When astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) made pizza in space using tortillas, sauce, cheese, and toppings notably during a 2017 expedition, it felt like that was the best humans could bake in space. Then, NASA tested a zero-gravity cookie oven aboard the ISS in 2019. According to the latest update astronauts have now baked a 4-ingredient cake. Scroll down to read the details.



Shubhanshu Shukla, Group Captain in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and an astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organisation, recently shared how his crewmates baked a cake aboard the International Space Station using just a few humble ingredients. He shared an anecdote on his official account and wrote, "I possess many admirable qualities, but baking, whether on Earth or in orbit, is decidedly not among them, at least not yet. Fortunately, my crewmates aboard the station were far more gifted in that department."






Shubhanshu shared how, during one evening in their tightly packed schedule, they gathered for a small celebration and decided to bake a cake using humble ingredients like bread, condensed milk, dried fruits and a “touch of jam”. He shared an image of the cake floating on the ISS and wrote, “I can say without hesitation that it was the finest “space cake” I’ve ever had, and perhaps the most memorable.”



He further wrote, "Moments like these were precious. In between experiments and responsibilities, we carved out time to come together—astronauts from different corners of the world—sharing food, laughter, and stories while orbiting Earth at 7.6 kilometers per second." "Up there, looking down at our planet without borders, it becomes beautifully clear: whatever flags we carry, we are, all of us, citizens of Earth," he concluded.




Challenges of baking in space

While the ingredients were humble and easy to handle, it was still an extraordinary cake. Wondering why? Well, the science behind it is very impressive because baking on Earth relies on convection, where hot air rises, circulates, and cooks food evenly.



But in microgravity, convection doesn't happen. Heat travels only through radiation and direct contact, making temperature distribution wildly uneven. According to experts, ingredients float freely in space, posing genuine inhalation and fire hazards. But the choice of ingredients for this cake was clever. Condensed milk and jam are viscous and shelf-stable. Dried fruits add texture without loose particles, and hence, no oven was required.




Importance of cooking in space
According to an airspace podcast by the National Air and Space Museum, cooking in space plays a crucial role in sustaining astronauts' physical health, mental well-being, and mission success. It is believed that beyond basic nutrition, it combats food fatigue from repetitive, pre-packaged meals and fosters crew morale through familiar rituals.