Eggless Burfi Jar Cakes: Mason Jar Dessert Recipe

Burfi Cake Jars are an inventive Indian-fusion dessert that layers a spongy, cardamom-scented cake with a creamy burfi mousse and pieces of homemade burfi. Served in individual jars, these make a charming, portable sweet ideal for celebrations or gifting.

What is Burfi Cake?

Burfi (also spelled barfi) is a traditional Indian sweet made from milk solids, often flavored with cardamom, saffron, or nuts. The name is derived from a Persian word meaning “snow,” referencing its pale appearance. This recipe borrows the flavour profile of milk-powder burfi and blends it into a cake format, creating a layered jar dessert that combines familiar Indian tastes with a handier presentation.

Instead of preparing a full-layered cake, these individual jar desserts are simpler to assemble, easier to store, and make lovely edible gifts.

Why you’ll love these Burfi Cake Jars

• Easier than frosting and assembling a multi-tiered cake.
• Individually portioned and portable.
• Great for festival hampers or as gifts for Diwali, Holi, Christmas and birthdays.
• Simple to make ahead — jars store well in the refrigerator.
• Presented in glass, they travel and ship better than unfrosted cake slices.

I used a cardamom-flavored eggless cake base and layered it with a burfi-based mousse and crushed burfi pieces. If you prefer shortcuts, store-bought sponge cake and ready-made burfi can be used with good results.

Ingredients Overview

1. Cake base: Cardamom-flavored, eggless sponge baked on a sheet pan. Store-bought sponge will work as a time-saver.
2. Cardamom syrup: Milk and sugar infused with crushed cardamom to soak the cake layers.
3. Burfi mousse: A quick milk-powder burfi mixture folded into whipped cream to make a pipeable mousse.
4. Kesar burfi pieces: Homemade saffron-infused burfi for garnish; store-bought burfi can be substituted.

Step by Step Instructions

• Grease a 9×13 inch sheet pan (or an 8-inch pan if that’s what you have) and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Base

• Sift together plain flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Heat the butter with the milk until the butter melts and the milk begins to simmer; set aside.
• Whisk the yogurt and sugar until smooth. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the warm butter-milk mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, until you have a smooth batter.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake at 180°C for 16–18 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. For an 8-inch pan, bake 30–40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Step 2: Make the Burfi Mousse

• In a pan, melt ghee, then remove from heat and add milk powder, almond meal and a small amount of milk. Return to low heat and cook for 2–3 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Add icing sugar and continue cooking until the mixture gathers into a mass and pulls away from the pan, about 2–3 more minutes. Stir in cardamom powder, then transfer to a bowl to cool completely.
• Once cool, loosen the mixture with a spoon and whisk to a paste. Beat whipping cream (with optional icing sugar) to stiff peaks, then fold or beat the burfi paste into the whipped cream until smooth and pipeable. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until assembly.

Step 3: Cardamom Syrup

1. Crush 3–4 cardamom pods and add them to milk and sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves; there is no need to boil. Cool completely and strain before using.

Step 4: Assemble the Cake Jars

• Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles from the cooled sheet cake that fit the mouths of your jars. Slice each cake circle horizontally to make two thin layers.
• Place the first cake layer into the bottom of the jar. Spoon or brush 2–3 tsp of the cooled cardamom syrup over the cake to soak it lightly.
• Pipe a layer of burfi mousse on top, then sprinkle with crushed burfi pieces. Repeat layers until the jar is filled, finishing with mousse and a few burfi crumbs for garnish.
• If you plan to seal the jars for gifting or shipping, leave a little headspace to close the lid without smudging the decoration.

I enjoy assembling these jars because they save time compared with frosting and stacking a whole cake, and they offer a delightful presentation for festivals and parties.

Shortcut Options

• Use store-bought sponge or a boxed vanilla cake mix flavoured with cardamom powder or essence.
• Use ready-made burfi pieces for the filling and topping if short on time.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Store the assembled jar cakes in the refrigerator. Properly refrigerated, they will keep well for 5–7 days. The sealed jars help limit moisture exchange and preserve freshness longer than exposed cake slices.

Make-Ahead Tips

• You can bake the cake base up to a week ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to a month.
• The burfi mousse can be made a day ahead. Cover the surface with plastic wrap that touches the mousse to prevent a skin from forming; texture may vary slightly but it pipes well.

Baker’s Tips

1. Prefer a sheet pan for even, quick baking when preparing layers for jar cakes. A 9×13 inch pan works well; an 8-inch pan is fine but will need longer bake time.
2. Cube the butter so it melts quickly and evenly when combined with the milk — this helps retain moisture in the cake.
3. Alternating dry and wet ingredients while mixing helps prevent over-mixing and produces a tender crumb.
4. Avoid overcooking the burfi in step 2; you want it slightly soft so it blends smoothly with whipped cream rather than setting firm like traditional burfi.
5. Do not overbeat the whipped component; overbeating can cause the mousse to split.
6. Save leftover cake scraps — they can be crumbled for ice cream toppings, formed into cake pops, or frozen for later use.
7. Wide-mouth jars make assembly easier, but narrow-mouth jars will also work with a little patience.

FAQs

Related Recipes

1. Milk Powder Burfi (classic recipe)
2. Milk Powder Burfi Bars
3. Burfi Cupcakes

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