Vanilla Cupcakes Without Oven

Prepare your pressure cooker or heavy-bottomed vessel for baking. Place 1 to 2 cups of sand or rock salt evenly at the bottom of the cooker. Place a small wire rack or steel stand inside. Remove the rubber gasket and whistle from the cooker lid. Preheat this setup on a medium-low flame for 10 minutes while you prepare the batter.

In a large mixing bowl, add the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand whisk or spatula, beat them together vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, light, and creamy. This creaming step is very important as it incorporates air into the batter, giving your cupcakes a soft and fluffy texture.

Crack in the two eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix well after each addition until fully combined. Then add the vanilla essence and mix again. The batter should look smooth, glossy, and well blended at this stage. Do not rush this step — each egg must be fully incorporated before adding the next.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Sifting is essential to remove lumps and to aerate the flour, which results in lighter cupcakes. Add this dry flour mixture into the wet batter in two or three additions, gently folding with a spatula after each addition. Do not overmix — fold just until no dry flour is visible.

Add the milk into the batter and gently fold it in to loosen the mixture slightly. The final batter should be smooth, thick, and drop easily from the spatula. If it feels too thick, add one more tablespoon of milk. The consistency should be like a soft ribbon — not too runny and not too stiff.

Line a muffin tray or small steel cups or silicone cupcake molds with paper cupcake liners. Spoon the batter evenly into each cup, filling only two-thirds full to allow room for the cupcakes to rise during cooking. Do not overfill as the batter will overflow and the cupcakes will not rise properly.

Carefully place the filled cupcake molds onto the wire rack inside the preheated cooker. Close the lid of the cooker — remember the gasket and whistle must be removed. Cook on a low flame for 20 to 25 minutes without opening the lid. Resist the temptation to peek, as releasing the heat will affect the baking process.

After 20 minutes, carefully open the lid and insert a toothpick or skewer into the centre of one cupcake. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, the cupcakes are perfectly done. If the toothpick has wet batter, close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes on low flame. Once done, turn off the flame and allow the cupcakes to rest inside for 5 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes carefully from the cooker and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack or plate for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Once fully cooled, you can dust them with icing sugar, spread with buttercream frosting, or enjoy them plain. Serve warm to family and watch everyone smile with the very first bite.