How to Bake a Cake in a Rice Cooker

Updated 13 October 2023 · 854 words

Cakes are typically baked using an oven, but did you know that you can also make the cake of your dreams with a rice cooker? That’s right! If you don’t have an oven but want to try your hand at baking cake, the rice cooker is your next best bet. 

Can Rice Cooker Be Used for Baking?

As implied in the name, a rice cooker is mainly used for cooking rice in an effortless and easy manner. However, rice cookers can actually do more than cook rice! You can use rice cookers to steam food or even make soup. There are even advanced rice cooker models that you can use to make stews, porridge, yogurt, baby food, and more. 

One of the things that a rice cooker, basic or advanced, can do is to bake cake. Whether you use a cake mix or make your own batter from scratch, baking a cake in a rice cooker will result in a dish that’s moist, light, and perfectly cooked without any marks, wrinkles, or uneven layers.

Can I Bake With a Rice Cooker Pan?

Yes, baking a cake is possible with your rice cooker pot! The non-stick surface of many rice cooker pots allows a cake to unmold easily, resulting in a smooth, almost glossy surface once cooked.

Rice Cooker Cake Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients listed here are for a basic rice cooker cake recipe. If you want to make chocolate cake, upside-down pineapple cake, or other cakes, gather up the necessary ingredients you need and skip ahead to the cooking directions.

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 white sugar (or raw sugar)
• 90ml oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• Vanilla extract
• Butter

Optional: Frosting Ingredients

• Whipped cream
• Fruit

How to Bake Cake Using an Electric Rice Cooker?

1. In a large bowl, add together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, and salt. Mix them well.
2. Next, add the wet ingredients: eggs, 90 ml of oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 3/4 cup of milk.
3. Whisk them together until smooth or about 1 minute. Be sure to not overwork the batter.
4. Pour batter into the rice cooker bowl.
5. Set the rice cooker to cook. If your rice cooker has a Cake setting, push that button to get it started. If your rice cooker is a standard one, push the regular rice button instead.
6. Some rice cookers will go on the warm cycle after 5 minutes. If it does that, press the cook button once more. You may have to do this 2 to 3 times.
7. Test the cake for doneness. Insert a toothpick or a skewer into the cake and if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
8. Take the cake out of the rice cooker and cool it on a wire rack. If you’re decorating the cake, let it cool completely.
9. If you want to eat the cake as it is, wait for 10 minutes and serve while warm. Otherwise, head to the next step for frosting.
10. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. 
11. Place the cake on a platter with the round side up. 
12. Slice and place on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream and your choice of fruit. 
13. Serve.

Rice Cooker Cake Recipe Tips

• You can also use a box of cake mix. You will need an egg, oil, and water for your cake mix. Once you’ve combined the ingredients together, simply pour the batter into your rice cooker and let it cook.
• For a richer-tasting cake, you can use butter instead of oil.
• Use fresh milk or any vegan milk for this recipe. 
• To make this recipe into a vegan dessert, skip the egg and butter. Use water instead of milk if you prefer.
• If your rice cooker bowl isn’t nonstick, prepare it by using oil or butter to grease the surface. Additionally, you may also use a baking sheet in the bowl before pouring the cake batter in.
• Sprinkle some fine powdered sugar on top to make it a fancy dessert.
• Turn this recipe into a birthday cake! Add colored sprinkles to the mixture and frost it with vanilla cream.
• If you’re going to frost the cake with whipped cream and find it hard to thicken, adding a hint of cream of tartar should do the trick.
• Don’t open the lid of the cooker while it is cooking as you will let all of the heat out.
• Want to turn this recipe into a chocolate cake? Add cocoa powder into the mix and you’re all set!
• Some microwave rice cookers will work for baking a whole cake but there can be a lot of trial and error.
• Place the cake upside down on a platter as it looks more pleasing that way.

Final Note

Making cakes in a rice cooker is very easy! It’s energy-efficient too! The texture of the resulting cake may not be exactly the same as ones made in an oven, but it will be surprisingly moist and delicious, enough to satisfy any cake lover. 

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