pista, saffron or simple vanilla essence too. The cream that I have used here is already stabilized only and it would give you good results.
Regards
Sushma
Sailu says
I made the cake for my sons birthday today it came out very testy
I have question can I freeze the cake
sushma iyer says
Hi Sailu..
So pleased to learn that.. Birthday wishes to your son.. I never freeze cakes and especially with whipped cream frosting as the texture would change for sure so sorry won't be able to guide you on that.
Regards
Sushma
Loma says
Amazing Recipe!! This is the first time ever I tried multi-layer cake and it turned out really very well..everybody at my home loved it..just one comment though - my cream frosting started to melt after some time while assembling the cake..I live in Canada so I think temperature is not an issue..Was it because I over whipped or under whipped whipping cream and cream cheese mixture?
sushma iyer says
Hi Loma..
So pleased to learn that you guys enjoyed the cake.. thank you for trying and sharing your feedback with us.. appreciate it..
Yes it seems you have under whipped the cream here and hence it doesn't entirely hold its shape and also one has to work fast when it comes in terms of dairy based creams. Can't do much about it.. 🙂
Regards
Sushma