Tiffin Cake has now become synonymous to Bapuji Cake in Kolkata and other regions of West Bengal. Bapuji Tiffin Cake is loaded with tutti frutti and pieces of petha or ash gourd candy or chalkumoror morobba. If you are a fan of this Bapuji Cake then you must follow the step-by-step recipe to make it at your home.
If you are from 80s or 90s generation then you know that New Howrah Bakery's Bapuji Cake is an emotion. It was known as "Tiffin Cake" in West Bengal, wrapped in typical red printed cover. Many of the Bongs might be familiar with this cake. I have not seen this cake anywhere except West Bengal.
The cake used to be available even at small tea stalls and regular grocery stores. Even I remember from my local train journeys, some hawkers used to sell this tiffin cake along with other bakery goodies. Baba used to get a few from his daily train journey when he was posted in another location.
Back then neither we had too many options for cakes nor they were so fancy like they are now. So whenever I used to get Bapuji Cake in my tiffin box, I used be very happy and content.
How does the Bapuji Tiffin Cake taste?
It is a typical old-fashioned cake with crumbs and texture. Unlike other cakes available in the market it has the right amount of sweetness and thankfully no strong flavor essence except mild vanilla flavor. Presence of ash gourd candy pieces inside the fruit cake gives juicy taste in each bite.
What is Petha?
Petha is a translucent soft candy produced from ash gourds. It is popular in the Indian subcontinent, especially in the Northern part of India. In Bengal, we call it 'chalkumror morobba' (ash gourd candy or winter melon candy).
Usually, you will get petha in sweets shops or in dry fruit shops. You also get petha packets in any departmental stores.
Ingredients you need to make Bapuji Tiffin Cake
Like other cakes, you need the basic ingredients including flour, eggs, butter, sugar, baking powder and milk to prepare this cake.
Normally, All-purpose flour or maida is used in this cake for light and crumbly texture. You can replace it with whole wheat flour or atta, but the texture of the cake might turn out little dense.
I have used sugar as sweetening agent. I have used granulated sugar for this cake. You can also use castor sugar here.
This is not an eggless cake and egg is one of the important ingredient of this cake. You can definitely try an eggless version by replacing eggs in the recipe. If I try an eggless version someday, I will update the measurement of the alternative ingredient and it's measurement here.
I have used both butter and refined oil to balance the intake of calories as well as to give a nice texture to the cake.
Other important ingredients of these cake are baking powder, baking soda, tutti frutti, ash gourd candies, salt, vanilla essence and milk.
What is the shelf life of this homemade cake?
If you store the cake slices in an air-tight container, it will stay fresh for up to 4 to 6 days at room temperature. However, homemade cakes have shorter shelf-life during hot summer and monsoon time. If you store the cake slices in the refrigerator, they have longer shelf-life.
More Homemade Cake Recipes
Bapuji Tiffin Cake
Materials
- 5 cups All Purpose Flour
- 4 nos Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
- 50 gms Butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Refined Oil
- ½ cup Tutti Frutti
- ½ cup Ash Gourd Candies (Chalkumror morobba) chop them to smaller pieces
- 2½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda
- a pinch Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
- ½ cup Milk use as required
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 170 degree C for 5 minutes. Now line the cake tin with a butter paper.
- Sieve the flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Now in a bowl, take melted butter and add sugar into it. Beat them well.
- Next add the eggs one at a time and beat well the wet mixture.
- At this stage, add vanilla essence and mix well.
- Now fold the dry mix into the wet mix by cut and fold method.
- Add milk little by little into the mixture and check the consistency of the batter.
- In a bowl, take the tutti frutti and ash gourd candies and dust them with flour and add them in the batter.
- Pour the batter in the prepared cake tin and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes at 170 degree C or until you get a clean toothpick once you insert in the cake.
Notes
- Coat the tutti frutti with a little flour to ensure that it spreads evenly throughout the cake and does not sink to the bottom.
- You can adjust the quantity of milk depending on the batter consistency.
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Sowmya
All dishes taste best with nostalgia. You have described it so nicely. I love the idea of adding some petha to cake. I am sure it would be gorgeous. Got to try this asap!
motionsandemotions
Please let me know the outcome
Kalyani
The Bapuji cake definitely sounds and looks delish..the addition of the petha is such a delightful texture .
motionsandemotions
Good to know that you liked it
Sasmita Sahoo
Bapuji tiffin cake looks like a delicious cake !!! I think we have all love this type of tutti frutti since childhood ...Definitely One must try this cake!
motionsandemotions
You're right
Jayashree T.Rao
Bapuji tiffin cake looks crumbly and well made Amrita. Looks like every region has their own popular cake shop. It is perfect one with tea.
motionsandemotions
Thank you Jayashree
Preethicuisine
Bapuji tiffin cake sounds interesting with petha and tutti frutti. Love the beautiful texture and flavors of this perfect tea time cake . Old bakery cakes are always delicious.
motionsandemotions
Absolutely Preethi!
Archana
Wow! Bapuji tiffin cake is definitely a delicious cake. Old fashioned delicious and yum cake that we loved as kids. Love the use of pitha and truti fruit. Definitely needs a try.
motionsandemotions
Try it, you will love the cake
Seema
We learn so much from each other. I love ash gourd petha and always have some in my fridge.i was very excited when I saw the use of it in your recipe. How unique!
motionsandemotions
Isn't it...
Mayuri Patel
An interesting introduction to Bapuji Tiffin Cake. Like old fashioned cakes as they are always the best. The cake texture looks so soft and I think you cannot achieve that texture without eggs. Interesting how along with tutti frutti also petha is added.
motionsandemotions
You are right texture differs in eggless cakes compared to with eggs!
angiesrecipes
The cake looks so tender and nice. Perfect over a cup of tea or coffee.
motionsandemotions
Thank you