Sandesh Cake with Saffron and Rose Water

This Sandesh Cake with Saffron and Rose Water doesn’t have Sandesh ducked into it…, Instead, the Sponge Cake is based on the flavors of Sandesh – Cheese (ricotta), Cardamom, Saffron, Rose Water. Each bite of this ethereal cake will give you the taste of Sandesh – I assure you that much. I have been contacted by so many people about this cake as they think this is THE perfect cake to celebrate a milestone anniversary or even serve as a tiered wedding cake. And why not? This cake is BEAUTIFUL, delicate and extremely extremely flavorful – probably one of the best tasting cake I have baked yet.

So, what is Sandesh ? Check this out – Sandesh [shon-daesh], How to make Sandesh

And I tried something very novel with this Sandesh Cake. I tried to replicate the taste of a sandesh in a cake form. Even better, right? It may seem like a few daunting steps to this cake but trust me, the end result will be worth your while. Can you imagine? Sandesh Cake! Two layers of sponge soaked with a milk syrup and frosted with a delicious rose water-cardamom-saffron frosting.

INGREDIENTS:

CHEESE FILLING

2 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta/ Home made chhena

(NOTE: If you don’t have Ricotta Cheese, then use homemade Paneer or Chhena. Hang the ricotta or homemade chhena for 4/5 hours till all the water is drained and it becomes very thick

1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 TSP rose water

CAKE

2 and 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Cup milk
12 TBSP Butter
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tsp Baking Soda
2 TSP Baking powder
5 Egg Whites
1 Tsp salt
2 TSP Cardamom Powder

MILK SYRUP

1 cup whole milk reduced to 1/2 cup and flavored with rose water and cardamom.

SAFFRON FROSTING

1 TSP rose water
1 pinch saffron threads
12 TBSP unsalted butter, softened – room temperature
1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 TSP ground cardamom
8 ounces’ mascarpone cream cheese or regular cream cheese

METHOD:

CHEESE FILLING

Make sure your ricotta or homemade chhena is hung long enough to be very thick.
Beat the ricotta, cream, confectioners’ sugar and rose water until smooth, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.

CAKE

Heat the oven to 350 degrees
Grease two 8-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour
Sift flour and combine flour with salt, cardamom powder and baking soda
Combine egg whites and milk
Cream butter in a large bowl
Gradually add sugar until light and fluffy
Add flour mixture alternately with milk and egg mixture and blend
Do not over mix
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 20/25 minutes

SAFFRON FROSTING

Combine rose water and saffron in a small bowl and let steep for 10 minutes
In the bowl, cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, cardamom & saffron mixture on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add mascarpone/cream cheese and combine

ASSEMBLY

Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter, brush top of cake with milk syrup, wait for 1 minute and repeat with 2nd brushing of syrup. Spread half of the cheese filling evenly on top. Repeat with remaining cake layers and filling.
Refrigerate cake for an hour or so for before applying frosting.
Remove cake from refrigerator, spread frosting top and side of cake.

Try few other cakes

NOTE: If you don’t have Ricotta, use homemade Paneer or Chhena to make the filling. http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/how-to-make-paneer/

For eggless sponge cake version try this – http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-eggless-sponge-cake-30699

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