gulab jamun bundt cake

a modern take on a classic indian dessert

have you ever tried gulab jamun? they are small balls of cardamom flavoured dough, deep fried, steeped in a rose scented syrup mixture, and sometimes rolled in shredded coconut. they are similar in look and taste to timbits, or if you’re not canadian, doughnut holes. the name ‘gulab jamun’ translates to ‘rose berry’ so you can expect the soft, floral aroma of rose to be one of the main flavours in this sweet confectionery. because gulab jamun are steeped and saturated in sugar syrup, a lot of people (myself included) find them to be overly sweet. as an indian person, i grew up with this treat, usually brought to our home by guests or readily available at family functions. the flavours are nostalgic to my childhood and always bring back fond memories of brightly coloured boxes from our local indian sweet shop.

i first made this cake for my family during our annual rakhri celebration. rakhri or raksha bandan is an indian tradition that celebrates the special bond between a sister and a brother. i am blessed to have two wonderful brothers of my own and three cousin brothers from my mom’s side. each year, i tie a special bracelet on their wrists to represent our love. sweets and gifts are exchanged, and a meal is shared afterwards. my family was very impressed with the cake, and everyone had a slice or two! i have baked this cake several times already for friends and family. this recipe is eggless so those with a dietary restriction or egg allergy can also enjoy.

flavours of rose + cardamom

the delicate aroma of rose pairs beautifully with the warm, spicy notes of cardamom. the distinct, milky taste and texture of gulab jamun comes from the inclusion of milk powder in the dough. this cake recipe uses milk powder in the batter to mimic the taste of real gulab jamun.

• flour
• skim milk powder to replicate that authentic gulab jamun taste and texture
• powdered sugar – i didn’t want the cake to be too sweet as there will be additional sweetness from the milk powder and the saffron glaze
• baking powder, baking soda, salt
• green cardamom powder – you can grind it yourself, or buy it pre-ground from the store, either will work wonderfully
• buttermilk – the acidity will activate the baking soda and help the cake rise. the tang from the buttermilk helps to balance some of the sweetness. if you don’t have this on hand, you can make it quite easily as follows:
  • combine 1 cup of room temp milk and 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice. set aside and allow it to curdle, this usually takes 5 to 10 minutes and it is ready to go!
• neutral oil – i usually use avocado oil for all of my cooking and baking needs
• rose water – a little goes a long way!
• saffron – to give our glaze a vibrant yellowy orange hue and enhance the WOW factor
• lemon juice, more powdered sugar, and a dash of water – to create the glaze

i love a good bundt cake pan…

bundt cakes are my favourite cake to bake! they look impressive straight out of the pan with minimal effort on decorations. usually you can get away with adding a glaze, a light dusting of powdered sugar, or pipe a small amount of decorative frosting to create a beautiful cake that looks like a piece of art! no more fussing with balancing cake layers. nowadays, there are limitless options for chic bundt pans in all sorts of designs. the only caveat is sometimes the bundt pans are massive, resulting in long bake times (and maybe too much leftover cake). i kept this recipe on the smaller side, it will yield one small 7 inch bundt cake. you can double the recipe to create 2 layers to slice in half for a 6 inch layer cake with 4 layers.

let’s make the gulab jamun cake batter!

like any other basic cake recipe, we will first combine our dry ingredients. next, whisk the wet ingredients together before adding to the dry. mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. you want to be extremely gentle when combining the wet and dry. too much mixing will create an excess of gluten, causing a gummy, chewy cake texture and a deflated cake. we want our cake to rise high and taste light and fluffy!

transfer the gently mixed cake batter into your greased bundt band. tap the filled pan on the counter a couple of times to release some of the larger air bubbles produced by our buttermilk + baking soda reaction. pop into the oven at 350F for 25 – 35 minutes. baking times vary so make sure you are using a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. you know the cake is baked through when the inserted toothpick/tester comes out clean. allow the cake to cool IN the pan for about 10 minutes before demolding. this will allow the cake to contract a little bit, making removal safer for the integrity of the cake. the cake must cool completely on a rack before we finish with glaze.

make the vibrant saffron glaze!

saffron adds an element of luxury to this cake as it is well known to be the most expensive spice in the world by weight due to its meticulous and labour-some harvesting process. it adds a dazzling bright yellow/orange colour to the glaze, an effect that is difficult to replicate. the glaze comes together quickly using lemon juice, powdered sugar, and saffron. it should not be too thick or thin, as we want the glaze to sink into the crevices of the bundt cake and highlight the pattern. if the glaze is too thick, add a small amount of water, half a teaspoon at a time. if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

to ensure the glaze doesn’t drip completely off of the cake, we must wait for the cake to cool completely before glazing. place the cooled cake onto the drying rack and put a baking sheet or plate underneath the catch any excess. the excess can be dumped over the cake again if your first round missed some spots or if you enjoy a thicker layer of glaze. we don’t want the saffron we used to go to waste!

finishing touches…

after the cake has been freed from the pan and glazed, top with dried rose petals while the glaze is still sticky so they stay affixed to the cake. below are some alternate garnish ideas…

• shredded coconut
• sliced almonds
• chopped pistachios

now that the cake is all dressed up and looking good enough to eat, let’s cut up a slice to enjoy with our afternoon tea! i hope you love this recipe as much as i do. even my indian parents were impressed by the distictly desi flavour profile. happy baking, friends!