Love Paan? This Eggless Cake Will Satisfy All Your Cravings

When I first tried paan I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Somehow the idea of chewing on leaves just didn’t seem like the perfect after-dinner treat that everyone made it out to be. But it wasn’t until I started identifying and appreciating each individual flavour that I finally started to understand the nuances of all the elements.

Paan has been a staple of Indian culture for thousands of years with a variety of different types. Originating from the Sanskrit word ‘Parna’ which means ‘leaf’ and in particular references the betel leaf. From mythology to Ayurveda, its 5000-year history and medicinal value is well documented within India and beyond. North, south, east, west. Paan is enjoyed in a variety of forms across the country and although there are nuances such as with Banarasi paan or the more modern chocolate paan, they’re all cherished as a part of a daily meal or on special occasions.

This recipe for Paan Cake takes all the core flavours of traditional paan and transposes them to a more international avatar. Infusing a cake batter with the unmistakable essence of betel leaves and nuts gives this cake a unique Indian feel with the familiar texture and consistency of any other cake. So if you have friends or relatives that consider a meal incomplete without paan, this could be their new favourite dessert.

Ingredients:

• 100 gm butter
• 150 gm sugar
• 4-5 large betel leaves
• 2 packs betel nuts
• 1 tsp fennel
• 1 tbsp gulkand
• 170 gm all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 200 ml milk
• 100 ml curd
• 20 gms crushed pistachios
• Green food colouring

Method:

• Preheat an oven to 175°C.
• Grease, line and dust a 7″ cake tin and keep it ready.
• Remove the stalk from the betel leaves and tear them into small pieces.
• Grind it in a mixer with a little water.
• Pour this into a strainer and press it to remove all the extract. Add some milk to the jar and pour it into the strainer.
• Add some food colour to the strained betel milk and mix it well.
• In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
• In another bowl cream together butter and sugar.
• Add in fennel seeds, flavoured betel nuts and gulkand and whisk until combined.
• Add curd and mix well.
• Now add ⅓ milk and use a spatula to mix.
• Add half the flour mixture and fold it gently.
• Again add a portion of milk and the remaining flour.
• Fold them together and add the remaining milk and mix until a smooth batter forms.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and top it with sliced pistachios.
• Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Allow the tin to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
• Loosen the sides of the cake, flip it onto a plate, remove the tin and the lining paper and flip it back to wire rack.
• Allow it to cool completely before slicing.