If you love chocolate layer cake, you are going to absolutely LOVE this Instant Pot Chocolate Cake recipe. Rich chocolate flavor that is baked to perfection, this cake has a delicious fluffy chocolate.

The Instant Pot makes dessert a breeze. If you love making dessert in the Instant Pot, you want to try this Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake too.
Instant Pot Chocolate Cake Recipe
I love making desserts in the Instant Pot because the moisture that is needed to use the pressure cooker helps to make sure that the cake or cheesecake or whatever I am making is moist. Every cake is cooked to perfection. This cake is easy to make and has an amazing chocolate frosting that creates a chocolate layer cake that is a chocoholic’s dream.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Water
- Unsalted butter
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Pure vanilla powder extract
- Baking powder
- Eggs
- Kosher salt
- Cream cheese
- Hershey special dark cocoa powder
- Powder sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Semi sweet chocolate chips
How to make Chocolate Layer Cake in the Instant Pot
- Using parchment paper, line a 7 inch springform pan with parchment paper and then spray the pan with baking spray.
- Mix the cake mix ingredients together until they are well combined.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan and cover it with foil.
- Pour the 1 cup of water into the bottom of the springform pan and place the trivet into the pot.
- Place the cake onto the trivet.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 23 minutes and then allow the steam to release naturally.
- When the cake is out of the Instant Pot, remove the foil and let the cake cool completely.
- Take the cake out from springform pan and place onto an 8 in round board
- Using a cake leveler, remove the dome of the cake and then slice the cake in thirds creating the layers.
How to Make Chocolate Frosting
- Using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth.
- Slowly add in the cocoa and salt.
- Slowly beat in the powdered sugar.
- Beat in the heavy whipping cream until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
How to Assemble the Cake
Add 3/4 cup of the frosting into the piping back. The scoop frosting onto the first layer of the cake.
- Smooth the frosting over the cake layer and then add the next layer on top.
- Repeat with this layer and add the last cake layer on top and then frost the rest of the cake including the sides.
- Place into the fridge for an hour to allow frosting to set.
Chocolate Ganache Directions
- In a pot, heat the heavy whipping until it is hot and steaming.
- Pour the chocolate chips into a heat safe bowl and pour the heavy whipping cream over top.
- Let it sit for 1 minute and then stir it until it is smooth.
- Put the ganache into a squeeze bottle.
- Drizzle the edges of the cake to create the drip design around the edge of the cake.
- Using the piping bag with the frosting to make dollops of frosting on the top of the cake.
What Function Do I Use for Instant Pot Cake?
When you are making Instant Pot cake you want to use the manual pressure cooker mode. This bakes the cake creating a moist and tender chocolate cake.
What Cake Pan is Safe for The Instant Pot?
The best pan to use when making cake in the Instant Pot is a springform pan. Using a springform pan you can easily remove the cake from the cake pan. Also, a springform cake pan is safe for the Instant Pot. Usually, you will want to use a 7 inch pan because it is the largest pan that fits into the inner pot.
How Many Cakes Do I Need to Make in the Instant Pot for Chocolate Layer Cake?
While many layer cakes are made with 3 cakes that are stacked together, this layer cake is made with one cake that is cut into 3 layers. I recommend using a cake leveler to cut the cake because it is the easiest way to cut the cake. However, if you do not have a cake leveler, you can use a knife but you will have to make sure you are cutting it straight and level. Knives tend to cut unevenly.
More Instant Pot Cake Recipes
- Instant Pot Mint Chocolate Cake
- Instant Pot Boxed Chocolate Cake
- Instant Pot Orange Cake Recipe
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Cake
- Instant Pot Chocolate Fudge Cake
Instant Pot Chocolate Layered Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- 1 C water
- 3/4 C unsalted butter melted
- 3/4 C flour
- 1/2 C sugar
- 3/4 C cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla powder extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 large eggs whisked
- 1 dash of kosher salt
Frosting ingredients
- 3/4 C unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 – 4 oz cream cheese soften
- 3/4 C Hershey special dark cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 3 1/2 C powder sugar
- 4-6 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
- 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 C heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Line a 7in round springform pan with parchment paper
- Spray the pan with pam baking spray
- Using a large bowl, mix the melted butter, eggs, flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar salt and vanilla until combined
- Pour the batter into your springform pan
- Cover with foil
- Pour the 1 C of water into the bottom of the springform pan
- Place a trivet into the instant pot
- Place your cake onto the trivet
- Cook on manual high pressure for 23 minutes and then allow the steam to release naturally
- Remove foil and allow the cake to cool completely
- Remove cake from springform pan and place onto a 8in round board
- Using a cake leveler, remove the dome of the cake
- Slice the cake in thirds to create three layers
Chocolate frosting Directions
- Using the standing mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth
- Gradually mix in the cocoa powder and salt
- Very slowly, beat in the powder sugar until combined
- Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until the frosting is smooth and fluffy
Decorate Directions
- Scoop 3/4 C of frosting into the piping bag
- Scoop out 2 scoops of frosting onto the first layer of cake and smooth evenly
- Place the second layer of cake on top of the layer of frosting
- Place the third layer of cake on top of the second layer of frosting
- Frost entire cake with remaining frosting and smooth evenly
- Place into the fridge for an hour to allow frosting to set
Chocolate ganache directions
- Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming
- While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl
- Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips
- Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth
- Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle
- Pipe drips around the edging of the top of the cake to create a drip effect along the sides of the cake
- Using frosting in piping bag, pipe dollops of frosting on the top of the cake
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Equipment
- 7 inch springform pan
- Large piping bad with medium star tip
- 1 large squeeze bottle
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.
1 thought on “Instant Pot Chocolate Cake Recipe”
I have a question. Does the 1 cup of water go into the cake batter or just the instant pot. Thanks