Perfect Mocha man - Eggless pressure cooker cake recipe

So my close ones know how much I care about my friends, and how important is their bdays for me. This cake is such a one prepared and the constraints I have with this team is an egg less or pure veggie cake. But, I even enjoy those constraints now, which I never thought I could. Another fact being in Bangalore I can bake in a pressure cooker only, the constraint I have for myself of not having an oven here. Adding to it my induction cooker, which is my only source of cooking energy is not accepting pressure cooker baking anymore, I had to figure out another home with a gas stove connection to make this happen.

I think the most enjoyed part of it was that, baking the cake with my friend's wife and his son who is really a sweet heart and you will forget everything else playing with him. The guy was asking for the cake when I was baking which made me sad thinking, oh, how will I deny to this little man's request. But all managed well I was back with the cake at my home for final finish with great satisfaction.

So when I was deciding the flavor of the cake, you know I used to take care of nuances of every individual close to me. I know what my friends like and dislike, I mean most of it. So I figured out the favorite flavor of bday buddy is Mocha, and hence the cake !

So enough of intro about my Perfect Mocha, now straight into the recipe.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2/3 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Yogurt or thick curd - 1/4 cup

Espresso

Coffee powder - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 tsp

Ganache

Dark chocolate - 1 cup
Heavy cream - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Coffee powder - 2 tsp
Powdered sugar - 1 tbsp ( can add more based on sweetness you look for)
Condensed milk - 1/8 cup
Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

Chocolate syrup

Water - 1/4 cup
Chocolate syrup - 1 tbsp

Method

Make your cake tin ready with butter and line with parchment.

Prepare your pressure cooker by lining one later if salt. Place a lid or plate on top of salt, which will help cake tin to be in a height. This will avoid burning the cake, so is important. Preheat with lid closed for 10 mins. Make sure whistle is not used.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Prepare espresso by boiling the ingredients together and cool it a to a luke warm stage.

Cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Now add curd and whisk until creamy. Add the dry ingredients in batches adding espresso in between and mixing till batter comes together. If the batter is too thick add a little hot water. Now pour batter in prepared cake tin and keep the tin in pressure cooker and bake for 35 to 40 mins, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Boil cream and mix chocolate and cocoa. Allow to cool. Mix condensed milk and cocoa powder. Mix both and refrigerate. Once the cake is completely cooled, prepare the syrup and apply on cake. This will make sure cake is moist after icing and refrigerating. Then apply the crumb coat first. Refrigerate the cake for 30 mins. Now add next layer of ganache evenly for a glossy finish. Decorate as your wish.

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