Eggless Strawberry Cake Without Oven

Begin by preparing your stovetop oven. Take a large heavy-bottomed pot or a wide pressure cooker and spread 2 cups of sand or coarse salt evenly on the bottom. Place a small metal stand or ring inside. Cover the pot with its lid and preheat on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. This creates a dry oven-like environment essential for baking the cake evenly without burning the bottom.

While the pot preheats, prepare your strawberry puree. Add the washed and hulled fresh strawberries to a blender and blend into a smooth puree without adding any water. You should get approximately 1/2 cup of thick strawberry puree. Set this aside. This puree will give the cake its beautiful natural pink colour and fresh fruity flavour throughout the sponge.

Grease a 6-inch round aluminium cake tin generously with butter or oil on all sides and the base. Dust lightly with a tablespoon of flour and tap out the excess. This prevents the cake from sticking. Cut a small circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the tin and place it inside for extra insurance. Set the prepared tin aside while you make your batter.

In a large mixing bowl, add the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar. Beat together vigorously using a hand whisk or wooden spoon for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture turns pale, light, and creamy. This creaming step is very important as it incorporates air into the batter, helping the eggless cake rise properly and achieve a soft, fluffy texture without eggs.

Add the thick curd to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and whisk well until fully combined and smooth. Now add the vanilla essence and the fresh strawberry puree. Mix everything together gently until the batter turns a lovely uniform pink colour. Do not overmix at this stage. The curd acts as a binding agent in place of eggs and also reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Sifting is an important step as it removes lumps and aerates the flour, resulting in a lighter and more even sponge. Sift the dry ingredients at least twice if possible for the best texture.

Now fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet strawberry mixture in three batches. Use a spatula and fold gently using a cut-and-fold motion rather than stirring in circles. This preserves the air you built into the batter and prevents the cake from becoming dense. If the batter feels too thick, add the milk little by little and fold until you get a smooth, ribbon-like dropping consistency.

Pour the prepared cake batter into the greased tin and gently tap the tin on the counter two or three times to remove any large air bubbles trapped inside. Smooth the top with a spatula. Let the batter-filled tin rest for 5 minutes before placing it into the preheated stovetop pot. This short rest allows the leavening agents to begin working.

Carefully place the cake tin on top of the metal stand inside the preheated pot. Cover the pot tightly with its lid. If using a pressure cooker, remove the whistle and gasket before covering. Bake on medium-low heat for 40 to 45 minutes. Do not open the lid during the first 30 minutes as this will cause the cake to sink. After 40 minutes, insert a clean toothpick into the centre of the cake.

If the toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter, the cake is done. If it has wet batter on it, cover and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes and check again. Once baked, turn off the heat and let the cake rest inside the closed pot for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the tin using tongs and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before unmoulding. Do not rush this cooling step.

Once the cake has cooled completely to room temperature, run a butter knife gently around the edges to loosen it. Place a plate on top of the tin and flip it over. The cake should release cleanly. Peel away the parchment paper from the bottom. You can serve the cake as it is, dust it with powdered sugar, or top it with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream for a beautiful festive presentation.