Baking Hacks for People with No Oven

Having no oven in your kitchen is not an excuse to avoid creating desserts in your own home. If you have a sweet tooth, but you don’t have an oven, fret not because there are so many alternatives to ovens that can help you create delectable desserts. The cake-making hacks below will be a life-saver for all bakers with no oven.

Steam it

A lot of traditional cakes, orkuih, use the steaming method. Steamed cakes and desserts tend to be moister and softer than cakes baked in an oven. Some might even argue that steaming is a better way of cooking as it retains all the nutrients in the food. This is because instead of blasting the food with heat, a steamer will cook the food with, well, hot steam. Some examples of steamed cakes are kuih lapis or layered cake, huat kuih and kuih bingka.

Use a bread maker

Despite what the name suggests, you don’t have to exclusively make bread with your bread maker. You can make sponge cakes, chiffon cakes, pound cakes, butter cakes, and so much more! Make sure that when you’re baking with a bread maker, you select the correct setting. Some bread makers come with a whopping option of 13 settings, from pizza dough to dumpling skin.

Rice cooker

Also, despite its name, rice is not the only thing you can cook with this kitchen appliance. You can make porridge, steamed chicken, and of course, cakes! One of the popular rice cooker cake recipes is the Japanese cheesecake. This jiggly, soft, and moist dessert can be made in only 40 minutes to an hour. Not a fan of cheesecake? Leave out the cream cheese and any flavouring or extract you’d like!

Blast it in the microwave

Another easy hack to make desserts without an oven is to use a microwave. You can simply make cakes in a mug and place it in a microwave to have your daily dessert fix fulfilled. Mug cakes usually incorporate an egg or self-rising flour to make the texture similar to the typical cakes. Microwave mug cakes are quick and simple, ready in only 2 to 3 minutes. It saves you from plenty of washing up, too!

Last resort? No-bake desserts!

If all else fails, then don’t bake? There are tons of dessert recipes out there that don’t require baking, steaming, or microwaving. All you need to do is to assemble all the ingredients and place it in the fridge until your dessert is set. This method can be applied to cakes like cheesecakes, parfaits, and mousse desserts. Usually, gelatin or agar-agar are used so these desserts can hold their shape when consumed.