This easy eggless waffle recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients. They are delicately crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. They taste just like regular waffles even though they are made without eggs!
Have you ever planned on treating your family to some delicious waffles only to find out that you ran out of eggs? Well, no problem! The good news is that you CAN make waffles without eggs!
When you are hit with your next waffle cravings, ditch the box mix and try making this delicious eggless waffle recipe from scratch! I bet you will never go back to any box mix cause nothing beats fresh homemade waffles.
I’ve made this waffle recipe without eggs countless times now, even when I have eggs lying around in the fridge. Well, at least there is one less hassle of whipping the egg whites separately!
They have a beautiful golden color and always turn out just like the real deal waffles, buttery, wonderfully crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside!
- Why you will love this recipe?
- Ingredients needed
- How to make eggless waffle recipe – Step-by-step instructions
- Serving suggestions
- Storage instructions
- Tips to make the best eggless waffle recipe
- Variations
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Some general tips on handling your waffle maker
- You may also enjoy these easy breakfast recipes without eggs
- Eggless Waffle recipe
Why you will love this recipe?
☑ Quick and easy recipe
☑ Perfect for those with egg allergies or vegetarians who don’t consume eggs
☑ They taste just like waffles made with eggs
☑ Perfectly crispy exterior and soft and fluffy on the inside
☑ Does not need any special ingredients, you most likely have everything in your pantry
☑ Can be made ahead and frozen for quick weekday homemade breakfasts
☑ Also great for dessert 😀
Ingredients needed
To make this easy eggless waffle recipe you will need;
Flour: Just regular, all-purpose flour will do.
Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda.
Salt: Enhances the flavor of the waffles.
Vinegar: Added to milk to make homemade buttermilk.
Milk: Milk is used in two parts in this recipe. Part of it is used to make buttermilk and the other part is added later to the wet ingredients. I prefer using both milk and buttermilk because it yields the perfect eggless waffle recipe. Buttermilk makes these waffles flavorful, light, and fluffy. Milk helps in making these waffles crispier. I’ve tried making these eggless waffles using all buttermilk and all milk and finally, the combination of both was what worked the best as suggested by Fine Cooking .
Sugar: I’ve used castor sugar. Regular granulated cane sugar such as Domino’s will work just as fine. Sugar also helps in the caramelization and crisping up of the waffle.
Butter: I’ve used unsalted melted butter for this recipe. If using salted butter, simply skip adding the salt.
Vanilla extract: I’ve added some vanilla extract to flavor these eggless waffles. You could leave it out if you wish to.
How to make eggless waffle recipe – Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare buttermilk
Add 1½ cups of whole milk to a medium mixing bowl. Add 1½ tablespoons of white distilled vinegar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle, and that’s buttermilk. ( Photos 1 to 4 )
Step 2: Dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, sift 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, add ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt, and whisk well. Set aside. ( Photos 5 to 10 )
Step 3:Liquid ingredients
After 5 to 10 minutes the milk will curdle and this is what it will look like. ( Photo 11 )
After 5 minutes, add the remaining ½ cup of milk, 3 tablespoons of castor sugar, 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, and 6 tablespoons of unsalted melted butter. Whisk well. ( Photos 12 to 17 )
Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix just until combined and no more flour streaks are visible. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. ( Photos 18 to 21 )
Step 5: Cook waffles
Preheat the waffle iron as per the manufacturer’s instructions. ( Photo 22 )
Grease the waffle iron with oil or melted butter using a silicone brush. Pour ½ cup (or the recommended amount) of the batter and cook until golden and crispy. (It takes my waffle iron about 6 minutes). ( Photos 23 to 27 )
Waffles are done when the steam stops coming out of the sides of the waffle maker. Do not be tempted to open it before that or it will cause the waffle to split in half.
Transfer the waffles to a cooling rack or in a 200° F oven over a rack to keep them warm and crispy. ( Photo 28 )
Repeat with the remaining batter to make more waffles. ( Photos 29 to 33 )
Be sure to reheat the waffle iron between batches and also grease the plates each time before use.
Serving suggestions
My favorite way to dress up these waffles is with a dab of butter and maple syrup!
Here are a couple of topping suggestions for these egg-free waffles. You could use any one or a combination of some of these yummy toppings.
- Agave nectar or honey
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Condensed milk
- Hazelnut spread with banana slices or berries
- A dusting of powdered sugar
- Chocolate syrup and chocolate chips
- Peanut butter or any other nut butter and jelly
- Ice cream for dessert
- Sliced nuts
You can also consider having a waffle bar for your next brunch party! It will cater to all your guests at large as this recipe can be adapted to suit dietary requirements.
Storage instructions
Leftovers: These egg-free waffles taste best when made fresh. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container and consume them within 2 to 3 days.
Freeze: Make a double batch and freeze these waffles for a hassle-free breakfast for rushed mornings! Here is how to go about it;
- Allow the waffles to cool down completely.
- Then place them on a parchment-lined baking tray in a single layer and freeze for about 2 hours or until frozen.
- Place the frozen waffles in a plastic freezer bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. I like to portion them out into single servings.
- Label the contents, and freeze for up 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat the frozen waffles either in a toaster, toaster oven, oven, or air fryer. Avoid using a microwave as it will just turn out soggy.
- Oven: Place the frozen waffles over the baking rack in a single layer and reheat at 300° F for (about 15 minutes for frozen) and (about 9 to 10 minutes for refrigerated) or until heated through. Add a couple of minutes more to achieve your desired crispiness.
- Air fryer: Place the frozen waffles in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may use a stand if you want to reheat more waffles. Air fry at 180° C/350° F for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Leftover waffles that were refrigerated can be air-fried at 180° C/350° F for about 1 to 2 minutes or until your desired doneness.
Tips to make the best eggless waffle recipe
Here are some important tips to keep in mind when it comes to making these egg-free waffles!
Room temperature ingredients: This will help the wet ingredients to blend better, especially when you add the melted butter into the buttermilk +milk mixture.
Check your baking powder and soda: Since the recipe relies heavily on these two ingredients to help the waffle rise, please make sure you are using fresh baking powder and soda. Make sure they are aluminum-free to avoid any bitter metallic aftertaste.
Do not over-mix the waffle batter: Overmixing will result in the development of gluten strands and result in tougher waffles. Tiny lumps are fine in the batter, it need not be super smooth. If you feel you may overmix using a whisk, then I suggest using a silicone spatula to gently fold the ingredients as you would with cake batter.
Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes: This helps the flour soak up the liquid and hydrate which gives the gluten a chance to relax.
Keep the cooked waffles on a cooling rack: Avoid placing the cooked waffles on a plate as they will get soggy from the bottom. Place them on a cooling rack in a single layer. To keep waffles crisp for longer, place the cooked waffles in a 200° F oven directly over the baking rack in a single layer while you continue cooking the rest of the waffles. This will ensure that the waffles continue to stay crisp until served.
Variations
I’ve tested 4 variations of this eggless waffle recipe. So feel free to switch things around if you need a change.
Chocolate (our favorite!): Add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Increase the sugar to 1/3 or 1/2 cup. Adjust the consistency with a couple of tablespoons of milk if needed.
Whole wheat eggless waffles: Waffles made entirely with wheat flour tend to be really dense and have a strong nutty taste. I suggest you swap half of the flour with whole wheat flour the first time you make it. If you like the taste then you can replace the flour with wheat flour entirely. You will need to adjust the consistency of the batter by adding about 1/4 cup more milk if using only wheat flour.
Oats waffles (a healthier touch): You cannot substitute the flour with oat flour in a 1:1 ratio by volume since oat flour is lighter than all-purpose flour. Swap the flour with the same quantity by weight of oat flour. Everything else will stay the same.
Eggless savory waffles: For a savory spin, fold about 1 cup of freshly grated cheese (cheddar cheese is great) into the batter. 1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese can also be added. You can also add a pinch of dried herbs like rosemary, parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc, or a couple of tablespoons of fresh herbs. Some finely chopped veggies like onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, or grated carrots, beets, etc can also be added to make it wholesome. You may also add some veggie puree like spinach puree, carrot puree, mashed potatoes, etc, and adjust the liquid accordingly. Add some freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes for a punch of heat. Also, skip the sugar or reduce it to 1 to 2 teaspoons.
Flavor the batter: You can use other ingredients like ground nutmeg, all-spice, pumpkin pie spice, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, etc to flavor the waffles. This eggless waffle recipe is a blank canvas, you can flavor the base or go big on the toppings 😀
Sugar: You can swap the sugar with maple syrup or brown sugar.
Mix-ins: You can add chopped fruits like apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or even chocolate chips (yum!).
What is the difference between Belgian and regular waffles?
Belgian waffles are thicker, larger, and have deeper pockets than American-style waffles. They are also made using yeast which gives them their signature light and airy texture on the inside. Regular waffles are leavened with baking powder and baking soda.
Can I make this eggless waffle recipe without a waffle maker?
The best alternative would be to use a silicone waffle mold. Transfer the batter to the mold and bake in a 200° C/ 400° F oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
You can also consider investing in a stovetop waffle maker. The other alternatives would be to try making them in a sandwich maker, or a grill pan but they won’t have the same look as waffles.
Can I use store-bought buttermilk?
Of course, you can! You will need to adjust the consistency by adding a couple of tablespoons more milk or water since store-bought buttermilk is thicker than the homemade one.
How to make these waffles vegan?
You can replace the milk with plant-based milk of your choice and the butter with oil, vegan butter, or margarine.
I’ve tested this recipe with oil and it works out just as well. Add a teaspoon or so of butter extract for that butter flavor, just make sure it’s vegan.
Can I skip the vinegar?
I did try a batch using only milk. Though they tuned out great, they seriously lacked flavor. It was very bland for my liking. The buttermilk adds a wonderful flavor and texture to these egg-free waffles. If you don’t like to use vinegar, use lemon juice instead.
Can I make the batter the night before?
Unfortunately, no! I tested a small portion of the batter and did not work out well. The leavening agents lost their effectiveness, the batter did not rise well and the resultant waffles were pretty flat, dense, rubbery, and had a pale white color.
Though I haven’t tried this, you can probably make the batter and skip the baking powder and soda. Add them when you are ready to make the waffles.
How to keep the waffles warm?
Before starting with the batter prep, preheat your oven to 200° F (93°C). This temperature is just right, enough to keep the waffles warm and maintain the crispiness without drying them out.
Pop the waffles from the waffle maker into the preheated oven, directly over the rack or on a baking tray lined with a wired rack. The rack allows the air to circulate around the waffles, which helps to keep the waffles warm and crispy.
Avoid stacking the waffles or they will get soggy! Spread them in a single layer over the rack.
Can I use this recipe to make eggless pancakes?
Yes! You can use this batter to make pancakes too. Even though waffle batters typically contain more fat and leavening agents than that required for a pancake batter, this recipe will still work in a pinch. If your intention is to make just pancakes, then reduce the melted butter to 4 tablespoons, sugar to 2 tablespoons, and baking powder to 2 teaspoons.
Some general tips on handling your waffle maker
Know your waffle maker: Not all waffle makers are the same! Depending on your need and usage you can invest in the higher-end models or just buy a regular waffle maker.
Some waffle makers have timers or temperature control which are pretty cool features. The one I’m using has 3 in 1 interchangeable plate but it doesn’t have temperature control or a timer, but it serves the purpose satisfactorily.
Some waffle makers may need more batter, while some may take a longer time to cook the waffles. So do a test run for the first waffle to get an idea of the amount of batter and the cooking time needed to achieve your perfect waffle.
Make sure the waffle iron is sizzling hot: This is one of the keys to crispy waffles. After every batch, make sure you are reheating the waffle iron until it is really hot. You should be able to hear the sizzling sound when the batter hits the iron.
Grease the waffle iron plates well: There is enough fat in the recipe so ideally, the batter should not stick to the plates. But like I mentioned, every waffle maker is different. So do remember to grease the plates with some sort of fat. Melted butter or oil both work well. I personally do not like to use oil spray for the waffle plate as it eventually leads to a build-up of residue which is difficult to clean.
An indication that the waffle is cooked: You will know the waffles are cooked when steam dissipates from the sides of the waffle maker.
You may also enjoy these easy breakfast recipes without eggs
Eggless French toast
Instant Pot steel-cut oats
Yogurt parfait with granola and fruit compote
Have you made this recipe?
I would love to hear from you! Please be sure to share your feedback and/or give this recipe a rating in the comment below. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too.
You can also FOLLOW me on Facebook , Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
Eggless Waffle recipe
Ingredients1x2x3x
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 285 grams
- 3 teaspoons baking powder, 12 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 g
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk, divided, 500 ml
- 1½ tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, 20 ml
- 3 tablespoons castor sugar, 45 grams
- 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, 85 grams
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 10 ml
Instructions
Prepare buttermilk
- Add 1½ cups milk to a medium mixing bowl. Add vinegar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle, and that’s buttermilk.
Dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, add fine sea salt, and whisk well. Set aside.
Liquid ingredients
- After 5 minutes, add the remaining ½ cup of milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and unsalted melted butter. Whisk well.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and mix just until combined and no more flour streaks are visible. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Cook waffles
- Preheat the waffle iron as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Grease the waffle iron with oil or melted butter using a silicon brush. Pour ½ cup (or the recommended amount) of the batter and cook until golden and crispy. (It takes my waffle iron about 6 minutes).
- Waffles are done when the steam stops coming out of the sides of the waffle maker. Do not be tempted to open it before that or it will cause the waffle to split in half.
- Transfer the waffles to a cooling rack or in a 200° F oven over a rack to keep them warm and crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to make more waffles.
- Be sure to reheat the waffle iron between batches and also grease the plates each time before use.
Video
Notes
- Kindly refer to the serving suggestions , storage instructions , recipe tips , variations , and FAQs for more info related to this post!
- Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutrition info listed are approximate values that are calculated using an online nutrition calculator. It does not include the calories for maple syrup and toppings. If you rely on them for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.
- Measuring cup used, 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
Nutrition
Eggless Waffle recipe
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 285 grams
- 3 teaspoons baking powder, 12 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 g
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk, divided, 500 ml
- 1½ tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, 20 ml
- 3 tablespoons castor sugar, 45 grams
- 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, 85 grams
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 10 ml
Instructions
Prepare buttermilk
- Add 1½ cups milk to a medium mixing bowl. Add vinegar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle, and that’s buttermilk.
Dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, add fine sea salt, and whisk well. Set aside.
Liquid ingredients
- After 5 minutes, add the remaining ½ cup of milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and unsalted melted butter. Whisk well.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and mix just until combined and no more flour streaks are visible. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Cook waffles
- Preheat the waffle iron as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Grease the waffle iron with oil or melted butter using a silicon brush. Pour ½ cup (or the recommended amount) of the batter and cook until golden and crispy. (It takes my waffle iron about 6 minutes).
- Waffles are done when the steam stops coming out of the sides of the waffle maker. Do not be tempted to open it before that or it will cause the waffle to split in half.
- Transfer the waffles to a cooling rack or in a 200° F oven over a rack to keep them warm and crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to make more waffles.
- Be sure to reheat the waffle iron between batches and also grease the plates each time before use.
Video
Notes
- Kindly refer to the serving suggestions , storage instructions , recipe tips , variations , and FAQs for more info related to this post!
- Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutrition info listed are approximate values that are calculated using an online nutrition calculator. It does not include the calories for maple syrup and toppings. If you rely on them for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.
- Measuring cup used, 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
Nutrition
This eggless rava cake is an incredibly easy cake recipe for beginners. It is sweet, dense, and moist. It can also be enjoyed as a quick snack.
Rava cake is a pretty popular Indian cake and is really easy to make at home. It does not require any special equipment or expertise, which makes it a perfect beginner’s cake. You can hardly mess up this cake, it is so forgiving!
- What is rava cake?
- Why you will love this sooji cake?
- Ingredients needed to make sooji cake
- How to make eggless rava cake – Step-by-step instructions
- Serving suggestions
- Storage instructions
- Recipe Tips
- Variations
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- You may also enjoy these eggless cake recipes
- Rava Cake | Sooji Cake | Semolina Cake (Eggless)
What is rava cake?
Rava also known as sooji, suji, or sugee are Hindi words for semolina. Hence this cake is also known as sooji cake or suji cake!
Semolina is a product of durum wheat. It is made by grinding husked durum wheat grains. Since it is derived from wheat, rava is not gluten-free.
The use of rava is quite popular in Indian cuisine, from savory to dessert recipes.
Rava cake is a simple cake made primarily with rava and other basic ingredients that go into making a cake, and hence the name!
This sooji cake is very similar to the Middle Eastern basbousa and my Goan Baath Cake. Both these cakes are traditionally made with eggs. For baath cake, the batter needs to sit overnight before being baked.
This rava tea cake, on the other hand, is a quick one, the batter needs to sit for at least 30 minutes. This is because the semolina absorbs the liquid and fluffs up.
You can actually see each and every semolina particle perfectly fluffed up in the baked cake!
I love the rava cake from Iyengar bakery. In fact, they have such an awesome array of tea-time cakes that are really simple yet so good. Just like the kinds I love!
But honestly, you don’t need to visit the bakery to enjoy this cake, especially if you live out of India! You can easily make this cake at home and enjoy it as much as you’d from the bakery!
If you are a beginner in baking, you should start off with this easy semolina cake. It is one of the simplest cake recipes ever!
Why you will love this sooji cake?
This sooji cake;
☑ Is an easy, one-bowl cake recipe
☑ Is made without any eggs
☑ Can also be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack
☑ Does not need any gadgets such as a stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients needed to make sooji cake
Semolina: Use the fine variety of rava, also known as Bombay rava for this recipe.
Flour: A small quantity of flour is added to this recipe to give the cake a softer texture and structure. You could also use cake flour instead.
Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda.
Salt: Salt accentuates the flavor of the cake.
Oil: I’ve used sunflower oil. Feel free to use any neutral flavored oil.
Curd/yogurt: This is used as a substitute for the eggs.
Milk: I’ve used full-fat milk. but I think skimmed milk will work fine too.
Sugar: I’ve used castor sugar. You may also use powdered sugar.
Vanilla extract: To flavor the cake.
Tutti-frutti: These are nothing but candied papaya. I’ve added them to make an eggless tutti frutti rava cake. It adds an interesting texture and a pop of color to the cake.
How to make eggless rava cake – Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pan
Grease an 8-inch cake pan with a little oil or oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. ( Photos 1 and 2 )
Step 2: Semolina cake batter
Measure out ½ cup tutti-frutti, and add a teaspoon of flour to coat them. Set aside. ( Photos 3 and 4 )
In a sufficiently large bowl, add ½ cup curd/yogurt, and whisk it well to get rid of any lumps. ( Photos 5 and 6 )
Then add ¾ cup castor sugar, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and mix until well combined. ( Photos 7 to 11 )
Next, add ¾ cup of whole milk, and whisk until all the ingredients are well combined. ( Photos 12 to 14 )
Add 1¼ cup of fine semolina and ¼ teaspoon table salt to the liquid ingredients, mix well, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes. ( Photos 15 to 18 )
After 15 minutes of resting the batter, preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
After 30 minutes, the semolina will have absorbed the liquid, and the batter will become thicker. ( Photo 19 )
Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl containing the semolina batter, and sift ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. ( Photos 20 to 23 )
Fold gently using a spatula, until no more flour pockets are visible. Do not overmix the batter. ( Photo 24 )
Add the tutti frutti, and fold in gently. ( Photos 25 and 26 )
Step 3: Bake
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Top with more tutti-frutti. ( Photos 27 to 29 )
Bake on the middle rack, for about 40 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. ( Photo 30 )
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes.
Then remove from the pan and cool on the rack completely. ( Photos 31 and 32 )
Cut into desired pieces and serve.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this rava cake as such with a cup of your favorite beverage. Perfect to accompany your evening chai .
You can dress it up by topping a slice of the cake with some whipped cream and fresh berries or fruit compote. A drizzle of caramel or chocolate syrup would also great!
Storage instructions
Store this eggless rava cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
If you live in a hot and humid place, it’s best to refrigerate the cake. It will last for about 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. You may warm it in the microwave if you like.
Recipe Tips
Room temperature ingredients: Always plan ahead and let your ingredients such as curd (yogurt), and milk reach room temperature. Room temperature ingredients help them to combine better.
Fresh curd and rava: Use fresh curd for this recipe, as the sourness of the curd will ruin the taste of this cake. Also, make sure the rava you use is fresh and not stale as that can ruin the taste of this cake as well.
Sweetness: The cake is not overly sweet. You may increase the sugar to 1 cup if you prefer a sweeter cake.
For coarse variety of semolina: If you have the coarse variety of semolina, simply pulse it 4-5 times in the blender and use it in this recipe.
Color of the cake: Do not worry if your cake does not brown as shown in the pics. Overbaking to achieve the brown color will dry out the cake. In my 52 liters, Morphy Richards oven the top browned well, but the sides were a pale golden color. When I baked this cake 4 years ago in my gas range oven in the US, it browned uniformly on top and the sides. So the color of the cake will depend on your oven to an extent.
Baking time: Again, the baking time will differ from one oven to another depending on the make, the capacity, etc of the oven. Keep an eye out after 35 minutes. The cake is usually done within 50 minutes for an 8-inch pan. A 7-inch round pan will take about 60 minutes.
Cut the cake only when it is cool: The cake is quite delicate when it is still warm and slicing it will only cause it to crumble. Allow the cake to cool down completely before slicing.
Variations
Rose, saffron, and cardamom flavored rava cake: Skip the vanilla extract and add 1/2 teaspoon of rose extract and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder. Replace 1/4 cup of the total 3/4 cup of milk with saffron infused milk. To do that, mix a fat pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup of hot milk and set aside until it reaches room temperature.
Other flavors: You can also use other flavors like pineapple essence/extract, orange extract + orange zest, lemon extract + lemon zest, butterscotch essence, etc to flavor this cake instead of vanilla.
Suji mango cake: Try another version of this cake, Mango semolina cupcake (eggless) . It is equally delicious!
Sooji atta cake: Swap the refined flour with 1/4 cup of atta (wheat flour).
Rava cake with eggs: If you wish to add eggs, simply replace the yogurt with 2 large eggs.
Sugar syrup: Just like basbousa, this cake can be soaked in sugar syrup to make it super moist. For the sugar syrup, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and allow the syrup to cool down completely. When the cake is slightly warm, poke some holes into the cake with a skewer or toothpick and drizzle the cooled syrup all over the cake. If you plan on doing this, then reduce the sugar to 1/3 to 1/2 cup in the recipe to avoid an overly sweet cake.
Bundt cake or loaf cake: You can also use a 6-cup bundt pan or a standard loaf pan to make a bundt-shaped semolina cake or semolina loaf cake.
Mix-ins: Instead of tutti-frutti, you can add coarsely chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, or chocolate chips, etc. Sugar or honey syrup: For an extra moist cake, you can drizzle some simple or honey syrup as it is done for basbousa.
How to make rava cake in the pressure cooker?
Follow these steps to make the cake in the cooker;
- Use a 5-liter pressure cooker, and remove the gasket and the weight. Cover the bottom of the cooker with about a cup of salt.
- Place a heat-proof stand. Close the cooker with the lid, and preheat on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to a 7 or 8-inch round or square cake pan. Place the cake pan (no need to cover the cake pan) carefully with the help of tongs. Excercise precaution as the cooker is hot.
- Secure the lid of the cooker tightly (no gasket nor weight). Cook on medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes. Check for doneness test with a toothpick. If it is not done after 40 to 45 minutes, bake it for 5-10 minutes more.
Can I use melted butter or ghee instead of oil?
You may substitute oil with melted butter or melted ghee. But, honestly, I prefer this cake better made with oil, as it keeps it moist.
Can I substitute the sugar with jaggery?
I’ve not tried this cake with jaggery, but I think it will work out fine. I’d simply swap the same amount of sugar with powdered jaggery as I did in my eggless atta cake .
Do I need to roast the rava before using it in the recipe?
No, there is no need to roast the rava for this recipe. Use it as such.
Can I make this rava cake without curd?
Sure, you can! Condensed milk is also used as a substitute for eggs, so you can use that instead of yogurt. Use 1/2 cup of condensed milk in the recipe and reduce the sugar to 1/3 or 1/2 cup, depending on your desired sweetness.
Do I need to grind the rava to a fine powder?
Rava gives this cake a very unique, granular texture unlike regular cakes made entirely with refined flour. The texture of rava cake is like a hybrid between sooji halwa and a cake.
Cakes that are traditionally made with rava are not really ground to a finer consistency. Hence, it is strongly recommended to use the fine variety of sooji and not the coarse one that you’d use to make something like upma.
Having said that, feel free to grind the rava to a fine powder if you feel you may prefer the texture better that way. This is a very forgiving recipe, and you won’t go wrong either way!
Can I make a vegan version of this cake?
Yes, of course! Simply swap the yogurt and milk with a plant-based yogurt and milk of your choice. I would start with 1/2 cup of milk and add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk later if needed to adjust the batter consistency.
You may also enjoy these eggless cake recipes
Mango cake
Chocolate cupcakes
Easter cupcakes (Vanilla cupcakes)
Date and walnut loaf cake
Orange cupcakes
Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting
Kit kat cake
Rasmalai cake
Have you made this recipe?
I would love to hear from you! Please be sure to share your feedback and/or give this recipe a rating in the comment below. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too.
You can also FOLLOW me on Facebook , Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
Editor’s note: This recipe was first published on June 14, 2018. It has been republished and updated on July 23, 2022 to include new images, a video, and additional information. The original recipe used 1 cup of sugar, but I’ve reduced it to 3/4 cup since the tutti frutti that I used this time was really sweet. You can still use 1 cup if you prefer a sweeter cake.
Rava Cake | Sooji Cake | Semolina Cake (Eggless)
Ingredients1x2x3x
Dry ingredients
- 1¼ cups fine rava, 225 grams
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled, 35 grams
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Wet ingredients
- ¾ cup castor sugar, 167 grams
- ⅓ cup flavorless oil, 70 grams
- ½ cup curd/yogurt, 125 grams
- ¾ cup whole milk 190 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Other ingredients
- ½ cup tutti frutti, 80 grams, plus 2 tablespoons more for topping the cake
- 1 teaspoon flour, to coat the tutti frutti
Instructions
- Grease an 8-inch cake pan with a little oil or oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Measure out the tutti-frutti, and add a teaspoon of flour to coat them. Set aside.
- In a sufficiently large bowl, add curd/yogurt, and whisk it well to get rid of any lumps.
- Then add castor sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
- Next, add milk, and whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add fine semolina and salt to the liquid ingredients, mix well, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of resting the batter, preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
- After 30 minutes, the semolina will have absorbed the liquid, and the batter will become thicker.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl containing the semolina batter, and sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Fold gently using a spatula, until no more flour pockets are visible. Do not overmix the batter.
- Add the tutti frutti, and fold in gently.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Top with 2 tablespoons of tutti-frutti.
- Bake on the middle rack, for about 40 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then remove from the pan and cool on the rack completely.
- Cut into desired pieces and serve.
