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Home » Blog

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

By Laurie
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Instant Pot Carrot Cake

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.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe

Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a fantastic dessert, if you love homemade carrot cake, this is the perfect recipe for you!

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.

Why Make Carrot Cake In The Pressure Cooker

Have you ever wanted to make a delicious and moist carrot cake, but didn’t have the time or patience to bake it in the oven? Why not try making it in a pressure cooker instead? Cooking it under pressure helps infuse the flavors of your spices and keeps the cake moist. Plus, it’s a faster method that frees up oven space for other cooking tasks. Why not give it a try and reap the benefits of a tasty dessert with minimal effort? The next time you want to impress friends and family with a carrot cake, let your pressure cooker do some of the work for you. Who knows, they may just ask for seconds!

Is there anything better than a delicious Instant Pot carrot cake? And of course my favorite part of carrot cake! The cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Are you ready to add some pressure cooking magic to your carrot cake recipe? The Instant Pot brings a whole new dimension of flavor and moistness to this classic dessert, and all it takes is a few simple ingredients

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

How To Make An Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Grease a 7-inch cake pan, or springform 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 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.

How To Make An Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Then add the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Mix gently with the spatula until absorbed. Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared cake pan.

How To Make An Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Cover the pan with a sheet of paper towel. Wrap it tightly with a sheet of 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 a cup of water into the Instant Pot. Holding the trivet handles, place the cake pan inside the Instant Pot. Close and lock lid and ensure the valve is in the “Seal” position. Select the 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, on a cooling rack or wire rack.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Frosting The Cake:

In a small 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.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

Using a long serrated knife, trim any uneven parts from the top of the cake base. Cut the base horizontally into 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.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

FAQ:

Can I prepare this in advance?

Yes, this carrot cake recipe is perfect for those days when you’re not feeling like baking. You can prepare the batter and store it in your fridge up to 1 day before cooking, assemble it 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, or plastic 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 or cake button, 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.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake

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, and 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.

More Instant Pot New 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-

ForkToSpoon.com may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. Please read our full disclosure policy here.


Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Sterilizer, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart, 14 One-Touch Programs

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Instant Pot Carrot Cake
5 from 1 vote
Instant-Pot-Carrot-Cake-1
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Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 

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.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Instant Pot Desserts, Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 629 kcal
Author: ForkToSpoon.com
Ingredients
Cake:
  • 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
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 10.5 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Grease very well a 7-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

  2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl. Mix very well to blend and set aside.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the brown sugar with an electric mixer until foamy and pale: about 3-4 minutes. 

  4. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and oil and beat again for a few seconds until smooth.

  5. Gradually add the flour mixture, folding it gently with a rubber spatula. 

  6. In the end, add the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Mix gently with the spatula until absorbed.

  7. 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.

  8. Place the cake pan on the Instant Pot trivet, with the handles u

  9. 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.

  10. Select Manual setting and adjust to 40 minutes at high pressure.

  11. When the program is over, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually.

  12. 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.

  13. Let the cake cool completely before assembling it.

    Instant-Pot-Carrot-Cake-1
Recipe Notes

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.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 629 Calories from Fat 315
% Daily Value*
Fat 35g54%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 13g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 89mg30%
Sodium 297mg13%
Potassium 264mg8%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 45g50%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 3272IU65%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 139mg14%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Hello, I’m Laurie!

I’m a mom and a wife who loves to cook. I love to share what I learn. I work hard on using my appliances, Air Fryer and Instant Pot, to make my life easier, and hopefully, in return, your lives easier.

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