I have made this Instant Pot Cake recipe a hundred times and it turns out perfectly every single time. It’s made with a boxed cake mix (SO easy!), it is such a moist cake filled with flavor, and much less porous than its oven-baked counterpart. Nobody has to know this delicious cake was not made completely from scratch.
Original post: April 2019 | Updated: September 2024
Why This Recipe Works
This is perhaps my favorite Instant Pot recipe of all time. No joke. Here are just a few of the many many reasons I love it so much:
- I’ve made it a hundred times and it’s literally never failed me.
- This is my go-to recipe when making a cake, and the best instant pot cake recipe ever.
- My pressure cooker never stops blowing my mind. Who knew that a cake could turn out so perfectly when made inside of the confines of the magical little appliance.
- It’s the most low-maintenance, simple recipe known to man, made with just a few simple ingredients and the press of a button.
- The cake is non-porous, unlike its oven-baked cousin that always contains a ton of holes.
- Being cooked in a moist environment creates a super moist and delicious end result.
- Made with a box mix, you can use any flavor of your choosing.
- When the same recipe is made in the oven, the overall end result is a thousand times better when made in an electric pressure cooker.
- There is no need to make a from-scratch cake recipe in the Instant Pot! This is the easiest cake recipe you’ll ever make and you will be blown away by how good it tastes.
Recipe Ingredients
Cake mix – Choose any variety, making sure you also have any ingredients required from package instructions.
Mix-ins – Use no more than 1 cup of any of the following: chocolate chips, sprinkles, M&Ms, caramel bits, butterscotch chips.
Frosting – Chocolate buttercream frosting or any buttercream of choice.
How To Make Instant Pot Cake
Step 1
Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the pot and place trivet inside. Coat a round 6- or 7-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Divide between two same-size bowls and pour the batter from one of the bowls into the prepared pan. Cover with foil and place pan on the trivet and lower into the inner pot.
Step 2
Place the cover on the pot, set to sealing position and set timer to 35 minutes on high pressure (cake setting). It will take the IP around 6 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
When cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally (“natural release”) for 10 minutes then do a quick release and allow the remaining hot air to release and the float valve to drop.
Step 3
Remove cover and check if cake is done by sticking a toothpick into the center. Remove pan from the Instant Pot and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully invert the cake and remove from pan. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut rounded top off cake. Repeat process with remaining batter.
Step 4
Spread frosting over the top of the cake, top with the remaining cake and remaining frosting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cut in slices and serve!
Recipe Notes
- I love the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot because it allows you to easily lower awkward or large things down into the pot. Use your trivet to lower the batter-filled, foil-covered cake pan before cooking! There’s no need to create a “foil sling” or to use a bakeware sling because the trivet gets the job done itself.
- You’ll find a “cake” button on newer models of Instant Pot. If your pressure cooker has this button, use it! If not, use the “pressure cook” button, and for the same amount of time.
- I tested this cake with “extras” in the batter (chocolate chips or M&M’s, for example) and without and the cake turned out great both ways, every time. Do not exceed more than 1 cup of extras.
- Make sure you have all of the ingredients listed on the box before starting.
Can You Use a Regular Cake Pan in an Instant Pot
Normal 8- or 9-inch round cake pans will not fit inside an Instant Pot, so you will need to get either a 6-inch pan or a 7-inch round cake pan if you don’t already have one. An Instant Pot cake pan is essential for the success of this recipe.
Types of Cake Mixes to Choose From
Depending on which cake mix you choose, you can create any of the following types of cakes using the recipe in this post:
- Instant Pot carrot cake
- Easy Instant Pot chocolate cake
- Instant Pot strawberry cake
- Vanilla or white cake
- Funfetti cake
- Instant Pot lemon cake (top with lemon zest!)
Why Are There Two Instant Pot Sealing Rings
Your Instant Pot might come with two sealing rings, one red and one blue. Having extra sealing rings is useful when you cook both savory and sweet foods in your pressure cooker. The silicone rings can absorb scents from food, so it is a good idea to separate sweet and savory.
Best Frosting Recipes
Below are a few of my favorite types of frosting to slather all over cakes such as this one.
- Vanilla Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Lemon Buttercream Frosting
How Long Does Cake Last
A baked cake will last two days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer. No matter where you’re storing it, be sure to keep in an airtight container for best results.
Favorite Instant Pot Desserts
Instant Pot Cake Recipe – Box Mix Transformed
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz cake mix plus any ingredients required from package
- 1 cup mix-ins examples: chocolate chips, sprinkles, M&Ms, caramel bits, optional
- 4 cups chocolate buttercream frosting or any buttercream of choice
Instructions
- Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the Instant Pot and place trivet in pot. Coat a round 6- or 7-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Divide between two same-size bowls and pour the batter from one of the bowls into the prepared pan. Cover with foil and place pan on the trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Place the cover on the pot and set timer to 35 minutes on high pressure (cake setting). It will take the IP around 6 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
- When cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then do a quick release and allow the float valve to drop.
- Remove cover and check if cake is done by sticking a toothpick into the center. Remove pan from the Instant Pot and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully invert the cake and remove from pan. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut rounded top off cake. Repeat process with remaining batter.
- Spread frosting over the top of one cooled cake, top with the remaining cake and remaining frosting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cut in slices and serve!
Video
Notes
- I love the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot because it allows you to easily lower awkward or large things down into the pot. Use your trivet to lower the batter-filled, foil-covered cake pan before cooking! There’s no need to create a “foil sling” or to use a bakeware sling because the trivet gets the job done itself.
- You’ll find a “cake” button on newer models of Instant Pot. If your pressure cooker has this button, use it! If not, use the “pressure cook” button, and for the same amount of time.
- I tested this cake with “extras” in the batter (chocolate chips or M&M’s, for example) and without and the cake turned out great both ways, every time. Do not exceed more than 1 cup of extras.
- Make sure you have all of the ingredients listed on the box before starting.
I didn’t want to make the whole box and my mix calls for 3 eggs so I split it into 3 equal portions and just baked one of them. It came out great! I reduced the time to 25 minutes since it was a smaller quantity. I added about 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Now I can fix a small cake any time and not have a whole one staring at me! The 1/3 size makes 2 to 3 servings depending on your cake craving.
That sounds great! Thank you for sharing that. I’m sure others will find that beneficial too.
Hello, thank you for sharing! If I make a cake using box mix would I follow the time listed on there?
I would use the cake button on your Instant Pot. If you don’t have a cake button, then set your timer to high pressure for 35 minutes. I figured out how to use my box cake mix in my IP and it’s really really good. Enjoy!
This was terrific! I made 2 smsll cakes using one Devils Food cake mix and a 6 inch spring form pan. I followed the directions exactly, except where the box instructions said to use 1 1/2 cups water I used 1 cup water and 1/2?cup sour cream. The flavour was outstanding. I chose to finish the cakes with a simple icing sugar and water glaze, applied with a brush while the cake was still hot. The cakes had the look and the taste of a chocolate glazed doughnut. Thank you so much for sharing your techniques.
Great job! I love the addition of sour cream – greek yogurt is another option. Sounds delicious and I like the description you came up with – it is! Thank you for sharing.
Followed your excellent directions and created a moist tasty Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Used my 6qt Duo Plus and the spring form pan-hit the Cake setting and set time at 38 min….perfect results. I ordered a 7″ Fat Daddio’s pan so next time I can cook two at once. Looking to make a Key Lime Cheese Cake next. Instant Pot Duo Plus is Magical.
Kevin
That sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing your success and making a variation of this recipe. I think Key Lime sounds so good and it’s fun once you see what this amazing pot can do for you, right!?
This turned out perfect. I wanted to make chocolate cupcakes using the Devils Food cake mix, but I only have one cupcake pan and usually have to make them in two lots. This time I decided to try making a cake in the Instant Pot with the remaining batter. I kept it in for 40 minutes after some comments mentioned that it may not be cooked after 35. I used a six inch pyrex bowl and it was filled half way to the top. It naturally released completely and the pin came down after 14 minutes. I had covered it well with foil so there was no dampness at all. It’s not even as dense as I expected it to be after reading the comments. Maybe I will try 35 minutes next time just to see if it makes a difference in the moistness. I can’t say enough good things about this recipe! Thank you so much and will definitely be making it in the Instant Pot again.
That’s fun testing and getting so many great desserts. I appreciate you sharing your results and letting us know how to navigate cake in the Instant Pot!
I made this today! I received a 120 piece accessory set via amazon today and it came with a spring form pan. I used it to bake the cake in the instant pot. It took all the batter from the mix to just fill it 2/3 of the way from the top. After cooling and cutting off the top I tasted it. OMG! Chocolate cake never tasted so good. I didn’t care that it wasn’t spongy. I did however need to bake it a little longer probably because it was 1 pan instead of 2.
Exciting on getting all those accessories! I hope you have fun using your IP to the fullest! I’m so glad you gave the chocolate cake a whirl and loved it – it’s amazing what the pressure cooking can do – even to bake! Thanks for sharing!
I have the Duo Plus and tried this and followed the instructions, but my cake was disappointingly still very underbaked and runny, I’m not sure if I didn’t seal them well enough with foil or? I used my cake setting too.
Weird – I’m so sorry that happened! Yes, keeping the foil tight over the cake helps and if I’ve ever had something undercooked, put it back on, set the pot to 3-5 minutes because the time that the pressure builds back up it’s still working on cooking. Frustrating when you’re looking forward to it coming out!
Have you made this recipe in one of the flower silicone molds? If you have how long to make it? Also have you made a swirl version adding melted chocolate or cocoa to part of the batter and swirling in before baking?
Those are great questions! I have not tried it personally in a silicone mold but it should work exactly the same. You shouldn’t have to change a thing. I love your idea of creating a swirl – so fun and won’t take much more than a minute or two. Please be sure to let us know how it comes out!
Did you add any water to the pot before placing the cake pan inside?
Great question. Yes, in step 1 I outline “Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the Instant Pot and place trivet in pot. Coat a round 6- or 7-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.” You can’t use the pressure cooker without that addition of water. Thanks for asking!
My IP doesn’t have a cake button, what should I use?
Set timer to 35 minutes on high pressure (cake setting). It will take the IP around 6 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
Instead of metal cake pans, will a 7 ” pyrex bowl work?
Definitely! If something can be baked in the oven, it’s safe in the Instant Pot. Great idea!
So you stated that it would be ok to cook both pans at the same time…stacked. First, do I place anything inbetween them? Second, do I add more time to cook?
Since you are covering the pan with foil, each pan will be covered and they will nestle on top of each other without falling into the other as they are stacked. They will cook beautifully nestled in there and you can enjoy both!
Can you make cake bites with this recipe using different variety of cake mixes using the same cook time.
I haven’t made cake bites with this but you can substitute any box mix with this recipe. They will bake up nicely and be a great dense cake option!
I made this and the cake was very dense. It wasn’t spongy like cake should be. It seemed like it wasn’t able to rise the way it should, what did I do wrong?
That’s a great question. Baking in a pressure cooker is not going to have the same airy result in the cake. That is one of the things that I liked about making my cake in the IP, it’s dense, more rich. If you don’t know that’s the result, you might think something is wrong, but it just is a different version of a yummy cake.
How many quart IP did you use? If I have 8 inch pan that fit in my 8qt IP duo crisp is there any reason I can’t use them?
Thank you,
Beth
I use a 6qt and I’ve made this recipe many times. I’ve heard that a larger IP can require a little more time but I haven’t tested it out. There’s no reason this recipe wouldn’t work with an 8qt IP at all though. Enjoy!
My instant pot cake settings says 40min on tv people are manually setting at 55min what should I do my pot has the cake setting
I would use the cake setting if you have one!
Do you have it set to seal or vent?
When you cook with the Instant pot you want to set the valve to seal so it holds the pressure and begins to cook. Once it’s done cooking, let it naturally vent for 10 min, then release the remaining pressure. Thank you
I bought some stacking pans and would like to cook both layers at the same time. Would that work?
It should be just fine! Thanks for asking!
I made this today. I will admit, I was very skeptical about how it would turn out….I mean HOW is a full box mix going to fit into two 6×2″ pans and not overflow while cooking? Well, imagine my surprise when I took the lid off and my first cake was perfectly formed and no spillage! So in went the other half, same results. After it cooled, I cut the dome off the shorter of the 2 and took a bite of the dome. So good, better then an oven baked cake! Absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I have been without an oven for over 7 years now and have missed cake the most I think. Again, thank you!
I’m so glad you gave it a shot – I agree it is magical but so worth it!
You say to insert toothpick and see if cake is done. If by chance it didn’t seem completely cooked through, how would you do to finish cooking it?
Hi Gail – I can’t speak from experience on this because when I used the Instant Pot, my cake came out perfectly each time I made this recipe. However, in my opinion, there are two options. You could put the cake back into the Instant Pot, set it to 0 and let the pressure continue to cook it because it’ll cook with the pressure building but you won’t need a lot of time. Or you can put it into your oven for a few minutes.