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.
Amazing recipe. The cake tastes so good.
Thanks Sheena
I dont have any baking pan….can i use any ordinary steel pan …and 1 more question i have read a ŕceipe of 3 steps choclate sauce can i use it for icing
you can use a steel pan. make sure its not thin or light as then the cake can get stuck in it. also grease it well with oil. you can use this 3 step chocolate sauce recipe.
Hi dassana,
Made this cake many times but the demand for it is never ending I even made two at a time but still everyone craved for more. Wonderful recipe. Keep it up. God bless you.
Tip: will look more amazing if you sprinkle some colored sprinkle on it with some gems.
Thanx 😉
thanks shweta and welcome. this is a favorite cake in my home too. i know colored sprinkles and gems will looks great on the cake. thanks for sharing the tip.
Thank you Dasana I will definitely try your biscuit cake recipie very soon and share my experience with you ,,,I know it will also be one of your amazing recipie,,One thing I wish to add is in this cake recipie I have used lime juice instead of vinegar as I didn’t have vinegar but still the recipie was amazing
welcome kavita. do let me know how the biscuit cake goes for you. both lime or lemon juice can be easily used instead of vinegar in any cake recipe. just some acidity is required to help the cake more soft and porous. i am glad that you liked this cake recipe.
Yummylicious what a recipie Dasana ????????and what delicious icing everybody was praising me but it’s because of your step by step photos and the simplicity of explaining the recipie ,Thanks a lot????????and Happy and prosperous new year May God bless you with good health,success and happiness
welcome kavita. thanks for your positive feedback and kind words. Wish you and your family a happy new year.
Its an Amazing recipe….i have tried so many recipies of various blogs…but yours is the best ever…the cake came out superbly delicious…
Thanks Karanjot for this positive feedback. Glad to know that you liked this cake so much.
Was my comment posted!
yes megha, i have replied your queries below.
Hi Dassana, I’m planning to prepare this coming week. 1. Should we powder the brown sugar? 2. Is that one cup of crystal salt used in the pressure cooker? 3. When we place the cake pan on the stand should the stand have pores in them or can I use a plate as the stand. 4. For the icing, can I prepare less icing mixture so that the cake doesn’t become too moist?
Looking forward for your reply. I will surely get back to you again after I prepare the cake and let you know how it was 🙂 Thanks a lot.
megha, your queries answered below:
1. brown sugar need not be powdered.
2. yes in the cooker i have used 1 cup of sea salt crystals.
3. it better for the stand to have some spaces or gaps in them. if you do not have such a stand, then you can use a plate.
4. yes of course, you can make less icing.
do let me know how the recipe turns out for you. happy baking ????
I just have a small doubt . Why do we use curd?? Is it necessary??
the acidity in curd helps in making the cake soft after reacting with baking soda or baking powder. in this recipe curd is required.
Hi…!! Can we replace maida with atta and steam this cake instead of cooker method?
for baking you can replace maida with atta. for steaming the recipe may change. i do not know how this recipe will work when steamed as i have not tried.
Hi! The recipe is excellent. I had doubled the quantity and the cake came out superb. Everyone loved it.
Thanks Suman. Glad to know this.
Hello,
Thank you for this recipe. The cake came out wonderful. I have only one trouble. The cake is very soft, i mean it’s like a cotton candy. I realised it was holding back a lot of moisture. So, i tried to adjust temperature and time and still turns out the same way. The same happened when i baked in convection mode in microwave. Can you help me out here please?
mangai, just bake for some more minutes or you can reduce the quantity of water used. but it is a moist cake and tastes too good.
Hiii ! The cake recipe was so good the cake was teasty and spongy .I love it . May I ask you a question ” instead of adding brwon sugar can we add iceing sugar to it?
thanks gargi for the feedback on the cake made without oven. you can add icing sugar in the chocolate icing.
Hi,
I followed this recipe, the cake tastes good but it smells something different. The smell is kind of rubbery or something of the cooker, I can’t figure it out. Any advice on this?. I used an Aluminium cooker and tin with salt at the base as given. I changed the cooker and the tin the second time I baked, but the same old smell again. 🙁
could be due to the tin or aluminium or the pan you are using. i suspect it is the pan which is used for baking. use a good quality aluminium pan which are actually meant for baking.
Alright. Thanks a lot!. I noticed that the smell was gone the next day.
Will change the pan, though.
Welcome Shruthi
Hi This cake recipe is awesome..I Have a Query!
Can u Please tell how to use condensed milk in this recipe and the alterations i will have to make when i use condensed milk please??
with condensed milk the recipe will change completely. i will not be able to tell you the exact proportions of the ingredients as i always add tried and tested recipes.