How to bake without using an oven

Create delicious desserts like cakes and puddings without turning the oven on, saving time and money.

On BBC Two series Nadiya’s Everyday Baking, we see the innovative cook put together original bakes that only she could have have dreamt up – such as coffee cake with dalgona coffee cream, rhubarb rose strawberry bake with scone topping and meringue pops.

It's safe to say that Nadiya is pretty experimental, and never short of ideas for new and imaginative creations. When we caught up with her after filming, it became clear she's not just great at thinking outside the box for fresh flavour combinations. Nadiya also loves to experiment with different cooking techniques.

“I have baked my puff pastry in an air-fryer before and it works really well – you get a lovely crisp pastry,” she tells us, while she also uses the hob to make oven-free giant cookies.

Nadiya loves a no-cook dessert, too. "l make possets, mousses, tiffins and fridge cakes – none of which require actual baking.”

If you're using the oven more sparingly these days, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy a comforting pudding. Justine Pattison and Sarah Cook know how gadgets like slow cookers, air fryers and microwaves can be used to create delicious cakes, pastries and desserts. So, we asked them for their alternative baking tips.

Before you start

“If you’re yet to buy a device but are planning to bake in it too, I would choose a mini oven style air-fryer over a basket type, and choose a large, oval slow cooker, rather than the tall, round versions,” says Sarah. That way, you're more likely to be able to fit your cake and bread tins inside.

“Then, I’d start with baking recipes specifically written for that device – often the manufacturer provides a recipe booklet with purchase. Once you’re more confident, start having a go at adapting your favourite oven bakes.”

For ease of use, it’s hard to beat a slow cooker. These nifty appliances can be filled up in the morning and will spend the day working on your dinner while you get on with other things. They're mainly associated with dishes such as stews and casseroles, but can they work for baking too?

“It is possible to bake sweet things in a slow cooker; aim for cakes that are intended to be moist and dense rather than light, such as a rich fruit cake,” says Justine. “Steamed puddings work well too.

"They also make a pretty decent rice pudding, perfect crème caramel and excellent poached fruits. You can even make a cheesecake in a slow cooker.”

Self-saucing chocolate pudding is one of her favourite treats to make in a slow cooker. “It’s a real crowd pleaser and makes the perfect finish to a Sunday roast. If I do it in my slow cooker it means no last-minute assembly while I’m also frantically trying to carve meat or finish the gravy, and I can time it to be ready fairly promptly after dinner.”

If you have a large slow cooker, it’s even possible to bake loaves of bread in them too. “If you’re missing a good crust, you can simply flash the bake under the grill to finish.

“Just make sure you have a clean tea towel to hand. Popping one of these over the dish before you add the lid will absorb excess steam and hopefully prevent any soggy tops – as opposed to soggy bottoms!”

Justine’s favourite device for baking (bar the oven), is the microwave – especially if it’s a combination one. “The addition of a grill and fan oven capability means that timings are drastically cut but you still achieve golden brown bakes,” she says.

Even if your microwave doesn’t come with grill and oven settings, they can still provide you with a great cake. “Microwave ovens are great for making sponge cakes and steamed puddings. You won’t get the same golden appearance for your cakes – unless you're using a combination microwave – but the results will be fantastically light and fluffy.” Squidgy brownies are also great made in the microwave.

Mug cakes are an especially great option when you’re making a solo dinner – just don’t overfill your cup as the mixture will rise quickly and you don’t want it to spill over. Also, while regular cakes need time to cool, these are best eaten within a few minutes of the microwave pinging, otherwise you’ll lose some of the light fluffiness that make mug cakes so moreish. Justine's pineapple-upside down mug cake can be turned out, so it can cool and stay fluffy, or just eaten as quickly as you can without burning your mouth!

They're the kitchen gadget of the moment, but do air-fryers really work for baking?

“The idea of baking in an air-fryer makes more sense when you think of it as just a small, table-top convection oven,” says Sarah. “When choosing recipes to try, remember they're frequently used for making things go crispy and crunchy on the outside fairly quickly (like chips), so bakes like cookies, brownies, granola, small bread rolls and melting-middle puddings all work really well.”

Sarah’s a big advocate for air-fryer cookies and advises going for the “fudgy, American ones with lots of brown sugar and vanilla. I add plenty of chocolate chunks (of course) and nuts for balance. Reducing the cooking time and the size of the batch you have to make is also a real win if you’re cooking with the kids.”

That said, Justine has a note of caution about baking with air-fryers: you'll find you need to make some tweaks to your method and ingredients. “They can be useful for making small batches of sweet treats but there is a lot of adaptation involved if you are trying to use a favourite recipe.”

So, if you’re using an air fryer to cut down on costs, follow recipes that have been tried and tested specifically for use in an air fryer, rather than experimenting. “The cost of wasted ingredients when something doesn’t work is going to be a whole lot more expensive than using your oven in the first place,” Justine points out.

Fridges

“No-bake cheesecakes, tiffins and fridge cakes all make great desserts when you are trying to use your oven less,” Justine says.

Sarah thinks fridge tiffin cakes are great budget-friendly creations – they don't require baking and can also make use of any sweet snacks you already have in the store cupboard. “They’re good for using up old broken biscuits and any old, dried fruit and nuts – plus the fridge is going to be on anyway, so its frugal all round.

“I’m also a fan of a chocolate cereal cake – who isn’t?! I make a chocolate-cereal mix and use it as a tart base. Then, to serve, I just mash fruit with yogurt for an instant mousse-like filling and decorate with extra fresh fruit.”

Using your oven more efficiently

Justine points out that some ovens might not be as expensive as you think. There are many factors that will impact how much your oven costs to run – everything from whether it’s fan-assisted to its age and size. Check your manual for energy information or, if you have a smart meter, then next time your oven’s on (and other appliances are off), examine it to see how much energy it consumes.

There are ways you can reduce your energy spend when using the oven, says Justine. “If you love baking, try and make several items during the same cooking session. The oven will be hot, and you can bake in batches. Baked goods like cakes, cookies, crumbles, breads and scones all freeze really well, so set aside a few hours and bake enough items to last a couple of weeks or more. Of course, this does depend on your freezer space.

“Alternatively, old-fashioned bakes, such as flapjacks, fruit cake or parkin last really well out of the freezer and can be enjoyed for days – or even weeks.

“If you have a double oven, just use the smaller one as it will be quicker to heat and use less energy. Don’t bother with preheating unless you are baking sponge cakes or cooking other recipes that need a quick blast of heat, such as soufflés. As a rule of thumb, anything cooking at 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3 or under, or baking for over an hour, probably won’t need a preheated oven.”

Originally published September 2022