My beloved KitchenAid mixer is upset with me.

Lately, it’s been excluded from the party. I’ve become addicted to “one pot cakes” – cakes made entirely in one bowl or pot with nothing but a big spoon. No mixer needed.

And boy have I been paying for it. Dirty looks at breakfast. A roll of the eyes every time the wooden spoon comes out of the drawer. An endless cold shoulder.

What can I say, it’s been nice to have a cake in the oven in under 10 minutes. Forget about frosting! It comes out of the oven perfect and ready for enjoyment.

But don’t worry about poor KitchenAid. I’ve got some birthdays coming up soon in need of some high-powered cake-work.

Between you and me, my go-to list of one-pot cakes has been growing. As a young pastry cook, I made an Italian dessert called Torta di Riso or “rice cake” a few times. It was made up of nuts, dried fruits, chocolate and arborio rice, which is used to make risotto. Essentially it’s like a baked rice pudding.

But the additions of nuts and fruits just seemed like overkill. There was way too much going on, and it was making my head spin. Why not just appreciate the creamy rice itself with maybe a bit of chocolate. Simpler seemed like the way to go.

For this cake, arborio rice is cooked in lemon-infused milk until creamy. Then dark chocolate chips and vanilla are added for a little extra flavor. Once baked, the rice becomes tender and mildly sweet. This torta is a must with a double espresso.

Take the easy route to cake.
 

Chocolate Chip Risotto Cake Recipe

3 c whole milk
zest of 1 lemon (peeled into strips)
3/4 c arborio rice
2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
4 large eggs (not XL)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c sugar
1 c (100g) chocolate chips (or 1 bar, chopped)

In a deep sauce pot, bring milk and lemon zest to a boil stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the zest. Add pot back to heat and bring to a simmer. Add rice. Stirring frequently, cook rice at a gentle simmer for 20-25m until the rice has absorbed all of the milk and it resembles risotto. Remove the heat and stir in the butter. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a 8″ or 9″ spring form pan with parchment paper, then grease the sides with butter to prevent the cake from sticking.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla and eggs. Once the rice has cooled to touch, stir in the sugar. Then add the eggs in 4 additions, stirring in between each addition to incorporate. The “batter” will be very loose. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Add “batter” to the pan. Bake for 50-60m until puffed and golden brown.

Once cake is cool, remove from the spring form pan. Serve with lightly whipped cream or fresh strawberries. Check out more photos detailing how to make this cake on the Facebook Fan page.

Want another one-pot cake?

Here’s an oldie but a goodie.