Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a cake tin.
- Prepare the sweetener: If using jaggery, dissolve it in the warm milk and strain through a sieve to remove impurities. If using dates, blend soaked and pitted Medjool dates into a smooth thick paste.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl combine the yogurt, jaggery or dates paste, oil and milk. Mix well until smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, baking soda and cardamom powder.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry mix into the wet mix, folding gently until just combined into a smooth batter. Do not over-mix.
- Pour and top: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and sprinkle the chopped pistachios evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before slicing — this is important as it continues to set as it cools.
Notes
No maida, no refined sugar — whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with jaggery or dates make this a truly wholesome celebration cake.
Best sweetener: Medjool dates blended into a smooth paste give the richest, most caramel-like flavour and the moistest crumb. Highly recommended over jaggery for this particular cake.
Dates paste: Soak Medjool dates in warm water for 10 minutes, remove the pits and blend into a smooth, thick paste. No need to add much water — they blend easily.
Jaggery option: Dissolve powdered jaggery in the warm milk and strain through a sieve to remove any impurities before adding to the wet mix.
Don't over-mix: Once the dry mix goes into the wet, fold gently just until combined. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes the cake dense.
Storage: Keeps well at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Gets even more moist on day 2!