Kesar Pista Milk Cake - Indian Milk Cake - Saffron Milk Cake

5 from 14 votes

Pistachio cake soaked in saffron infused milk. Made with ground, roasted pistachios. Eggless recipe.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Indian, indian fusion, middle eastern

Keyword: indian milk cake, kesar pista tres leches, Pistachio cupcakes, Pistachio cupcakes from scratch, saffron milk cake

Servings: pieces

Calories: 336kcal

1 cup all purpose flour 125 g
3/4 cup sugar 160 g - sifted
1/2 cup butter 4 oz/113 g - softened (or vegan substitute Earth Balance)
1 cup roasted pistachios ground finely 110 g - I left some chunks in the mix, optional per taste
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2.5 ml
1 tsp almond extract 5 ml
1/4 tsp salt 2 g
2 tsp baking power 8 g
1 cup whole milk 8 oz or soy milk (sugar free)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 15 ml - white vinegar can be substituted

Roast pistachios and grind into powder. Use 2 tbsp of the flour while grinding to prevent pistachio mixture from becoming pasty.
Sift together all dry ingredients except sugar.
Mix milk with vinegar.
Beat butter on medium until creamy. Slowly beat in sugar until all is incorporated. Beat in extracts.
Alternating between dry ingredients and milk, slowly beat into butter/sugar mixture until all is combined.
Heat oven to 350F and pour into 8x8 cake pan. Line with parchment if you would like to move the cake easily prior to serving. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Check with toothpick to ensure fully baked. Let cool completely before icing so they set up properly.
Then poke many holes with tooth pick so saffron milk can soak into the cake.

Make saffron milk by heating milk and adding saffron and cardamom. Let bloom for 15-20 minutes. Mix in with large milk batch.

Once cake has cooled, pour saffron milk all over cake. Cover and let sit to soak a few minutes.
Whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract on high with a whisk for a few minutes to make fresh whipped cream.
If using store bought whipped cream, let it come to room temperature so it is easier to spread.
Top cake with whipped cream. Garnish with pistachios, rose petals and a few saffron strands.
Cover cake and allow time for cake to set up and absorb milk. Ideally leave it in fridge overnight prior to serving the next day.

Note: giving the cake time to set up overnight is important. The milk will get absorbed and give better texture to the cake.