Ravani Cake Drenched with Sugar Lemony Syrup

Ravani or Revani is a buttery cake doused with syrup. The recipe I’m sharing with you today attains a texture that is so delicate, it’s so fluffy, it’s so moist, it’s sweet but not overly sweet and there’s a twist. The addition of desiccated coconut to the batter is truly the secret that makes it taste divine and that it gives a different, more luscious texture to the cake.

The syrup is lemon flavored and it permeates the cake giving it a delicious lemony taste that’s prominent but not overpowering. This syrup is so light, “showering” the cake, balancing out its buttery and sugar notes.

Its pale yellow color with golden brown top is a beautiful sight. It’s mouth watering and the aroma of lime zest is awesome and in new gen language ‘ mind blowing’. As you bring a piece of ravani to your mouth you can smell the butter, the lemon and the exotic coconut and when you taste it, it fulfills every expectation.

You can serve it with a dusting of desiccated coconut, with a side of vanilla ice cream, accompanying your coffee or tea and it is guaranteed to satisfy your sugar craving after dinner.

Most versions of Ravani contain semolina flour (rava/ sooji). But for this recipe we have opted for all-purpose flour (maida) which is a far better choice for this cake. Semolina flour is one of the ingredients that make Ravani incredibly heavy.

Ingredients for Ravani Cake drenched with sugar lemony syrup

For Ravani Cake

• 150 g unsalted butter +10 g for greasing the pan
• 250 g sugar
• 3 medium-sized eggs
• 150 ml milk (preferably whole milk)
• 250 g All-purpose flour/Maida
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 150 g desiccated coconut

For Sugar syrup

• 350 g sugar
• 360 ml water
• 4 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• Lemon peel from 1 medium-sized lemon

Procedure for preparing Ravani Cake drenched with sugar lemony syrup

Method:

For Ravani Cake

Pre-work:

a)Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
b)Grease the bottom and the sides of the spring-form pan/ baking pan with some butter.
c)Powder sugar quantity kept for cake.
d)Need to prepare the sugar syrup too (refer directions below)
e)In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter with a hand blender until it is fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating continuously, until they are totally combined into the mixture. Pour in the milk and beat well.
f)Add the flour and baking powder and beat until mixed and then add the desiccated coconut. Keep aside 2 tsp for garnishing the cake. Mix in the coconut with a rubber spatula until the mixture is well blended.
g)Pour the batter in the spring-form pan and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 40 mins.
h)After 35 minutes, check if cake is sufficiently baked by inserting a tooth pick or a knife in the middle of the cake and also check if it comes out clean.  If it is still sticky, bake for another 5 to 8 mins.

For Syrup:

• Meanwhile prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, add the sugar, water, lemon juice and lemon peel. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved, then lower the flame and boil uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave the contents to infuse i.e all the flavors to get incorporated in the sugar syrup. Remove the lemon peel from the saucepan and discard it.
• When the cake has baked well, remove from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. The cake will have a golden brown color on top. When it has cooled down a bit, pour the warm syrup over the cake, a spoonful at a time, starting to pour always from the middle of the cake.
• Leave the drenched cake on a wire rack to absorb all the syrup and cool completely. Then remove the interlocking side band of the pan and cut the cake into squares (while still being on the round base of the pan). Remove each square and place it on a cake dish.
• Decorate the cake with desiccated coconut ,sprinkle on top.
• If you have used a regular pan for baking the cake, then you need to separate the cake from the baking pan and when it has sufficiently cooled pour the sugar syrup on the cake as mentioned above.

Also check: Alcohol free Plum cake recipe for Last minute bakers

Note:

1. The cake will be almost stuck at the bottom of the pan and that is why you need to cut it into pieces first so that it doesn’t crack while trying to remove it as a whole.
2. Remember whole milk is preferable as it contains 3.5% milk fat and is the closest to the way it comes from the cow before processing.

Serve the cake and keep in mind that it tastes far better the next day!!

The cake will remain fresh for 4-5 days, covered, at room temperature.

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