7 cup burfi | 7 cup cake
Updated: August 9, 2022, By Swasthi
7 cup burfi recipe made with gram flour, sugar, ghee, coconut and milk. This cardamom flavored 7 cups sweet is a true festive delight that your whole family will love! Make it for a festive occasion, celebration or just when the cravings kick in for something sweet, really special and awesome. My step-by-step picture guide will help you master the technique of making this amazing goodness!
If you are a South Indian, I am sure you would have come across this treat a lot of times in weddings, celebrations, religious occasions like puja, baby showers etc.
But if you are new to this, you may be wondering what it is?
About 7 cup burfi
7 cup burfi is a traditional South Indian sweet (fudge) made with 7 cups of ingredients like gram flour, sugar, ghee, milk, cardamom powder and coconut. It is also known as 7 cup cake or 7 cups sweet.
The traditional recipe uses 1 cup/measure each of flour, ghee, milk and coconut along with 3 cups of sugar, which sums up to 7 cups. Hence the name.
The best thing about this recipe is that you can use any cup or bowl to measure your ingredients. It need not be a standard cup like a 240 ml or 250 ml cup.
Gram flour is the most widely used flour in the preparation of this sweet. But you will also find some versions using maida (all-purpose flour) or a combination of maida and semolina.
My mom would make numerous versions with this base 7 cup burfi recipe. She would use gram flour, rava, maida and even dried coconut (copra). Every version turns out so good and taste so different from the other. I have shared a similar recipe made with semolina here – Rava burfi.
My recipe
My recipe will give you 7 cup burfi that tastes very close to the traditional Mysore pak but with an additional taste & aroma of coconut. Using the traditional recipe, the burfi turns out overly sweetened and that’s how it is made.
So the recipe I shared here is a modified/ improvised version that has lesser sugar and am sure you will all love this. I have made this for so many years and have been gradually reducing the quantity of sugar to achieve that perfection. The 3 parts of sugar in the recipe is reduced to 2 parts. So you can also call this a 6 cup sweet.
This recipe will give you 7 cup burfi that is super delicious, melts in your mouth & the top layer has a slight crunch like the traditional Mysore pak. If you like to make a soft set burfi, follow my notes below.
The best part about this recipe is you don’t need to make sugar syrup or check the consistency. So it is simply a dump and go recipe.
Making 7 cups burfi is a bit of arm work since you have to continuously stir the heavy mixture. If you have weak arms and really cannot handle heavy mixture then please do not attempt this recipe.
You can also check this complete collection of over 100 diwali recipes.
For more Barfi recipes you can check
Coconut barfi
Rava burfi
Badam barfi
Chocolate burfi
Almond barfi with jaggery
Mawa burfi
Photo Guide
How to make 7 cup burfi
Preparation
- Grease a tray or an aluminium foil to pour the mixture. You can also use a parchment paper. Set this aside.
- Grease a knife and set aside.
- You can also add tiny chunks of cashews or pistachios to this, if you like to use, chop them and keep them ready.
- Do read the notes mentioned in the recipe card if you like to try the recipe.
Let us start (step by step photos)
1. Measure ½ cup ghee and melt it in a heavy bottom pan. Set aside. We will need hot ghee later.
2. Add ½ cup besan to a heavy bottom pan and begin to roast on a medium low flame. Keep stirring and roast it until fragrant. Do not let it brown. Keep stirring constantly. You don’t need to brown or roast it a lot like we do for besan ladoo. This step will take about 4 to 5 mins. Once it begins to smell good and aromatic, move to the next step.
3. Add ½ cup coconut or cashew powder and mix well. You can use fresh or desiccated coconut.
Tip: To make cashew powder you can just pulse ½ cup cashews in a mixer to a coarse powder. Measure the powder and add it. Do not blend at a stretch otherwise it will release oil.
4. Lower the flame and roast for 2 to 3 minutes. Again do not let the flour discolor.
5. Add 1 cup sugar.
6. Pour ½ cup milk.
7. Pour ¼ cup ghee from the melted ghee.
8. Mix well. Put on the flame to medium. The sugar melts and the mixture turns gooey. Keep stirring from here to the end without interrupting else the mixture gets burnt.
It takes around 10 to 12 minutes for the mixture to reach the final stage, but do not go by the time. Just for an approximation I mentioned it.
9. After few minutes, you will see the mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring.
10. Add cardamom powder. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture thickens.
11. When you see the consistency of the mixture thickens, add ¼ cup hot ghee. Preferably hot this time to get a porous texture. If the ghee you heated up is not hot, heat it up again before adding.
If you want a soft burfi then you can add ghee just as it is. Stir well again for the mixture to absorb the ghee.
12. You will find the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan. But still quite runny. Continue to cook. Be attentive as it is going to reach the final stage. Adjust the flame if needed.
13. The mixture thickens and you can see lot of pores (bubbles) in the mixture. The mixture completely leaves the sides now and becomes heavy. It becomes a mass. If you cook past this stage, burfi will break or become powder.
Setting burfi
14. Quickly pour the mixture to a greased tray. Level it with a greased flat spatula or a cup or bowl. While the 7 cup cake is still hot, draw lines carefully with a greased knife. After a while, cut them deeply with a knife. When it cools down completely , cut them to pieces.
I doubled the recipe so I got many pieces. Store 7 cup burfi in a air tight jar. When it cools completely the color lightens.
Pro Tips
- Choose good quality besan (gram flour). Taste the flour first & then use it. Store bought gram flour goes rancid too fast & tastes bitter. If you have a flour mill near by then you can also mill chana dal.
- I have used fresh coconut in the recipe. You can also use the same amount of desiccated coconut or cashew or almond powder. To make the nut powder simply pulse them in a spice jar or blender. Do not over blend as the nuts release oils.
- My mom always made 7 cups burfi that has a slight crunch like the traditional Mysore pak. That is the texture the recipe yields. Pouring hot ghee to the bubbling mixture will give that texture.
- To make a soft set burfi, just use ghee at room temperature.
- You can also garnish the 7 cup cake with some finely sliced almonds and cashews.
Related Recipes
Recipe card
7 cup burfi recipe | 7 cup cake | 7 cups sweet
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- ½ cup besan (gram flour)
- ½ cup coconut or cashew powder (can use frozen or desiccated coconut)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup ghee (can reduce by 1 tbsp)
- 1 cup sugar (can increase to 1¼ cups)
- ½ tsp cardamom powder (elaichi)
Instructions
Preparation
- Grease a tray and set aside. Please read the notes before you try. You can also use a parchment paper or greased foil.
- Grease a spatula or the base of the cup to level the barfi.
- To a small pan, add half cup ghee. Melt it and turn off. Set this aside.
- To a heavy bottom pan, add ½ cup besan. On a low to medium flame roast stirring continuously, until it turns aromatic. This step should take about 4 to 5 mins.
- Then add ½ cup coconut or cashew powder. On a low flame, roast for another 2 to 3 mins, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
How to make 7 cup burfi
- Next add 1 cup sugar,½ cup milk and ¼ cup melted ghee.
- Mix all of them well and cook on a medium heat, stirring continuously until it begins to bubble well.
- After a few minutes the mixture will thicken, make sure you keep stirring continuously.
- When the mixture becomes thick, pour 4 tbsps (¼ cup) of hot ghee. Hot ghee yields a burfi with lot of pores like Mysore pak. For a soft set burfi just add melted ghee.
- Add cardamom powder. Stir well and continue to cook.
- Be attentive as it reaches the final stage. The mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan and it turns porous (visible bubbles). The whole mixture becomes a mass. (check pics in the post)
- Pour this to the greased tray immediately. Level it with a greased cup or spatula.
- Using a greased knife, draw lines on the 7 cup burfi while still hot.
- After a while, cut deeply. When cooled, cut to pieces.
- Store 7 cup burfi in a air tight jar.
Notes
- If using 1¼ cups of sugar, the final consistency of the burfi mixture will be a bit more gooey than you see in the step by step picture.
- If you like a soft set burfi and not one with pores, add all the ghee at one time in the beginning
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
Iโm Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโs Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
Follow Swasthi’s Recipes
Comments
Very nicely explained; easy to follow; with good pictures. Thank you so much; 7 cup burfi came out very well!!!
Swasthiji!
Excellent Recipe! Very well explained and the ratios are perfect ?!
I made it today and it has come out very well!
Thanks a lot ?!
So glad to read this Madhu, Thanks for letting me know!
๐
mata ji hum jab bhii banate hai wo naram hi rah jati hai app hi bataiya kaya kare
Hi Swasthi,
The barfi turned out really delicious. It was just perfect.
Thanks a lot for the recipe.
Glad to know Kalai
Thank You
Can I add one cup cashew powder also?
Hi Tulsi,
Use either coconut or cashew powder – only half cup
Hi Swasthi, Do you add hot ghee both times? Mine came out really soft, like a peda.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Divya,
No I add hot ghee only once at step 11 (step b step pictures).
I guess you took off a little early at the last step. Step 13 – The whole mixture becomes too thick and heavy. This is the indication.
Hope this helps
First I followed exact receipe n got perfect result….but I feel little sweet
So 2nd time I made with 1 1/8 cup sugar instead of 2 cup …but it didn’t get set didn’t get proper taste n texture….n can we get same result if we use brown sugar..
Can you help me?
Hi Sejal,
Glad your first trial worked out well. I don’t suggest any changes to the recipe including using melted ghee & hot ghee. I have mentioned in the recipe that I have already cut down the sugar. If you cut down further it won’t work.
Thank you for giving such a wonderful recipe. Steps are made simple, explanations and photos tell us what to expect at each step. And tip for the crunch was ultimate, that is what I was looking for.
Thanks a lot.
You are Welcome !
Glad to know you liked it. Thanks much for the comment.
Hey Swasthi
Thanks a lot for sharing detailed recipe with great tips (like addition of hot ghee).
Tried this out on the occasion of my mom’s birthday as a pleasant throwback dish for her. It turned out very well and to put it in my mom’s words : SUCCESS ๐
Thanks again.
Hi Bharath
You are welcome! So glad to know it turned out good.
Thanks for leaving a comment
Hi, thanks for recipe
Mine 7 cup turned out to be soft. What went wrong ?
Hi Sush
If the additional ghee that is added later is not hot, then it will be a soft burfi. I have mentioned the same in the recipe
Thanks Swati, today it came out well when I added hot ghee. Thanks for excellent tip
Glad to know!
Hi…. Can I use powdered sugar…. Bcoz last week I have tried mysore pak in that sugar not melted properly…please advice
Hello Srivani,
Yes you can use powdered sugar. I am just surprised why the sugar did not melt in the mysore pak syrup. To reach a 1 string consistency the sugar syrup comes to a rolling boil. By then the sugar should dissolve. For this recipe yes you should measure the sugar first and then powder. Hope this helps
OK thank you…. Next time I will try mysore pak…. For this burfi am planning to add almond powder… It will be good if we add extra cup powder….
Please don’t alter any recipe without asking as many don’t work out well. Extra cup of powder, not sure how it will turn out. I have already scaled down the quantity of sugar in this recipe. So not sure!
OK thank you
7 cup recipe very nice, thanks
Welcome Veena
7 cup recipe very nice
Fabulous. It came out perfect. Thank you so much for such a fool proof recipe. Happy Diwali.
Hi Sheetu,
You are welcome. Glad it turned out good. Wish you all too a very Happy Diwali!
Thanks much for the comment!
Hi Swasti,
Can’t thank you enough for your recipes. I and my MIL followed your recipe today to make 7 cups burfi. Today was my FIL’s birthday. We didn’t have coconut so we powdered almonds and used. The taste was outstanding and was finished in no time. My MIL thanks you for the recipe. We also made your oats chivda. It turned out good too. Thanks a lot.
Hi Sumati,
You both are most welcome! So glad to know. Thanks much for the comment!
๐
Dear,
I did everything as per instructions. But my burfi turned out sticky. Can you please explain where I went wrong
Hi Savitha,
Please mail me the pictures immediately. Or you can send me the pictures to my fb page. I can suggest if you can cook it further and fix it. Sticky burfi means the mixture hasn’t cooked enough. You may need to cook it further.
I made 7 cup burfi for my kidโs birthday as. A return gift . It came out so good . Thank you
welcome Megha
Glad to know the burfi turned out good. Belated birthday wishes to your kid.
๐
Tried this recipe so many times!! Came out lovely!! Everyone loved it. Can I replace the besan with rava or maida in this recipe?
Glad to know Shruti
Thank you! Yes you can use rava and maida. I have another recipe using them – rava burfi. Just replace the besan with maida.
Hi swasthi i tried the 7 cup sweet but everytime its becoming too soft.Iam confused that how much milk should i add in that.Plz let me know.
Hi Lavanya,
If you pour all the ghee at one time in the beginning then the burfi turns soft. As you can see in my recipe I have added ghee twice – half in the beginning and half towards the end (preferably hot). These 2 steps will ensure the burfi will not turn soft and get a texture similar to mysore pak with a light crunch on top. Under cooking the mixture also can make the burfi very soft. Before you take off from the stove the mixture must turn bubbly with lot of pores. Hope these help.
7 cup burfi superb and Awesome!!
Love love ? this Super delicious burfi. I am making it for the 3 time .
Thanks Anu
I always refer your recipes before I make anything new. This 7 cups burfi was a hit at home since last year. I have made it many many times since then. I also love your paneer butter masala, paneer pyaza, aloo gobi and the list is endless. Appreciate your work.
Thank you so much
I love coconut and besan burfi.
Do you think I could reduce the sugar further to 1 cup or 1 1/2 cup? I prefer sweets that are not too sweet like the besan ladoos I used to make, but I’m afraid that this burfi won’t set without the sugar.
Hi Didina
Traditionally this burfi is made with 3 cups of sugar, I have actually reduced the sugar by 1 cup. Any further reduction may result in a powdery mixture. But you may try for a soft set burfi by reducing another half cup. To make the soft set burfi you will have to take off the mixture from the pan as soon as it begin to show up the pores(bubbles). You have to be very quick. But i can’t assure you it will work as i have not tried it. Hope this helps