Name: Mawa Cake (Eggless)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 180 gram plain flour; 120 gram icing sugar; 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch; 120 gram mawa; 240 millilitres whole milk (warm milk); 2 tablespoon ghee (melted); 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; pinch salt

A soft, buttery Mawa Cake made with a generous amount of milk solids for a deep, rich flavour. My eggless version has small kernels of mawa folded through the batter, melting into little pockets of creamy indulgence in every slice. This recipe produces two small loaves but you can make one bigger loaf too.

Two slices of eggless mawa cake with a tender crumb placed on the parchment paper.

Note – This recipe has been updated with recipe changes, new images and content. The original recipe featured mawa cupcakes made with mawa peda crumbled through. I've since adjusted the recipe to keep it more user-friendly but still have the same unmistakable flavour. First published in 16 June 2012.

The Richest Mawa Cake Like You've Never Had Before!

Over time I’ve simplified this mawa cake into a loaf that delivers Indian mithai style richness whilst being easy to make.

Instead of fully whisking the mawa into the batter (like most other recipes), I keep small kernels folded through, so they gently melt as the cake bakes.

I made this for my Dad’s birthday alongside a backup ready made bakery cake… and this disappeared first, no contest! There’s something about those soft, almost fudgy bites of mawa tucked into the sponge that makes it feel a bit more special than your average cake. It’s rich, and quietly luxurious.

I usually serve it just as it is, but I know it's going be ace with a spoon of sweet whipped cream with cardamom or a swipe of homemade strawberry rhubarb jam. And of course, a proper karak chai on the side will make you fall in love with it!

Hayley x

Ingredients notes

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Plain flour - I use a good quality fine flour that's sometimes labelled "00 fine flour". I find it helps to make perfect eggless cakes. If you can't find it, use any all purpose flour.

Mawa - store-bought or homemade works. I always make mawa at home with milk powder or mawa with ricotta. You want your mawa to be fairly dry and crumbly to ensure it doesn't give too much of its own moisture to the batter. You can see what I mean from the ingredients picture.

Icing sugar - icing sugar in the UK is equivalent to confectioners sugar in the US. It's essentially super fine white sugar with a little cornstarch. If you do not have it, you will need caster sugar and a little more cornstarch.

Corn starch - cornstarch in cakes helps give a softer crumb and airy melt in the mouth texture. I like to use it in replacement of having to purchase cake flour which has less protein.

Milk - I use whole milk which gives extra fat content and creaminess.

Ghee - ensure your ghee is melted before measuring out. I like to use homemade ghee made from butter but shop-bought works well too.

Baking soda & baking powder - raising agents. I always make sure both of these are well in date.

Ingredients for mawa cake placed in bowls on a wooden board.

Step by Step Method & Tips

It really is as simple as a quick whisk of the wet ingredients, then add in the dry, whisk again and bake!

1.Whisk together the wet ingredients.

2.Sift in dry ingredients.

Wet ingredients for cake mixed in a bowl.

A female hand is adding sifted dry ingredients in wet ingredients for cake.

3.Bake for 35 minutes at Gas Mark 4/165C (fan)/180C (conventional)/360F.

4.Allow to cool then slice.

Baked eggless khoya cake with almond flakes on top in a baking loaf tin on a wooden board.

A close up of showing small kernels of mawa in the slice of eggless mawa cake.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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