I love making fusion desserts and had earlier shared my recipe for the gulab jamun cake with you all. Gulab jamun is possibly the most loved Indian dessert. They are deep-fried dumplings, made of milk powder and soaked in rose water, cardamom flavored sugar syrup. I have been making this recipe for Gulab jamun cupcakes for much longer than the cake version. Cupcakes are much easier to decorate than the whole cake. They are also so much simpler to serve at gatherings where you are not left with cutting and plating the cake. I have made these cupcakes for a lot of Diwali parties and the kids devour them and it is also my personal favorite.
The batter for the cupcakes is the same as the gulab jamun cake batter. It is infused with flavors of cardamom and saffron. The cupcakes are studded with gulab jamuns and also topped with them. I prefer a buttercream frosting for the cupcake version.
In this recipe article, we’ll show you how to make Gulab Jamun Cupcakes which are a perfect blend of traditional Indian flavors and modern sweet treats. These fluffy cupcakes are infused with the warm flavors of cardamom and rose water, topped with a creamy frosting, and garnished with a mini gulab jamun. Whether you’re looking for a unique dessert for your next party or just want to try something new, these cupcakes are sure to impress your taste buds!
Ingredients used to make Eggless Gulab Jamun Cupcakes
Ingredients needed for the gulab jamun cupcake batter
- 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¾ cup milk
- 1/3 cup of any unflavored oil
- ½ cup yogurt (whisked)
- Cardamom powder from 3-4 cardamoms
- 4-5 strands of saffron
- ¼ tsp salt
Ingredients needed for the filling and decorations
- 24 small gulab jamuns, drained
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4-5 strands of saffron
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pistachio slivers
How to make Gulab Jamun Cupcakes
This recipe is to make 16 standard-size Gulab Jamun Cupcakes. See the section below to convert the measurements to make mini cupcakes.
Step 1- Bake the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 4 liners – this recipe makes about 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Cut 8 gulab jamuns in half to get 16 half circles.
- Slightly warm the milk and add the saffron strands and let it rest till you prepare the other ingredients.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom powder, and salt.
- Add milk, oil, and yogurt to the dry ingredients. Mix till no dry patches remain, being careful not to over-mix.
- Put 1 tablespoon of the batter at the bottom of each cupcake liner. Top it with a piece of the cut gulab jamuns, cut side down.
- Put 1 tablespoon of batter on top of the gulab jamun pieces, covering it completely. Repeat it for all the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 19-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Wait for 5 minutes to cool before taking it out of the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Step 2- Make the frosting
- Very slightly warm the whipping cream in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Add the saffron strands and stir. Leave it to rest for the color to develop, while you do the other steps.
- Using a stand or hand-held mixer, whip the room temperature butter until it is creamy, for about 1-2 minutes. Scrap down the bowl and add the confectioner’s sugar and salt.
- Mix on the lowest speed for 30 to 45 seconds till incorporated and then increase the speed of the mixer for about 1 minute.
- Add the cream and saffron mixture and whip some more till you get a smooth frosting, approximately 1 more minute.
Step 3 – Frost and decorate the Eggless Gulab Jamun Cupcakes
- The cupcakes should be completely cool before you decorate them.
- I have used a 1M piping tip to decorate these cupcakes.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared frosting and pipe the cupcakes, topping with a whole gulab jamun and decorating with some pistachio slivers.
The recipe provided in the recipe card will make 16 regular-size cupcakes. There are 1 ½ gulab jamuns in each of the cupcakes (1/2 inside the cupcakes and 1 to decorate). You can also make mini cupcakes with the same recipe. For gatherings, I make a mix of normal-size cupcakes and minis. I find that calorie-conscious adults prefer the mini version 😊
Measurements to make mini eggless gulab jamun cupcakes
This recipe will make 48 mini cupcakes. Each cupcake will have 1 gulab jamun (1/2 inside the cupcakes and 1/2 to decorate). You would put in a teaspoon of the batter at the bottom of the cupcake line, top with half of the gulab jamun, and then cover the gulab jamun with another 1 teaspoon of the batter. Baking time will be 12-14 minutes.
Recipe tips for Eggless Gulab Jamun Cupcake recipe
- I have used store-bought gulab jamuns for this recipe but feel free to make your favorite gulab jamun recipe at home.
- Make sure to drain the gulab jamuns properly before using them. You don’t want any additional syrup going in the batter or the frosting.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them or the frosting will melt on the warm cupcakes.
FAQs – Gulab Jamun Cupcakes
You can make the cupcakes (with the gulab jamuns in them) a day prior and store them, completely cooled, in an air-tight container. The frosting can be made and the cupcakes decorated the next day.
Once decorated, these cupcakes do not need to be refrigerated if you are going to use them the same day; just keep them covered in an air-tight container. After the first day, refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
No, this recipe is not vegan. It is egg-free (eggless) but cannot be made vegan in my opinion. The recipe has gulab jamuns that contain milk solids, therefore making it unsuitable for vegans.
Other Indian fusion desserts to try
Gulab Jamun Cupcakes Recipe Card
Gulab Jamun Cupcakes (Eggless)
Indian fusion dessert made with gulab jamuns
16
servings20
minutes20
minutes30
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
- Cupcake Batter
1 1/2 cups All purpose Flour
3/4 cup White sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Milk
1/3 cup Any unflavored oil (I use Avacado oil)
1/2 cup Plain yogurt (whisked)
3-4 Cardamoms (pods powdered)
5-6 Strands of saffron
- Filling and Frosting
24 small Gulab jamuns, drained
1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups Confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons Heavy whipping cream
5-6 Strands of saffron
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Pistachio slivers (to decorate)
Method
- Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 4 liners – this recipe makes about 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Slightly warm the milk, add the saffron strands, and let it rest till you prepare the other ingredients.
- Cut 8 gulab jamuns in half to get 16 half circles.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom powder, and salt.
- Add milk, oil, and yogurt to the dry ingredients. Mix till no dry patches remain, being careful not to over-mix.
- Put 1 tablespoon of the batter at the bottom of each cupcake liner. Top it with a piece of the cut gulab jamun, cut side down. Put 1 tablespoon of batter on top of the gulab jamun pieces, covering it completely. Repeat it for all the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 19-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Wait for 5 minutes to cool before taking it out of the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- Make the Frosting and Decorate
- Very slightly warm the whipping cream in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Add the saffron strands and stir. Let it rest for the color to develop while you do the other steps.
- Using a stand or hand-held mixer, whip the room temperature butter until it is creamy, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl and add confectioner’s sugar and salt. Mix on the lowest speed for 30- 45 seconds till incorporated and then increase the speed of the mixer for about 1 minute.
- Add the cream and saffron mixture and whip some more till you get a smooth frosting, approximately 1 more minute.
- Decorate the Cupcakes
- The cupcakes should be completely cool before you decorate them. I have used a 1M piping tip to decorate these cupcakes. Fill a piping bag with the prepared frosting and pipe the cupcakes, topping with a whole gulab jamun and decorating with some pistachio slivers.
Tips
- The decorated cupcakes can be left covered at room temperature the day you make them. After that store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
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