Pressure Cooker Fluffy Cake
A soft, airy cake made entirely in a pressure cooker—no oven required. This method creates a tender crumb with minimal fuss, perfect for home bakers looking for a simple yet impressive dessert.
Story
This classic Chinese home-style dessert leverages the steam and pressure of a pressure cooker to create a cake with a delicate, cloud-like texture. The key is properly whipped egg whites—they should hold firm peaks before folding into the batter.
Ingredients
box cake mix (or 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup sugar)
1 box or homemade equivalent
large eggs
4
whole milk
1/2 cup (120ml)
vegetable oil
1/4 cup (60ml)
sugar for egg whites
3 tbsp
sugar for yolk mixture
2 tbsp
Instructions
1
Separate and whip egg whites
Crack eggs and separate whites from yolks into two clean bowls. Add 3 tablespoons sugar to the egg whites in two additions. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form—when you lift the beaters, the peaks should hold straight up and not droop.
2
Mix yolk batter
To the yolks, add the cake mix (or flour mixture), remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and oil. Stir until smooth and combined—don't overmix, just blend until no flour streaks remain.
3
Combine batters gently
Add one-third of the whipped egg whites to the yolk mixture and fold gently to lighten the batter. Then pour the lighter batter back into the remaining egg whites and fold carefully until just combined. The mixture should be fluffy and pale yellow.
4
Prepare pressure cooker
Line the bottom of your pressure cooker pot with parchment paper. Pour the batter in and smooth the top. Close the lid securely. Set to "Cake" mode or manually cook on high pressure for 22 minutes, then let it natural release for 5 minutes.
5
Finish and serve
Carefully open the lid (watch for steam). The cake should be golden and spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the pot for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar if desired.
