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You are here: Home / Basics of Baking / How to Make Cake in a Pressure Cooker, Step by Step Pictures

How to Make Cake in a Pressure Cooker, Step by Step Pictures

December 1, 2017 91 Comments

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in pressure cooker (no oven cake)

“How do I bake a cake in a pressure cooker? Or, “how to make cake in a pressure cooker?”  These are the most often asked questions in comments, emails, and messages on this blog. I postponed baking cake in a pressure cooker because, frankly, I was scared to try it. I vaguely remember my aunt cautioning me against it when I was a child and I have read on quite a few blogs that, yes, you can definitely bake a cake in the pressure cooker but it’s not very good for your cooker and it may compromise its safety.

Technically, I didn’t see what the issue was but I did have this (probably) irrational fear of making a cake in a pressure cooker, especially since I had a perfectly functioning and good oven. But I ventured forth last weekend and made a cake from scratch in a pressure cooker, and let me tell you, there’s really nothing to fear, just a few things to remember. So here goes.

HOW TO BAKE CAKE IN A PRESSURE COOKER

1. Decide on a good, uncomplicated recipe for your pressure cooker cake. I started with a simple eggless sponge cake with tutti frutti made in pressure cooker (pictured above) but I would guess that pretty much all cake recipes will work well in a pressure cooker too. Prepare the batter and set aside.

2. Use a pressure cooker that’s at least 3 litres, but 5 litres is a good size and what I would recommend. I have had people try cakes in pressure cookers with 10 litres capacity and had success so size is not an issue. Your cooking time and cake pan size may need to be adapted accordingly.

3. Remove the gasket (the rubber insulation thing) on the lid of your pressure cooker. This is an important step. You also do NOT need the whistle. You also don’t need to add any water to the pressure cooker, more on that below.

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in a pressure cooker

4. My pressure cooker came with this stand that goes at the bottom of the cooker pan. It distributes heat more evenly and is especially useful when baking cake in a pressure cooker. If you don’t have this same thing, try to find a substitute. Maybe a small, thick steel plate would do the job as well.

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in a pressure cooker (no oven cake recipe)

It’s better not to have the cake pan touch the bottom of the pressure cooker directly since that may cause the bottom of the cake to cook more rapidly. Another option is to place the pressure cooker on a flat griddle or tawa and cook the cake. It’s just an insulation between the flame and the bottom of the cooker to protect the cake.

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in a pressure cooker (no oven cake recipe)

5. Another important thing to remember is, do NOT add any water to the pressure cooker pan for baking a cake. If you do, you will be steaming the cake (which is fine to do – here’s my method of steaming a cake) but here we are trying to create an oven-like environment using a pressure cooker as much as possible. The heat generated in the pressure cooker will be enough to cook/bake the cake.

6. Before starting to bake the cake, you need to pre-heat the pressure cooker. For this, just place the lid (without gasket) on the pressure cooker (which should contain no water) and cook on high heat for 2 mins.

How to Make Cake in a Pressure Cooker, No Oven Cake

7. Now you can put the cake batter in. Make sure to use a cake pan that fits comfortably inside your pressure cooker without the sides touching. Use a pot-holder since the cooker will be hot because of the pre-heating.

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in a pressure cooker (no oven cake recipe)

After placing the batter in, close the lid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and then lower the flame to just a simmer. The cake, depending on the size of your cake pan and pressure cooker, will take anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour to bake.

pressure cooker cake-how to make cake in a pressure cooker (no oven cake recipe)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  1. A pressure cooker is not meant for baking or using in the manner described above so consider that before using it to make a cake.
  2. I don’t expect the pressure cooker will burst into pieces while cooking (I was very worried about this though, without reason) but it may compromise the quality of the safety valve on the lid and the high heat may cause the handle and other parts to deteriorate a bit.
  3. Using your pressure cooker to bake once or twice a year is probably okay but not regularly. If you bake anything more than once a month, I recommend buying an oven. It will be worth it and your options are much wider than using a pressure cooker to bake.
  4. Always check manufacturers instructions to make sure your make and model of pressure cooker can handle this. I am not sure how a steel pressure cooker will behave, mine is a basic 5 litre aluminium one. It’s probably best not to do this in a non-stick pressure cooker since dry-heating a non-stick surface without water or oil is not advised.

All that aside, I baked an eggless vanilla cake with tutti frutti in pressure cooker and it turned out moist and delicious. You may also like this pressure cooker chocolate cake recipe, which is not eggless, but it turned out so good that you wouldn’t be able to tell that the cake was made in a pressure cooker and not an oven.

To learn How to Make Pressure Cooker Cake in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu etc, please use the Google translate button in the right sidebar.

If you try this pressure cooker cake and find it successful, please leave a comment and rating below. You can also tag pictures with #ediblegarden on Instragram or Twitter, I’d love to see them.

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By nags Filed Under: Basics of Baking, Basics Of Indian Cooking

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Radhika

    October 15, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    Excellent result. I relocated in this part of the world where kitchen do not have inbuilt appliances. I was so much use to my under job over that after coming here I used to crave for my style cakes. Making it in cooker and having best results first time was wonderful.

    Reply
  2. Theresa JuliuesCaesar

    May 17, 2020 at 2:49 am

    Preheat doesn’t need gasket, how about baking? Do you put the gasket in the lid during the actual baking time.

    Reply
    • nags

      May 20, 2020 at 8:56 am

      no gasket needed at all

      Reply
  3. kundan kumar

    February 24, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    Hey this is so amazing.
    now after reading this i can also make cake in a pressure cooker.

    Reply
    • nags

      February 25, 2020 at 10:31 am

      yes you can absolutely make a cake in a pressure cooker!

      Reply
  4. Jane

    February 9, 2020 at 3:28 am

    Not yet tried the recipe but need to ask this. What if I place some wet sand on the cooker base, and place the pan on it?

    Reply
    • nags

      February 11, 2020 at 11:23 am

      i haven’t tried this but you surely can 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sharron Powers

    April 8, 2018 at 8:20 am

    Can this be adapted to an Instant Pot?

    Reply
    • nags

      May 2, 2018 at 10:41 am

      i assume you can but i haven’t tried it because i don’t own an instant pot yet

      Reply
  6. Angela Micky

    February 5, 2018 at 9:33 pm

    I had already tried it before reading your blog. It was wonderful. But the worrying part is the part you said I should not use the pressure cooker more than twice in a year. I dont have the money to buy an oven now and I love cake and baking snacks. Is there any other pot I can use often. I love to experiment.

    Reply
    • nags

      February 10, 2018 at 7:48 pm

      It’s just a note to be careful because using a pressure cooker like this may make it less safe for regular use. Just be careful, that’s all.

      Reply
      • Michael Foo

        May 24, 2019 at 9:55 pm

        Buy Fissler(Gemany Made) I own a10Litre Fissler.It’sa solid Stainless Steel. I use pot for baking cake many times in a month..Baking a normal size cake take only 20 to 25 minutes on the stove. It bake fast because the volume and size of the pot. Prebake(10 minutes) before you bake

        Reply
  7. Molly

    April 25, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    It’s fine to use non-stick cookware as long as your heat is low. Non-stick surfaces can withstand 500F/260C, and the water in your batter prevents it from going above 212F/100C if your flame is low. I make cakes in non-stick pots and pans on the stove every month and it’s not a problem. Just use the lowest flame possible.

    Because the heat is so low, the bottom of the pot can touch the flame directly. In fact, the cake develops a nice crust, just like it would in the oven.

    Lastly, you should rub butter or oil all over the interior of the pot to prevent sticking. A flour dusting can also help although I find it unnecessary. I generally prefer a deep pan to a pot because the cake is easier to remove.

    Reply
    • Molly

      April 25, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      I forgot to mention that I pour the batter directly into the pot or pan. No need to use an inner vessel.

      Reply
  8. Manisha

    March 7, 2017 at 1:04 pm

    very simple and amazing recepi…thanks but I have heard that we should put a cup of salt or sand in cooker while baking it. You didn’t do that. IF it is not necessary then why people use it?

    Reply
  9. marybetty

    January 7, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    the best

    Reply
  10. Bhumi kadam

    December 30, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    Hii we have to put water in cooker na..for steam…

    Reply
    • nags

      January 3, 2017 at 10:07 am

      we are not steaming in this case, just cooking/baking in high heat. i have another recipe for steamed chocolate cake if you want to search for that and take a look

      Reply
    • Molly

      April 25, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      No, you don’t need water because this isn’t pressure cooking so you don’t need to build up pressure. You’re just using this like a normal pot. For what it’s worth, you do need steam in this recipe. Without steam there would be little heat to cook the top of the cake. The steam is created from the water in the batter. You can see this steam if you use a glass lid.

      Reply
  11. Anu

    December 7, 2016 at 1:32 pm

    Can we use nonstick moulds?

    Reply
    • nags

      December 7, 2016 at 2:19 pm

      yes you can try, i haven’t tried it myself. make sure it can take high heat

      Reply
  12. Aarati Arvind

    December 1, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    How much time will it take to bake if I double the quantities mentioned for the eggless sponge cake recipe on your blog..???

    Reply
    • nags

      December 3, 2016 at 8:14 am

      this will depend on size of your pressure cooker, size of your pan, heat used, etc. it’s harder to predict than an oven. also, doubling this recipe would mean you have to use a very large pan and cooker. i would recommend cooking it in two slots to keep it simple

      Reply
  13. Nandan

    October 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    Can i know how to make cake batter without using eggs?

    Reply
    • nags

      October 22, 2016 at 5:35 pm

      sure, here’s my eggless sponge cake recipe

      Reply
  14. sambhavi bharadwz

    September 21, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    thank you for this advice

    Reply
  15. Soniya

    September 18, 2016 at 10:46 pm

    Thank you so much for a great article! I am one of those who fears that the cooker will explode. But I guess all will be well 🙂

    Reply
    • nags

      September 19, 2016 at 1:54 pm

      just take all the precautions i have mentioned and you should be fine 🙂 use a good quality cooker with the safety valve intact and working, nothing too old

      Reply
  16. Zulf

    September 16, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    Thank you. I was need to know how I can cook cake in pressure cooker. Thank you for Help

    Reply
  17. Rajkumar

    August 26, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    Hi, what if cake batter is put in a closed pan and cooker steam is used to heat it?

    Reply
    • nags

      August 30, 2016 at 11:31 am

      yes you can use steam cake batter too. i have a recipe for this – please search for steamed chocolate cake recipe

      Reply
  18. Anusua Nath

    August 19, 2016 at 1:39 am

    Hi
    I baked this cake for my parent’s anniversery and the cake was awesome, moist and fluffy. My parents liked it so much. Thank you…

    Reply
    • nags

      August 26, 2016 at 9:22 am

      glad it came out well 🙂

      Reply
  19. Melanie (Meolani ll)

    July 20, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    Pressure cookers can also be used to bake bread or buns when you don’t have an oven – great for lengthy periods of camping or sailing.

    Reply
  20. Patel

    July 13, 2016 at 1:23 pm

    thanks for the perfect tips ..exactly what i wantd to know …..not to add water an the cooker wont blast ,,,thanks

    Reply
    • nags

      July 14, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      you’re welcome! hope you try the pressure cooker cake soon

      Reply
  21. Raheeme

    June 16, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    Hi!! Can i use cake mould non stick
    instead of cake pan?

    Reply
    • nags

      June 19, 2016 at 10:34 am

      hello, i am not sure how the non stick will react inside a pressure cooker so it’s safe to use regular pans.

      Reply
  22. Kamal judge

    June 7, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    It was very good recipe and also very helpful to me

    Reply
    • nags

      June 13, 2016 at 11:47 am

      thank you!

      Reply
  23. lena

    May 25, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    S its all correct

    Reply
  24. Deepti

    April 28, 2016 at 8:58 pm

    Hi,
    I followed the instruction and results were amazing!!
    Cake turned out great!

    Thanks

    Reply
    • nags

      April 30, 2016 at 5:14 pm

      that’s great deepti, thanks!

      Reply
  25. vallala dinesh

    April 25, 2016 at 5:28 pm

    Hi,should we remove cooker vessel

    Reply
    • nags

      April 30, 2016 at 5:17 pm

      yes please follow the instructions as in the pictures

      Reply
  26. ash

    April 22, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    Hi.should the baking pan be steel.

    Reply
    • nags

      April 23, 2016 at 10:00 am

      no it can be aluminium or any other metal.

      Reply
  27. Grace

    April 1, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    May i use a njiko

    Reply
    • nags

      April 4, 2016 at 2:38 pm

      sorry, what’s a njiko?

      Reply
  28. mansi mitto

    April 1, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    I tried making cake in cooker. But it took 1.30 hour. After that I took my cake tin in airfryer and baked. But it is other soft and spongy. Where I went wrong can u please tell me.

    Reply
    • nags

      April 4, 2016 at 2:38 pm

      it’s hard to tell mansi.. i have given step by step detailed instructions. it’s hard to troubleshoot remotely without knowing what exactly you did

      Reply
  29. AashimaGupta

    March 30, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    I tried it out but my cake is occupied by ghee what should i do please suggest.

    Reply
    • nags

      April 4, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      why is there ghee in the cake? we don’t add any in the recipe

      Reply
  30. gautam

    March 26, 2016 at 3:11 pm

    nice

    Reply
  31. Menaka

    March 25, 2016 at 3:38 am

    Hi do we have to put the whistle on the cooker or no ? You have not mentioned abt it anywhere.

    Reply
    • nags

      March 26, 2016 at 8:03 am

      no whistle, no gasket. i have mentioned this clearly in point #3 in my instructions. please read carefully.

      Reply
  32. rob

    March 19, 2016 at 3:39 am

    delicious… !
    I tried this first time in my life…
    thank you very much of ur clear exclaim…
    I like to keep starting of baking..

    Reply
    • nags

      March 19, 2016 at 3:47 pm

      thank you

      Reply
  33. Anusha

    March 2, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    Hey! came across your page today. found this article to be really helpful, thanks! also, I’m going to try the chocolate cake pressure cooker recipe today, hoping it turns out well.

    Reply
    • nags

      March 4, 2016 at 10:53 am

      thank you anusha!

      Reply
  34. tata

    February 21, 2016 at 3:14 pm

    Super

    Reply
  35. Vishal Sinhal

    February 21, 2016 at 11:14 am

    Hey,
    I had put a steel container directly inside the cooker. It baked fine but the base burnt. P.s. i had greased the container well. How can i avoid that?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • nags

      February 21, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      Hi Vishal, as I have explained in the step by step pictures, it’s best to put a stand of some sort at the base of the pressure cooker and then place the baking pan on top of that to avoid it directly touching the cooker and getting burned. Remember we are not using any water and cooking for a long period so the cooker will get very hot. It’s important to create a barrier between it and the baking pan. Do try again!

      Reply
  36. Advaith santosh

    February 20, 2016 at 11:03 am

    Wow it was a superb! Cake.very tasty yum yum!

    Reply
    • nags

      February 20, 2016 at 7:59 pm

      thank you advaith!

      Reply
  37. Natasha

    February 13, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    Hii!!! Nice explanation!!! I tried this on my husband’s 1st b’day after our wedding…As I was afraid of blowing the cooker 😉 I tried the same in idli mould that’s without any water and it worked out well…and with the success I found the cook inside me who would love to bake so now I am buying an oven to keep trying your delicious recipe’s..tnx nags!!

    Reply
    • nags

      February 13, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      That’s great to hear! Hope he had a joyful birthday. Keep cooking and baking

      Reply
  38. Naisy

    January 27, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    Hi..
    Is it fine to add salt in the cooker and place the pan on it?
    Did u ever try it?

    Reply
    • nags

      January 27, 2016 at 10:17 pm

      No Nancy, I haven’t tried that but I think that may help distribute the heat more evenly.

      Reply
  39. Vidya

    January 1, 2016 at 6:26 am

    It is an ultimate recipe… I enjoyed the taste

    Reply
    • nags

      January 1, 2016 at 11:15 am

      Thank you Vidya!

      Reply
      • Nandini

        January 12, 2016 at 7:13 pm

        Won’t the bottom of the cooker become black if he heat it without water or anything inside?

        Reply
        • nags

          January 12, 2016 at 7:14 pm

          Hello Nandini, no it won’t because there’s nothing to turn it black. As mentioned, please be careful when using pressure cooker for baking but if you follow steps exactly as I have mentioned, you should be okay.

          Reply
  40. Neha

    December 28, 2015 at 11:09 pm

    Its too good I love it the way it explained

    Reply
    • nags

      December 29, 2015 at 10:11 am

      Thank you Neha!

      Reply
  41. Preetha Menon

    December 25, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Thanks a ton!! i tried it exactly as you mentioned and it came out really well… …..never thought a pressure cooker could be used to bake an excellent cake.

    Preetha Menon

    Reply
    • nags

      December 25, 2015 at 11:05 pm

      Thank you Preetha

      Reply
  42. Serin Abraham

    December 23, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    Ok, Thank you. 🙂

    Reply
  43. Serin Abraham

    December 23, 2015 at 5:46 pm

    I do not have a cake pan. Can I buy only the cake pan? Thanks

    Reply
  44. Serin Abraham

    December 23, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    hi,

    I do not have a cake pan. Can I buy only the cake pan? Thanks

    Reply
    • nags

      December 23, 2015 at 5:45 pm

      Yes you can just buy a cake pan and use this recipe. If you have a steel vessel in a similar shape, you can use that too

      Reply
      • Nisha

        October 17, 2020 at 9:33 pm

        What if i use butter paper and put the batter on it?

        Reply
        • nags

          October 28, 2020 at 6:47 am

          yes you can!

          Reply
  45. malika rajput

    December 17, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    oh!!! vry nyc….and esy technique to make a cake in pressure cooker…..LOVE It!!!!!…

    Reply
  46. Bantawa Shillong

    December 14, 2015 at 10:39 pm

    Ummmmm. I love it… Thanx.

    Reply
  47. komal

    December 9, 2015 at 1:16 am

    This recipe so fabulash I like it very much

    Reply
    • nags

      December 9, 2015 at 11:24 am

      Thank you Komal!

      Reply
  48. cynthia

    December 8, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    hey,,,,thanks a lot for sharing the steps it was really so useful.
    prepared a cake for our dads birthday party.

    Reply
    • nags

      December 9, 2015 at 11:25 am

      thank you! happy birthday to him

      Reply
  49. UDAY

    December 3, 2015 at 2:39 pm

    IT IS SO NICE

    Reply
  50. Unknown

    October 28, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Hi there, thnx a ton for sharing the recipe and the technique for baking a cake in cooker. Baked a cake for my son on his bday nd we all really loved it…………

    Reply

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I am Nags, the face behind Edible Garden, a food and recipes website for the busy (and sometimes lazy!) cook since 2007. My recipes are meant to be quick yet healthy and delicious - Nothing fancy, nothing too difficult. Follow Me On Instagram for real-time food and life updates.

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