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Gulab Jamun Cupcakes with Rose Buttercream Frosting

This is the moment you've been waiting for! Your favorite Indian dessert, turned into a cupcake!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time17 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk mawa powder
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 8-10 strands saffron
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup milk + 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the Rose Buttercream

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tsp Rooh Afza or Rose Water (you will need pink food coloring if using rose water)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  • Soak saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk and set aside
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners
  • Sieve flour, milk powder, salt, and baking powder in a bowl
  • Add softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until combined
  • Add eggs to the butter and sugar one by one and mix until fluffy with no visible lumps followed by 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Slowly add flour, cardamom powder, saffron milk, and milk to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT over mix
  • Use an ice cream scooper and fill each liner about 3/4 of the way full
  • Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes or until done. You can stick a toothpick in one of the cupcakes and if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done

For the Rose Buttercream

  • In a stand mixer add all ingredients except for the Rooh Afza/Rose Water and mix with the whisk attachment until combined
  • Add in the Rooh Afza or Rose Water and food coloring at this point and continue to mix on medium speed until all the ingredients are combined
  • The mixture will start to turn fluffy and into frosting. Once the frosting sticks in to the whisk without falling off, the frosting is ready to use
  • Using a piping bag or a good old knife, spread the buttercream frosting on top of the cupcakes
  • Garnish with dried roses or chopped pistacios and serve!

Notes

  • I used Rooh Afza for the pink color and the rose flavor, however, you can also replace with rose water and pink food coloring to achieve the same look and flavor 
  • DO NOT over mix, I can't stress this enough; once all the ingredients are just combined, that is when you stop mixing. You can even mix with a spatula to be safe if you are afraid of over mixing with your stand mixer
  • I used fresh cardamom and crushed it with my pestle and mortar for a fresh taste, but you can use ready made powder as well, it just won't be as fragrant
  • You can find milk mawa powder at your local Indian store; I used the Deep brand