Several years ago, I came across the concept of a Ras Malai Cake. Ras Malai is a dessert originating from the south Asian subcontinent that consists of flattened cheese balls that are soaked in a creamy cardamom infused milk syrup.
The concept of the fusion style cake intrigued me, and I saved the link to a recipe that I hoped to tackle one day. The years went by, and like many ideas, I seemed to forget about this one as well.
Fast-forward to a few months ago when my friend Zakiya of Blend of Spiceshared on her Instagramthat she not only had a recipe for Ras Malai Cake on her website, but she had also adapted it to form cupcakes! She shared a gorgeous photo and recipe on her stories, and after asking her a few questions, I came to the realization that I couldn’t put it off any longer.
I first made these cupcakes as dessert for an Eid Ul Adha potluck that we hosted. To say these were a hit is a major understatement! I received so many compliments and requests for the recipe, so many that I don’t think I’ve ever received on anything I’ve made!
I had the opportunity to make these again this past weekend for a game night that my friend hosted. I wanted to test the recipe again with my adaptations, and again they delivered stellar reviews! I’m so excited to share the recipe here, and I hope you and your loved ones enjoy these as much as we all have!
Ras Malai Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix (enough to produce 24 cupcakes)
Filling
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Frosting
- 1 (8 ounce) package mascarpone cheese, cold
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ (14 ounce) can condensed milk
- 3 drops Kewra essence (screwpine)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Topping/Garnish
- Crushed pistachios
- Edible dried rose petals
Instructions
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Use cake mix to prepare cupcakes according to box instructions. Cool completely and set aside.
Prepare Filling
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Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
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Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
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Gently insert the tip into the center of the prepared cupcakes, and squeeze in filling. Set aside.
Prepare Frosting
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In a large bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, butter, condensed milk, and Kewra essense until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
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If frosting feels too loose to pipe or spread, refrigerate until it reaches the desired consistency.
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Pipe or frost cupcakes as desired. Garnish with pistachios and dried rose petals.
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Refrigerate until ready to serve.
so so fascinated by this recipe! If I wasn’t heading straight for birthday party season (and less sophisticated palates) I’d make these pronto!
<3
Hi,
in regards to the condensed milk, you mean 7oz right? or do you mean 14 oz is the actual half a can?
Yes, 7 oz total. Sorry about the confusion!
how long in advance can these cupcakes be filled and frosted? im making them for a baby shower and i wasn’t sure if the cupcakes would get soggy if i filled and frosted the night before and stuck them in the fridge. Thank you so much!
sorry for all the questions lol – but can i substitute kewra water instead of the essence
Yes, you can definitely substitute water for essence; just taste as you go! You may need to add a bit more.
And please don’t apologize, that’s what I’m here for 🙂
You can definitely make them the night before! Just make sure they’re refrigerated and you’ll be fine inshAllah 🙂 I’m excited for you to try these, and inshAllah you’ll love them! Drop by and let me know how it goes 🙂
Hi,I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m looking to make my own cake instead of a boxed one, what kind should i make? Like a light angel food cake or a heavy butter cake would work better?
Hi! You can absolutely use your own cake recipe (I haven’t because I haven’t found the recipe for a light and airy vanilla cake). I would suggest something light, as opposed to something dense like pound cake. Happy baking!
Salaam! Can I use yellow cake mix instead of white cake mix for this recipe?
Wsalam! I personally haven’t tried it with yellow cake, but I’m sure it would be equally delicious. The taste might be a bit different, but I can’t imagine it tasting bad lol.
Let me know how it goes!