Welcome to the ultimate guide for crafting the most delightful and easy Instant Pot chocolate pudding cake! This recipe is a true game-changer, promising a dessert so moist and rich, it will quickly become a family favorite. Using a simple cake mix as its base, this decadent pressure cooker dessert requires just a few pantry staples and minimal effort, making it perfect for any occasion – from weeknight treats to special celebrations. Whether you own an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Crockpot Express, you’re in for a truly spectacular chocolate experience.
Are you a fan of fuss-free desserts and the magic of your pressure cooker? If you haven’t yet explored the world of Instant Pot desserts, you’re in for a treat! We’ve become absolutely obsessed with creating delicious pressure cooker treats, and this Instant Pot chocolate pudding cake stands out as a true masterpiece. Its incredible flavor and texture are unmatched, and it’s just one of many fantastic Instant Pot recipes you can discover on our blog.
The Secret to a Perfect Instant Pot Pudding Cake
This Instant Pot pudding cake proudly holds its place among our favorite easy dump cake recipes. The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility: you can use virtually any flavor of boxed cake mix you desire. While our absolute favorite is, of course, a rich chocolate, don’t hesitate to experiment with other delightful options like vanilla, strawberry, lemon, or even a festive red velvet. Each variation promises a unique and equally satisfying dessert.
If you’ve ever had a pudding cake, you know its defining characteristic is its unparalleled moisture. The addition of instant pudding mix, combined with the steamy, high-pressure environment of your Instant Pot, creates a cake that is exceptionally tender and never dry. This method is not exclusive to the Instant Pot; you can easily adapt this recipe for your Ninja Foodi or Crockpot Express. As long as your appliance has a high-pressure function, you’re ready to embark on this delicious baking adventure. Simply use the brand you have and prepare to be amazed!
For those new to the wonderful world of pressure cooking, we have a wealth of easy one-pot meal recipes available to guide you. To ensure your Instant Pot baking experience is smooth and successful, let’s start with a few essential tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our Instant Pot recipes page. We consistently add new and exciting creations each week, so you’ll never run out of ideas!
- Then, for a quick reference, PRINT this handy Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It’s an invaluable tool that will help you understand the appropriate cooking durations for various ingredients like meats, vegetables, and beans in your pressure cooker.
- We HIGHLY recommend investing in a non-stick inner pot for your Instant Pot. This accessory makes cleanup a breeze and significantly reduces the chances of food sticking, especially when dealing with baked goods.
- While it’s always good to know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing, a non-stick liner minimizes potential issues and makes the process much simpler.
For reference, the model we use and love for all our recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot. This size is incredibly versatile and perfect for most family-sized meals and desserts.
The simple yet brilliant addition of instant pudding mix elevates a standard boxed cake mix into what many consider the best chocolate cake. When cooked in your pressure cooker, it transforms into an incredibly moist and flavorful dessert that becomes one of our go-to easy pudding cake recipes. The pressure cooking method locks in moisture, resulting in a dense, fudgy texture that is simply irresistible.
To successfully bake most of the Instant Pot desserts featured on our blog, you’ll need a specialized pan. A springform pan, like the one shown below, is an absolute essential for pressure cooker baking. If you’ve never used one before, don’t worry – they are incredibly simple! A springform pan consists of two main pieces: a round outer rim/sides and a separate bottom that locks securely into place when the silver latch is closed. This design makes cake removal effortless, preserving your beautiful creation.
Crafting Your Instant Pot Chocolate Pudding Cake
This type of pan is truly a baker’s best friend, especially for delicate cakes, because it allows for easy transfer onto a serving plate. Once your cake has cooled, simply unlatch the side, and the rim lifts cleanly away. For an even smoother release and easier cleanup, we highly recommend lining the bottom piece with a circle of parchment paper cut to size.
- This 7-inch springform cake pan is the ideal size, perfectly fitting both the popular 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models. We personally use a 6-quart pot, and this pan fits just right, allowing enough space for the cake to expand and for proper steam circulation.
You can clearly see the two distinct pieces of the springform pan in the images provided. Once the cake is baked and cooled, unlocking the silver latch allows the sides to slide right off, revealing your perfectly formed cake. When you’re ready to serve, place a plate over the top of the cake, gently invert it, and then carefully lift the pan’s bottom off. This technique ensures a smooth, unblemished top surface, ready for any toppings you desire. To prepare for baking, simply place your prepared springform pan on a trivet inside your Instant Pot, add the required amount of water at the bottom, and you’re ready to steam-bake your delicious dessert!
Ninja Foodi Pudding Cake: Adaptations for Multi-Cookers
If you’re using a Ninja Foodi or another brand of multi-cooker, rest assured that the core directions for this pudding cake remain largely the same. The main difference to note with a Ninja Foodi is its dual lid system. For pressure cooking, you will use the unattached lid, ensuring it’s properly sealed and the pressure release valve is in the correct position. You’ll still need a trivet placed in the bottom of the pot to elevate your springform pan above the water. This elevation is key, as the pressure cooker essentially steams the cake, resulting in the incredibly moist and tender bites you’re about to enjoy.
It’s important to understand the unique texture of this Instant Pot chocolate pudding cake. It is intentionally dense, possessing a rich, fudgy consistency similar to a very moist pressure cooker brownie rather than a light and airy sponge cake. This denseness is what makes it so incredibly satisfying and gooey. Therefore, a crucial tip is to AVOID OVERCOOKING this particular cake. Overcooking will diminish its signature ooey-gooey quality, which is the very essence of its amazing texture. Stick to the recommended cooking time for the best results!
Detailed Instructions: Baking Your Pudding Cake in a Pressure Cooker
Let’s walk through the simple steps to create this extraordinary dessert:
- In a mixing bowl, using a mixer set on low speed, combine all your cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) until well blended.
- Gently fold in your chocolate chips by hand.
- Generously spray the inside of your 7-inch springform pan with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Spoon half of your rich chocolate pudding batter into the prepared pan. (This recipe is designed to yield two cakes of the size pictured, so you’ll save the other half of the batter for a second batch or pan).
- Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, aiming to create a slight dome shape on top. This prevents condensation from dripping onto your cake and allows room for it to rise without sticking to the foil.
- Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot, then place a trivet in the middle.
- Fashion a “sling” out of a long strip of aluminum foil. This sling will act as handles to help you safely lower and lift your springform pan into and out of the Instant Pot. Carefully lower your pan onto the trivet using the foil sling.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the steam release valve is in the sealed position.
- Set your Instant Pot to high pressure (or manual high pressure) for 25 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a slow release (also known as a natural pressure release or partial natural release). To do this, carefully move the steam valve just slightly to allow the steam to escape slowly. This gradual release helps prevent the cake from cracking or becoming dense. Once the pressure has fully released, open the lid and use your foil sling to carefully lift the pan out of the pot.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and remove the foil cover.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on the rack. This step is crucial for the cake to set properly and achieve its ideal dense, moist texture.
- Once thoroughly cooled, release the latch on the side of your springform pan and gently lift the round sides off the cake.
- Place a serving plate on top of your cake, and with confidence, flip it over. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan, and your perfectly smooth, decadent chocolate pudding cake is ready to be served!
The cooling time is an equally important part of achieving the perfect texture for this dessert. Your cake will continue to solidify and set slightly within the springform pan as it cools on the rack. It is absolutely essential to allow it to cool completely before attempting to remove it from the pan and serve. Patience will be rewarded with a perfectly structured and irresistibly moist cake.
Frequently Asked Questions About Instant Pot Pudding Cake
The “Cake” setting is a pre-programmed function found on some Instant Pot models, specifically designed for baking. This setting typically adjusts the cooking time and pressure to a lower setting, providing a gentler environment ideal for steaming cakes, resulting in a wonderfully moist and tender texture. Always cross-reference this setting with the specific recipe you’re following, as some recipes, like ours, might require you to set it to high pressure for a specific duration. If your model doesn’t have a “Cake” setting, simply use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” function and set it to high or low pressure for the recommended time.
The most significant difference lies in the texture of the final product. Baking in a pressure cooker results in a very dense, rich, and incredibly moist cake, often described as having an almost flourless or fudgy texture. This is because you are essentially steaming your baked goods or cakes with hot, pressurized water, creating a humid environment, rather than baking them with the dry heat of a conventional oven. An Instant Pot cake will often resemble the texture of brownies or a dense lava cake, offering a unique and delightful alternative to a fluffy, airy oven-baked cake. This method excels at creating desserts that are intensely flavorful and wonderfully moist.
Absolutely! This recipe is incredibly adaptable. Many readers have had great success using gluten-free boxed cake mixes and gluten-free instant pudding mixes. The moist environment of the Instant Pot is particularly forgiving for gluten-free baking, often helping to prevent the dryness sometimes associated with these flours. Just ensure your chosen mixes are indeed gluten-free and follow the rest of the recipe as directed.
Due to its dense and moist nature, a traditional toothpick test might not be the most reliable indicator. For this Instant Pot pudding cake, the best way to tell if it’s done is by following the recommended cooking time closely and observing the edges of the cake. The edges should appear set and slightly pulled away from the pan. The center will still be very moist and fudgy, which is exactly what you want for this style of cake. Trusting the 25-minute high-pressure cooking time combined with a slow release is key to achieving the perfect consistency.
Instant Pot Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
Justine
10
25
35
8
Comment
Print Recipe
Equipment
-
1 7 inch springform pan
-
1 trivet
-
1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
-
1
box
chocolate cake mix,
15-16 oz -
1
box
instant chocolate pudding mix,
3.9 oz -
2
large
eggs -
1/4
cup
vegetable oil -
1.5
cup
milk,
or almond milk for dairy free -
1/2
cup
chocolate chips,
semi sweet are great
Want to save this recipe for later? Simply pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or print it out using the buttons above!
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, instant chocolate pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix all ingredients well until smooth and fully incorporated (reserve the chocolate chips for later).
-
Gently fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
-
Generously spray the inside of your 7-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. For extra easy release, you can also line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
-
Spoon half of your prepared chocolate pudding cake batter into the springform pan. This recipe yields enough batter for two cakes of this size, so you’ll have extra for a second batch or pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, creating a slight dome on top to prevent the foil from sticking to the rising cake.
-
Pour 2 cups of water into the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Place a trivet in the middle of the pot.
-
Create a foil sling by folding a long piece of aluminum foil into a strip. Use this sling to carefully lower your springform pan onto the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
-
Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position.
-
Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button, set it to “High Pressure,” and adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes.
-
Once the cooking cycle finishes, perform a slow release. Carefully move the steam valve just slightly to allow the steam to escape gradually. This natural (or partial natural) release is important for cake texture. When the float valve drops, you can open the lid and use the foil sling to lift the pan out of the pot.
-
Place the pan on a cooling rack and remove the foil cover.
-
Allow the cake to cool completely on the rack. This is a crucial step for the cake to set properly. Once cooled, carefully release the latch on the side of your springform pan and lift the round sides off the cake.
-
Place a plate on top of your cake and carefully flip it over.
-
Gently lift the bottom of the pan off the cake and serve. This decadent chocolate pudding cake is especially delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Nutrition
Serving:
8
oz
,
Calories:
411
kcal
,
Carbohydrates:
69
g
,
Protein:
6
g
,
Fat:
13
g
,
Saturated Fat:
3
g
,
Cholesterol:
47
mg
,
Sodium:
513
mg
,
Potassium:
103
mg
,
Sugar:
45
g
,
Vitamin A:
160
IU
,
Calcium:
104
mg
,
Iron:
2.8
mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Dessert
American
Serving Suggestions for Your Decadent Pudding Cake
Once your Instant Pot chocolate pudding cake is ready, the serving possibilities are endless! For a truly indulgent experience, crown each slice with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. A scattering of colorful sprinkles adds a festive touch, making it ideal for birthdays or any celebratory gathering. This recipe conveniently makes two small cakes using the recommended 7-inch springform pan. You can choose to serve one cake for a smaller group and save the other, or get creative by making a show-stopping layered cake! Simply slice each cake horizontally, spread with frosting or whipped cream, and stack them for an impressive presentation.
Beyond ice cream and sprinkles, consider drizzling your warm cake with a rich caramel sauce, a tangy raspberry coulis, or a simple chocolate ganache. Fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries also provide a lovely contrast to the dense chocolate. For a more sophisticated touch, a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of freshly whipped cream can elevate this already spectacular dessert. Leftovers, if there are any, can be stored covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for up to 3-4 days, though it’s best enjoyed warm or at room temperature shortly after baking to appreciate its incredible moistness.