How to Bake a Cake Using a Jiko

This article will show you how to bake a cake using a Jiko.

You do not need an oven to bake a cake. With some creativity, a Jiko can be perfect for baking a cake, and you will get the same results as an oven.

When using a Jiko for baking, there are two ways to go about it. You can use the old-school way or make a temporary oven with a Jiko to bake. No matter the cake recipe, these methods work for baking a cake.

How to bake a cake using a Jiko

The following step-by-step guide will show you how to bake a cake using a Jiko:

Ingredients

• Wheat flour 2 cups (self-raising floor)
• Sugar 1 cup
• Butter, margarine, or cooking oil I cup
• Three eggs
• One teaspoonful of vanilla extract
• Half cup milk or water (optional)

Preparation process

1. In a large bowl, mix sugar and margarine and whisk them together until you achieve a smooth consistency.
2. Add the eggs and continue whisking once the sugar and margarine mix becomes soft and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla extract and whisk
4. Add flour slowly, and remember not to over-whisk
5. Depending on the consistency, you can add some water or milk. (The consistency should be thick but not runny.)

Baking with a Jiko the old way

1. Light your Jiko and make sure that the charcoal is well-lit.
2. Line a sufuria with margarine, and dust it with some flour. (The sufuria should be large enough to allow the cake to expand)
3. Cover the sufuria with an aluminum lid and add some hot charcoal on top
4. Leave some charcoal in the Jiko, but ensure it is not a lot.
5. Place the sufuria on top of the Jiko and wait 45 minutes to one hour.
6. Avoid opening the lid all the time unless you suspect it is burning.
7. Poke the cake with a fork, and it is cooked if it comes out dry.
8. Wait for the cake to cool before removing it from the sufuria.

This old way of baking with a Sufuria is fast; your cake will be ready in minutes. However, you can monitor the cake because it is likely to burn if you are not careful.

There is the danger of the cake cooking unevenly, mainly if you have not spread the charcoal around. If you want your cake to cook fast and ready to keep checking it, you should consider this method.

Baking a cake with a Jiko the modern way

1. Light a Jiko and make sure the charcoal is well-lit.
2. Take two sufuria(one big and one small), three small stones, and a lid.
3. Line the small sufuria with margarine and then coat it with wheat flour.
4. Add the cake mix into the small sufuria coated with wheat flour.
5. In the big sufuria, place three small stones at the bottom. Make sure that they are equal in size.
6. Place the small sufuria in the big sufuria with small stones.
7. Cover them with an aluminum lid.
8. Place hot charcoal on the lid.
9. Leave some hot charcoal in the Jiko.
10. Place the big sufuria with a small one on the Jiko. (It will serve as an oven to cook the cake).

This method is the best for baking cake because it replicates the environment of a regular oven. It might be a slow process, and the cake might take up to one and half hours before it cooks.

However, this method is suitable because it minimizes the chances of your cake burning or cooking evenly. The heat is released slowly into the cake and distributed evenly so you will get a uniformly cooked cake at the end of the day.

Precautions when baking a cake with a Jiko

Always ensure you have a lot of hot charcoal on top of the sufuria lid. The bottom of the Jiko should have only a few pieces of charcoal. This is the best way to prevent burning your cake.

Monitor your cake to avoid burning but do not keep opening the lid. You can open the lid at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes if you are unsure when is the right time to check the cake’s progress.

Allow the cake to cool before you remove it from the sufuria. It will prevent the cake from cracking or falling apart when you remove it.

Control the heat to prevent the cake from burning. Using too much heat can cause the burning of the cake at the top. If you notice the cake burning at the top, remove some hot charcoal from the lid.

How to Bake a Cake Using a Jiko Conclusion

Baking a cake with a Jiko is not tricky, but you must take precautions. Ensure that the charcoal is well-lit and enough hot charcoal is on top of the lid. Avoid opening the lid too often, and allow the cake to cool before removing it from the sufuria. You can use either the old or modern way of baking a cake with a Jiko, but the modern way is more reliable. The cake will take up to one and a half hours to cook, but it is worth waiting.