This desi ghee cake is an aromatic cake which is an absolute delight to eat. It is loaded with rich flavor and aroma of desi ghee or clarified butter. The crumb is soft, light, spongy, fluffy and super moist and above all - heavenly. This cake is melt-in-your-mouth good. Your whole house will have an aroma of ghee when you will bake this cake. This cake is better than the ones you'll find in any famous bakery. It is an absolute treat to eat.
This desi ghee cake has a special place in my heart because it is a speciality cake from my homeland Pakistan. Imagine a pound cake which is made with desi ghee. Desi ghee is basically clarified butter and very commonly used in South Asian cooking and baking.
Technically, this cake is just like my butter cake but with more flavor and aroma. The reason for more flavor is that butter has a lot of water content, whereas desi ghee is made with clarified butter, which means it has more fat content than the butter, which results in richly flavored bakes.
I am a pound cake lover and over the time I have shared numerous pound cake recipes such as Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake, Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake and Southern Pecan Praline Cake.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works?
- The best part of this ghee cake recipe is that it is super easy and simple to bake.
- It is the most authentic recipe you'll find for desi ghee cake.
- This is a bakery style ghee cake.
- It is a very delicious cake.
- You need a few basic ingredients to bake this ghee cake recipe.
- Be ready to receive compliments for this cake from friends and family alike.
- Enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee, or serve at any special occasion.
- Even if you're baking it for the first time, you'll get great results.
- This cake will be even better the next day.
What Is Desi Ghee?
Desi ghee is very commonly used in cooking in Pakistan, my home country. All the yummy curries and desserts are incomplete without this simple yet very powerful source of fat.
Desi ghee is made with pure cow's milk. The first step is to put the cow butter on low heat on a stovetop for hours. During this slow heat process the water evaporate and you are left with milk solids. The milk solids (which is desi ghee) are are then strained and stored.
Traditionally, in Pakistan and India, the villagers still churn the buttermilk and then heat the butter at the right low temperature (under 100 F) for hours before your can get desi ghee. Because desi ghee requires a lot of effort, it is expensive as well.
The fat quantity is higher in desi ghee than butter. Desi ghee has 62 % fat, which are all saturated fats. Ghee has a lot of nutrients. It includes fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in it as well.
Desi ghee is a good source of amino acids, Omega 3 & 6. Moderate consumption of desi ghee can also help to improve the lipid profile as it lowers the LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases the HDL (good cholesterol). Ghee is also a great source of the necessary amino acids as well as Omega 3 and 6.
Desi ghee is grainy and is golden-ish in color.
Ingredients
Pro Tip # 1 - Room Temperature Ingredients
Always use room temperature ingredients (unless otherwise specified) for baking. Ingredients such as butter, eggs and other dairy ingredients like milk, sour cream, yogurt form an emulsion by trapping air inside the batter. The trapped air expands in the oven resulting in perfect baked treats.
- All-purpose flour: gives structure to this cake.
- Baking soda + baking powder: gives lift to this bake.
- Desi ghee: is the hero of this recipe. It is the fat for this cake.
- Castor sugar: used for sweetness in the cake.
- Milk: adds moisture to the cake and adds protein, color and flavor.
- Eggs: binds the batter together and helps with lifting of the bake.
- Vanilla extract: adds aroma to the cake.
- Cardamom powder: adds flavor to the cake.
- Salt: balances the sweetness and adds to the flavor.
Pro Tip # 2 - Digital Scale
Use a digital scale to measure all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients. To measure with cup, fluff up the all-purpose flour container using a spoon, then scoop out the flour with spoon into the measuring cup. Never scoop out of the container. It may result in more flour than required resulting in dense bakes.
Instructions
These are basic process shots for this recipe. For detailed instructions refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, add the eggs and beat until they are double in volume.
3. Add vanilla extract.
4. Add castor sugar.
5. Beat until the sugar and eggs are mixed for about 2 - 3 minutes.
6. Add milk and desi ghee (at room temperature).
7. Beat until combined.
8. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
9. Mix until just combined.
10. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake.
Equipment
- 9'' square pan or 9'' round pan.
- Rubber spatula.
- Electric beater.
- Digital scales.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
Variations
- Serve with Berries: Serve this cake with the choice of your berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.
- Ice-cream: Serve the cake with vanilla ice-cream or scoop of any ice-cream of your choice.
Expert Tips
Do Not Overmix: after mixing the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Over-beating or overmixing will develop strands of gluten that will result in a tough or hard cake.
Do Not Overbake: Keep an eye on the oven while the cake is baking. Check around 35 minutes and if a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, it means the cake is ready.
Cool the Cake: Once the cake is out of the oven, it is very important to let the cake cool down completely before taking it out of the pan. It will take about 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, I once tried it and this cake batter was too much for the loaf pan. Bake it in a 9'' pan, it will ensure easy and uniform baking.
There are a lot of possibilities. Probably, you didn't follow the recipe well or your oven temperature is off by a few degrees that can result in uneven baking. Always use an oven thermometer to ensure baking at right temperature.
How To Store
- This cake will stay fresh in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Place this cake in the fridge for a week, easily.
- Place the cake pieces on a tray in the freezer. Once the pieces are hard, take them out, wrap them in a plastic wrap and add a layer of foil. The place the pieces in an airtight container or a ziploc bag. Keep in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, once ready to eat.
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Recipe
Desi Ghee Cake
Equipment
- 9'' Square or round cake pan.
- 1 Electric Mixer
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Digital Scale
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (240 g)
- 1 cup castor sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup desi ghee (clarified butter) (237 g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (10 g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.25 g)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk (237 ml)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (2 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom powder together. Whisk and set aside.
- Take a large bowl and put eggs in it. Beat them with an electric beater for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Now mix the sugar and beat for another 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Add the ghee and milk and mix until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter in the prepared cake pan.
- Bake the cake for about 40 - 45 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Do Not Overbake: Keep an eye on the oven while the cake is baking. Check around 35 minutes and if a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, it means the cake is ready.
Cool the Cake: Once the cake is out of the oven, it is very important to let the cake cool down completely before taking it out of the pan. It will take about 30 minutes.
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