1 Set of instructions
Breads & Cakes
There are a few tricks to remember when "baking" in one of these
pots. First, turn the control to HIGH (or to the setting which is
equivalent to the HIGH used in the recipes). The LOW setting is too
low to give breads and cakes the texture you expect.
With breads, remember to cover the container with a lid or foil.
Tie the lid or foil onto the container and place the container on a
meal rack or trivet inside the pot. If you don't have a metal rack
or trivet to fit your slow cooker, crumple foil and place it in the
bottom of the pot to support the baking container. Pour 2 cups of
hot water around the container to provide steam for cooking the bread.
When using a deep fryer type of slow cooker, check frequently to
make sure the water hasn't evaporated. Add more water if needed.
In general, it is not a good idea to remove the lid or foil from
the bread container during the first 2 hours of cooking. After that,
check the bread by inserting a toothpick in the mixture. If the
toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done.
When using a standard cake mix, the procedure is slightly
different. Cakes are "baked" in a pan set directly on the bottom of
the slow cooker, similar to the way you would do it in an oven. [You
do??? --KL]
It is not necessary to use a trivet or water. Instead of covering
the uncooked cake mixture with foil or a lid, cover the top with four
or five layers of paper towels. Because there is more mosture in a
slow cooker than in an oven, it is necessary to compensate for this
with the paper towels to help absorb the moist top of the cake mix.
Also, leave the lid of your slow cooker slightly open to let extra
moisture escape.
The type and kind of container to use for breads and cakes will
depend on the size of your pot. The following containers hold
equivalent amounts of batter, and so will substitute for each other:
Coffee can, 2 lb two coffee cans, 1 lb
Mole, 6-7 cup capacity baking dish, 1 1/2 quart
Three vegetable cans, 16 oz
Souffle dishes and springform pans also work, when they fit in the
pot.
