This Indian fusion dessert combines the flavors of meetha paan with the classic tres leches where an eggless sponge is soaked with a paan flavored milk. Flavors of gulkand, fennel make this the perfect dessert to serve at your festive parties!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 540 minutes
  • Yield: 9
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian Fusion

Ingredients

Cake

  • ½ cup oil ([adjustable] 120 ml [/adjustable] I used avocado oil but any flavorless oil works)
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar ([adjustable] 100 grams [/adjustable])
  • 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt ([adjustable] 240 grams [/adjustable])
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ([adjustable] 2.5 ml [/adjustable])
  • 1 & ½ cups all purpose flour ([adjustable] 190 grams [/adjustable])
  • 1 & ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Milk Mixture

  • 1 & ¼ cups evaporated milk ([adjustable] 300 ml [/adjustable])
  • 4 large paan leaves ([adjustable] 15 grams [/adjustable])
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ¼ cup gulkand
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk ([adjustable] 120 ml [/adjustable])
  • ½ cup heavy cream ([adjustable] 120 ml [/adjustable])
  • 2 drops green food color (optional)

Whipped Topping

  • 1 & ½ cups heavy whipping cream ([adjustable] 360 ml [/adjustable])
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar ([adjustable] 18 grams [/adjustable])
  • 1 teaspoon rose water
  • 1 drop pink food color (optional)

Method

Make The Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8-inch square pan with oil. To a large bowl, add ½ cup oil (120 ml) and ½ cup sugar (100 grams). Mix using a wire whisk until sugar and oil are well combined and sugar is dissolved.
  2. In another small bowl, add 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (240 grams) and add ½ teaspoon baking soda to it. Gently stir and let it sit for 2 minutes. You will notice that the mixture starts to bubble up which means the baking soda is activated.
  3. Now, add the yogurt-baking soda mixture to the oil and sugar mixture and mix with a whisk until combined. Also add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
  4. Place a large strainer on top of the bowl and add 1 & ½ cups flour (190 grams), 1 & ¼ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt to it. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and gently fold them using a spatula. Do not overmix the batter.
  5. Transfer the cake into the prepared baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I bake mine for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan itself.

Prepare The Milk Mixture

  1. To a blender add 1 & ¼ cup evaporated milk along with 4 large paan peaves (15 grams). Blend until combined. You can also add a couple of drops of green food color to it. Then add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and ¼ cup gulkand and blend again until combined.
  2. Take a large glass jar or bowl and strain this mixture using a strainer to get rid of any bits and pieces. To this strained mixture now, add ½ cup condensed milk and ½ cup heavy cream. Stir well to combine everything.

Pour The Milk Over The Cake

  1. Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over it using chopsticks (or use a fork). Reserve 300 ml of the prepared paan milk for serving and then pour over the rest all over the cake in parts.
  2. Pour ½ cup first on top of the cake and also on the edges and around. Let the cake absorb the liquid and then pour more. Pour slowly, waiting for the cake to absorb liquid and then pour more. Once all the liquid is finished, cover the cake with a cling sheet and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours for the cake to soak up the milk.

Make The Whipped Topping

  1. Add 1 & ½ cup heavy cream to the steel bowl of your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). To that, now add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (18 grams) and 1 teaspoon rose water. You can also add a drop of gel pink food color (optional).
  2. Whisk using the wire whisk attachment on high speed for around 2 to 3 minutes until you get stiff peaks. Be careful not to overbeat else the cream will separate. This time may vary depending on the type of mixer you are using.
  3. Top the cake with the whipped topping. You can just apply it as a layer or pipe it in anyway you like. Decorate with candied fennel, tutti frutti.
  4. Slice the cake into 9 big squares. Place one piece onto your serving plate and pour some of the reserved paan milk around the cake slice and serve. Enjoy!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.