Chocolate cake is a classic that everyone loves and we put a new spin on an old favorite. This Instant Pot Chocolate Cake is a cross between a pudding cake and a fudge cake. It is exceptionally moist and tender but best of all, it creates its own hot fudge sauce as it cooks. You will want to serve this cake with scoops of ice cream to drizzle the hot fudge sauce over.
I have been calling this an Instant Pot hot fudge cake but my friend calls it a chocolate pudding cake because it has a pudding-like texture. Whatever you call it, it’s delicious. If you like this you will love our famous chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting recipe and our molten chocolate cake.
Can you bake in an Instant Pot?
You can bake some things in an Instant Pot. Technically, the Instant Pot actually steams and the extra wet, steamy environment is not suited for baked goods that should be dry.
For instance, a normal recipe for a butter cake would get soggy, dense and unappetizing if you tried to bake it in a pressure cooker. The same thing would happen to sandwich bread. Some baked goods just are not meant to be ooey, gooey, and wet.
But this hot fudge cake is perfect for the steamy environment of the Instant Pot. This cake is supposed to be dense, rich, fudgy, and saucy. You will need a spoon to eat this dessert.
Why you will like instant pot chocolate cake
This cake checks all our boxes for a great recipe. We’re sure that after trying this recipe, it will become one of your favorites.
You should try this instant pot chocolate cake because it’s:
- Delicious – Chocolate chips make it extra chocolatey
- Quick – Cake cooks in 15 minutes
- Easy – No complicated steps or setup
- Fudge sauce! The best part about this cake is all the chocolate fudge sauce that forms on top and under the cake.
Ingredients needed for instant pot chocolate cake
- Flour. You don’t need special cake flour, just use all-purpose flour.
- Sugar. Doesn’t just add sweetness but also contributes to the texture
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use Dutch-processed cocoa or regular cocoa.
- Baking powder. Helps the cake rise.
- Salt. Enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Egg. A binding agent and helps with the texture of the cake.
- Milk. Contributes to a rich flavor.
- Melted butter. Gives a dense, rich, and fudgy texture to the cake.
- Vanilla. Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Brown sugar. Contributes to the rich, sticky, fudge sauce on top and underneath the cake.
- Mini chocolate chips. Added to the topping to increase the rich chocolate flavor.
- Hot water. The strangest ingredient in this cake. Hot water gets poured over the topping which creates the rich fudge sauce as the cake bakes.
How to make instant pot chocolate cake
The recipe is quick and easy! Make sure you scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the deets.
Make the cake batter:
- Combine the dry ingredients and blend well.
- Mix the wet ingredients and combine them with the dry mixture. Spread into a 7-inch round cake pan.
Make the topping:
- Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips then sprinkle on top of the cake batter.
- Pour hot water right on top of the cake. It feels wrong but it is right.
Bake the cake:
- Pour hot water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and place a rack on the bottom.
- Place the cake pan on a sling (or make a sling with aluminum foil) and lower the cake into the Inner Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes then do a quick release.
Tips for instant pot chocolate cake recipe success
- Make sure your cake pan fits inside the inner pot of the Instant Pot. A 7-inch round cake pan fits nicely unless it has a lip or edge around the pan.
- The biggest tip is to not over-cook the cake. Since there is a lot of liquid on the cake, if it cooks too long it will get a rubbery texture. You need to let the pressure out as soon as the cooking time is finished.
- When you pour the hot water over the top of the cake, use the back of a spoon to break the fall of the water.
What if my instant pot doesn’t have a bake function?
You don’t have to worry about a bake function. Just select high pressure, select the time, and press start. The cake will steam
SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:
This double chocolate icebox cake is a no-bake delicacy. It has a rich creamy filling and crunchy chocolate cookies.
Our chocolate chip cookie cake is a triple layer cake made from everyone’s favorite cookie dough. It is perfect for birthday parties or any kind of celebration.
These salted chocolate fudge cookies are soft and chewy and perfect for a chocoholic craving.
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Instant Pot Hot Fudge Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping (which turns into hot fudge sauce)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chopped, or mini chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup water very hot
Instructions
- Spray a 7-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
- Place flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together.
- In a separate dish, combine the melted butter and milk. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture then spread the batter into a 7-inch cake pan.
Make the hot fudge topping:
- Combine the brown sugar, cocoa powder, and mini chocolate chips in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the cake batter.
- Pour the hot water over the top of the cake. Do not stir the water into the batter. (If you use a spoon or spatula to break the fall of the water, it will spread out evenly).
- Pour 1-1/4 cups of water into the bottom of the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Place the cake pan onto a foil sling or a rack with handles and lower it into the inner pot.
- Attach the lid and make sure the venting valve is in the sealed position.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure. (Push the venting valve to let out the steam and pressure).
- Serve warm with ice cream.
Notes
- Make sure you do a quick release of the pressure. If the cake sits in the Instant Pot for too long after the cooking time then it will overcook and get a rubbery texture.
- Do not pour more than 1-1/4 cups of water into the bottom of the inner pot of the Instant Pot. If you add additional water then it will take longer for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and over-cook the cake.
- When you pour the hot water over the top of the cake, use the back of a spoon to break the fall of the water.
Sherry
Friday 25th of February 2022
I made this recipe tonite and after opening the pressure cooker, it was liquid and watery on top. What did I do wrong?
Dahn Boquist
Saturday 26th of February 2022
It's hard to know what went wrong without seeing your process but here are a few things that could have happened. If you let the Instant Pot sit after it finishes cooking, condensation can form. Make sure you release the pressure as soon as the time is complete. The top of the cake only needs 2/3 cup of water while the inner pot of the Instant Pot needs 1-1/4 cups of water. Don't interchange the two quantities. Pour water into the Instant Pot before you add the cake pan, that way you won't spill additional water on top of the cake.