Looking for a show-stopper dessert? Try this eggless and no-bake Rasmalai Cake or Ras Malai Tres Leches recipe. It's a delicious fusion of traditional Indian flavors. This irresistible layered dessert is quick and easy to make, and is fit for a crowd!
Jump to:
What is Rasmalai
Rasmalai, also known as Ras Malai or Roshmalai, is a traditional and popular Indian dessert. Rasmalai recipe involves making soft, spongy, flattened balls from chenna or paneer (a type of fresh cheese). These balls are first soaked in sugar syrup and then submerged in sweetened, thickened milk (flavored with cardamom and saffron) to create a creamy and delicate dish.
The dessert is typically garnished with nuts such as pistachios or almonds and sometimes edible rose petals. Rasmalai is often served during festive occasions, weddings, and celebrations, prized for its luxurious texture and rich flavors.
I enjoy making traditional Indian desserts like Carrot Halwa, Paal Payasam, Poha Kesari, Vermicelli Kheer, Coconut Ladoos, Rava Laddu, Rose Basundi, and Mango Phirni. I also love making fusion desserts like Chai Cheesecake, Carrot Halwa Baklava, or Gulkand Ice Cream. Some layered desserts similar to Ras Malai Cake are Apple Pistachio Mousse and Mango Cranachan.
What is Rasmalai Cake
Eggless Rasmalai Cake is an innovative dessert that brings together the flavors of the traditional Indian sweet, Rasmalai, in a layered cake form. This dessert can also be referred to as Rasmalai Tiramisu, Ras Malai Cheesecake, or Rasmalai Tres Leches Cake. Despite the variety of names, the dessert consistently delivers the rich and creamy taste associated with Rasmalai.
In this simple and quick recipe, Cake Rusk is soaked in homemade saffron-infused milk and layered with sweetened cream made from ricotta cheese. The result is an easy dessert that is perfectly sweet, moist, soft, spongy, and delicate, all without needing to prepare Rasmalai from scratch.
Using Cake Rusk simplifies the process, making this a go-to dessert recipe that's made without an oven or eggs! The Rusk provides a crunchy texture that balances the richness and sweetness of the milk and cream, creating a delightful fusion of two classic desserts. It's an easy yet elegant way to capture the essence of Rasmalai in a cake format.
What is Cake Rusk
Cake Rusk is an Indian biscuit made by baking a cake twice, resulting in a mildly sweet, dry, and crunchy texture. The process is similar to that of making Italian Biscotti. First, the milk cake is baked, then cut into slices, which are double-baked until they turn golden and crisp. Often referred to as Milk Toast, Cake Rusk is a popular accompaniment to Chai, typically enjoyed by dunking it into hot tea. Along with Khari (a flaky pastry), Cake Rusk is a staple item found in Indian bakeries.
Why make it
- Best eggless dessert recipe
- Delicious Indian fusion dessert with ricotta cheese
- Easy no-bake recipe
- Can be made in 40 minutes
- Best dessert for entertaining large groups
Ingredients needed 🧾
Milk and Cream: Use full-fat whole milk and heavy whipping cream to achieve a rich and creamy texture in this eggless Rasmalai Cake recipe. For an even creamier result, you can substitute regular milk with evaporated milk.
Indian Rusk: Opt for store-bought plain or cardamom-flavored Rusk, available at most Indian grocery stores. Rusk can also be made at home.
Sweetener: There are two kinds of sweeteners used in this Indian dessert recipe. Powdered sugar (icing sugar) is used in the whipped cream mixture because it blends smoothly. Condensed milk is added to the saffron-infused milk, enhancing its richness and creaminess.
Ricotta Cheese: This is used to create the sweetened cream layers, adding a smooth and slightly tangy flavor to the dessert.
Flavoring: Cardamom powder and saffron are essential to capturing the authentic Ras Malai flavor in this Rasmalai Cake recipe.
Garnish: Slivered pistachios and dried edible rose petals are used for garnish, adding a festive and visually appealing touch.
How to make it 🔪
To prepare the Saffron-Infused Milk
- Add milk, and condensed milk to a pan.
- Then add half a teaspoon of cardamom powder and saffron.
- Bring it to a boil. It will take 10-12 minutes. Then reduce the flame and let it cook for 6-8 minutes. Keep scraping the sides of the pan as it cooks.
- Keep stirring regularly till the milk turns pale yellow and thickens a bit. Take the pan off the flame and let the milk come to room temperature.
To prepare the Rasmalai cream filling
- While the milk cools, add chilled heavy cream to a large bowl. Beat using an electric hand beater until it forms soft peaks. Use the lowest setting. It may take 6-8 minutes.
- Then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until it is fully incorporated.
- Add the ricotta cheese and the remaining half teaspoon of cardamom powder.
- Continue to beat until the cream is smooth.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
To assemble the Rasmalai Cake
- Dip the rusk cake pieces, one by one, into the prepared milk mixture for 10 seconds. Don't leave in the milk for long or it'll start to fall apart. Crush one Rusk to powder form and use it as a garnish later.
- Place the milk-soaked rusks in a casserole or baking dish. Add broken pieces of rusk in the gaps. It need not look perfect.
- Top with half of the whipped cream frosting and smooth it out as much as you can.
- Repeat with remaining rusk cake pieces.
- Then top it with the remaining whipped cream.
- Garnish with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals. Rusk crumbs can also be added as a garnish. Cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. The cake has to get completely soft. The best is to leave this Ras Malai dessert in the fridge, overnight.
Serving suggestions 🍽
When ready to serve, pour a little of the leftover saffron-infused milk onto the serving plate or bowl. Place a square slice of Rasmalai Cake on top, and garnish with saffron strands and gold vark for an extra festive touch. Serve this dessert chilled for the best experience. For a creative presentation, you can also serve this fusion Rasmalai Cake dessert in mini jars or cups, making it perfect for individual servings.
This elegant Rasmalai Cake is ideal for special occasions involving large groups such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, parties, potlucks, or brunches. It’s also a wonderful way to celebrate festivals and holidays like Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Diwali, Holi, Ramadan, Eid, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Make this no-bake Indian Rasmalai Cake with ricotta cheese recipe this festive season!
Top recipe tips 💭
Ricotta cheese can be replaced with Mascarpone cream cheese or American cream cheese for a similar texture and taste. When soaking the Rusk in milk, avoid leaving it in for too long, as it can become soggy and break apart. To enhance flavor and presentation, add a top layer of Rasmalai balls along with the garnish. For an extra layer of aroma, try adding a teaspoon of Kewra water, Kewra extract, or Rasmalai essence to the sweet milk mixture. This will elevate both the taste and visual appeal of the dessert.
With the given measurements, I made two Ras Malai Cake casseroles. If you have a larger dish, you can prepare one big serving instead.
FAQs 📖
You can use Ladyfingers, Madeira cake, any store-bought cake mix, homemade basic vanilla cake, bread, or crushed biscuits.
Yes. Use evaporated milk if making it in the Instant Pot. It will make it creamy. Add all the ingredients into the steel insert first and then turn on the Instant Pot. Mix it. Then directly cook in manual or pressure mode for one minute. Let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and mix it again. Allow it to cool. It will thicken as it cools.
Keep it covered in the cling wrap in the fridge for 4-5 days. Always serve it cold. If there is still any leftover milk mixture, you can drink it. It's Saffron milk and tastes delicious by itself. Leftover whipped cream (if any) can be mixed with fresh fruits like strawberries, and blueberries and enjoyed.
You can make it in chai, coffee, mango, paan, and rose flavors.
While Rusk Biscuits are eggless, they contain milk. So it's not vegan. Use any vegan vanilla sponge cake instead. For the saffron-infused milk mixture, use any dairy-free milk - coconut, almond, or cashew milk, and oats condensed milk. To make the sweetened whipped cream, use coconut cream, and vegan cream cheese.
More Indian fusion dessert recipes
⭐️ Subscribe to the Cookilicious Newsletter and receive new recipes straight to your inbox! You'll receive my FREE Vegan Beginner's guide as a gift. Ready to elevate your cooking game? Purchase my Cookbook - The Essential Vegan Indian Cookbook today!
Recipe 📖
No-Bake Rasmalai Cake | Rasmalai Tres Leches
Ingredients
To make Saffron-Infused Milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tin condensed milk 10.3 or 14 fl. oz
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon saffron
To make the Rasmalai cream filling
- 16 fl oz chilled heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
To assemble the Rasmalai cake
- 25-30 rusk cake pieces
- ¼ cup slivered pistachios
- 2-3 tablespoon dried edible rose petals
Instructions
To make Saffron-Infused Milk
- Add milk, and condensed milk to a pan.
- Then add half teaspoon of cardamom powder, and saffron.
- Bring it to a boil. It will take 9-11 minutes. Then reduce the flame and let it cook for 6-8 minutes. Keep scraping the sides of the pan as it cooks.
- Keep stirring regularly till the milk turns pale yellow and thickens a bit. Take the pan off the flame and let it come to room temperature.
To make the Rasmalai cream filling
- While the milk mixture cools, in a large bowl, add chilled heavy cream.
- Beat using an electric hand beater until it forms soft peaks. Use the lowest setting. It may take 6-8 minutes.
- Then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until fully its incorporated.
- Add the ricotta cheese and the remaining half teaspoon of cardamom powder.
- Continue to beat until the cream is smooth.
To assemble the Rasmalai cake
- Dip the rusk cake pieces, one by one, into the prepared milk mixture for 10 seconds. Don't leave in the milk for long or it'll start to fall apart.
- Start lining the soaked rusk cake in a 9X13 dish and break up pieces if you need to fill gaps. - Reword this.
- Top with half of the whipped cream and smooth out the top.
- Repeat with remaining rusk cake pieces.
- Then top it with remaining whipped cream.
- Garnish with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals. Rusk crumbs can also be added as garnish.
- Cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. The cake has to get completely soft. You can also leave it overnight. Then cut and serve.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
pravin says
This no-bake rasmalai cake is heavenly! The cake is so moist, and the flavors of saffron and cardamom shine through the creamy milk mixture
Priya says
Thank you so much.