Ras Malai Cupcakes

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!

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Ras Malai Cupcakes

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Fusion, Pakistani

Keyword Cupcakes

Servings 24 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

1. Use cake mix to prepare cupcakes according to box instructions. Cool completely and set aside.

Prepare Filling

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
3. Gently insert the tip into the center of the prepared cupcakes, and squeeze in filling. Set aside.

Prepare Frosting

1. 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.
2. If frosting feels too loose to pipe or spread, refrigerate until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. Pipe or frost cupcakes as desired. Garnish with pistachios and dried rose petals.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.