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Home » All Recipes » Eggless Thandai Mousse Cake

Eggless Thandai Mousse Cake

By Khushboo 6 Comments March 22, 2021 March 22, 2021

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This eggless thandai mousse cake is filled with striking flavors coming from a unique fragrant Indian spice blend. It gets richer with a generous amount of melt-in-mouth thandai mousse on the top. An amazing combination to celebrate Indian flavors!!!

Thandai mousse cake slice served on a white plate with a fork on the side

Holi marks the beginning of the thandai season. We enjoy it all summer long. Every year I make different thandai flavor desserts as well. My 10 minute condensed milk fudge burfi with thandai powder has been a hit for years! Last year you loved my ultimate fusion recipe – Gulab Jamun Thandai Mousse shots and many of you tried it as well. This year I am sharing a super sturdy mousse recipe with you. This unique Indian spin on the regular mousse just makes it more flavorful.

Cake slice picked up with a fork

Wondering what is thandai?

It is a very popular Indian beverage. Holi marks the beginning of thandai fever and lasts all summer long. Thandai is a unique Indian spice blend that is made of ground peppercorn, cardamom, fennel, melon seeds, poppy seeds, rose petals. It is then added to milk and enjoyed chilled on hot summer days. You can make it beforehand and store it to make a drink later.

You can buy a packet of readymade thandai powder from an Indian store or make it at home if you have all the ingredients on hand.

Eggless Thandai Cake set on a white plate over a cake stand.

The fragrant thandai mousse cake base – Step by step method

The eggless thandai cake base is adapted from my trusted vanilla cake recipe. I have skipped vanilla and added rose water, thandai mix, and saffron instead.

Step by step making the cake base

Step 1

Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Make sure you secure the lock. Keep aside.

Add saffron to warm water and keep aside to cool. In another bowl sift all dry ingredients except sugar. Give it a quick mix.

Step 2

In another bowl add sugar, yogurt, water, thandai powder, oil, rose water, and saffron water.

Step 3

Whisk well with a manual or an electric balloon whish until creamy and sugar has almost dissolved. Whisk, until the oil has emulsified well.

Step 4

Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl a little at a time. Now whip everything until it forms a smooth batter. Do not over whip it.

Step 5

Transfer it to the pan and bake it for 30-35 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few moist crumbs. Take out the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Now gently run a butter knife through the circumference of the pan and release the pan carefully.

Step 6

Invert the cake on the cooling rack. Set the cake aside to cool.

Airy, fluffy thandai mousse

This creamy mousse is the highlight of the thandai cake. I have used agar agar ( an excellent vegetarian alternative to gelatin)  to make this mousse cake more sturdy.

Step by step method to make thandai mousse –

whipped cream consistency after whisking

Whipping the cream

Add chilled whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, and a pinch of salt to a big bowl or a stand mixer. Remember that the cream will double its size after whipping.  Use a balloon whisk to whip the cream to very loose peaks just like a thick milkshake. (Do not whip it to stiff peaks). Keep aside.

Steps in activating agar agar milk mixture

To activate agar agar

Step 1 – Add cream to a saucepan. Sprinkle agar agar over it. Add in saffron, thandai powder, cardamom. Mix well to combine.

Step 2 – Heat this mixture on medium heat stirring frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil let it cook for a minute. Switch off the flame and strain the mixture passing through a fine-mesh strainer.

Step 3– Let this mixture cool to warm. ( Do not cool the mixture completely or it will set before adding it to the cream. If the mix has cooled down for some reason, warm it up again until pourable consistency.

Step 4– Now start whipping cream on medium speed with one hand and add the warm mixture to the cream with another hand and whisk continuously without stopping until soft peaks hold well. This process of mixing will take only 10-12 seconds. So do not over whip. Scrape the sides with a spatula. Mousse consistency may look very soft, but it stiffens after chilling in the fridge. Remember that we want only soft peaks.

Thandai mousse cake set on a black serving tray with holi colors on the side

Assembling the thandai mousse cake

  1. Line the circumference of the pan with an acetate sheet approx. 4” in height. (optional step). This helps smooth the removal of cake later on.
  2. Add the cake back to the springform pan. Make sure you lock the pan well. Scoop in the prepared cream and level the top.
  3. Cover the top loosely with foil and place it to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
  4. After that, gently loosen the sides of the cake with a butterknife, unlock the springform pan and take out the acetate sheet.
  5. Smoothen the cake if needed. Add in some nuts and rose petals on the top.
  6. Enjoy it straight out of the fridge.

Recipe testing and conclusion

I tested this recipe twice. 1st time I added gulkand to the cake base and it did not rise well. Maybe because gulkand is too sticky with a lot of sugar content. 2 nd time I did not add it and the cake was nice and fluffy with plenty of thandai taste. So as much I would love to include gulkand in this recipe I have skipped it. This thandai cake recipe is not overly sweet. You may choose to thin out the gulkand and add a layer to the cake before adding the mousse.  But I will keep on testing in the future. 

A closerr look at the texture of the mousse cake

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More amazing recipes to try on Holi or Diwali!

Easy Mango Mousse without Gelatin

Cheesecake Thandai Mocktail with Berry Swirl

Mango Panna Cotta Without Gelatin

Whole Wheat Jaggery Malpua

Instant Rabdi Recipe

Eggless Thandai Mousse Cake Recipe

Liked this recipe?Do give it a star rating in the comments !
Print recipe
4.75 from 8 votes

Eggless Thandai Mousse Cake

Try my eggless thandai mousse cake for your next party. It is a unique Indian cake recipe that fits every occasion. Made without gelatin or eggs.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian, Indian fusion
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 15 minutes
Adjustable Servings -12
Calories 359kcal
Author Khushboo

Ingredients

In one bowl

  • 3 tablespoons warm water
  • Pinch of saffron

Dry Ingredients

  • 1.5 cup All-purpose flour 185 grams
  • 2.5 tablespoon Thandai powder 14 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Salt

To mix in another bowl

  • ¾ th cup sugar 157 grams
  • ¾ cup thick yogurt 188 grams
  • ¼ cup water 59 ml
  • ⅓ cup plus oil 76 ml
  • 1 teaspoon rose water optional

For the mousse layer

    To activate agar agar

    • 2 teaspoon agar agar powder
    • ½ cup full-fat milk 118 ml
    • ¼ th cup heavy whipping cream 59 ml
    • 1 teaspoon rosewater optional
    • 3 tablespoon thandai powder 18 grams
    • Pinch of saffron optional

    For whipped cream

    • 2 ¼ cups chilled heavy whipping cream 532 ml
    • ¾ th cup confectioner’s sugar 62 grams
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2-3 drops yellow food color

    Garnish (Optional)

    • ¼ cup Slivered nuts
    • 1 tablespoon Dried rose petals

    Instructions

    For the cake

    • Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Make sure you secure the lock. Keep aside.
    • Add saffron to warm water and keep aside to cool.
    • In another bowl sift all dry ingredients except sugar. Give it a quick mix.
    • In another bowl add sugar, yogurt, water, thandai powder, oil, rose water, and saffron water.
    • Whisk well with a manual or an electric balloon whisk until creamy and sugar has almost dissolved. Whisk, until the oil has emulsified well.
    • Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl a little at a time.
    • Now whip everything until it forms a smooth batter. Do not over whip it.
    • Transfer it to the pan and bake it for 30-35 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few moist crumbs.
    • Take out the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
    • Now gently run a butter knife through the circumference of the pan and release the pan carefully. Invert the cake on the cooling rack. Set the cake aside to cool.

    Make the thandai mousse

      Whipping the cream

      • Add chilled whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, and a pinch of salt to a big bowl or a stand mixer. Whisk on a low speed for 3 minutes then whisk on a medium speed for 6-7 minutes.
      • Remember that the cream will double its size after whipping.  Use a balloon whisk and not a beater to whip the cream to very loose and soft peaks. (Do not whip it to stiff peaks). Keep aside.

      To activate agar agar

      • Add milk and heavy whipping cream to a saucepan. Sprinkle agar agar over it. Add in saffron, thandai powder, cardamom. Mix well to combine. Heat this mixture on medium heat stirring frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil let it cook for a minute.
      • Switch off the flame and strain the mixture passing through a fine-mesh strainer. Let this mixture cool to warm. ( Do not cool the mixture completely or it will set before adding it to the cream. If the mix has cooled down for some reason, warm it up again until pourable consistency.

      Important step to follow.

      • Now start whipping cream on medium speed with one hand and add the warm mixture to the cream with another hand and whisk continuously without stopping until soft peaks hold well.
      • This process of mixing will take only 10-12 seconds. So do not over whip. Scrape the sides with a spatula. Mousse consistency may look very soft, but it stiffens after chilling in the fridge. Remember that we want only soft peaks.

      Assembling the cake

      • Line the circumference of the pan with an acetate sheet approx. 4” in height. (optional step). This helps smooth with the removal of the cake later on.
      • Slice the top dome of the cake to level it straight. Add the cake back to the springform pan. Make sure you lock the pan well. Scoop in the prepared mousse and level the top.
      • Cover the top loosely with foil and place it to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
      • After that, gently loosen the sides of the cake with a butter knife, unlock the springform pan and take out the acetate sheet.
      • Smoothen the cake on the top if needed. Add in some nuts and rose petals on the top.
      • Enjoy it straight out of the fridge.

      Notes

      About agar agar

      1. There is no substitute for agar agar. I have used agar agar powder. You may use flakes.
      2. Add agar agar to cold or room temperature cream. Do not add it to warmed cream as it will clump up. Warm up the cream after adding agar agar, not before that.
      3. Do not let the agar cream mixture cool down before adding to the whipped cream. It should be warm and flowy consistency or it will set in clumps before whipping.
      4. After whipping everything you may sometimes find very tiny bits of agar, it is completely fine and won’t affect the final taste or texture.
      Agar Agar Conversion Guide
       1 teaspoon agar powder = 1 tablespoon agar flakes=1/3rd cup agar strands cut into small pieces. Note that strands or flakes will take a minute more to dissolve well.

      The texture of the whipped cream

      For the mousse part, whip the cream only till very loose peaks form, almost like a thick milkshake consistency. Remember that we need to whip it more after adding the agar mixture.

      Possible substitutes

      • Use parchment instead of an acetate sheet to cover the collar round of the cake. It will aid easy removal later on. If you do not have either of them then, simply run a knife around the circumference to loosen the edges.
      • I have used heavy whipping cream in this recipe. Look for a carton that says heavy whipping cream and not just heavy cream.
      • Swap Thandai powder for syrup.

      Storage and Shelf life of this mousse cake

      • Thandai mousse cake needs to be refrigerated at all times and served chilled.
      • At a party, you can keep this cake out at the venue for 3-4 hours but in a cool place away from sunlight.
      • This cake keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days

      Some points to consider

      • Every thandai mix is not the same. If your thandai mousse doesn't have a strong taste then brush your cake sponge with some concentrated thandai milk for an additional kick.
      • Use a springform pan for this recipe.
      • Chill the entire cake in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours to set for a clean cut.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 687IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg
      Tried this recipe?Click photo & send it @carveyourcraving or tag #carveyourcraving on Facebook or Instagram to be featured!

       

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      Filed Under: All Recipes, Bakers Lounge, cakes/ cupcakes/ cookies, fusion March 22, 2021

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Divya

        October 03, 2022 at 5:26 am

        Can I use gelatine instead of agar agar ? We don’t need vegetarian

        Reply
        • Khushboo

          October 03, 2022 at 11:50 am

          Gelatin has a different method to bloom and you will require a lesser quantity than agar agar. I have never used it so I cant tell you how much works!

          Reply
      2. Sunita Agarwal

        March 10, 2022 at 7:44 am

        Hi can we use thandai sharbat instead of powder?
        If yes quantity plz

        Reply
        • Khushboo

          March 10, 2022 at 9:31 am

          Hello Sunita, by sharbat do you mean by thandai syrup? If yes then you will have to play with the quantities. I haven’t used it. It will increase the liquid part in the cake as well as the mousse. SO you will have to reduce the liquid in the cake and increase the agar by 1/4 teaspoon to set.

          Reply
      3. Dhara

        September 17, 2021 at 4:19 pm

        5 stars
        I made this cake for Ganesh Chaturthi and it turned out amazing! It was so soft and mouth melting. My guests couldn’t believe it is homemade and eggless. Thank you Khushboo for all your awesome recipes. They are so simple for even an amateur like me!

        Reply
      4. Mitesh

        March 23, 2021 at 11:30 pm

        5 stars
        Yummy delicious 😋

        Reply

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