Festival means food. :-) Deepavali/Diwali, the festival of lights, is right around the corner, and this year, I plan to make some fusion desserts and a few traditional ones as well. Typically my mom makes gulab jamun, kaara boondi mixture, mysore pak, or seven-cup cakes along with the Deepavali legiyam and vellai appam. But there aren’t any set recipes for Deepavali, and you can make sweets and savories of your choice. I love desserts that are perfect for any occasion. This vegan paan cake is a recipe you can make for festivals like Diwali, Holi, or any parties and get-togethers. This soft and spongy cake is so flavorful and definitely a crowd-pleaser. This Diwali, if you are looking for a vegan fusion dessert, try this easy-to-make and straightforward paan cake.
Vegan paan cake
Ingredients
For the paan flavor:
Betel leaves and paan essence – I used fresh betel leaves along with paan essence. I used three big betel leaves for making the juice. Adjust the betel leaves as per the sharpness of its flavor. You can find paan essence in Indian groceries or on amazon online. The strength of the paan flavor depends upon the brand, and some are overpowering. When testing the recipe, I added a little over two drops, and the flavor was intense. So add cautiously. Gulkand – I love meetha paan and the combination of gulkand and paan is so good. Gulkand is rose petals preserve, and it is so refreshing. I got my gulkand from Indian groceries. I added three ingredients for paan flavor and did not add any fennel seeds or cloves. The paan essence gave all those flavors. Green food color is optional, but you can add two drops of vegan-friendly food color for that lovely green color.
Wet ingredients:
We need oil, almond milk mixed with vinegar, paan essence, and some fresh paan juice.
Dry ingredients:
We need all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda.
Nuts:
Just for texture, I added some melon seeds and slivered pistachios. And these nuts are optional.
Dietary specifications
This paan cake is vegan. Skip the nuts and use soy milk for a nut-free version.
How to make Indian paan cake
Prep-work
Prepare paan juice – Remove the stiff stems from the betel leaves and tear them into small pieces. Grind the betel leaves with 40 ml of water and strain the paan juice. Discard the ground leaves. Sift and combine the dry ingredients – In a bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, add the baking soda and baking powder, and mix well.
Prepare the cake pan – I used a 7 X 3 round pan. Grease the pan with oil or flour spray, line the pan’s bottom with parchment paper, and set it aside. Combine the almond milk and vinegar and mix well. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and allow it to curdle.Preheat the oven to 325 deg F.
Make the paan cake batter
In a mixing bowl, add the oil and powdered sugar, and using a hand whisk, mix well.
Add ⅓ portion of the dry ingredients and mix well. Now add half the amount of almond milk-vinegar mixture and gently mix.
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, paan juice, paan essence, green food color, and gulkand.
Gently mix all the ingredients. Now add the remaining dry ingredients and almond milk-vinegar mixture and combine. We are adding wet and dry ingredients alternatively in portions. This helps in a smooth batter.
Finally, add the nuts and fold them in.
Pour this prepared batter into the cake pan and tap it gently to break the air pockets.
Bake the cake
Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 325 deg F for 35 to 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. I baked it for 40 minutes.
I tried baking at 350 deg F for 30 minutes, and there was a light dome, so I tried with reduced baking temperature. It came out well, and the texture was also excellent. Every oven is different, and depending upon the cake pan and size, the timing might differ. So keep an eye after 30 minutes.Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and gently flip the cake. Allow it to cool for 15 more minutes before slicing.
Recipe notes
If you are planning to use sugar syrup, then reduce the powdered sugar to 125 grams.Start adding 1 tsp of vinegar and check if your almond milk is curdling; if not, add 1 to 2 tsps extra or as needed.Instead of oil, you can also use vegetable shortening and soy milk instead of almond milk. I did not use any frosting. You can serve with dairy-free whip cream too or use my rose-flavored cream cheese filling too.
Serving with rose sugar syrup
While the cake is delicious on its own, you can also serve it along with rose sugar syrup. Combine ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar and bring it to a gentle simmer. When the sugar dissolves, add some rose syrup or essence and mix well. Let it cool and store it. You can drizzle this sugar syrup on top of the cake slice before serving. If you plan to use the sugar syrup, reduce the amount of powdered sugar in the cake. You can use 125 to 130 grams instead of 150 grams.
Frequently asked questions
Explore other eggless cakes from the archives
Loved this recipe?
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