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Vegan Rasmalai Cake
5 from 45 votes

Vegan Rasmalai Cake

This Vegan Rasmalai Cake replicates the creamy, saffron-infused milk dessert flavor using cashew and pistachio milk sauce combined with a cardamom and saffron-flavored cashew and almond flour cake. Vegan cream cheese and butter substitute traditional dairy to create a soft texture in the cake. The garnish of slivered almonds and chopped pistachios adds a nutty contrast to the delicate, fragrant dessert inspired by rasmalai.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Chill time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 298 kcal
Course: Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the Malai (The milk sauce)
  • 1/2 cup cashew nuts raw
  • 1 tbsp pistachios about 6-7, raw
  • 1 cup water Use scant cup
  • 3 -4 saffron strands
  • 5-6 tbsp sugar I used half cane and half powdered sugar so that it doesn't add color to the sauce
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cardamom pod seeds
For the Malai Cake:
  • 1/2 cup cashew nuts Use a heaping cup, raw
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • 1 cardamom pod seeds
  • 3-4 saffron strands
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 big salt pinch
  • 3 tbsp vegan cream cheese I use kite hill plain
  • 2 tsp vegan butter or use oil
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
For Garnish:
  • 1 tbsp almond slivered
  • 1 tbsp pistachios raw, chopped

Instructions

For the Milk:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the cashews and pistachios overnight, or at least 4 hours. Then drain well and add to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients, and blend until the mixture is really smooth. It will look like milk, and that's okay. Taste and adjust Sweet and set aside.
For the Malai Cake:
  1. You want to convert the cashews into a flour, so add the cashews, cardamom, cornstarch, and saffron in a blender, and blend for 15 seconds, then start pulsing every few seconds. Use a spoon to move the mixture around so there are no cashews lurking in the corners, and pulse a couple of times more until the mixture is a fine meal. If there are any cashew pieces left, remove them, or try to pulse them in by pulsing a couple more times, and then remove any remaining large cashew pieces from the mixture.
  2. Transfer to a bowl, add the almond flour, salt, cream cheese, butter, and sugar and mix. Press and mix with a spatula, or use your hands to make a dough.
  3. Grease a shallow baking dish, and press this dough onto the dish into a square or rectangle, less than half an inch thick, and even out the edges. You can wet your hands before doing that so that it's not as sticky, or use oil on your hands.
  4. Bake at 275 degrees F (135 C) with the fan on(convection) for 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture feels completely dry on top, and has lightened in color. You can also use regular bake if you don’t have convection
  5. Take the pan out and let it cool for 10-15 minutes, then slice the cake into an inch or inch and a half big squares, and slightly separate it out. The center will feel very soft, so separate out only if it's not breaking into pieces.
  6. Pour the entire sauce mixture all over to submerge the cake.
  7. Garnish with pistachios and almond slivers, and let this mixture chill for at least a few hours before serving

Notes

  • Cashew cream or vegan yogurt can replace vegan cream cheese for alternative texture in the cake.
  • Omitting saffron and adding a drop of vanilla creates a more budget-friendly version.
  • Coconut sugar can be used for refined sugar-free but may darken the milk sauce and cake.
  • Dried rose petals and rose water can enhance visual appeal and aroma.
  • The cashew-pistachio milk alone works well as a standalone dessert garnish.
  • A tres leches cake version uses white cake soaked in milk sauce and topped with whipped coconut cream and pistachios.

Nutrition Information

Calories 298kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 26g (9%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Sodium 158mg (7%) Potassium 166mg (4%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 17g (34%) Vitamin A 63IU (1%) Calcium 37mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 298

% Daily Value*

Calories 298kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 26g 9%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 158mg 7%
Potassium 166mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 17g 34%
Vitamin A 63IU 1%
Calcium 37mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.