These gulab jamun muffins combine a chocolate muffin with half a gulab jamun baked into the centre, then finish the cooled muffin with cream-cheese frosting and another half gulab jamun on top. You can bake them in the oven or make a small batch in the air fryer.
If you like gulab jamun desserts, you may also enjoy my gulab jamun cheesecake or gulab jamun ice cream.
Make a fusion recipe combining the both and enjoy the best of both worlds.
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Equipment
- Air fryer or oven
- stand mixer / whisk
- paper muffin cups / silicone cups / cupcake liners
- sieve
- cupcake pan
- icing bag
- icing tip of your choice.
Ingredients
For cake
- chia seed meal (powdered chia seeds)
- olive oil / sunflower oil / vegetable oil
- milk
- raw sugar powdered after measuring
- Self raising flour
- Dutch processed cocoa for best results
For frosting
- cream cheese
- sugar
- rose water
- sour cream
- whipping cream
- saffron strands ( in warm milk)
- store-bought gulab jamun tin
refer to the recipe card for details.
Gulab jamun muffins recipe | air fryer Gulab jamun cupcake recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer or oven
- stand mixer / whisk
- paper muffin cups / silicone cups
- muffin pan /muffin tray
- icing tip
- icing bag
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon chia seed meal
- ⅔ cup water for chia seed meal
- ½ cup Oil Sunflower/peanut oil is preferred.
- ⅔ cup raw sugar powdered after measuring
- 10 tablespoon milk 10 tablespoon is ½ cup +2 tbsp
- 1.5 cups Self raising flour
- 3 tablespoon cocoa Dutch processed cocoa for best results
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
For frosting
- ½ tbsp. rose water / gulab jal
- 1 tbsp. sour cream
- 1 block cream cheese 1 block of cream cheese is 250gm. This ratio is enough for 12-15 muffins
- ¼ cup sugar after grinding
- 100 ml whipped cream
- few strands of saffron, soaked in 1-2 tablespoon milk.
Instructions
- Mix chia seed meal with water,keep aside for 10 minutes.Add this to a standmixer,beat with oil for 2 minutes. Add the plant based milk and sugar, beat for further 2 minutes on medium speed
- Sift the dry ingredients(flour and cocoa powder)
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix.
- Mix all the ingredients at the slowest speed for 10-15 seconds, do not overmix or use a whisk to mix them manually.
- Place half the gulab jamun in a muffin cup. Remaining half will be used later. each muffin uses 1 small gulab jamun each.
- Pour the batter evenly in a cup cake liner. Give it a tap to adjust the batter evenly in the muffin tray.Add chocolate chips on top.
In an oven:
- Bake in a pre heated oven @ 170 deg C (fan forced ) for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
In air fryer
- Pre heat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 160 deg C/300 deg F. Place the muffin cups filled with batter in an air fryer basket. Bake at 160 deg C/300 deg F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool over a wire rack.
For cream cheese frosting
- Add cream cheese blocks in a bowl of electric mixer. Add powdered sugar and start beating this on on medium speed until soft.
- Add sour cream, rose water to the mix once it is soft,Also add the saffron milk mixture and beat it for few minutes until its well combined In a seperate bowl,
- Add the whipping cream,Start beating with hand mixer or stand mixer until you get soft peaksAdd this whipping cream to the cream cheese mix,
- Pipe the frosting using any icing tip. Place the remaining half of Gulab jamun on top.
Notes
Related links
Instructions
- Mix chia seed meal with water. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Add this to a stand mixer. Beat with oil for 2 minutes. Add milk and sugar, beat for further 2 minutes on medium speed.
2. Sift the dry ingredients(flour and cocoa powder) in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
4. Mix all the ingredients at the slowest speed for 10-15 seconds, do not overmix or use a whisk to mix them manually.
5. Halve the gulab jamuns and place it in all the muffin liners. Pour the chocolate muffin batter evenly in a cup cake liner. Give it a tap to adjust the batter evenly in the muffin tray.
6. For baking in an oven : Bake in a traditional oven @ 170 deg C (fan forced ) for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For baking in an air fryer: Pre heat the airfryer for 5 minutes at 160C/320F. Bake these at 160C/320F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Garnish with cream cheese(refer steps below) and place the remaining half of the Gulab jamun on top.
Gulab jamun cupcake will be a treat to enjoy on your dessert table always!
For cream cheese frosting:
Refer to the Gulab jamun cheese cake recipe to make cream cheese frosting. Here is a collage for your reference on how to make your frosting.
- Add the frosting ingredients to a stand mixer. Whisk on a low setting, until the frosting incorporates well. Do not over beat it.
- Pipe the frosting using wilton icing tip. Place the remaining half of Gulab jamun on top.
Storage
Store delicious muffins in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature. Store your Gulab jamun cupcake in refrigerator for a week. I am sure they are gone within days!
Variations and Substitutions
You may use mini gulab jamuns tin, available in indian grocery stores or use left over homemade gulab jamuns for this recipe.
- You can use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips, as per your taste. You can also use self raising whole wheat flour instead of self raising all purpose flour. However, you might need to increase the liquid content slightly in this case, as whole meal flour is bit dense. Cook time might also increase by few minutes.
- You may make a cardamom cupcake instead of chocolate cake.
- Frosting can be of any flavor you like. Be it rasmalai,rose essence, saffron strands, shrikhand or chocolate.
- Add some extra sprinkles on top as per your taste.
- You can use rose buttercream frosting alternatively to decorate the top of the cupcakes.
FAQ
If the leavening agents are old or expired, then it will not rise.
Keep it in an aluminum foil.
Top Tips
What's the secret of a good chocolatey muffin? Tips and tricks to make that perfect double chocolate cup cake.
- Always check the expiry date of your ingredients. Store them correctly.
- Keep everything ready before you start making the batter. This ensures you do not end up mixing too much, which in turn alters the end results.
- Ensure the batter comes together before you pour into cup cake liners.
- You should be able to pour your batter once ready. If it is too thick and dense, you will end up with dry muffins. Adjust the liquid content according to the nature of the batter.
- Try to pour the batter with a large spatula into each muffin liner evenly. If you end up filling one more than the other, it wont look even and bake evenly. Hence, pour equal amounts one by one. Later top up to adjust the quantity.
- Always give them a little tap on your counter once you fill them evenly. This helps remove any air bubbles.
- Also, ALWAYS preheat your oven or air fryer at least for 5-10 minutes.
- Never open and close the oven very fast when you are checking your results. This can result in muffins rising and then falling flat. That is quite depressing though it may still taste good.
- Always prick with a toothpick in the middle of the muffin to see if they are evenly baked. Let them rest at least 10- 15 mins before you cut. I KNOW that this is the hardest part. Especially if you have kids who cannot wait for it to be ready. Keep them distracted for a little while. This will stop them from crumbling when you are ready to cut.
Happy baking!
Conclusion: Gulab jamun muffins work best when the muffins are completely cool before frosting. Add the final half gulab jamun just before serving or once the frosting is firm enough to hold it.
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