Rice Cooker Apple Cake (Yes, really)

Okay… can we talk about this cake for a second? Because I still can’t believe I made it in a rice cooker. A rice cooker. No oven. No fancy tools. Just one bowl, one button and a whole lot of curiosity. I was flipping through the rice cooker manual (as one does) and noticed a setting that said "Cake". You already know I had to test it. And spoiler alert: it actually worked. It’s soft, gently sweet, a little lemony and has those cozy apple slices caramelised at the bottom.

Ingredients

• 100–115g sugar (plus a little extra brown sugar for sprinkling)

• 50g melted butter

• 1 whole egg + 1 egg white

• 75ml yogurt

• 130g flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• Zest of one lemon

• 1–2 apples (depending on size)

  
  

Instructions

1. Mix the wet ingredients: Start by combining the sugar with the melted butter. Add your egg and egg white, and give it a nice stir until everything's smooth. Then mix in the yogurt, it’ll help keep your cake moist.

2. Add dry ingredients: In a larger bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Pour in the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Grate in some fresh lemon zest for a bright little lift.

3. Prepare the rice cooker: Grease the rice cooker bowl well. Slice up your apple(s) and start layering them at the bottom of the bowl. I added a little sprinkle of brown sugar too. Totally optional, but it adds a beautiful caramelised layer.

4. Pour & tap: Pour the batter over the apples and give the bowl a few gentle taps to release any air bubbles.

5. Cook! Close the lid, hit Cook, and then… wait. Depending on your rice cooker, it may switch to “Warm” halfway through. If that happens, just switch it back to Cook again and repeat until your cake is fully set and golden (mine took about 40–50 minutes total).

6. Let it cool slightly, then flip it out like a mini upside-down cake.

Final Thoughts

I went into this expecting a weird soggy pancake. Instead? It’s one of the easiest cakes I’ve ever made. The top gets golden and lightly crisp, while the inside stays soft and fluffy. Perfect with a cup of tea or as a no-effort dessert.

So… no oven?

No problem. Would you try baking a cake in your rice cooker? Or is this where you draw the line? 😅