Every bite of this vegan kesar pista cake is infused with the heady combination of saffron, pistachio and cardamom. It's a delicious treat that simply melts in the mouth and lingers on the taste buds!
You might also like these recipes for vegan cardamom turmeric cake, vegan mango cake and vegan mawa cake.
The flavors of saffron ("kesar" in India) and pistachio play so beautifully with each other, Indian cooks have long captured them together in classic Indian dessert recipes, like kesar pista barfi, kesar pista ice cream and (vegan) thandai (there's even a kesar pista Snickers bar in India!). Now add to that delicious list this melt-in-the-mouth vegan kesar pista cake.
This is a gorgeous cake infused with the warmth of saffron and the creamy, buttery taste of pistachios. Cardamom and a splash of rose water add more aroma and flavor. On top of the cake goes a simple but stunning glaze of saffron and vegan cream cheese. It's the perfect fusion recipe to take you from Diwali to Thanksgiving, and everyone who eats it will fall in love, guaranteed!
I baked this kesar pista cake as a loaf because it's just for Desi and me, but for a larger family or gathering you can double the ingredients and make it a bundt cake. It would be really pretty with the orange glaze drizzled over the top.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Flour. Use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best crust and crumb.
- Tapioca starch or cornstarch. The starch helps bind the cake in the absence of eggs and also creates a lighter crumb.
- Leavening: baking powder + baking soda.
- Spices: ground cardamom and saffron. Saffron is the essential spice here and it will add so much flavor.
- Sugar. I used white granulated cane sugar so the color of the saffron would come through. You can use turbinado sugar or any sugar of your choice. A darker color sugar will tint the cake brown.
- Powdered sugar. This is for the glaze. You can use any powdered sugar but if you are particular about using vegan powdered sugar you can find it at stores like Whole Foods.
- Vegan yogurt. Use any vegan yogurt of your choice so long as it's unsweetened.
- Non-dairy milk. Oat milk or soy milk are recommended.
- Vegetable oil. Use avocado oil or grapeseed oil or sunflower oil or any unflavored oil of your choice.
- Pistachios. Use raw pistachios. If you can only find roasted pistachios, use unsalted roasted pistachios.
- Vegan cream cheese. The cream cheese gives the glaze body and creaminess.
- Optional ingredient: rose water. Rose water adds even more floral aroma to the glaze. Make sure you buy rose water that's labeled edible.
How to make vegan kesar pista cake
Soak ½ teaspoon saffron in a cup of hot milk. Stir after 15 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cardamom. Whisk to mix.
Add the sugar, oil, vegan yogurt, non-dairy milk and the saffron-infused milk into the bowl. Use a spatula to mix until a batter forms. Don't overmix.
Stir ½ cup chopped pistachios into the batter. Mix them in.
Pour the batter into an oiled loaf pan - line the bottom with parchment paper for easy unmolding.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick in the center goes cleanly through. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then carefully run a knife along the sides and lift the cake out of the pan. Continue cooling on a rack.
Make the saffron glaze
Soak remaining ¼ teaspoon saffron strands in 1 tablespoon milk for 15 minutes. Place room-temperature vegan cream cheese in a bowl. Whisk until creamy, then add in the milk with saffron and rose water, if using. Whisk to mix.
Add the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth. The glaze should become quite loose and pourable when you add the sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf cake and scatter on some more chopped pistachios for garnish. Serve the cake with leftover glaze for drizzling over individual slices.
Vegan kesar pista cake FAQs
I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour so I can't say for sure that it would work. If you would like to try it, I suggest using an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour.
The cake will crack on top, much like a pound cake, that's just normal. If you don't like the look, the glaze will help cover up any imperfections.
You can use ½ stick of vegan butter.
Store the vegan kesar pista cake in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage wrap individual slices in freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to three months. You can also store the whole loaf this way.
More delicious vegan cake recipes
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Recipe card
Vegan Kesar Pista Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 1¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup pistachios (chopped)
For saffron glaze
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon rose water (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- 4 oz vegan cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Pistachios for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Soak ½ teaspoon saffron in a cup of hot milk. Stir after 15 minutes. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- In a large bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cardamom. Whisk to mix.
- Add the sugar, oil, vegan yogurt, non-dairy milk and saffron-infused milk into the bowl. Use a spatula to mix until a batter forms. Don't overmix.
- Stir ½ cup chopped pistachios into the batter. Mix them in.
- Pour the batter into an oiled loaf pan - line the bottom with parchment paper for easy unmolding.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the cake goes cleanly through.
- Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then carefully run a knife along the sides and lift the cake out of the pan. Continue cooling on a rack.
Make the glaze
- Soak remaining ¼ teaspoon saffron strands in 1 tablespoon milk for 15 minutes. Place room-temperature vegan cream cheese in a bowl. Whisk until creamy, then add in the milk with saffron and rose water, if using. Whisk to mix.
- Add the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth. The glaze should become quite loose and pourable when you add the sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf cake and scatter on some more chopped pistachios for garnish. Serve the cake with leftover glaze for drizzling over individual slices.
Nutrition Information
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Suzan says
Hi Vaishali! Thank you so much for this incredible recipe!! I doubled it and baked it in a Bundt pan (baked in 45 min) for an Indian inspired dinner and it blew everyone away! The flavors are a dream! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Vaishali Honawar says
So happy you loved it Susan!
Margaret says
I tried this loaf to celebrate my twins' birthday. Everyone loved it! The saffron and rosemary and pistachios really made unique flavours which were delicious. Will definitely make it again.
Vaishali says
So happy you made it. ❤️
marti says
this looks scrumptious, i'd like to make it but i'm unclear about ingredients.
is the total amount of non-dairy milk for the cake 2 cups? is 1c heated to soak the saffron? 2nd cup is not heated, and also added to the batter?
please answer so i can make this for next weekend.
thanks for all you do.
Vaishali says
It's 1 cup non-dairy milk total. You soak the saffron in that cup of milk (heat it first) and after it's cooled down add it to the batter.
Margaret says
The pistachios are missing from the ingredients list. I see they are mentioned down in the instructions, though.
Vaishali says
Sorry, added now! Half a cup for the cake and a few more for garnish. Thanks. 🙂