Healthy Eating: Eggless Whole Wheat Gulab Jamun Cake

Can we imagine a Diwali without Gulab Jamun? It’s one of the most delicious Indian desserts! It’s prepared with a blend of all-purpose flour, sugar solution and more. One Gulab Jamun contains 125 calories and while thinking about health and weight, we definitely can’t afford to indulge in this treat. But don’t worry! We’ve found a way to make it healthy with this eggless whole wheat Gulab Jamun Cake recipe! It has the essential flavour without the guilt of eating a deep fried, calorie-laden sweet. 

What You Will Need 

• Whole wheat flour – 1 cup 
• MTR gulab jamun mix (or replace with whole wheat flour) – 1 cup 
• Curd – 1 cup 
• Odourless oil/pure ghee – ½ cup 
• Jaggery powder/syrup (melt jaggery in ⅛ cup water) – 1 cup 
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp 
• Saffron – 1 pinch (soaked in 2 tsp milk) 
• Grated nuts (almonds/cashews) – optional 
• Baking powder – 1 tsp  
• Baking soda – 5 gm 
• Warm water – 1 cup 

Please Note: 1 cup = 200 gm, 1 tbsp = 15 gm, 1 tsp = 5 gm

How To Prepare 

1. Preheat  the oven at 180*c for 10 mins
2. Sieve the flour ,baking soda and baking powder all together in one bowl
3. In another bowl add ghee/oil, curd and mix them well. Now, add the jaggery powder/syrup and beat the mixture till jaggery dissolves
4. Add cardamom powder, all dry ingredients and mix  gently with a cut and fold method
5. Add saffron milk and ¼ cup warm water and fold it again. If you feel the batter is thick, then slowly add warm water/milk till the batter is in flowing consistency (do not overbeat the batter) 
6. Grease a cake tin and line the butter paper in it. Pour the batter in the pan and tap it 4-5 times. Garnish with your favourite nuts. Keep it in the oven for 30 mins at 180*c
7. After 30 mins, check the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean then remove the cake tin from the oven and keep it on a cool down wire rack. Demould the tin when it completely cools down. If the cake sticks on the toothpick, bake it for another 10 mins. at 160*c (temperature may vary in different ovens/OTGs)
8. Cut into small pieces as per your choice and store it in a steel or glass container in the refrigerator for a week. 

How Is The Gulab Jamun Cake Healthier Than Gulab Jamun? 

• We are adding whole wheat flour in a cake which has more fibre, packed with B vitamins and gulab jamun is made up of maida (refined flour). Eating maida also raises your bad cholesterol (LDL), makes you fat, clogs arteries, raises blood pressure, disrupts blood sugar, keeps you hungry, makes you crave for sweets, causes mood swings and ruins your health, looks and relationships. People eat it because they are probably unaware of its consequences.
• We are also using jaggery as a sweetener in the cake which is a good source of iron, helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance ,digestion and helps prevent water retention thanks to its potassium content .Gulab  jamun is loaded with white sugar syrup in more quantity and contains only empty calories without any nutrients. Excess sugar creates higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
• 1 piece Gulab jamun contains 125 calories and 1 piece cake has 90 calories.

Do try this Gulab Jamun Cake recipe and light up your Diwali celebrations! We’re sure your family and friends will love it! Do share your experience with us and if you want us to do any healthy versions of sweets and savoury items, let us know in the comments below! 

For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE cooking sessions on GOQii Play. 

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