Are you craving a homemade cake but don't have an oven? Fear not! With the help of a humble pressure cooker, you can whip up delightful cakes effortlessly. Indian households have long used pressure cookers for their versatility in the kitchen, and now we'll show you how to use them to create mouthwatering vanilla sponge, chocolate, and red velvet cakes. These recipes are perfect for any occasion and will leave your guests impressed. So, let's get started!
Recipe 1: Vanilla Sponge Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
- Start by greasing a round baking tin that fits inside your pressure cooker.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar until creamy and well blended.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Mix until just combined, ensuring not overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Add 1 to 2 cups of water to the pressure cooker and place a heatproof stand or trivet inside.
- Carefully place the baking tin onto the trivet, ensuring it is stable.
- Close the pressure cooker without the weight (whistle) and bake on medium heat for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Once cooked, remove the tin from the pressure cooker and let it cool for a few minutes before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired and enjoy your delectable vanilla sponge cake!
Recipe 2: Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Method:
- Grease a round baking tin and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
- Beat the mixture until well combined.
- Stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but that's okay.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking tin.
- Add 1 to 2 cups of water in the pressure cooker and place a trivet or stand inside.
- Carefully place the baking tin onto the trivet, ensuring it is stable.
- Close the pressure cooker without the weight (whistle) and bake on medium heat for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with your favourite frosting or enjoy it as is!
Recipe 3: Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons red food colouring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Method:
- Grease a round baking tin and set it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, red food colouring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until well combined.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking tin.
- Add 1 to 2 cups of water to the pressure cooker and place a trivet or stand inside.
- Carefully place the baking tin onto the trivet, ensuring it is stable.
- Close the pressure cooker without the weight (whistle) and bake on medium heat for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost with cream cheese frosting or any other desired frosting and relish the delightful red velvet cake.
Creating delectable cakes in a pressure cooker is not only convenient but also a fun and rewarding experience. These effortless recipes for vanilla sponge, chocolate, and red velvet cakes are sure to impress your family and friends. Remember to adjust the cooking time based on the heat intensity of your pressure cooker. So, the next time you crave a homemade cake but lack an oven, give these recipes a try and enjoy the delightful flavours right from your pressure cooker. Happy baking!