Rice Cooker Pumpkin Sponge Cake

No oven, no problem

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

• Cooking with rice cookers: Veggie rice, going viral, and my favourite rice cooker

• Recipe: Rice Cooker Pumpkin Sponge Cake

I’ve been cooking “fun recipes” with my rice cooker for about 9 years (as in, not just plain rice). It started when my (future) mother in law showed me how to make “veggie rice” which is as you might expect, simply rice with vegetables:

Veggie Rice Ingredients

• Rice

• Chopped Spinach

That’s it. But I remember saying, “What?! You can put things other than rice in your rice cooker?”

Yes! You can:

• mix in different ingredients into your rice

• make cake in a rice cooker

• make pasta

I have yet to try making pasta in my rice cooker, but I know it’s possible!

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GOING VIRAL

I started posting rice cooker videos on social media this year, and to my surprise, they have all been very well received. I think it’s a combination of it being easy and unintuitive that makes for a delightfully surprising video. This makes me happy :)

I’ve written about the virality of rice cooker videos in the past (How to Go Viral on Instagram).

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MY FAVOURITE RICE COOKERS

Many of you have asked which rice cooker I use:

Zojirushi Rice Cooker - this is what’s used in my rice cooker videos (I use the 5 cup verison).

Aroma Rice Cooker - a more affordable option.

VEGETARIAN OYSTER SAUCE

And some of you have asked about vegetarian oyster sauce:

Vegetarian Oyster Sauce - made of mushrooms! I use this almost everyday.

Please note: These are affiliate links.

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Today let’s focus on a rice cooker cake recipe, perfect for fall: Rice Cooker Pumpkin Sponge Cake.

I’ve noticed that using a rice cooker results in a cake that’s spongier than if you were to use a conventional oven. I’m not 100% sure why this is. I think it’s something to do with the slower cooking process, and lower heat? If you have an idea why, please let me know!

Rice Cooker Pumpkin Sponge Cake

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Depends on your rice cooker. This may range between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Tools:

• A 5-10 cup rice cooker with a “cake” setting

Ingredients

Wet

• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk

• 1 tbsp white vinegar

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin purée

• 1 tsp vanilla

Dry

• 1 1/2 cup flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Spices

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp cloves

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Optional

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Method

1. In your rice cooker, add the non-dairy milk, and white vinegar. Mix using a wooden or silicone spoon (don’t use metal!).

2. Add the remaining wet ingredients: vegetable oil, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin purée, and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda.

4. Add the spices: salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

5. Mix together.

6. Optional: top with pumpkin seeds.

7. Cook on your rice cooker’s “cake” setting, which should be about 45 minutes.

8. Once 45 minutes is up, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake.

   1. If it comes out wet, then cook again for another “cake” setting.

   2. Or if it comes out dry, then you’re done.

9. Enjoy! It keeps in the fridge for a week. And it freezes well.

Rice Cooker Pumpkin Sponge Cake

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• Can I cook this in a regular rice cooker? If you’d like to use a “regular” rice cooker — one that does not have cake setting such as the Aroma one mentioned above — go ahead. You will likely need to cook the cake for much longer as these rice cookers are not optimized for cake. Cook until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

• Can I cook this in a pressure cooker? I do not own an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, but it appears you can!

  • From the Instant Pot website: Spray an 8-inch spring-form pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon batter into pan and smooth the top; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Pour water into Instant Pot®. Place wire trivet into the bottom of the pot and set the pan on top. Place lid on pot and lock into place to seal. Pressure Cook or Manual on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Use Quick Pressure Release. While still warm, cut into wedges and serve.

• Don’t like pumpkin? Try swapping out the pumpkin purée for mashed banana.

• What’s the egg replacement? The combination of vinegar, baking soda, and baking powder make up for the leavening effect of an egg.

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• Vegetable oil: sub for any oil of your choice. Coconut oil, olive oil, etc.

• Brown sugar / white sugar: Feel free to use entirely white sugar, or entirely brown sugar. It’s up to your tastes.

• Non-dairy milk: If you’d like, you can substitute for water.

• White vinegar: Sub for apple cider vinegar.