In this modern time, there are many conveniences that you can experience by using well-known kitchen equipment, one of which is the slow cooker.
Slow cookers are today’s current trend because of their features and capabilities. A slow cooker can cook varieties of dishes, including soups, meat, stews, and many more. And surprisingly, it can also bake cakes and other forms of desserts.
When preparing a birthday party for your child, you immediately trust your goody oven. However, that is the traditional way of baking.
Today, utilizing a slow cooker to bake a cake breaks the norm since it can carry out a splendid way of baking a cake rather than using an oven.
Yes! You heard that right. Slow cookers are best for creating a yummy chocolate moist cake or a sweet carrot cake.
Today, we will be talking about the essential questions about baking a cake in a slow cooker and several bits of advice that you will need in doing so.
Here are some basic tips to get the most out of your baking needs using a slow cooker. Gear up now and create the best-tasting cake for your child’s birthday party!
Can you bake a cake in a slow cooker?
Slow cookers aren’t just plain devices in the kitchen that you will use only for a certain purpose. These are actually considered mini ovens for famous cooks and chefs worldwide.
And yes! With that, you can baking a cake in a slow cooker. Having a slow cooker inside your kitchen feels like having a secondary oven that can be utilized for convenience.
Aside from that, baking a cake in a slow cooker feels much cozier in the kitchen since it doesn’t heat up the kitchen as most ovens do.
Also, preparing a birthday party for your child, your oven certainly will be full; thus, you can trust your slow cooker when baking the best cake for your child.
What is the best slow cooker size to bake a cake?
One main consideration of baking a cake in a slow cooker is to choose the best slow cooker size. When baking a small-size chocolate cake, you need to choose the 3 quarts slow cooker in the market since it can fit only that specific requirement.
If you plan to bake more than two layers of cake, we recommend getting a 6-quart round slow cooker since you need to fit a baking dish with a lid inside it in order to make one.
Another thing to keep in mind is to watch your cooking time when baking a cake since it will grow along the cooking process.
This means that it can make the cake thinner or double its size, depending on your recipe and ingredients.
Why do I need to choose the best size and shape of a slow cooker when baking cakes?
In baking a cake, you need to consider the size and shape of a slow cooker. Certainly, you need to get a round slow cooker to bake a cake since most cakes are usually shaped that way.
About the size, you should keep in mind to get a slow cooker that fits your preference. If you need to bake a bigger cake, get a large cooker instead.
And if you just want to create a small one for celebrating, a smaller one will do. If you want to bake an oval-shaped cake, you need an oval-shaped slow cooker for that.
Overall, the shape of your cake will follow the shape of your slow cooker, so you need to add that to your preference list when baking a cake using a slow cooker.
Why do I need to vent the slow cooker before switching it on?
When baking a cake and ready to turn the switch on, you need to use a chopstick or a spoon handle to vent the slow cooker.
Doing so will remove condensation that will happen on the underside of the lid. This will eliminate the drippings that may happen inside that can further damage the cake output.
Is it worth it to bake a cake in a slow cooker?
Baking the traditional way in an oven can sometimes lead to problems such as burning the sugars when caramelizing and melting.
That’s why using a slow cooker will make baking much easier since slow cookers are easier to handle and control.
A slow cooker will bring you convenience since you don’t need to peel certain ingredients that you will add to your cake.
Also, using a slow cooker will soften up the fruit and vegetable peelings that will eventually be gone to make the best cake crumbs.
Adding to that, baking a cake in a slow cooker is fun to do with your children. Your kids can help you prepare, and they will certainly love it.
By also using a slow cooker, you can do other things since you can just prepare it instantly from it. Lastly, it will be less likely to burn the surface since it won’t take much time to cook with a slow cooker.
Do I need to grease the slow cooker when baking a cake?
Yes! You need to grease the slow cooker when baking a cake to avoid it from sticking. This is the important part of baking a cake if you want to have an easy clean-up afterward.
Grease the inner surface of your slow cooker and spread it evenly. You should also bake the cake directly inside the pot and have some non-stick baking paper to further prevent it from sticking.
Greasing also will give the cake something to hold onto once you lift the cake at the end of the baking process.
Is water needed to bake a cake in a slow cooker?
When baking a cake in a slow cooker, water is appropriately needed to prevent it from drying out. It will also avoid overcooking or burning it to a crisp when baking it in a slow cooker.
If you are worried about events like this in a slow cooker, just fill the bottom of the slow cooker with a 3 cm level of water and gently put your cake mix into the water before cooking it.
When doing this, you should elevate the baking pan of the cake in order to provide enough heat to circulate the cake consistently.
This can be done by using a cake tin on a particular metal trivet or aluminum foil. However, if you observe that your cake seems dripping or wet from the inside, you should remove the slow cooker lid during the last hour of the baking process to evaporate the remaining moisture to make it fluffier and dry.
Is cooking spray needed to bake a cake in a slow cooker?
When baking cakes in a large slow cooker, having a cooking spray is essential to make it not stick on the inner linings of your slow cooker.
Having a cooking spray will give you an easy clean-up since it won’t stick the cake on the inner linings. This will also ensure that your cake will be in the exact shape and won’t even break the parts.
What is the best setting to bake a cake in a slow cooker?
The main idea of utilizing a slow cooker when baking a cake is that it uses the heat generated from the heating elements to spread it consistently around the cake to make the perfect cake texture.
Just imagine that your slow cooker acts like the baking tin for your cake. With that said, you need to set your slow cooker to a low setting so that there will be no wet spots around your cake after baking.
Also, you should bake your cake by lining your slow cooker with a parchment paper on top of the cake mixture, then cook for about 3 hours.
One key tip for making the best cake is to have a tea towel folded under the slow cooker lid to catch the moisture and water drippings.
How long to bake a cake in a slow cooker?
Baking a cake in a slow cooker won’t take you much time, like cooking raw meat in a slow cooker. In most cases, baking a cake will take you about 3 hours to have the best texture.
Aside from that, you need to allow the cake to rest for 30 minutes to make it fluff before putting some icings or creams.
To avoid an overcooked cake, you need to line the slow cooker in a baking pan. In doing so, you need to check your cake every now and then and monitor if there are burns.
You can also use a cake tester to check the centermost later of the cake is cooked already.
Is baking a cake in a slow cooker nutritious?
Slow cookers are well-known for preserving the nutrients inside them, and that’s why cooking using a slow cooker is a nutritious way of preparing meals.
In terms of baking a cake, it will also retain the necessary nutrients to make it more healthy to eat. Another consideration is to get the best-tasting but nutrient-rich ingredients to add up to your food consumption.
The moisture will also ruin the nutrients of the cake, and you need to prevent that from happening. To stop the moisture, you need to have a tea towel under the lid to catch the drips to prevent the nutrients from diminishing.
How can I know if my cake is done when baking in a slow cooker?
The only moment that you will know if your cake is done is when the sides of your cake have been pulled away from the inner lining of the slow cooker.
Also, to properly check the doneness, do the toothpick test. Pinch a toothpick on your cake and pull it out. When the toothpick comes out clean, and the cake doesn’t stick to the toothpick, your cake is made thoroughly. Otherwise, you need to cook it longer as needed to ensure that it is done.
What else can I bake in a slow cooker aside from cakes?
We all know that slow cooker are such versatile and flexible kitchen appliances. Certainly, it functions more and acts as the mother lode of all kitchen appliances.
You also can’t think that it is possible to use it for baking desserts since it is fully utilized to do the main course of every meal and recipe. Using a slow cooker will ease you in making other desserts, including pies, bread, brownies, and even cookies.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! Baking a cake in a slow cooker is the best method to get the best-tasting cake on earth.
All you have to do is to decide what cake recipe you will bake, get the necessary ingredients, and get it done using a slow cooker.
It is really amazing that a slow cooker can do all of these things.
Not only that a slow cooker makes baking easy, but it also can make the process more fun. Doing it with your kids will surely be a fun way to bond with them.
After that, you can eat a sweet-tasting cake with them that they won’t forget. Don’t stop now and keep experimenting. Your slow cooker is there for you, and it will guide you in your cooking and baking journey as well.