I came across this cake on mu search for Gulab Jamun cakes. In Fiji, we make Gulab Jamuns that are fried and dunked into a hot sugar syrup then drained and allowed to dry. This cake inspired by Sanjana Feasts is reminiscent of the taste of my childhood.
Everything that is old becomes new again, so the revival of the popular 1950’, 1960’s Bundt as of late seemed like the perfect tin to use to bake this cake with the flavours of my childhood.
Thermomix make a beautiful Bundt tin, complete in the colour du jour, Rose Gold. The fluted mould gives this cake an added regal wow factor.
This eggless cake will hold its’ own at any royal dinner. With saffron, cardamom and rose as the main flavours, then a sprinkling of pistachio and edible gold its fit to serve to a princess. Well, this princess thinks so, anyway!!
Gulab Jamun Cake
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 80 g coarse semolina
- 50 g milk powder
- 20 g cornflour
- 125 g caster sugar
- 1 tspn baking powder
- 1 tspn baking soda
- 420 ml buttermilk
- 1 tspn rose water
- 125 ml grapeseed oil
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1 tspn ground green cardamom
- Chopped pistachios, rose petals and edible gold dust to decorate.
Syrup
- 160 g raw sugar
- 100 g water
- 1 tspn lemon juice
- 1 tspn rose water
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 3 green cardamom, lightly crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Grease and flour a Bundt cake tin, taking care to remove excess flour. Set aside.
- Place flour, semolina, milk powder, cornflour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, butter milk, ground cardamom and rose water in the mixing bowl. Mix 5 sec/speed 5.
- Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Add saffron strands and mix for a further 5 sec / speed 5. Set aside for 5 mins to allow semolina to absorb.
- After 5 mins, pour the batter into the greased and floured Bundt cake tin. Bake for 1 hr and do not open the oven whilst baking. Clean and dry mixing bowl.
- Meanwhile, after 40 mins of baking, start preparing the sugar syrup.
- Remove the cake from the oven and using a skewer, poke some holes in the cake. Allow to cool for 5mins.
- Slowly drizzle half of the hot syrup (discarding the cardamom pods) over the cake and let it sit for 5 mins.
- Place the cake onto a serving platter then pierce the cake multiple times with a skewer. Slowly and carefully spoon over some of the syrup over the cake, allow it to absorb for 5 mins then repeat with the remaining syrup.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios and rose petals. Sprinkle some gold dust from a height.
Note: You may not need to use all of the syrup
Syrup:
- Place water and sugar in the mixing bowl and heat 8 mins / Varoma / speed 1 without the measuring cup.
- Add saffron and lightly crushed cardamom pods and heat for 5 mins at 105 deg C.
- Add lemon juice and rose water and stir to combine