Like I said above, the most important substitution in this cake is for the mawa, a thick, pudding-like reduction of milk that gives the mava cake its dense yet tender and moist texture. And while the mawa itself doesn't have a strong flavor it adds a lot of richness to the cake. So to make up for that texture and flavor, I used two things: cashew cream and almond flour. Be sure to make a really smooth cashew cream with no bits of cashews in it. Soak the cashews first for at least 30 minutes if you don't have a very high-powered blender and drain them before using. You will blend the cashews themselves with almond milk for the perfect, creamy texture and flavor. Use superfine almond flour. You want the cake's texture to be really smooth, not grainy. Soften the butter before using. Mawa Cake also uses eggs, although some Irani restaurants now offer versions for Indian lacto-vegetarians that are eggless. There are no eggs in this vegan recipe, but a dash of lemon, cornstarch and the cashew cream help the cake bind. I used a tablespoon of cornstarch for a tender cake. It sliced nicely but the corners crumbled a bit. I really love this texture, and my family did too, but for a firmer cake add an additional tablespoon. Cardamom is king in this recipe, and I like using two teaspoons of it which, I think, gives the perfect flavor. It may seem a lot, but it really isn't. But if you're wary, you can halve the amount. There's a cup of sugar in this recipe, and I tried a version with less sugar--3/4ths cup. It was delicious, but it wasn't as sweet as I remembered a mawa cake to be. You can go with the smaller amount for sure if you want to. If you use less sugar, keep in mind the top of your cake won't brown as much, so it won't quite have that authentic, mawa cake look. You need a bit of vegan yogurt in this recipe, and it also helps build up a richer flavor and color. I use my homemade vegan cashew yogurt. You can bake this as cupcakes or as mini loaves, like I did. I got 10 cupcakes or 3 mini loaves in loaf pans that measured 5 3/4ths by 3 1/4ths inches. You can also bake this as a single cake in a round cake tin or a regular loaf pan. Keep in mind that you'll need to change the baking time for different sized pans. Bake the cupcakes for 28 minutes, mini loaves for 33 minutes and if you make it in a regular-sized loaf pan or cake tin, bake for 35 minutes and then test with a toothpick. If it comes out with batter on it, bake a few minutes more until the toothpick comes out dry. Always cool your cake thoroughly before unmolding or slicing it. Cool it on a rack.