No Oven Wholewheat Jaggery Cake

If you think baking always needs an oven, this recipe will change your mind! This soft, spiced, eggless wholewheat jaggery cake is made entirely on the stovetop — using a simple kadhai or heavy-bottom pan. Sweetened with jaggery, flavored with warm spices, and made with wholesome ingredients, it’s perfect for chai-time snacking or festive celebrations. The best part? It’s beginner-friendly, budget-friendly, and packed with nutrition.

Let’s look at the main Ingredients!

Wholewheat Flour

Wholewheat flour is a high-fiber alternative to refined flour. In this recipe, it forms the base of the cake, adding a hearty texture and a subtle nutty flavour.

Jaggery

Jaggery is a traditional, unrefined sweetener made from sugarcane. It retains trace minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium that are lost in refined sugar processing. Here, jaggery not only sweetens the cake naturally but also gives it a deep caramel-like flavor that pairs beautifully with spices.

Ghee or Oil

In this recipe, ghee or oil acts as the tenderizer, giving the cake a soft crumb and preventing dryness. If you opt for oil, you still get healthy fats that keep the cake moist.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a great source of probiotics, protein, and calcium. In eggless baking, it works as a natural binder and helps the cake rise by reacting with baking soda, resulting in a soft and fluffy texture.

Spices – Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Cloves

These warm spices are flavour enhancers. Cardamom adds a sweet floral note, cinnamon lends warmth, and cloves provide a subtle depth of flavour. Together, they make the cake taste festive and comforting.

Milk

Milk adds moisture to the batter, and helps blend the flavours. It also contributes to a tender texture and provides additional protein and calcium.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda

These leavening agents create air bubbles in the batter, helping the cake rise and turn fluffy without eggs. Baking soda also reacts with the yogurt and jaggery to enhance softness.

If you like baking cakes that are wholesome and made with cleaner ingredients, you may like these recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This cake is wholesome, aromatic, and completely fuss-free. You don’t need an oven or fancy tools — just a kadhai, cooker or heavy-bottom pan. It’s perfect for those who want to bake healthier treats at home, especially in kitchens where ovens aren’t common. Serve it plain, with a dusting of powdered jaggery, or drizzle with a light glaze for extra indulgence.

Eggless Wholewheat Jaggery Cake without Oven

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 40 mins 40 mins

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

1 cup (130 g) - Wholewheat Flour

1 tsp - Baking Powder

1/2 tsp - Baking Soda

1/8-1/4 tsp - Salt

1/2 cup (75 g) - Powdered Jaggery

1/4 cup (60 ml/50 g) - Ghee/Butter/Oil

1 tsp - Spices (Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves)

3/4 cup (180 ml) - Milk

1/4 cup (60 ml/ 55 g) - Yogurt/Curd/Dahi

2 tbsp - Chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add ghee (or oil) and powdered jaggery. Use a whisk or electric beater to mix for 1–2 minutes until the mixture looks lighter in colour and slightly fluffy. This step helps incorporate air and gives the cake a softer crumb.

2. Mix in yogurt until well combined. Add mixed spices (cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves) and salt. Stir well so the flavours spread evenly through the batter.

3. Place a sieve over the bowl and add wholewheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift directly into the wet mixture to remove any lumps and aerate the flour, which helps the cake rise better.

4. Pour in the milk in 2–3 stages, mixing gently after each addition. The batter should be smooth and lump-free.

5. Line a 6-inch round cake pan with parchment paper at the bottom and lightly grease the sides. Pour the batter in, smoothen the top and tap the pan gently on the counter to release air bubbles.

6. Take a large kadhai, Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed deep pan. Add a layer of salt (about 1 cup) to the base — this creates even heat distribution.

7. Place a small inverted steel plate or a wire rack over the salt. Cover and preheat on medium flame for 5–7 minutes. Carefully place the cake pan on the inverted plate/rack inside the heated kadhai. Cover with a tight-fitting lid to trap the heat.

8. Reduce the flame to low and ‘bake’ for around 40 minutes. Avoid opening the lid too often to maintain heat. After 30 minutes, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done, else bake it for 5-10 more minutes.

9. Remove the cake pan from the kadhai and let it cool for 10–15 minutes before unmolding.

10. Store any leftover cake in a covered container in the fridge.

Notes

1. If you want to bake this cake in an oven at 180C for around 30 mins.
2. If you don't want to flavour the cake with spices, you can add 1 tsp of vanilla essence (synthetic vanilla) or 1.5 tsp of vanilla extract (natural vanilla).

Did You Make This Recipe?

Have you made this recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @VanillaTrails and use the hashtag #MadeWithVanillaTrails.