paal cake recipe | eggless soft & juicy milk cake | malabar milk cake with detailed photo and video recipe. a popular and tasty dessert recipe from the kerala cuisine made with milk powder and plain flour. it is a classical south indian dessert recipe known for its gulab jamun like texture and appearance, yet has to offer different taste and flavour. it is generally made for occasions and celebrations as dessert, but can also be served as a tea time snack.
as i was explaining earlier, this recipe of malabar milk cake is very similar to the gulab jamun recipe, yet there are striking differences. firstly, the traditional recipe is made with egg yolk with flour and milk powder. adding egg yolk helps to make the cake soft and spongy, but i have skipped that part. i have added baking powder which helps to give the same effect and texture. secondly, the shape of this sweet is very similar to the barfi or like a biscuit. the main reason is due to the fact that it is also served as a tea time snack and the bar like shape helps to perceive it as a snack. the other main difference is its softness. i personally believe gulab jamun is softer compared to this milk cake. this is perhaps due to the fact that paal cake is not dipped in sugar syrup forever until it is served.
furthermore, some more additional tips suggestions and variations to this classical paal cake recipe. firstly, if you are comfortable with egg yolk, then you should be using it. egg yolk helps to make it soft and also expand when deep-fried. if you are adding egg yolk you may have to skip the baking powder as it is used for the same purpose. secondly, there isn’t any hard and fast rule to use the bar shape for this dessert recipe. you may also shape it like a roll or even as like gulab jamun. lastly, if you feel you need softer and juicier paal cake, you may dip it in the sugar syrup for more time. perhaps you can also heat it so that the paal cake absorbs the juice.
finally, i request you to check my other related dessert recipes collection with this post of paal cake recipe. it mainly includes my other related recipe variations like pal payasam, paal poli, no bake swiss roll, cupcakes, chocolate mug cake, banana cake, custard cake, rava cake, vanilla cake, ice cream cake. further to these i would also like to mention my other related recipe categories like,
paal cake video recipe:
recipe card for eggless soft & juicy milk cake recipe:
paal cake recipe | eggless soft & juicy milk cake | malabar milk cake
Ingredients
for paal cake:
- 1 cup milk powder, unsweetened
- 1½ cup maida
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
- warm milk, for kneading
- oil, for frying
for sugar syrup:
- 1½ cup sugar
- 2 pods cardamom
- 1½ cup water
Instructions
- firstly, in a large bowl take 1 cup milk powder, 1½ cup maida, ¼ tsp cardamom powder and ½ tsp baking powder.
- mix well making sure everything is well combined.
- add 2 tbsp ghee and mix forming a moist flour.
- add ½ cup warm milk and start to knead.
- knead to a smooth and soft dough adding milk as required.
- roll the dough to slightly thick thickness.
- now cut into a rectangular shape using a scale to get a perfect size.
- drop into hot oil and fry on low flame.
- stir occasionally and fry until it turns golden brown.
- drain off the pieces to remove excess oil. keep aside.
- in a large vessel take 1½ cup sugar, 2 pods cardamom and 1½ cup water.
- stir and boil for 5 minutes or until sugar syrup turns sticky. do not attain 1 string consistency.
- now pour hot sugar syrup over the fried pieces.
- dip completely, and allow to soak for 2 hours or until the pieces absorb the sugar syrup.
- finally, enjoy paal cake garnished with chopped nuts.
Nutrition
how to make paal cake with step by step photo:
- firstly, in a large bowl take 1 cup milk powder, 1½ cup maida, ¼ tsp cardamom powder and ½ tsp baking powder.
- mix well making sure everything is well combined.
- add 2 tbsp ghee and mix forming a moist flour.
- add ½ cup warm milk and start to knead.
- knead to a smooth and soft dough adding milk as required.
- roll the dough to slightly thick thickness.
- now cut into a rectangular shape using a scale to get a perfect size.
- drop into hot oil and fry on low flame.
- stir occasionally and fry until it turns golden brown.
- drain off the pieces to remove excess oil. keep aside.
- in a large vessel take 1½ cup sugar, 2 pods cardamom and 1½ cup water.
- stir and boil for 5 minutes or until sugar syrup turns sticky. do not attain 1 string consistency.
- now pour hot sugar syrup over the fried pieces.
- dip completely, and allow to soak for 2 hours or until the pieces absorb the sugar syrup.
- finally, enjoy paal cake garnished with chopped nuts.
notes:
- firstly, make sure to fry on low flame, else the cake will remain uncooked from inside.
- additionally, for rich flavour, you can add kesar in sugar syrup.
- also, in place of maida, you can use wheat flour as a healthy alternative.
- finally, paal cake recipe tastes great for a week when refrigerated.