Rice Cooker Cake Recipes: Marble Butter Cake

Ever since I was a kid, butter cake has a special place in my heart. I am not sure why, but every time I see the tightly wrapped piece of cake in a cake store, my first instinct would be to buy it like there is no tomorrow. Now that I am older, there are times where I would still be craving for it but nonetheless be too lazy to go out just for a piece of cake, and my desire to bake it myself has unfortunately not been reciprocated because well, I do not own an oven.

That's when it hits me, a rice cooker. Of course! A rice cooker! As a proud Asian, I know that a rice cooker would not fail me, even in baking. So I have decided to bake a Marble Butter cake (20% for experiment purpose, and 80% purely from the determination to eat a cake). It was fairly easy to make and the result was surprisingly good. To say that I was excited would be an understatement.

The cake turned out super moist and buttery, with a hint of bittersweet chocolate from the cocoa powder. Friendly tips though, the texture of the cake does vary when it is in a different temperature. It would be slightly denser when warm but no doubt at its moistest state, and slightly dryer and lighter when you place it in the fridge for a few hours/overnight. Personally I prefer eating the cake chilled as it has more of that store-bought feel to it, but with such a versatile cake, it is up to you to decide how you like it best, really.  

So there you go, a cake made with a rice cooker. I am super happy with the result and I can't wait to make many more! Below is the recipe, do let me know what you think!

   

Rice Cooker Marble Butter Cake

Recipe by Ashley Ooi

Moist and buttery marble cake, made with a rice cooker!

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 2 hours (including cooling time)
Ingredients

• 200g Self-raising flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 150g Brown sugar
• 250g Butter (salted)
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• 3 Eggs
• 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
• 30ml Milk

Cooking Directions

1. Make sure the butter is in room temperature.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a electric mixer until it becomes soft and fluffy.
3. Add in one egg and beat with mixer, repeat for the second and third egg.
4. Mix until creamy.
5. Add in vanilla essence and mix again.
6. Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl, add into the butter mixture.
7. Fold the mixture carefully with a spatula.
8. Add milk and fold until no lumps present.
9. Take out 1/3 of the batter, fold in cocoa powder until well combined.
10. Slightly grease the rice cooker pot.
11. Put in one scoop of the pale batter in the middle of the pot, then a scoop of chocolate batter on top of it. Continue piling with the same pattern to achieve the swirl.
12. Choose the 'Cake' function on your rice cooker, and press 'cook'. Use a toothpick to check doneness. 
13. Once the cake is done, take out your pot and let the cake rest for 1 hour (minimum 30 minutes if you really can't wait any longer).
14. Once cooled, flip the cake out and Enjoy!

Eat-Ying around the world : The best stroopwafels in Amsterdam!

Imagine waking up in a cold winter morning, the weather was surprisingly pleasant, so you get ready, with a camera in hand and map in your pocket, you walk out your rented apartment and slowly snail through the stairs so steep that you could barely see the next step. Just when you open the main door, a strong and crisp wind rushes through your hair, reminding you to take a brush or wear a hat out the next day. It was cold, almost too cold to walk on the street, but heck, "you are in Amsterdam", you thought to yourself. And so you walked, stopping once in a awhile to capture the beauty of the city, houses so aligned with windows looking like an enormous chocolate bar the size of your bed, naked trees by the river that become the perfect match for the colorful water houses, pondering upon why you aren't living here for good. You walked leisurely, stumbling upon unique cafés and occasionally cursing yourself for not having a better look out whenever a cyclist broke the traffic law and have decided that it is okay to almost run you over (kidding. But not really). 

Across the street, you see a market. "Albert Cuyp" you silently read. Croaking a faint smile, you walk into the street, knowing exactly what you are going to find in this seemingly never ending market. From locals enquiring the freshness of vegetables, to the minimal tourist attempting to bargain their way through a cheaper 'I love Amsterdam t-shirt', the market has almost everything you could think of. Suddenly, a lovely cinnamon-y scent rush through your nostril, as if it is daring you to find where it is hidden. It lead you to a petite food truck, 'traditional family recipes' printed on one of its walls, you increase your pace, heart beating slightly faster. That's when you see it, a small but striking checked red and blue flag sticking out of the truck, words printed so bright that you could almost feel your heart skip a beat by reading it:

'Stroopwafels'. 

Okay, maybe that was too much of a dramatic introduction, but oh man, ooh man, stroopwafels, oh stroopwafels, why art thou so addictive? It almost feels like a sin to not share this to the world, because I am not talking about any random kind of stroopwafels. Forget about the ones you get in the supermarkets, the ones you get in the souvenirs store, or the ones you get in the airport (believe me I have tried them all). No no, I am talking about the Original Stroopwafels in the Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam.

Look at it, how glorious. 

Imagine getting it fresh from the rather dashing owner of the store. The stroopwafel is slightly warm to touch, but perfect for the biting cold weather. It is as big as the size of a baby's face, and you are secretly proud of yourself for ordering the chocolate covered version (because everything is better with chocolate). The owner helpfully remind you to eat from the non chocolate covered part towards the chocolate, "for the ultimate experience", he said with a croaked smile. You obeyed, finally biting into it. As if the buzzing street has gone silent and everything moves in slow motion, cinnamon scented steam warmly hugs your face, crumbly waffle that breaks with each bite, warm and gooey caramel oozes out, slightly staining the napkin and your fingers. Then comes the chocolate, its bittersweet taste fills your palate, not overly sweet nor bitter, you silently appreciate the fact that it doesn't annoyingly stick to your teeth like the ones you have tasted before. With a moan you roll your eyes because that is the moment you realise that you are never going to accept other stroopwafels anymore. 

Oh wow, I am back. 

I am not kidding when I say that it was the best stroopwafel I have had so far. My sister and I liked it so much that we went back the next day and bought 3 packs to bring back home for future cravings healing session. If you have the opportunity to visit Amsterdam, do stop by and get one (or many more, no one is judging) for yourself so that you can brag about it when you get back home. 

You can find the stall in the middle of the Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam, just in front of the famous Amsterdam restaurant Bazar, located at number 182. Every stall in the market has its own number, and you will need to find stall 134. When in doubt, trust your nose and follow the smell. 

For more details of the history or contact information of Original Stroopwafels, visit their Official website.

If you would like to see the stroopwafels in action, check out Eat your Kimchi's take on it, they've made a video!

And there it is, my first post about my favorite food in Amsterdam. If you have tried it before, feel free to leave a comment below sharing your story, and if you have not, I would love to know where was your best stroopwafels experience! 

Love, 

Ashley