This Bakery Style Recipe for Mawa Cake is a rich, moist, and delectable Indian tea time cake. Mawa or Khoya is milk solids used in Indian Sweets. In this recipe post, we will learn how to make Mawa/Khoya cake at home.
This easy bakery-style recipe for Mawa/Khoya cake is with eggs but you could also make an eggless cake by substituting eggs with yogurt. You’ll see how in this post later.
Mawa cakes are generally made and sold in the form of muffins or cupcakes at local Parsi cafes and reputed bakeries like Kayani/ Merwans. These cakes are very popular and vanish as soon as they are baked.
The cupcakes are utterly delicious and you just can’t stop at one, so always buy a few extras. The recipe for Mawa Cake in this post is also very close to the bakery-style cakes and you’ll just love it. You could use the same recipe and bake it into a muffin tray to make lovely Mawa/Khoya cupcakes.
A slice of this rich Mawa/Khoya cake is a perfect accompaniment to your favourite cup of tea or coffee.
What is Mawa Cake?
Mawa Cake is a much-loved Indian Tea cake with added milk solid called Mawa or Khoya.
The Recipe for Mawa cake is very similar to that of the pound cake but with the inclusion of Mawa/Khoya.
Mawa is homogenized milk solids got from evaporating full-fat milk. This milk solid is called Mawa or Khoya, locally. Mawa is also used to make a variety of Indian sweets and desserts. One such popular dessert is the Gajar ka Halwa, barfi, etc.
When you add these homogenized milk solids to a basic cake batter, you can make a delicious Mawa/Khoya cake.
How to make Mawa/Khoya Cake
This is a bakery-style Recipe for Mawa/Khoya Cake and hence you will not find any nuts in this. The Mawa Cake has a perfect texture and colour with just the right amount of sweetness. The cake also has a hint of rich Mawa or Khoya in every bite.
With the right amount of ingredients and also a few basic tips, you can bake a perfect cake. So, let’s dive right through the ingredients and learn how to make Mawa/Khoya Cake at home.
Ingredients for Cake and Measurements
- All-purpose flour or Maida: You will need exactly 150 grams ( 1 cup) of All-purpose flour/maida for this recipe.
Pro Tip: Sift the flour at least 2 to 3 times before you could add it to the other ingredient.
- Mawa/Khoya: Mawa or Khoya is milk solids that is easily available at all Indian stores selling dairy products. Use 125 grams (approx. 3/4 cup) Mawa and crumble it lightly with your fingers before you could add it to the cake mixture.
- Butter: 150 grams (2/3 cup) of either salted or unsalted butter is what you need for this cake. I am using salted butter for this recipe. If using unsalted butter please add a pinch of salt to the batter.
Pro Tip: If using unsalted butter for your cakes, then add a little salt to the cake batter.
- Sugar: Keeping the quantities of all the ingredients equal, we have to use 150 grams (2/3 cup) of caster sugar. This quantity of sugar is just perfect. But if you still need to go light on the sugar then reduce a tablespoon or two. You could also use powdered sugar instead of caster sugar.
Pro Tip: Use powdered sugar for easy whipping of the cake batter and it saves time too.
- Eggs: This recipe for Mawa/Khoya Cake calls for 3 whole eggs. Keep them at room temperature and then add them one by one while mixing the cake.
Pro Tip: Always use 2 eggs per 100 grams of flour unless a recipe calls for more eggs.
- Baking Powder: A teaspoon (1 tsp) of baking powder is just enough for this cake recipe. There is no need for you to add any baking soda, as most of the recipes recommend.
Tip: One of the reasons why cake tends to crack during baking is that it contains more baking powder than needed
- Essence: I prefer vanilla in this Mawa Cake recipe just add 1/2 teaspoon for flavour. Some prefer to add powdered cardamom to give this cake a traditional flavour. Feel free to do so, its wonderful!
Pro Tip: Adding a dash of the essence to cakes with eggs helps in eliminating the odour of eggs.
How to make Mawa/Khoya Cake Step-by-Step
Once you have all your ingredients ready at room temperature, then you can start mixing your cake. Our easy step by step guide will help you bake the perfect Khoya cake quickly and easily.
- Before you begin mixing the cake, prepare your cake tin. Line a 7-inch cake tin with parchment paper and also grease it with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. For this you could use an electric beater, whisk or even a spatula could do the job.
- Now that your butter and sugar are creamed well, add in the eggs one at a time. Continue to whisk till well combined.
- After this add the crumbled Mawa/Khoya to the cake mixture and then mix well. Also, add milk gradually, taking care to note the consistency of the cake mixture. Also keep in mind that you will need to add the flour too. Finally, add in the vanilla essence or cardamom powder.
- Now at this stage, discontinue using the electric beater or whisk. Just add in the sifted flour along with the baking powder and blend gently with a spatula.
- Gently pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake immediately into a pre-heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
- The baking time and temperature would also depend on your oven. I use a microwave convection oven and generally bake my cakes at 170 deg C. The temperature of my oven at 180 deg C is too hot and my cake cracks while baking. I therefore bake my cakes at 170 deg C. Watch your oven for this and adjust the temperature accordingly.
- You know that your cake is done when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Or the top of your cake has browned evenly.
Mawa/Khoya Cake Recipe Video
Serving Suggestions
Try out this easy Recipe for Mawa Cake at home and enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee along with your family. There is also no need for any frosting for this cake, it’s sumptuous as it is.
You could also use the same recipe and bake them into small Mawa/Khoya cupcakes like the ones you get at bakeries.
Other Cake Recipes that you may like to try
Recipe Card for Mawa/Khoya Cake
Recipe for Mawa Cake
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 150 gram All-purpose flour 1 cup
- 150 grams Butter ⅔ cup
- 150 grams Powdered sugar 2/3 cup
- 3 Eggs
- 125 grams Mawa ¾ cup
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- Salt to taste if using unsalted butter
Instructions
How to make Mawa Cake
- In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy with an electric beater or whisk.
- Add eggs one by one and also add the vanilla essence.
- Now crumble the Mawa and add to the cake mixture and continue to beat well.
- Add in the sifted flour, along with the baking powder and mix gently with a spatula.
- Put the cake batter into a 7-inch cake tin, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170° C for 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Wait for the cake to cool for atleast 10 minutes, before you could cut it into slices and serve.
Notes
- Use all ingredients at room temperature only.
- Check your oven temperature and bake the cake accordingly. Generally, 170° or 180° is fine.
- Don’t over-mix or under-mix your cake batter.
- Do not open the oven while the cake is baking during the first 30 minutes.
- Check your cake after 35 minutes and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more accordingly.
- Add 1/2 a tsp salt into the batter if you are using unsalted butter.
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Love, Anita
Thank you so much dear was looking for Mava cake receipe from so long.
Finally you added one more secret receipe on your blog. 😘
Thank you Rose for your lovely comment. Stay blessed always
Awesome mawa cake.
Thank you Priya
Hi how much yogurt to add if we want to make an eggless Mawa Cake?
Hi Karishma, Use 1/2 cup yogurt and a pinch of baking soda. Also add baking powder as mentioned in the recipe.
Hi, tried this recipe so many times , amazing results. One quick question, how many days we can keep this cake? Do we need to keep at room temperature or freeze or freezer if want to keep longer. So far kids finishing it in couple of days so no worries.
Thank you Stanley for trying out the cake and glad that your kids loved it too. This cake has Mawa, a dairy product, hence refrigerate it after a day or two. Hope you try my other cake recipes too. Thanks again.