Instant Pot Chocolate cake is a perfect bake for the holiday season. It is soft, moist, fudgy, and decadent.
While everyone is busy planning and shopping for Thanksgiving, here is one amazing Chocolate Cake in the electric pressure cooker. It is so easy to whip up and get it done.
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Baking in Instant Pot
I love baking and I am never against baking in an oven. When baking in the oven is considerably easy and then why go for an Instant Pot, so here is it. Unlike the oven there is no need to preheat the Instant Pot. All we need to do is batter up and put it inside the electric pressure cooker and forget it. The Instant pot bakes beautifully and keeps it ready for you. I am baking at 25 mins in high pressure and then natural release which is like a breeze. I don't have to babysit my cake.
Unlike the oven, if leaving the cake beyond the time might blacken the cake crumb or makes it dry. Instant pot is beginner friendly when it comes to baking. It is a lot easier.
The texture of the cake is almost the same in both. While the cake in the oven is airier and light and Instant Pot cake is a little dense.
Choosing the right pan
The right pan is something very important when it comes to baking a cake in an instant pot. My go to option is a 6 inch round baking pan. It is smaller in size and perfectly fits my 6 qt Instant Pot.
The 6 inch cake tin is perfect when I bake for my family of 4 also I don't want to keep the leftovers for a long time.
You can use the same batter and make chocolate cupcakes as well. Scoop the batter in mini cupcake molds and bake.
Ingredients:
Flour - As always we use white flour for the cake. We can definitely use half APF and half Wheat Flour too.
Egg - Eggs are the base for the spongy and fluffy cake and hence I prefer using them. If you are looking for an eggless chocolate cake, I have another version in the blog. You can check it out!!
Cocoa Powder - Use any good quality unsweetened Cocoa powder for the cake. Since it's a Chocolate cake, cocoa powder is the most essential ingredient.
Melted Butter - Use unsalted melted butter
Vanilla essence - Use pure Vanilla extract.
Sugar - I am using Brown Sugar. But we can replace it with White Sugar or even Cane Sugar. It will have no compromise in the taste and texture.
Yogurt - Use unflavored natural thick yogurt.
Coffee powder - It gives a yummy flavor when added to any chocolate cakes
FAQ's
Why do we add water to the Instant pot before baking?
The water in the instant pot is to prevent the burn signal as we bake. It is, for this reason, we do not place the baking pan directly in the inner steel pot. We place it on a trivet and then bake.
How to make Chocolate cake in Instant Pot
- In a cup add in the ⅓ cup warm water and ½ tsp Instant Coffee powder or espresso coffee powder. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl add in ¾ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup Cocoa powder, ½ cup + 2 tbsp Brown sugar, and ½ tsp cooking soda. Combine with a whisk until you mix all the ingredients well.
3. Next add in the ⅓ cup yogurt,¼ cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla essence, and 1 large room temperature egg.
4. Now add in the ⅓ cup lukewarm water mixed with espresso powder. Combine until you mix all ingredients evenly without any lumps.
5. Take a 6 inch round baking pan and apply butter and dust some flour. Tap to remove the excess flour and then line the baking tin with parchment paper. Now transfer the prepared batter to the baking pan. Take the tin to remove air bubbles if any.
6. Cover the baking pan with foil on the top.
7. Add ½ cup water to the instant pot and then place the baking pan on top of a trivet or the basket.
8. Close the instant pot and turn the pressure valve to the sealing position. Set 25 mins in high pressure. After the baking time Wait for a natural pressure and then open the instant pot.
9. Once the pressure knob goes down and the pressure is fully released open the instant pot. Take the baking pan out along with the basket. Wait for a few mins and then run a knife to remove the cake from the pan. Instant Pot Chocolate cake is ready.
Instant Pot Chocolate cake is ready
Tips & Variations
- To bake the cake safely in an instant pot always fill the inner steel pot with required water and then place the trivet on top along with the Baking pan.
- If you do not have a handled trivet, you may fold a strip of foil and shape it like a sling. Place the baking pan on the sling and then insert it into the instant pot.
- Once the cake is baked you may pull the pan out with the help of the foil sling.
- Always make sure you seal the baking pan with foil on top. This is to prevent the steam from entering the baking pan and making the batter mushy.
- If you like frosting the cake, You may frost it as you like once the cake cools completely.Or you can spread some chocolate ganache and decorate it.
- I made the cakes for my kids and they like it plain. So I just added in some icing sugar and sprinkles alone.
- If you do not have an Instant Pot, you may follow the same recipe in an oven as well. Preheat the oven at 356 F and bake at 356 F for 30 mins or until a toothpick when inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool down completely and then slice. This prevents the crumbs from falling apart while slicing the cakes.
- Hotcakes don't give a perfect slice. Always wait till it's cool and then slice.
Serving Suggestions
Chocolate cakes go well as a dessert by themselves. You can serve with some milk and nuts.
Storage Options
The chocolate cake stays good for 2 days at room temperature. You can store it in the fridge for 5 days. You may freeze for up to 2 months.
Similar Chocolate Cakes
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chocolate Cake
Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 Qt DUO
Ingredients
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- ½+2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Egg Room Tempetature
- ⅓ cup Yogurt
- ¼ cup Melted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- ½ tsp Instant Coffee or Espresso powder
- ⅓ cup Water luke warm + ½ cup water to add in the inner steel pot for baking
Instructions
- In a cup add in the ⅓ cup warm water and ½ tsp Instant Coffee powder or espresso coffee powder. Mix well and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add in ¾ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup Cocoa powder, ½ cup + 2 tbsp Brown sugar, and ½ tsp cooking soda. Combine with a whisk until you mix all the ingredients well.
- Next add in the ⅓ cup yogurt,¼ cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla essence, and 1 large room temperature egg.
- Now add in the ⅓ cup lukewarm water mixed with espresso powder. Combine until you mix all ingredients evenly without any lumps.
- Take a 6 inch round baking pan and apply butter and dust some flour. Tap to remove the excess flour and then line the baking tin with parchment paper. Now transfer the prepared batter to the baking pan. Take the tin to remove air bubbles if any.
- Cover the baking pan with foil on the top.
- Add ½ cup water to the instant pot and then place the baking pan on top of a trivet or the basket.
- Close the instant pot and turn the pressure valve to the sealing position. Set 25 mins in high pressure. After the baking time Wait for a natural pressure and then open the instant pot.
- Once the pressure knob goes down and the pressure is fully released open the instant pot. Take the baking pan out along with the basket. Wait for a few mins and then run a knife to remove the cake from the pan. Instant Pot Chocolate cake is ready.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.
Sandra
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I don’t like coffee. Can I leave this ingredient behind and, if so, do I still have to use the 1/3 cup of Luke warm water ?
sharmila kingsly
You can skip adding coffee. But go ahead and add the lukewarm water without coffee. The liquid is needed for the perfect cake batter.