Instant Pot Chocolate Cake

This Instant Pot Chocolate cake is the easiest cake I have ever made!

To make sure we’re no all going to succumb to our cravings and go live in a house made of cake, I decided that we’re only going to eat sweets we cook in the house.

This rule allows me to limit the sweets in our diet, but it’s also a bit of a nuisance given that the kids keep asking for this Instant Pot cake again and again.

Definitely use this Instant Pot chocolate cake recipe for a quick and easy dessert. I know I sure do!

This recipe is also perfect for when you don’t want to use your oven, like in the summer.

Just mix all the ingredients, place inside the Instant Pot and get an amazing cake!

Recipe video

What if my Instant Pot doesn’t have a Bake Function?

Don’t be disappointed if you can’t find the Bake function on your Instant Pot – some models don’t have it. As you can see from my instructions, I use the pressure cook mode to make this cake, and the result is a soft cake that basically melts in your mouth.

The steam from the pressure cooker setting helps keeps the cake from drying out (which can happen in the oven). So, steam is the main secret behind the softness and luxuriousness of this cake!

More Tricks and Tips

If you haven’t used the Instant Pot for baking before, check out these tips:

• Don’t forget the liquid - for ALL instant pot recipes, including baking, your pot needs enough liquid to build up pressure. Otherwise, you’ll either get an error message or you’ll wait forever to see the pot build pressure. 
• Let the pressure release naturally - I know it’s difficult to wait when you can already feel the smell of chocolate goodness but, believe me, it’s worth it! If you release the steam too quickly (using the Quick Release function), you may end up with a flat cake. This can happen because the pot uses steam to heat up and raise the batter.
• Let the cake cool down - I’m sure you already know this, but the cake needs to cool down before you can add frosting or any other topping. Otherwise it will melt and slide right off! 

Which cake tin should I use?

Use a 6-inch cake form lined with parchment paper.

If you don’t have a 6-inch pan, you can easily find one online. The cake pan is placed on the trivet (one of the IP standard accessories) which will be placed in the inner pot. The trivet is important because it keeps the cake pan from touching the liquid directly and it will allow you to get the pan out easily once the cooking is done (without burning your fingers).

Cover the cake form with the tin lid or simply with aluminium foil.

Adjustments

If you don’t have a 6-inch cake pan, a 7-inch cake pan can be used as long as it fits in your pressure cooker. A bundt pan can also be used. You should not need to adjust the time for any of these options.

If you have a smaller Instant Pot, you should still be able to make this recipe, as long as you find a cake pan that fits your model. You may need to adjust the amount of water.

If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute a gluten free all-purpose cup-for-cup flour blend. You could also use almond flour, though it may change the texture a bit.

To take this cake up a notch, I like to add a dash of espresso powder to the batter. It brings out the richness of the chocolate. However, make sure to not overdo it if you’re baking this for kids!

If you really want to diversify, try this delicious Instant Pot brownies recipe.

Serving

Personally, I like to alternate between chocolate frosting and whipped cream with pieces of fruit at the top. But that’s the beauty of this cake! Anyone can do it their own way and you can even employ the help of the kids for this step (although be prepared to lose half of the frosting in the process).

This time I simply sprinkled powdered sugar over it and served it. It was just as delicious as if it had frosting on top!

How to make

Gather the necessary ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt.

Add melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and mix.

Place parchment paper or butter paper into the cake tin.

Pour the batter into your cake tin.

Pour 2 cups of water into your Instant Pot and place the trivet correctly.

Place your cake tin onto the trivet. 

Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.

When cooking time is complete, wait for a natural pressure release and then open the lid.

Take out the cake.

Remove the cover and let your cake cool for about 20 minutes before slicing it.

Sprinkle each slice with icing sugar and enjoy!

Feel free to add your favorite toppings as well 🙂

You can use chocolate chip, sprinkles or anything you like.

More Cake Recipes

Instant Pot Lava Cake

Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake

Instant Pot Japanese Cheesecake (4 ingredients)

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Chocolate Crunch Cake

The Pot-tastic Chocolate Cake Extravaganza