Do you have a dish or dessert that everyone requests you bring for that special holiday dinner? One of my favorites is a recipe I developed on the mission field when I was taking a team of teenagers to Zambia for a summer. Cooking over an open fire or on propane without an oven makes you use that phase “necessity is the mother of invention”. I had a wok with a lid and decided to try to make a scratch cake on top of my stove. Here is the modified “stateside” recipe but it you don’t have a wok with a high dome lid, try steaming this in a canner using the overturned basket as a rack to hold the cake pan, just make sure that the bunt pan sits evenly on the rake when you place it in the canner.
Note: Please use caution as the steam is very hot.
Chocolate Steamed Pound Cake
1 package of Devil’s Food Cake Mix: Duncan Hines preferred.
1 package (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix
4 large eggs or 5 medium eggs
1 -1/4 cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
First thing to do is fill the canner with water up to the rack. Place the canner on the burner over medium heat. Cover with lid and bring the water to a gentle boil.
Grease and sugar the bunt cake pan. Yes, SUGAR the pan. Since we are steaming the cake on top of the stove, flour would just get gummy while the sugar melts onto the batter for a delicate sweet crust. For special occasions or when you are not planning on frosting the cake, I add a layer of chopped nuts to the bottom of the bunt pan.
I like to first blend the cake mix and the pudding mix together. I combine all the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup and pour all ingredients together.
Blend at a low speed until all dry ingredients are moistened, then beat at medium speed for 3 more minutes. Pour batter slowly over nuts to keep them in place and make sure to scrape out all the batter with a spatula.
A secret to this cake is not having the water rapidly boiling as the water will flow up and over the interior fluke of the bunt pan and turn the cake into a wet mess instead of baking a great cake. So be sure to monitor the rate of the boiling water. Check to make sure the water also doesn’t run dry and burn the cake.
Arrange the cake pan onto the rack, making sure it is level and adjust the lid as securely as possible. Set the timer for 45 mins. Keep an eye on the cake as it steams to make sure the water is not boiling up into the batter. This is really important.
Try to not lift the lid too often as the cake steams but it’s fun to watch the cake rise.
When the cake is done, remove it carefully from the canner and invert onto a serving plate. Allow the cake to rest a few minutes before removing pan.
I have picked up large plates at thrift stores to use for potlucks. That way when I bring a cake it doesn’t matter if I get the inexpensive plate back. Slowly remove the pan from the cake and frost with cream cheese frosting or just serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Steaming the cake makes it very moist. I make it often in summer when I don’t want to turn on the oven. A lemon pound cake with fresh blueberries scattered over the top of the batter or a pineapple pound cake with homemade pineapple glaze are great variations of this cake.
It also lends itself to classic 7 minute cooked frosting but we will save that for another day. Hope you try this cake. Someone should enter it in a cake contest, it’s a keeper! Anne May
Annie,
This cake is absolutely delicious and what makes it even better is the story behind it! Thank you for sharing this cake at the last Seminar. I look forward to making this myself!
Thanks again,
Thanks Katie! It’s a great way to use our water bath canners for another purpose other than canning. Let me know how it turns out!
This looks fantastic! You need to write a book Annie! You have so much knowledge and life experiences not to mention yummy recipes 🙂