What if I tell you that its absolutely possible to make a luscious and indulgent chocolate cake without an oven? And you really don’t have to go anywhere else, because I’ve got just that foolproof Cake Recipe for you. With the recipe of Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake that I have shared on this post, you can easily make a cake sans oven, which is also just as soft, fluffy, moist and delish. The recipe is also eggless.
Why You Will Love This Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake
One of the recipe requests that I have been getting over the years is on how to make a cake without using an oven. So, it was essential for me to add this recipe of a fuss-free stovetop Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake that can be easily done even if you don’t have an oven or don’t want to use it.
I have made this cake many times in an oven. But when I made this the first time, I made it in the pressure cooker. This recipe is roughly adapted from a cake recipe which I have been making from many years.
The recipe of this Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake is simple and you do not need any special ingredients. This eggless cake is made with all-purpose flour (maida). So, use organic or unbleached all-purpose flour, if possible.
You can also prepare this cake with whole wheat flour (atta). Some more water may need to be added, if using whole wheat flour. You can also check this simple and plain Wheat Cake recipe for the same.
Like I mentioned earlier, this Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake is soft, moist and light and tastes somewhat similar to a Dutch truffle cake. Basically, it is best had directly from the pan.
It is so moist that even when you slice, you have to do that carefully and only once the frosting sets. Without the frosting too, the cake tastes good.
This cake can also be made in the oven. I have used curd (yogurt) and vinegar in this preparation.
The curd can be substituted with buttermilk too. I also used Hershey’s cocoa powder. But you can use any other good quality cocoa powder.
The cake has a gooey chocolatey frosting that adds a dimension of richness and fudgy flavors to the cake. You could opt to skip the frosting and only make the cake.
Without the frosting, the cake tastes good, but I would suggest to make this frosting as it simply rounds up the flavors and makes it top notch in this chocolate cake made in pressure cooker.
Other Cake Recipes Without Oven
- Cooker Cake – Spongy and soft, light-textured delicious egg-free sponge cake made in a pressure cooker.
- Biscuit Cake – This is one of the easiest and yummiest cake recipes one can make. This no-bake cake also has chocolate in it and tastes too good.
- Baath Cake – Light, nutritious steamed cake made with yellow cucumber, semolina, jaggery and coconut. A traditional recipe of Goan cuisine where it is also referred to as ‘tavsali.’ In this recipe, the cake is steamed instead of getting baked.
How to make Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake
Preparation & Make Flour Mixture
1. Grease a baking pan or baking bowl with butter or oil. Make sure that the pan you use fits inside a 5 or 6-liter stovetop pressure cooker.
2. In a bowl, take 1 cup all purpose flour (125 grams) and ¼ teaspoon salt. You can also sift the flour prior to mixing it with the other ingredients.
3. Then, add ½ cup sugar (100 grams).
4. Mix everything very well with a spoon or wired whisk. Set aside.
Make Chocolate Mixture
5. Then, in a pan, take ¼ cup unsalted butter (30 grams), ¼ cup oil and ¼ cup cocoa powder (20 grams).
If using salted butter, skip adding salt in step 1.
6. Add ½ cup water.
7. Keep the pan on low heat and with a wired whisk, continuously stir so that all the cocoa powder dissolves and the mixture becomes uniform. There should be no lumps.
8. The butter will start melting on low heat.
9. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously with the whisk.
Mixing Chocolate Mixture and Flour Mixture
10. As soon as the chocolate mixture comes to a boil, immediately pour it into the flour mixture.
11. Mix lightly. If you don’t mix, then also its fine. Keep aside.
12. In a 5 or 6-liter cooker, spread 1 cup salt evenly. Place the cooker on low heat.
Make Curd (or Yogurt) Mixture
13. In another small bowl, take ¼ cup fresh curd or yogurt.
14. Add ¼ cup water to the curd.
15. Mix very well.
16. Then, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to it. Mix again.
17. Next, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence.
18. Lastly, add ½ teaspoon baking soda.
Since only baking soda is used, make sure that the baking soda is fresh and active. To check the freshness, dissolve a bit of baking soda in solution of vinegar and water and it should fizz and bubble.
19. Mix very well. This mixture will begin to froth.
Make Batter
20. Immediately, add this mixture to the chocolate-flour mixture.
21. With a wired whisk mix very well making sure there are no tiny lumps.
22. However, do not over do the mixing.
23. Pour the batter into the greased baking tin.
24. Gently, tap and shake the pan.
Making Chocolate Cake In Pressure Cooker
25. Place a rack or stand carefully on the salt layer.
26. Place the cake pan on the stand.
27. Cover and close with the cooker’s lid.
Important: The rubber gasket (rubber ring) and the whistle should be removed before you close the cooker with its lid.
28. Bake the cake on low heat for 40 to 45 minutes.
If baking in an oven, bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C (350 degrees F) for 35 to 40 minutes.
29. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is done or not. The toothpick should come out clean.
The time for the cake to bake in the pressure cooker will depend on the size and thickness of the cooker, the size of the cake pan and the intensity of stovetop heat.
I have used a heavy 5 litre aluminum pressure cooker and it helps in uniform heating, which results in evenly baked goods.
30. Remove the cake pan carefully from the pressure cooker. While the cake is still hot. Poke a lot of holes in it using a fork or a toothpick or a bamboo skewer.
Make a lot of holes as this is where the frosting seeps into and they cannot be seen once the frosting has been cooled.
Make Chocolate Frosting
31. In a saucepan, take ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence, 10 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ cup milk and ¼ cup cocoa powder.
Instead of brown sugar, you can also use regular white sugar or unrefined cane sugar.
32. Keep the pan on low heat and with a wired whisk stir and mix very well to combine the ingredients.
33. The brown sugar granules should completely melt and the cocoa powder should dissolve. Stir continuously to get an even mixture.
34. Bring this mixture to a boil.
35. Once the chocolate frosting mixture comes to a boil, immediately pour it all over the cake. You don’t need to spread it as the frosting seeps down inside the cake.
36. This cake tastes good warm also, but you cannot slice it and you can just eat it directly from the pan with a spoon.
You can also cool the cake in the refrigerator and then eat it. Cover the pan with a lid or foil when refrigerating.
I kept the cake in the refrigerator and thus I was able to slice them for the final pictures.
37. Slice and then serve the Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake as a lovely treat or dessert.
The remaining cake can be refrigerated for about a week. Store in a covered air-tight container and refrigerate.
More Cake Recipes To Try!
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Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Flour Mixture – 1
- 1 cup all purpose flour – 125 grams (maida)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar – 100 grams
Liquid Mixture – 2
- ¼ cup cocoa powder – 20 grams
- ¼ cup unsalted butter – 30 grams; if using salted butter then skip adding salt
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ cup water
Curd Mixture – 3
- ¼ cup Curd (or yogurt)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Chocolate Frosting Mixture
- ¼ cup cocoa powder – 20 grams
- ¼ cup Butter – 30 grams, salted or unsalted
- 10 tablespoons brown sugar – regular sugar can also be used
- ¼ cup milk you can also use cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
Prep
- Grease a baking pan or baking bowl with softened butter.
Flour Mixture – 1
- In a bowl, take the flour, salt and sugar. You can also sift the flour.
- Mix everything very well with a spoon or wired whisk.
Liquid Mixture – 2
- Then in a small pan, take the butter, oil, cocoa and water.
- Keep the pan on a low heat and with a wired whisk, continuously stir so that all the cocoa powder dissolves and the mixture becomes even and uniform. There should be no lumps.
- Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously with the whisk.
- As soon as the chocolate mixture comes to a boil, immediately pour it into the flour mixture.
- Just light mix. If you don't mix then also it is fine.
- In a 5 or 6 litre stovetop pressure cooker, spread 1 cup salt evenly. Place the cooker on a low heat to preheat it.
Curd Mixture – 3
- In another bowl, take curd (or yogurt), water, vinegar and vanilla extract. Mix very well.
- Lastly add baking soda.
- Mix thoroughly. This mixture will begin to froth.
- Immediately add this mixture to the flour and chocolate mixture.
Mixing and making cake without oven
- With a wired whisk mix very well. However do not over do the mixing.
- Pour into the greased baking tin or pan. Gently shake and tap the pan.
- Carefully, place a rack or stand on the salt layer. Place the cake pan on the stand.
- Cover and close cooker with its lid. The rubber gasket and the whistle should be removed before you place and close the lid on the cooker.
- Bake cake for 40 to 45 minutes on a low heat. If baking in an oven, then bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Check with a tooth pick to see if the cake is done or not. The tooth pick should come out clean.
- Remove the cake pan carefully from the pressure cooker. While the cake is still hot poke a lot of holes in it using a fork or a toothpick or a bamboo skewer. Make a lot of holes as this is where the frosting seeps into and they cannot be seen once the frosting has been cooled and is set.
Making the chocolate frosting
- In a saucepan, take butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, milk and cocoa powder.
- Keep the pan on a low heat and with a wired whisk stir and mix very well. The sugar should melt and the cocoa powder should dissolve. Keep on stirring continuously to get an even mixture.
- Bring this mixture to a boil.
- Once this frosting mixture comes to a boil, then immediately pour it all over the cake. You don't need to spread it as the frosting seeps down inside the cake.
- This cake tastes good warm also, but you cannot slice it but you can just eat it directly from the pan.
- You can also cool the cake in the fridge and then enjoy it. Cover the pan with a lid or foil when keeping in the fridge.
- Once the frosting has set, slice the cake and serve.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator covered in an air-tight container. The cake keeps well in the fridge for about a week.
Notes
- You can use whole wheat flour (atta) also to prepare this cake. If using whole wheat flour, then sift the flour once or twice with salt first.
- For whole wheat flour, use ⅔ to ¾ cup water in the second mixture. The amount of water to be added depends on the quality of whole wheat flour. So you can keep some hot water handy, in case the batter becomes too thick.
- Instead of brown sugar, you can use regular granulated sugar or raw sugar.
- You could use salted butter, but do not add salt in the cake.
- Keep in mind that the time taken for the cake to bake in the stovetop pressure cooker will depend on the size & thickness of the cooker, the size of the cake pan and the intensity of stovetop heat.
- Nutrition info is for one slice of cake.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Pressure Cooker Chocolate Cake from the archives was first published on December 2016. It has been updated and republished on May 2024.
Hello,
I have a couple of questions regarding the recipe,
1. If we use salt as the base for the tin, can the salt be reused in foods?
2. I am not having any oven/OTG/microwave, so what can be the alternative for the baking part?
anirudh, your queries answered below:
1. avoid using the salt in food as the aluminium or the metal from the cooker does get mixed with the salt due to dry heating for a long time. so use this salt only while baking in the cooker.
2. apart from pressure cooker, a thick heavy and deep pan or pot can also be used for baking. the lid of the pan has to have some vent or outlet for the steam to pass.
a small to medium sized OTG is a good investment and they are not very expensive like microwave ovens. there are many baked goodies that you can make. plus here you also control what goes into the baked stuff. so you can have preservative free breads, pav (rolls), cakes and cookies that can be easily made at home.
Thanks for sharing such a lovely recipe.
I tried making the cake, the texture turned out to be pretty great!!
Only thing was, the safety plug of my cooker was made of metal, and due to excessive pressure inside the cooker (I wonder how can we make the cake then) it melted inside my cake. So, unfortunately, I was not able to eat the cake.
thats sad ?. i think it melted due to excessive heat. there is no pressure in the cooker when using this method. did you remove the whistle/vent weight from the lid. if the whistle is there it will create some pressure inside and the safety valve will melt. when cooking in dry heat that is used in this technique, the heat escapes from the vent on the lid. so no pressure is created and the heat is uniform.
i have baked many times in a cooker and never had any issue. some years back i had kept some veggies for boiling in the cooker and the water was less. all the water evaporated and as a result the cooker blackened from inside. there was some metal warping inside the cooker. the safety valve also had got melted. when using a cooker for baking, always remove the whistle and rubber gasket.
I forgot to remove the rubber gasket, could that be the reason for the excessive pressure??
could be. as the rubber gasket seals some of the pressure and steam inside. thanks for letting me know. i was wondering what must have gone wrong.
For the sharing such an amazing recipe.. 🙂
welcome.
hello! can i use greek yogurt instead of curd?
you can use greek yogurt. but since greek yogurt is very thick, you will need to add about 1/3rd to 1/2 cup water water instead of 1/4th cup water.
Loved ur recipe. Did come out as planned. Had a query how can we incorporate liquor in it specifically vodka
thanks piyush for the feedback. any liquor can be brushed on the cake. so once this cake is done. let it become warm and then after poking the cake, then brush vodka or rum or wine on the cake. then make the icing and then pour it over the cake. alternatively, you can add some vodka (about 2 tablespoons) in the cake batter itself and the cake will have a boozy flavor.
Dassana can you share any youtube video that depicts whisking of cake batter the way you do it? I checked some but they mix quite rigorously which, I doubt, is because they’ve used eggs
ruchi, i searched a lot of videos for eggless cakes and found this one close to how i mix the batter. the batter has been mixed very lightly by her. link here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56_PE_vPVVs
Thanks a lot..
welcome ruchi.
Hi dassana, what pan size did you use for this cake?
ruchi, here i have used 7 inch pan. you can also use 6 inch pan.