Kitchen Recipe Collection
Sri Lankan Kavum (Oil Cake)
A traditional Sri Lankan deep-fried sweet cake made from rice flour, jaggery, and coconut milk — a festive delicacy prepared during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- sri lankan
Ingredients
Scaled for 20 servings
- raw rice flour
- jaggery
- coconut milk
- sesame seeds
- oil for deep frying
Equipment
- Deep frying pan
- Slotted spoon
- Mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Melt Jaggery
Melt jaggery in coconut milk over low heat until completely dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- 2
Make Batter
Sift the rice flour into a bowl. Add sesame seeds. Pour in the cooled jaggery-coconut milk liquid and mix into a thick, smooth batter — the consistency of thick pancake batter.
- 3
Rest
Cover the batter and rest for 15 minutes.
- 4
Deep Fry
Heat oil in a deep pan. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry on medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown.
- 5
Drain & Cool
Drain on paper towels. Allow to cool completely before serving — they firm up as they cool.
Cooking Tips
- Medium-low heat is essential — high heat will brown the outside before the inside cooks through.
- The batter must be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped into oil.
- Kavum must be fully cooled before eating — they are very soft when hot.
Variations
- Konda Kavum: A larger, conical version of kavum, shaped with a special mold.
- Coconut Kavum: Add extra grated coconut to the batter for more texture.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Kavum is one of the essential sweets prepared for Sri Lankan New Year (Avurudu) alongside kokis.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Estimate
185 calories · 2g protein · 28g carbs · 8g fat · 1g fiber per serving
