This Eggless Mawa Cake is moist, buttery, rich, and delicately flavored with cardamom, saffron, and rose. Inspired by classic Indian bakery-style Parsi mawa cake, this eggless version delivers the same decadent texture and flavor without the need for eggs or frosting.
Often found in old Irani bakeries in Mumbai, Mawa Cake is slightly dense, tender, and not overly sweet. It pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee and makes a wonderful festive cake for Holi, Diwali, or other celebrations, or for cozy evening tea time.
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What is Mawa (Khoya)?
Mawa, also known as Khoya, is a traditional Indian dairy product made by slowly reducing full-fat milk until it thickens into soft milk solids.
The Mawa is:
- Rich and creamy
- Slightly nutty in flavor
- Used in many Indian sweets like burfi, peda, and gulab jamun
- Also used in many savory dishes
- Perfect for adding depth and richness to cakes
In this Eggless Mawa Cake recipe, mawa gives the cake its signature richness and slightly dense bakery-style texture.
About Eggless Mawa Cake
This cake brings back memories of the bakery tea cakes in Mumbai, India. I used to enjoy slices of Mawa Cake during my summer vacations in Mumbai. When I started baking, recreating it at home without eggs became one of my favorite projects.
The Mawa Cake recipe is adapted from my reliable Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake, with added mawa and Indian flavors. I use melted butter instead of creaming, which means no electric mixer required, less prep time, and foolproof results.
The batter comes together quickly without a stand or hand mixer, and it is lightly thickened, and the final cake is tender, flavorful, and perfect without frosting.
This cake is perfect for Indian festivals such as Holi, Rakshabandhan, or Diwali, a small get-together, a tea party, or an after-meal dessert.
Why You Will Love This Cake
- This Eggless Mawa Cake is completely eggless and vegetarian.
- It has a rich bakery-style texture.
- The cake is flavored with authentic Indian ingredients.
- This egg-free recipe makes a perfect festive tea cake.
- This mawa cake recipe requires no electric mixer.
- Mawa cake tastes delicious without frosting.
Ingredients and Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or cake flour. Cake flour gives a slightly softer crumb.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Both are essential for proper lift. Do not substitute one for the other.
- Salt: Salt beautifully balances the sweetness of the cake.
- Ground Cardamom: A key flavor in Indian Mawa Cake. Adjust slightly to taste. However, if you prefer a slightly intense flavor, add ground nutmeg.
- Butter: Use melted unsalted butter. Butter pairs beautifully with mawa. You may replace it with the same amount of oil if preferred.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt: Adds moisture and tenderness. Use room temperature sour cream. If you don't have sour cream, you can use plain yogurt.
- Sugar: Adding ¾ cup of sugar gives balanced sweetness. Do not reduce drastically.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best results.
- Mawa (Khoya): Grate or crumble before adding. Always use fresh mawa.
- Saffron and Rose Water: Optional but highly recommended for authentic Indian flavor. Instead of rose water, you can add a few drops of rose essence or kewra essence. Or, for a classic flavor, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Pistachios: Topping the cake with finely chopped pistachios adds texture and visual appeal. Almonds or cashews also work well.
How To Make Eggless Mawa Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom powder into a medium bowl, then whisk until well combined.
- Whisk melted butter, sour cream, and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add milk, grated Mawa, rose extract, and saffron.
- Mix well until everything is combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 2-3 parts.
- Mix until everything is combined; do not overmix.
- The batter will be thick.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
- Top it with chopped pistachios or with your choice of nuts.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Because every oven is different, keep an eye on the cake after 30 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Variations and Substitutions
Flavor: Replace rose water with kewra water.
Semolina: Add 1 tablespoon of semolina for a slightly grainy bakery texture.
Milk Powder: Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with milk powder for extra richness.
Toppings: Use finely chopped almonds or cashews instead of pistachios.
Citrus Flavor: Add orange or lemon zest for a citrus twist.
Serving Suggestions
Dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.
Garnish it with rose petals and saffron.
Serve the Eggless Mawa Cake with a cup of chai.
Pair with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Add lightly sweetened whipped cream for a festive touch.
Storing Suggestions
Store the Mawa Cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days.
Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freeze slices individually up to 2 months.
Baking Tips For Eggless Mawa Cake
Measuring: Accurately measuring the ingredients is essential for the best Eggless Mawa Cake. Use a kitchen scale for accurate baking results.
Mawa: Use fresh mawa as it ensures a rich flavor and prevents a sour taste. I highly recommend grating the mawa for even distribution in the cake batter.
Room Temperature: Bring dairy products to room temperature. Cold ingredients can cause uneven mixing.
Butter: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing.
Do Not Overmix: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake dense.
Check Early: Ovens vary, and so does the temperature. Start checking the cake for doneness at 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overmixing or adding too much flour can make it dense. Measure accurately and mix gently. Overbaking can also cause this issue.
Yes, homemade mawa works beautifully. Just ensure it is fresh and not dry.
Yes. Cardamom alone still gives an authentic flavor. Or, you can flavor the cake with vanilla extract.
Yes. Replace butter with neutral oil in equal quantity.
Yes, you can replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour in this Eggless Mawa Cake recipe. However, the texture will be slightly denser and less tender than with all-purpose flour. For the best results with whole wheat flour, use fine whole wheat flour (chakki atta) for a softer texture. Replace only 50-75% of the flour for a lighter crumb. Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra milk. Avoid overmixing, as whole wheat develops gluten more quickly
If your cake sinks in the center, it could be due to:
Underbaking: The center was not fully set before removing from the oven.
Overmixing: Too much mixing incorporates excess air, which collapses during baking.
Temperature: Opening the oven door too many times during the baking can fluctuate the temperature and cause the cake to sink.
Leavening Agents: Too much baking powder or baking soda can cause the cake to rise quickly and collapse.
Excess Liquid: Adding too much milk or sour cream can weaken the structure and cause the cake to sink in the middle.
Slight cracking is normal in tea cakes due to the thick batter.
Yes. Bake one day ahead and store covered at room temperature.
More Indian Flavored Eggless Cakes
You May Like More Eggless Desserts
Eggless Mawa Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 7 tablespoon (100g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream or plain yogurt
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180ml) milk
- 100 g Mawa grated
- 1 teaspoon rose water or a few drops of rose extract (optional)
- A pinch of saffron
- 1 tablespoon pistachios chopped (or nuts of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom powder into a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Whisk melted butter, sour cream, and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add milk, grated Mawa, rose water, and saffron. Mix well until everything is combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2-3 parts. Mix until everything is combined; do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Top it with chopped pistachios or with your choice of nuts.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Because every oven is different, keep an eye on the cake after 30 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Serving Suggestions
- Dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.
- Garnish it with rose petals and saffron.
- Serve the Eggless Mawa Cake with a cup of chai.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
- Add lightly sweetened whipped cream for a festive touch.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the Mawa Cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days.
- Refrigerate up to 1 week.
- Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze slices individually up to 2 months.
Notes
- Measuring: Accurately measuring the ingredients is essential for the best Eggless Mawa Cake. Use a kitchen scale for accurate baking results.
- Mawa: Use fresh mawa as it ensures a rich flavor and prevents a sour taste. I highly recommend grating the mawa for even distribution in the cake batter.
- Room Temperature: Bring dairy products to room temperature. Cold ingredients can cause uneven mixing.
- Butter: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing.
- Do Not Overmix: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake dense.
- Check Early: Ovens vary, and so does the temperature. Start checking the cake for doneness at 30 minutes.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think.