Mother’s Day cakes are not just desserts, they are edible tributes with slices of appreciation for the affection, care, love, hearty meals, and timeless traditions our Moms have shared. Let's step into the beloved space this Mother's Day and return the love with a homemade masterpiece! 

There are few aromas as comforting as Amma’s kitchen - the waft of freshly ground cardamom, simmering chai and sweet & heady scent of saffron and rosewater - steeped in warm memories. Let’s bake together a cake with warmth and gratitude that speaks the language of nostalgia, layered with flavours. 

Foodism has brought the best Indian-inspired cakes to celebrate Mother’s Day - from classic Indian flavours to amazing fusions; these are modern yet deep-rooted, innovative and unmistakably nostalgic. So tie on your apron, preheat the oven and get ready to say - ‘I love you, Mumma’ - 

1. Cardamom Rose Cake 

This Cardamom Rose Cake is the perfect aromatic centrepiece for Mother’s Day. The soft vanilla sponge infused with freshly ground cardamom and delicate rosewater buttercream makes this Cardamom Rose Cake both elegant and nostalgic.

Ingredients (For the Cardamom Rose Cake Sponge)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground green cardamom (freshly ground for best flavour)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tbsp rosewater

Ingredients (For Cardamom Rose Buttercream)

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2½ cups powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• 1½ tbsp rosewater
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• Edible dried rose petals and pistachios (for garnish)

Method for Cardamom Rose Cake

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan for your Cardamom Rose Cake.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cardamom together — these dry ingredients form the fragrant base of your Cardamom Rose Cake.
3. Cream butter and sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
4. Alternately fold in flour mixture and milk + rosewater until smooth. Pour into pan.
5. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting your Cardamom Rose Cake.
6. For Cardamom Rose Buttercream, beat the butter till fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, cardamom, rosewater, and milk till spreadable.
7. Frost your Cardamom Rose Cake, garnish with rose petals and pistachios, and enjoy a slice of this fragrant Cardamom Rose Cake.

Pro Tips: 

• Freshly ground cardamom: Use whole green cardamom pods and grind them yourself — the flavour in your Cardamom Rose Cake will be much brighter than store-bought powder.
• Measure rosewater carefully: Too much rosewater can overpower the Cardamom Rose Cake — stick to 1 tbsp for the sponge and 1½ tbsp for buttercream.
• Don’t overmix: Once you add flour to the Cardamom Rose Cake batter, mix gently to avoid a dense cake.
• Cool cake fully before frosting: Frosting a warm Cardamom Rose Cake can melt your buttercream — patience is key!
• Decorating hack: If you don’t have edible rose petals, a sprinkle of crushed pistachios alone still gives your Cardamom Rose Cake a beautiful finish.

2. Kesar Pista Cheesecake 

This Kesar Pista Cheesecake is a no-bake Indian fusion dessert combining saffron and pistachio flavours in a creamy cheesecake — perfect for Mother’s Day.

Ingredients (For Kesar Pista Cheesecake Crust)

• 1½ cups digestive biscuits (crushed)
• ½ cup melted butter

Ingredients (For Kesar Pista Cheesecake Filling)

• 400 g cream cheese (softened)
• 200 ml heavy cream
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp warm milk
• A pinch of saffron strands (for Kesar Pista Cheesecake flavour)
• ¼ cup pistachios (finely chopped)

Ingredients (For Kesar Pista Cheesecake Garnish)

• More chopped pistachios
• Saffron strands

Method for Kesar Pista Cheesecake

1. Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter and press into a 7-inch springform pan. Chill your Kesar Pista Cheesecake crust for 20 minutes.
2. Soak saffron strands in warm milk — this gives the signature kesar touch for your Kesar Pista Cheesecake.
3. Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar till smooth. Fold in whipped cream, cardamom powder, saffron milk, and pistachios.
4. Pour the Kesar Pista Cheesecake filling onto the chilled crust. Smooth the top.
5. Chill your Kesar Pista Cheesecake for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).
6. Garnish the Kesar Pista Cheesecake with pistachios and saffron before serving. Enjoy a creamy, fragrant slice of Kesar Pista Cheesecake!

Pro Tips: 

• Room temperature cream cheese: Always soften cream cheese fully, or your Kesar Pista Cheesecake will have lumps.
• Don’t skip saffron soak: Blooming saffron in warm milk releases colour and flavour essential to your Kesar Pista Cheesecake.
• Chill properly: Your Kesar Pista Cheesecake needs at least 6 hours in the fridge — overnight gives the best set.
• Use a springform pan: This makes it easy to unmould your Kesar Pista Cheesecake cleanly without breaking it.
• Garnish before serving: Add pistachios and saffron strands just before serving so they stay vibrant on your Kesar Pista Cheesecake.

3. Gulab Jamun Cake 

This Gulab Jamun Cake combines a soft sponge soaked in gulab jamun syrup and juicy bits of gulab jamun for a decadent Mother’s Day dessert.

Ingredients (For Gulab Jamun Cake Sponge)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup yoghurt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients (For Gulab Jamun Syrup)

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp rosewater
• 5–6 gulab jamuns (store-bought or homemade), halved

Ingredients (For Gulab Jamun Cake Garnish)

• Whipped cream
• Dried rose petals
• Pistachios

Method for Gulab Jamun Cake

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8-inch round pan for your Gulab Jamun Cake.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom powder.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, yoghurt, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk.
4. Pour into pan and bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly.
5. Make syrup by dissolving sugar and water over low heat, adding cardamom and rosewater — this will soak the Gulab Jamun Cake.
6. Prick warm Gulab Jamun Cake and pour syrup evenly. Top with halved gulab jamuns pressing gently into the sponge.
7. Garnish Gulab Jamun Cake with whipped cream, rose petals, and pistachios. Serve slices of Gulab Jamun Cake chilled or at room temperature.

Pro Tips: 

• Make syrup first: Having syrup ready as soon as the Gulab Jamun Cake is baked ensures better absorption.
• Warm syrup, warm cake: Pour warm syrup over the warm Gulab Jamun Cake (not hot or cold) so it soaks evenly.
• Use fresh gulab jamuns: Soft, juicy gulab jamuns make a tastier and more attractive Gulab Jamun Cake topping.
• Don’t oversoak: Too much syrup will make the Gulab Jamun Cake soggy. Use just enough to moisten, not drown.
• Chill for clean slices: For neat pieces of Gulab Jamun Cake, refrigerate it for an hour before slicing.

4. Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake Recipe

This Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake brings the comforting flavours of masala chai into a moist, aromatic Mother’s Day bake.

Ingredients (For Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake)

• 1 cup milk
• 2 black tea bags
• 1-inch fresh ginger (grated)
• 3 green cardamom pods (crushed)
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method for Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake

1. Heat milk with tea bags, fresh ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer 5 mins, strain and cool — this chai concentrate flavours the Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake.
2. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8-inch loaf pan for your Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom powders.
4. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Alternately fold in dry ingredients and spiced milk concentrate.
6. Pour into a pan and bake Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake for 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake, dust with icing sugar, and enjoy with a cup of chai.

Pro Tips: 

• Strain tea concentrate well: No stray spices or tea leaves should end up in your Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake batter.
• Don’t skip ground spices: The extra cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon ensure your Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake has a bold flavour even if the tea concentrate is mild.
• Use fresh spices: Ground spices lose flavour quickly — for your Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake, fresher = better.
• Grease the loaf pan well: To avoid sticking, line the loaf tin with parchment or dust it with flour after greasing for easy release of the Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake.
• Slice with a serrated knife: A bread knife gives cleaner cuts on the dense Masala Chai Spiced Tea Cake loaf.

5. Mango Coconut Cake Recipe

This Mango Coconut Cake is a tropical Indian treat, pairing sweet Alphonso mango with tender coconut sponge — perfect for Mother’s Day and mango season.

Ingredients (For Mango Coconut Cake Sponge)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Alphonso mango pulp
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• ½ tsp cardamom powder

Ingredients (For Mango Cream)

• 1 cup heavy cream (whipped)
• ½ cup Alphonso mango pulp
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Ingredients (For Mango Coconut Cake Garnish)

• Mango cubes
• Toasted coconut flakes

Method for Mango Coconut Cake

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease two 7-inch round pans for your Mango Coconut Cake.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom powder. Stir in desiccated coconut.
3. Cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Beat in eggs, mango pulp, and coconut milk.
4. Fold in dry mixture. Divide batter and bake Mango Coconut Cake layers for 25–30 mins. Cool completely.
5. Whip cream with mango pulp and sugar to make mango cream.
6. Layer Mango Coconut Cake with mango cream between sponges and on top.
7. Garnish Mango Coconut Cake with mango cubes and toasted coconut flakes. Chill before slicing your Mango Coconut Cake.

Pro Tips: 

• Use Alphonso mango pulp: Canned Alphonso pulp gives the best flavour and colour in your Mango Coconut Cake.
• Don’t skip desiccated coconut: It gives texture and flavour that balances the sweetness in Mango Coconut Cake sponge.
• Don’t overwhip mango cream: Whip cream to soft peaks before folding in mango pulp to avoid curdling in your Mango Coconut Cake filling.
• Cool layers fully before assembling: Warm sponges will melt mango cream, so cool Mango Coconut Cake layers well.
• Toast coconut flakes: For garnish, lightly toast coconut flakes for crunch and deeper coconut flavour on your Mango Coconut Cake.

With these Mother’s Day Indian cake recipes, you are not just gifting a dessert, you are giving her a heartfelt experience topped with love! As you plate the perfect slice, pour her a cup of chai, and watch her smile - it will be priceless. A taste of home, a dash of creativity and a generous serving of appreciation. Cheers to the original chef of our life - our Mothers. A cheers to all our real-life superheroes - Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! 

If you have tried any of these Indian-inspired cakes, then we would love to see how you made your Mom’s Day special. Download Foodism and share your creation with our vibrant food community.