Carrot cake is fluffy and scrumptious and you can make it easily in your Instant Pot!
The bits of carrots in it make the taste really special, something else than the classic (but also good!) cheesecake or chocolate cake. Perfect for your sweet cravings.
This Instant Pot Carrot Cake recipe also includes a cream cheese glaze, and we decorate it with baby carrot, pecans and rosemary. It’s so pretty in addition to being amazingly delicious!
If you are really into cream cheese frosting, try this Instant Pot Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls recipe too. It’s so much fun baking with your pressure cooker!
Table of Contents
What are the Benefits of Baking a Cake in an Instant Pot?
When you use your Instant Pot for baking, you won’t have to worry as much about over or under cooking. It’s sure to stay moist too since it’s cooked in a moist environment.
Although it takes a little longer than cooking in an oven, it’s totally hands off. You don’t have to be constantly checking the oven if the cake is done. Just set it and forget it—especially since this recipe calls for a natural release.
It’s also a great option for people who don’t have an oven, or don’t particularly want to use their oven (especially if living in a hot climate!) You could even make this cake in your dorm room without a kitchen!
Can I Use All-purpose Flour?
Yes – you could use all-purpose flour or cake flour here. I like to use whole wheat pastry flour for its added nutritional value, and it just tastes really good in this recipe.
Pastry flour or cake flour is more finely ground than all-purpose flours which make for softer, more tender cakes and baked goods.
Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Yes—it’s not a perfect substitute, but pumpkin pie spice blends typically contain cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and sometimes cardamom. Use 1.25 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the spices called for in this carrot cake recipe.
I Can Only Find Large Carrots—How Much Should I Use?
You’ll want about ½ to ¾ cup finely chopped carrots for this recipe, which you’ll probably get from just one large carrot. An easy alternative to finely chopping the carrots is grating them on a box grater.
I Have Large Eggs—How Many Should I Use?
3 small eggs should give you just under ½ cup of volume, which is similar to the amount you get with 2 large eggs. If you only have large eggs, use 2 instead of 3.
Can I Make it Vegan?
Yes, you can! To make a vegan version of this Instant Pot Carrot Cake, you’ll need to find substitutes for the butter, eggs, cream cheese, and milk.
While that may seem like a lot of substitutions, dairy-free versions of each of these items are widely available now. One of my go-to substitute for eggs is applesauce, which would go great in this recipe. Use ½ cup unsweetened applesauce in place of the 3 small (or 2 large) eggs.
If you don't have applesauce, you can make it using this Instant Pot applesauce recipe, or use any vegan applesauce substitute.
Instant Pot Cake Recipes
Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
Instant Pot Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Instant Pot Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup water for the Instant Pot
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 small carrots finely chopped
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 small eggs
- ½ cup cream cheese for glaze
- 2 tablespoon milk for glaze
- 1 baby carrot for decoration
- 1 bunch rosemary for decoration
- ½ cup pecans for decoration
- ½-3/4 cup sugar for cake batter
Instructions
- Add water in the Instant Pot and place trivet in it.
- Take a pan that fits in the instant pot.
- Grease the pan with oil or just put parchment paper at its bottom.
- Take a bowl and add carrots along with all the dry ingredients in it, mix well
- Take another bowl and add all wet ingredients in it, mix well.
- Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well until smooth.
- Pour batter in the pan and cover it with aluminum foil.
- Place the pan in the instant pot.
- Close the lid and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes.
- Once done, wait for a natural pressure release.
- Open the lid, remove the pan and uncover it.
- Glaze: Mix well cream cheese and milk and cover the cake.
- Decoration: Decorate with baby carrot, rosemary and pecans.
- Your yummy cake is ready.
Nutrition
Do you let the cake cool before adding the glaze?
Good question, yes, the cake should be mostly cooled before adding the glaze, otherwise it will turn quite runny.
6 quarts
Could this be made in a bundt pan with the instapot? Thanks!
It can as long as it fits. But I'm not sure I would recommend it because it's so moist I'd be worried about sticking when trying to release it from the pan.
, am I understanding that the cream cheese frosting is only cream cheese and two tablespoons of milk with no sugar
Yes, since the cake is sweet, it balances out. If you like a sweeter frosting, you can add a tablespoon of sugar.
How much water do u put in, in the beginning?
I would add about 1 cup or water, or at least the minimum amount that your pressure cooker requires but not so much that it covers the trivet.
Can I cook this in a stove top pressure cooker?
Possibly, if you have one that is large enough!
This was not good. Cooked up ok but where’s the sugar. Not sweet at all.
Sorry sugar was missed by an error. Now I have edited the recipe. thanks for mentioning.
Last ingredient is sugar
1/2 to 3/4 Cup. Did you miss it?
So happy to hear that Elaine ^_^