Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake

Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake — Everyone loves red velvet cake, but it is typically a time-consuming process that requires you to be in the kitchen for hours. With an Instant Pot, however, you can make this delicious red velvet cake in just minutes. It will taste like you spent all day baking!

There is nothing better for dessert than a homemade cake. Today I made a special treat for my family, used my Instant Pot, and prepared an Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake, with Cream Cheese Frosting and all. It was fabulous.

If you have never prepared an Instant Pot Cake, they are delicious and straightforward, and you end up with a lovely moist, rich, and tasty cake. Today, because Valentine’s Day is coming up, I made a homemade red velvet cake smeared with homemade cream cheese frosting.

If you are looking for a rich deep piece of cake with buttery, vanilla, and cocoa powder, this is a perfect dessert anytime, whether Valentine’s Day or just a regular day. However, I did promise that I would make this or my oldest son again for his birthday!

What Is Red Velvet Cake?

Red velvet cake is a popular dessert that has been around since the 1920s. It gets its name from the red coloring, which is often achieved by adding beets to the batter.

The frosting on this cake is typically cream cheese or buttercream, and it can either be covered in chocolate or left as-is for a lighter option. Red velvet cake was invented in rural Virginia and became famous after being featured at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s restaurant, The Towers.

Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake

• Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Cocoa Powder
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• White Vinegar
• Red Food Coloring

How To Make Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake

Combine buttermilk and vinegar and stir. Set aside. In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir very well to blend.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together with an electric mixer butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until creamy. Add oil and beat again to combine. Add the eggs one by one, beating after each addition until combined. Scrape well the sides of the bowl.

Add some food coloring and mix gently with a rubber spatula. The batter should have an intensive red or magenta color.

Gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, mixed with vinegar. Mix gently with the rubber spatula until both are absorbed and the batter is uniform.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Cover the top of the pan with a paper towel and wrap it tightly with aluminum foil. Make sure there is room for the cake to rise, so keep the foil and the paper loose.

Pour 3/4 cup water into the Instant Pot. Use the trivet with the handles up to place the cake pan into the Pot.

Close the lid and make sure the valve is in the Seal position. Select the “Manual” setting and dial 40 minutes on high pressure.

When the program is over, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Remove the pan from the Instant Pot, holding the trivet handles with kitchen mittens. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle: it is made if it comes out clean. If it comes out with some dough, wrap the pan again with a paper towel and aluminum foil and cook for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool until room temperature before assembling it.

Pro Tips:

• Using a large serrated knife, first, trim the top of the cake so it becomes even. 
• Cut the cake base horizontally in two equal layers. 
• Invert the top layer and place it on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on it. Place the second layer (with the side that has been at the bottom of the pan upwards). Spread the remaining frosting around the cake.
• Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before serving. Decorate with the crumbs from the trimmed parts. Optionally draw hearts with a toothpick, using edible food coloring.

Recipe Notes:

• For this cake, choose a food coloring with a pinkish shade rather than with an orange tint. Very red works perfectly as well. 
• Store this cake for 2-3 days in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap.

Is Red Velvet Cake Just a Chocolate Cake?

Red Velvet Cake has been around for centuries, but there are still some misconceptions about it. Many people think that Red Velvet Cake is just a chocolate cake with red food coloring, but this couldn’t be further from the truth!

The difference between these two cakes comes down to their ingredients. Most chocolate cakes contain only cocoa powder and sugar, while Red Velvet Cakes have cocoa powder and vinegar to provide a tangy flavor. With all of these differences, you should never mistake one for the other again!

What’s the Difference between Chocolate Cake and Red Velvet Cake?

In the culinary world, there are many different types of cakes. Some people love chocolate cake, and others would rather have red velvet cake. However, what’s the difference between these two?

While they both use cocoa powder as a source of flavoring, that is where their similarities end. The chocolate cake uses natural unsweetened cocoa powder. In contrast, red velvet uses Dutch-processed cocoa powder, making it more acidic than its counterpart and helping give it a deep, bright color when baked. Also, chocolate cakes typically contain buttermilk or sour cream to create tenderness. In contrast, red velvet cakes commonly call for vinegar or buttermilk to get that distinct tangy flavor that helps balance out all of the sugar used in them!

What Is The Flavor of Red Velvet Cake?

Do you know what the flavor of red velvet cake is? Is it chocolate, vanilla, or something else? It turns out that there are two recipes for red velvet cake, and they taste very different. The original recipe has a milder cocoa flavor, while the other version tastes more like traditional chocolate cake.

Items Used In Making This Recipe:

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More Instant Pot Recipes:

• INSTANT POT MONKEY BREAD
• INSTANT POT DINNER ROLLS
• EASY INSTANT POT APPLE CRISP
• INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
• INSTANT POT PECAN CHEESECAKE

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