Finger Millet/Ragi Chocolate cake is delicious, moist and healthy cake with just 5 mins of prep-time. As many readers ask for cake recipe without oven, this is a perfect one! Finger millet is rich in calcium, and this jaggery-sweetened cake doesn’t compromise on the taste for sure. This eggless Ragi chocolate cake can be made on any occasion or just as an after-school snack. My kids love this cake and get excited whenever I make this. The given measures are perfect for a one-time snack for a family of 4 members, and we empty the cake in just few minutes 😉 Do try and I am sure you and your kids would love it.
Steamed Ragi Chocolate Cake
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- Curd - ¼ cup
- Powdered Jaggery or Cane sugar - ⅓ cup or ½ cup (See notes)
- Oil - ⅛ cup
- Vanilla extract - ½ tsp(optional)
- Milk - ¼ cup (room temperature)
Dry ingredients:
- Finger Millet/Ragi flour - ¼ cup
- Whole wheat flour - ¼ cup
- Cardamom powder - â…› tsp(optional)
- Baking soda - ¼ tsp(levelled)
- Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
Toppings:
- Nuts - Few
- Ghee - Few drops
Instructions
Wet mix:
- Add ¼ cup curd to a bowl and whisk well.
- Add ½ cup jaggery powder to curd and whisk well.
- Add ⅛ cup oil and whisk well.
- Add ½ tsp vanilla extract and whisk well.
- Add ¼ cup milk (at room temperature) and whisk once.
Dry mix:
- To a sieve, add ¼ cup Ragi flour
- Add ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- Add ⅛ tsp cardamom powder
- Add ¼ tsp baking soda
- Add 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- Gently mix all ingredients and then sieve.
- You shall optionally add few choco chips to the dry mix and mix gently for more chocolatey flavor and lava bursts in the bites.
Mix & Steam:
- First, pour water to nearly half of idli maker (but shouldn't touch the steamer plate) and cook closed in medium flame until the water comes to rolling boil.
- Put the dry mix over the wet mix and use cut & fold method to gently mix the batter. Do not over mix. Just mix until no dry flour is found.
- Grease a cake tin or a stainless-steel bowl with coconut oil/ghee/butter.
- Pour the mixed batter into the greased tin/bowl. There should be some gap in the bowl for the cake to expand upwards.
- Place the tin/bowl over steamer plate and cook closed in idli pot. Let the stove be little less than medium flame. Steam for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You shall check for water in the bottom after 30 mins so that you don't end up in burning the idli pot bottom.
- Once steamed, take out of the idli maker and leave it outside for 10 mins inside the tin/bowl.
- Then gently take it out of the tin by inverting the tin over a plate and tapping at the bottom.
- Again, invert the cake to normal position and allow it to cool down.
- Once completely cooled, add frostings to decorate it to birthday cake or just top with ghee-roasted & chopped nuts as shown in the pictures.
Notes
1.If using unsweetened cocoa powder, use ½ cup jaggery. If using sweetened cocoa powder, use ⅓ cup jaggery.
2.I prefer melted (not hot) coconut oil. You shall use any neutral smelling cooking oil.
3.Instead of ghee-roasting, you shall dry roast nuts.
4.Nuts are optional and completely your choice. I prefer cashews, almonds and pista.
5.If you don't want chocolate flavor, you shall skip cocoa powder and add 1 more tbsp Ragi flour.
6.If you add choco chips, once cooked, the choco chips might still be wet and so don't get confused when doing toothpick test. Prick in another place where there is no choco chip.
7.If you want the nuts to stick to the cake, top it on the cake after steaming for 30 mins as steaming nuts for longer time doesn't taste good.
8.As the cake is steamed, shelf-life is less. I try to finish it on the same day. If there is remaining, you shall refrigerate and use it within 1 day. You shall steam it again until hot and serve warm.
2.I prefer melted (not hot) coconut oil. You shall use any neutral smelling cooking oil.
3.Instead of ghee-roasting, you shall dry roast nuts.
4.Nuts are optional and completely your choice. I prefer cashews, almonds and pista.
5.If you don't want chocolate flavor, you shall skip cocoa powder and add 1 more tbsp Ragi flour.
6.If you add choco chips, once cooked, the choco chips might still be wet and so don't get confused when doing toothpick test. Prick in another place where there is no choco chip.
7.If you want the nuts to stick to the cake, top it on the cake after steaming for 30 mins as steaming nuts for longer time doesn't taste good.
8.As the cake is steamed, shelf-life is less. I try to finish it on the same day. If there is remaining, you shall refrigerate and use it within 1 day. You shall steam it again until hot and serve warm.
Healthy treats can be offered on birthdays and other occasions without any preservatives and food colors. Do try this simple, yet delicious and moist Ragi chocolate cake on your next special day 🙂
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