Inspired by the classic desi Falooda, this three-milk cake is made with a light and airy sponge that’s topped with a three-milk mixture made with homemade Kulfi, whipped cream, Falooda noodles, and basil seeds. It’s delicious, super nostalgic, and easy to make.
There are very few desi desserts that are as iconic as a Falooda. If you’ve never had it, it’s like a desi version of a trifle/milkshake. It’s made with ice cream (most commonly Kulfi-flavored ice cream), milk, Rooh Afza, and jelly noodles. Each Falooda is unique, some add fruits, some add nuts, some add cake, and more. All-in-all, it’s a super delicious and refreshing dessert.
This milk cake is inspired by the flavors of Falooda and is made with a light and airy sponge that’s soaked with a Kulfi three-milk mixture with a homemade Kulfi. For the proper Falooda flavor, the cake is topped with whipped cream, RoohAfza-soaked jelly noodles, basil seeds, and strawberries.
The cake is super simple to make and can be prepared a day in advance, making it the perfect party showstopper!
Let’s get into the recipe.
PS: You might also like these recipes!
Kulfi Milk Mixture Recipe
Kulfi is a very popular South Asian ice cream flavor that’s made with a base of sweet evaporated milk, nuts, and cardamom, so for this recipe, we’re making a simple homemade Kulfi with only five ingredients – milk, milk powder, sugar, corn flour, and cardamom powder. It takes a little time but it’s completely worth it.
Once the Kulfi is ready, we mix it with condensed milk and regular milk to make the three-milk mixture.
Here are the steps for making the Kulfi.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk, sugar, and milk powder (or khoya). Mix and cook it on medium heat, letting it simmer for 10-15 minutes until it reduces by almost half. Make sure to keep mixing every few minutes or the milk will scald at the bottom.
- In a separate bowl, mix the additional milk with corn flour to form a slurry. Once the milk has been reduced, add the corn flour mixture, and cardamom powder and mix continuously for 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens. It may take longer, just make sure to keep mixing it throughout.
- Take the Kulfi mixture off the heat and mix in the condensed milk and remaining milk while the Kulfi is still warm to make the three-milk mixture.
Cake Sponge
This cake sponge is made with only four ingredients – eggs, sugar, vanilla, and flour. There is no rising agent like baking powder or soda in the batter. Instead, it uses the airiness of the egg whites to raise the cake, which is why it’s important to fold the batter very gently so that you retain as much air in it as possible.
Here are the steps for making the cake sponge.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks in two bowls, add half the sugar in each bowl, and also add vanilla essence in the egg yolks.
- Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until they reach medium-stiff peaks (do not overwhip), and the egg yolks until they’re pale and creamy and they reach a ribbon stage.
- Fold the egg whites and flour into the egg yolk mixture in three intervals using a silicone spatula. Make sure you’re doing this slowly/gently so that the egg whites do not flatten.
- Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean from the center.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it and pour the Kulfi milk mixture on top while the cake is still warm. Let the cake soak in the milk and cool down completely. I recommend letting it soak in the fridge overnight. Make sure to reserve some of the milk mixture for serving
- Meanwhile, make the whipped cream by whipping the cream with icing sugar until it reaches stiff peaks, and prepare the Falooda noodles by soaking the jelly noodles in hot water mixed with Rooh Afza. Also, soak the basil seeds in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
- Once the cake has cooled down, top it with whipped cream, Falooda noodles, soaked basil seeds, and chopped strawberries.
- Serve cold with the reserved milk mixture.
You can make it the night before and decorate it before serving, and make sure to serve with some extra milk mixture for the full experience!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Falooda Milk Cake
Equipment
- 7" cake pan
- Electric mixer with whisk attachment
- Saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Hand whisk
Ingredients
Homemade Kulfi
- 360 ml full-fat milk
- 75 grams sugar
- 1 tablespoon khoya or milk powder
- 180 ml full-fat milk (to mix with cornflour)
- 9 grams cornstarch/cornflour
- 1/2 tsp caradmom powder
- 50 grams thick cream optional
Three-milk mixture
- 250 grams homemade kulfi
- 50 grams condensed milk
- 200 ml full-fat milk
Cake Sponge
- 4 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
- 70 grams white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 80 grams all-purpose flour
Topping
- 200 grams liquid whipping cream
- 50 grams icing sugar
- 15 grams Falooda noodles
- 1 liter hot water
- 50 ml Rooh Afza
- 10 grams basil seeds soaked in water
- 25 grams strawberries chopped
Instructions
Homemade Kulfi
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk and cook it on medium heat until it starts boiling, then cook for another five minutes. Keep stirring to make sure that the milk does not burn.
- Add the sugar and milk solids (if using) and mix until combined, then let it cook for another 5 minutes until it thickens.
- In a separate bowl, mix the remaining milk and corn flour to form a slurry. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the slurry into the pan while mixing continuously. Add the cardamom powder and saffron and mix until combined, then let it cook for 3-5 minutes until it thickens.
- Add the cream and mix again, then let it cook for another 2 minutes and take it off the heat.
- Add the condensed milk and remaining milk into the Kulfi and mix to make the three milk mixture
Cake Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare the baking pan by layering it with parchment paper or greasing it with butter and flour to make sure that the cake does not stick while baking.
- Place the egg whites and yolks in two separate bowls and add half the sugar in each bowl, along with the vanilla in the egg yolk bowl. Whip the egg yolks until they are light and fluffy and the egg whites until they are thick, fluffy, and reach stiff peaks.
- Now, add the egg white mix and the flour into the egg yolk mix alternatively, 1/3rd at a time. Fold the mix after each addition with a silicone spatula gently, making sure not to knock the air out of the mixture. There is no baking powder in this cake. The airiness of the egg whites is what helps the cake rise and gives it that spongey texture. If you knock a lot of air off while mixing, your cake will be flat and dense.
- Once everything is well combined, transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it using a fork (to help the milk soak better). While the cake is still hot, pour a generous amount of the milk and let it cool. Make sure to reserve some of the milk for serving.
- Chill the cake in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Make the whipped cream: Whip the liquid whipping cream and icing sugar in a bowl until they reach stiff peaks.
- Make the Falooda noodles: In a bowl, add hot water and mix it with RoohAfza. Soak the noodles in the RoohAfza water for at least an hour until they're soft.
- Top the cooled cake with whipped cream, Falooda noodles, soaked basil seeds, and chopped strawberries. You can decorate it however you like! I like to create a thin base of the whipped cream and create a piped border on top, then add the Falooda noodles in the center.
- Serve the cake cold with the reserved Kulfi milk mixture.
Notes
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s simple that’s also an absolute showstopper and will impress anyone, this recipe is it! It’s also a great addition to your Iftar and Eid parties.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time!
