Instant Pot Carrot Cake — Carrot cake is one of the best desserts, in my opinion, but it can take hours to make. I love that I can now use an Instant Pot for this recipe because it saves me so much time! The carrot cake tastes just like traditional carrot cake, with more icing on top.
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a fantastic dessert. Made with fresh ingredients like shredded carrots and infused with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. This is a traditional carrot cake made with the help of the Instant Pot.
This is a perfect recipe for your Instant Pot, and pressure cooking the cake, keep it moist, and bakes perfectly. I love a great big piece of carrot cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. This makes a great breakfast, afternoon snack, or evening dessert.
If you love cake, be sure to check out some of my other great Instant Pot Baked Good Recipes, such as Instant Pot Strawberry Cheesecake, Instant Pot Nutella Bites, or even a Simple Instant Pot Monkey Bread.
Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Carrot Cake
- All-Purpose Flour
- Light Brown Sugar
- Walnuts or Pecans
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable Oil
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Ground Cloves
- Grated Carrots
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Pure Vanilla Extract
How To Make Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Grease a 7-inch cake pan very well and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl. Mix very well to blend and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the brown sugar with an electric mixer until foamy and pale: about 3-4 minutes. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and oil and beat again for a few seconds until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture, folding it gently with a rubber spatula.
Then add the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Mix gently with the spatula until absorbed. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Cover the pan with a sheet of paper towel. Wrap it tightly with aluminum foil on top but make sure the paper and the foil are loose so that the cake can rise during baking. Place the cake pan on the Instant Pot trivet, with the handles up.
Pour 3/4 cups water into the Instant Pot. Holding the trivet handles, place the cake pan inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid and ensure the valve is in the “Seal” position. Select Manual setting and adjust to 40 minutes at high pressure.
After It’s Done Cooking:
When the program is over, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center: it is ready if it comes out clean. If not, cook it for another 15 minutes at high pressure and release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely before assembling it.
Frosting The Cake:
In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and icing sugar until combined for a few seconds using an electric mixer. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
Using a long serrated knife, trim any uneven parts from the top of the cake base. Cut the base horizontally in two equal layers. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread evenly about 1/3 of the frosting on it. Cover with the second layer (make sure it is the one that has been at the bottom of the pan). Spread the remaining frosting all around the cake.
FAQ’s:
Can I prepare this in advance?
Yes, this carrot cake recipe is perfect for those days where you’re not feeling like baking. You can prepare the batter and store it in your fridge up to 1 day before cooking, assemble as directed, then keep it at room temperature for 1 to 2 days after cooking; remember to keep the cake tightly wrapped with saran wrap. Cream cheese frosting will also stay fresh if refrigerated within three days.
This makes for a quick and make-ahead holiday dessert! Perfect for you to save time!
Do I Need To Peel The Carrots First?
Yes, the texture is much better if you peel the carrots. If you are in a rush, you can always purchase peeled carrots or grated carrots in the supermarket.
Do I have to Use The Cake Setting? If I do not have a Cake Setting, am I unable to bake cakes in the Instant Pot?
If you do not have a cake setting, you can use the manual high-pressure setting; it will work the same.
To make any cake, place the trivet into the Instant Pot and then pour the water into the Instant Pot, which will bring the Pressure Cooker to Pressure, which allows you to cook your food in an Instant Pot.
Can I bake in my Instant Pot?
The truth is, since you are cooking in the Instant Pot, you are not baking it in the traditional sense; you are steaming it. This is why cakes come out nice, light, and fluffy in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake
If you want to make this recipe into an Instant pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake, all you need to do is add your favorite cheesecake filling into the mixture, and it will be amazing!
Can you use any cake pan in the Instant Pot?
Yes, it will depend on the size of your Instant Pot, which pan you can use. The most widely used pans used and recommended for the Instant Pot and baking either cakes or cheesecakes are springform pans.
For making any cake, check out these pans. They will fit inside an Instant Pot (affiliate link); they are the perfect cake pan for either the Instant Pot or Air Fryer Baking.
Some Other Great Instant Pot Recipes-
- INSTANT POT MONKEY BREAD
- INSTANT POT DINNER ROLLS
- EASY INSTANT POT APPLE CRISP
- INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
- INSTANT POT BLUEBERRY LOAF
SOME HELPFUL PRODUCTS USED IN MAKING THIS RECIPE-
Don’t Forget To Pin:
Instant Pot Carrot Cake — Carrot cake is one of the best desserts, in my opinion, but it can take hours to make. I love that I can now use an Instant Pot for this recipe because it saves me so much time! The carrot cake tastes just like traditional carrot cake, with a little more icing on top.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 teaspoong ground cloves
- 1 cup carrots grated
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspon pure vanilla extract
- 10.5 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Grease very well a 7-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
-
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl. Mix very well to blend and set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the brown sugar with an electric mixer until foamy and pale: about 3-4 minutes.
-
Add buttermilk, vanilla, and oil and beat again for a few seconds until smooth.
-
Gradually add the flour mixture, folding it gently with a rubber spatula.
-
In the end, add the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Mix gently with the spatula until absorbed.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Cover the pan with a sheet of paper towel. Wrap it tightly with aluminum foil on top but make sure the paper and the foil are loose so that the cake can rise during baking.
-
Place the cake pan on the Instant Pot trivet, with the handles u
-
Pour 3/4 cups water into the Instant Pot. Holding the handles of the trivet, place the cake pan inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid and make sure the valve is in the “Seal” position.
-
Select Manual setting and adjust to 40 minutes at high pressure.
-
When the program is over, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually.
-
Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center: it is ready if it comes out clean. If not, cook it for another 15 minutes at high pressure and release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes.
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Let the cake cool completely before assembling it.
Frosting Notes:
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat for a few seconds butter and icing sugar until combined. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
To assemble:
- Using a long serrated knife, trim any uneven parts from the top of the cake base. Cut the base horizontally in two equal layers.
- Place one layer on a serving plate and spread evenly about 1/3 of the frosting on it.
- Cover with the second layer (make sure it is the one that has been at the bottom of the pan). Spread the remaining frosting all around the cake.
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