This tea-time snack is very popular in Pakistan and India. Once you bake cake rusk at home, you will never buy them from the store.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?
In the U.S., cake rusks are available in desi stores, but they lack freshness compared to the ones from Pakistani bakeries. Homemade rusks have:
✔ Better Taste – Crisp, flavorful, and fresh, just like the ones back home.
✔ Perfect Texture – Golden brown, crispy, and made with just a few simple ingredients.
✔ Authentic Flavor – No store-bought version matches the aroma and crunch of homemade rusks.
VARIATIONS
- Cardamom – Adds an aromatic, traditional flavor.
- Cinnamon – If you love warm spices, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Orange Zest – For a citrus twist, add 1 teaspoon orange zest.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAKE RUSKS & ITALIAN BISCOTTI
Both are twice-baked for crispiness, but:
- Cake rusks use plain cake batter, similar to a vanilla sponge cake.
- Biscotti use a hard biscuit dough and are denser.
DIFFERENT OVEN TEMPERATURES
To achieve the perfect crunchy texture, cake rusks are baked twice:
- First Bake: Bake the cake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
- Second Bake: After slicing, bake at 300°F for 25 minutes per side until golden brown.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla essence
- Cardamom powder
- Butter
- Baking powder
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square pan and line with parchment paper.
2️⃣ Beat eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and mix for 1 minute.
3️⃣ Add butter, vanilla extract, and yellow food color (optional). Mix well.
4️⃣ Sift flour, baking powder, and salt, then fold into wet ingredients.
5️⃣ Pour batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6️⃣ Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
7️⃣ Cut into 1-inch thick slices.
8️⃣ Preheat oven to 300°F. Place slices on a baking tray.
9️⃣ Bake for 25 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown.
🔟 Let cool completely before storing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
❓ Can I add yellow food color?
Yes! Add ¼ teaspoon yellow food color for a classic golden hue.
❓ Can I double the recipe?
Yes! Use a 9x13 pan instead of a 9-inch pan.
❓ Why bake rusks twice?
The second bake is essential to dry out the cake, giving rusks their signature crunchy texture.
HOW TO STORE
📌 Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
📌 Refrigerator: Keeps fresh for up to 2 weeks.
📌 Freezer: Wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 3 months.
SUMMARY
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Servings: 24 cake rusks
Calories: 242 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 5 large eggs
- ¾ cup castor sugar
- ⅔ cup butter (150g), room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260g)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp yellow food color (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square pan with baking spray. Line with parchment paper.
2️⃣ Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3️⃣ In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy (3-4 minutes).
4️⃣ Add sugar and mix for another minute.
5️⃣ Add butter, vanilla extract, and yellow food color. Mix well.
6️⃣ Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
7️⃣ Pour batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. A skewer should come out clean.
8️⃣ Let cake cool completely before slicing.
9️⃣ Preheat oven to 300°F. Slice cake into 1-inch thick pieces.
🔟 Place slices on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes per side, flipping once.
1️⃣1️⃣ Let cool completely before storing.
NOTES
📌 Cooling is important – If you cut while warm, slices won’t be sharp.
📌 Bake twice for crispiness – Skipping the second bake results in soft rusks.
📌 Store properly – Use an airtight container to maintain crunch.
NUTRITION FACTS
Cake Rusk (Indian/Pakistani Biscotti)
Serving Size: 1 cake rusk
- Calories: 242
- Fat: 12g (18%)
- Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 95mg (32%)
- Sodium: 218mg (9%)
- Potassium: 51mg (1%)
- Carbohydrates: 29g (10%)
- Fiber: 1g (4%)
- Sugar: 13g (14%)
- Protein: 5g (10%)
- Vitamin A: 414 IU (8%)
- Calcium: 46mg (5%)
- Iron: 1mg (6%)
