14 March 2019

Carrot Cake - Instant Pot (or Oven)

Carrot Cake - Instant Pot - with Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com

Carrot cake has always been a favorite of ours. And I usually make one (in the oven) from a recipe my mother and I developed together when I was a teenager and we first had carrot cake but couldn’t find a recipe for it.

Last week I told Mr Delightful I wanted to try a cake in my new Instant Pot and he requested carrot cake. So I cut down my usual Carrot Cake recipe to fit in a 7-inch round pan perfect for the Instant Pot.


Carrot Cake - Instant Pot - with Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com


We really liked it, but one might ask, Why make it in the Instant Pot when it isn’t any quicker than baking it in the oven? And if you need to feed a crowd, you need to bake the larger carrot cake or exactly two dozen Carrot Cupcakes.

But if you only need a small cake and don’t want to heat up your house by running the oven on a hot day, or you're using your oven for other things, making a cake in the Instant Pot makes sense.

Of course, you can also bake this cake in the oven at 350F/180C/Gas4. Have you made any cakes in the Instant Pot? What is your favorite cake flavor?


Carrot Cake - Instant Pot - with Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com
Please Pin it and share it!

Carrot Cake – Instant Pot 


(Makes one 7-inch/18 cm cake, 8 servings) 

The Cake

1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted and cooled
1/3 cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) dried currants
2/3 cup (4.67 ounces/132 grams) sugar
2/3 cup (5.33 fluid ounces/158 ml) organic expeller pressed canola oil*
2 large eggs, room temperature

1 packed cup (6 ounces/170 grams) peeled and shredded carrots

* I want to try this with organic extra virgin olive oil. 

The Frosting

1 3-ounce (85 grams) package cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/16 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 packed cups (6 ounces/170 grams) unsifted powdered sugar

1 After you’ve chopped and toasted the nuts and shredded the carrots, butter well and lightly flour a 2-inch deep 7-inch round cake tin. In small bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. 

2 In a small bowl, stir together the toasted and cooled nuts and dried currants with about a teaspoon of the flour mixture, making sure all the currants are separated and coated. 

3 In medium bowl, beat the sugar and oil together well, and then beat in the eggs. Stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and currents and then the shredded carrots. Scrape into prepared tin and cover tightly with foil. 

4 Place rack (with its handles down) in bottom of the Instant Pot cooking pot, and add 1 cup of water to the pot. Carefully set the cake, centered on its foil sling, on the rack.

5 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator on High Pressure and change the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note: It took just a few minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

6 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes,* then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

* I set my kitchen timer (my favorite timer of all time!) so I don't get distracted.

Carrot Cake - Instant Pot (this photo, my favorite timer of all time) / www.delightfulrepast.com


7 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. With a paper towel, gently blot any moisture that collected on top of the foil. Using the foil sling, carefully lift out the cake. Remove the foil. The cake should be pulling away from the edges of the pan.

8 Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake. Turn it out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before frosting.

9 In 1.5-quart mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter with electric hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla extract, salt, and about a third of the powdered sugar; then beat in the remaining sugar. 


Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

64 comments:

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Carrots make good doorstops. Cakes make lousy doorstops. It’s a bad marriage for me. If I accidentally found a carrot cake in my oven, I would turn the timer on to 6 days…then say oops! Actually, I like carrots (uncooked) sliced in Chinese food. And did I mention, carrots make good doorstops? And your skill at making any food look great in photographs is under-appreciated…almost devilishly so. Devilish. Now there’s the start of a good cake…

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Sully. I always enjoy your take on various foods. I love carrots and always shred extra when I make carrot cake, so I can just have a bowl of raw shredded carrot for a snack. I'm afraid I'm one of those people who always eats healthy snacks!

Pauline Wiles said...

The InstaPot is a mysterious and (as yet) untried concept for me. But I love your thorough account of how to put it to use for this cake. The photo, as always, looks scrummy. And yes, a good carrot cake is indeed a blissful treat!

Bernideen said...

That looks delicious and so perfect as spring arrives!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Pauline. I'm thinking you might have even more need of an Instant Pot than I do, since you work more than I do!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Bernideen. For some reason, I do associate carrot cake with spring--don't know why.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Oooh, your carrot cake looks fabulous! I don't have an IP but I've made many carrot cakes over the years in the oven. Unfortunately, my hubby isn't crazy about it, whereas it's one of my favourites. I use dried cranberries instead of currants. We had tea in a tea room a number of years ago and their carrot cake had dried cranberries in it so I've made mine that way ever since. There are so many delicious cakes to be made; chocolate, lemon, coconut, etc. but there's something special about a carrot cake, isn't there? Thanks for sharing your recipe, Jean.

Lowcarb team member said...

Excellent post Jean, and carrot cake is so delicious, many thanks for sharing your recipe.

As my husband Eddie is a Type 2 diabetic we enjoy a lower carb version, and you may be interested in an alternative low carb version - see it here
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2017/04/carrot-cake-low-carb-version.html

All the best Jan

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Sandi. I'm sure it's good with dried cranberries, too, but I use dried cranberries in so many other things that I like to stick with the raisins or currants for carrot cake, especially since it reminds me of my mother. You should try one out on your husband again because tastes change over the years; he might just love it now.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jan, thanks for the link. That looks like a good one! I've made it with almond meal before and loved it. Since we're not diabetic, I don't use any sugar substitutes; but I always make things with less sugar, eat a smaller portion, AND I always scrape the frosting off! :D

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I haven't tried a cake in my IP as of yet, Jean, but you're tempting me. I LOVE carrot cake and need to make one for a friend in May because it's her favorite.

Margie said...

I love carrot cake with cream cheese. At work, we had a "Soupfest" where we paid $5 and got to try 5 different soups. The soup that garnered the most votes for "best soup" was made with in an Instapot. I can't recall the unusual name, but it started with an M...

I chuckled when I read how you found an old tin of Earl Grey behind the tequila. According to the internet (so it must be true!), Earl Grey and tequila make a good cocktail!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Oh, Kitty, you're in for a treat. I know you're going to have fun making cakes in the IP!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

:D Thanks for the tip, Margie! I'll have to come up with such a cocktail to be my "signature" cocktail!

Jo said...

Ah Jeanie! You did it! A cake from the IP! Congrats! Now, I will have to do it.:)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Joanne! It's quite fun really. I think you're going to like it, especially when summer comes.

candy said...

Carrot cake is one of my very favorites. Found you on Bloggers' Pit Stop Link Party

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks for the visit, Candy!

Angie's Recipes said...

That's a bakery perfect carrot cake. I am usually not for the frosting, but this one looks really inviting and delicious, Jean.

Katerina Delidimou said...

What a beautiful decadent carrot cake!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Angie. I don't eat frosting myself, I just put it on for other people! But this frosting tastes so good, I usually eat just a bite of it.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Katerina.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

It's been years since I had carrot cake!! My Mother used to make a great recipe for one!
Thanks so much for stopping by!! You are right and I guess I could call that picture transformation an upcycling project!!
Hugs,
Deb

TONY said...

Carrot Cake!! I love a good carrot cake, Jean and this sounds like a good one. However, your excuse for using an,"Instant pot," something I have never heard of by the way, is as follows:

"But if you only need a small cake and don’t want to heat up your house by running the oven on a hot day, "

I had to think about this. That is something that would never happen here in these British Isles, this United Kingdom ( I wonder how much longer the three kingdoms can stay together , but that is another depressing story) You could only have an excuse like yours in a Mediterranean climate, I think Jean. But carrot cake. Very nice.

April J Harris said...

I don't have an instant pot, but I am amazed by the different things that can be cooked in it. Your Carrot Cake looks and sounds wonderful, Jean. It's lovely you are still using the recipe you developed with your mother. Thank you so much for sharing, and being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I'll be sharing this post, including on the H&S Facebook page. Have a lovely weekend!

Ida said...

This looks so yummy. Carrot cake is a favorite of mine. I don't own an Instant Pot but it may be something to look into.

Vee said...

Sounds great, Jean! For once, I have all the ingredients. I think my sister-in-law would enjoy some carrot cake and a cup of coffee tomorrow. I don’t have an instapot, but I don’t mind putting on the oven on this drab, wet day.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Deb! I love to reuse things, but I'm not very crafty.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. The Instant Pot electric pressure cooker has been all the rage for several years now (maybe 10?), but I just decided to get one. I'm going to do a steamed pudding in it soon.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

April, thank you. I so appreciate your support!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Ida. I'm finding more and more ways to use the IP.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Vee, thank you, that's wonderful! I hope the two of you enjoy your cake and coffee tomorrow.

Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) said...

I absolutely have to make a carrot cake in the IP. Pinning.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Lea Ann. You really must!

ellen b. said...

I haven't made anything in an instant pot. Happy to see the recipe would work in the oven, too. The result looks good!

Cocoa and Lavender said...

The texture of your cake looks amazing... and I love that you use currants. Mark hates carrot cake but I think it’s mostky the icing to which he objects. I should try your cake and see what he says!

handmade by amalia said...

Carrot is one of my favorite cakes and yours looks delicious, Jean.
Amalia
xo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ellen. You know, I really can't believe I finally got an Instant Pot--I love doing things the old-fashioned way so much that my friends are surprised I don't have a wood stove!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, David. People often, to my taste, get the sugar-cream cheese balance wrong with icing; maybe he would like mine? But, since I limit my sugar intake, whenever I eat cake I scrape off most or all of the frosting and give it to someone else!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Amalia!

Miz Helen said...

We love Carrot Cake and this will be a great recipe for the Instant Pot! Thanks so much for sharing your post with us for our special St. Patrick's Day Full Plate Thursday! Have a great week and come back soon.
Miz Helen

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

I doubt that I will ever have an instant pot in my kitchen but I'm really amazed that it can be used in so many ways. How nice that you have and still use the recipe that you and your mother created together.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Miz Helen. You are always so supportive of your fellow food bloggers!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Karen. Keeping my family food traditions is something very important to me. I probably would not have an IP in my kitchen either if I weren't in the business of food (and, therefore, needing to keep up with what's happening in kitchen equipment). But I am having fun with it!

Phil in the Kitchen said...

A fine carrot cake indeed. I must admit to a certain fascination with cakes that aren't cooked in an oven. (I don't know why - I'm just odd that way). A chocolate cake in a frying pan was probably the best I've tried but I admit that some have been disasters. But you're encouraging me to try again.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Phil, thank you. And I'm glad you're not going to let a few disasters keep you from experimenting! I've been on a steamed pudding kick lately, so you can expect to see one of those here soon.

Ron said...

What a good idea. We love carrot cake and the IP is sitting on the counter, so why not. I've not tried a cake in our IP, although it has become an essential kitchen appliance for other things. Jean, do you think cooking the cake in the IP gives it a more moist texture?

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ron. My carrot cake baked in the oven is a moist and tender, not overly dense cake. I think it's a bit more dense in the IP and just as moist. Let me know how it goes! I'll be doing a steamed pudding (IP) post soon, so I hope you'll come back for that.

Fran @ Gday Souffle said...

There's nothing better than carrot cake- my husband and I served a special carrot cake at our wedding 41 years ago when it was a trendy thing to do (no miniature 'wedding couple' appeared on top of the cake)! I've never heard of an Instant Pot before- I must check it out. Using oil instead of butter in your recipe sounds interesting and the cream cheese icing looks delish!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Fran! Maybe the Instant Pot isn't quite as well known in Australia, but they do have it there, so you should be able to look one over. We both liked carrot cake so much that when we got married we had it as the top tier (the one we were taking home to freeze for later). No people on top of our cake either! :D

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

I've not yet made a dessert in my IP, but I love this recipe, because it makes a small carrot cake, and also it would be fun to try it out in the IP! Your recipe instructions, as always, are superb, and I like how you share exactly how the process goes. I will print this recipe off and give it a try, and let you know how it goes. I have been in love with my IP, it really is an amazing kitchen workhorse!!!

Blessings :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Marilyn! I really appreciate your feedback. And I hope you like the cake!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Had no idea you could make a cake in an Instant Pot! Fun idea, and this carrot cake looks delish. Thanks!

Michelle said...

That is an interesting way of making a cake. I like it. I don't have one of these but I am interested to look into getting one. #BloggerClubUK

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, John. I think it will be especially good when hot weather hits and we don't want to heat up the house running the oven.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Michelle, thank you. I'll be posting something tomorrow that the Instant Pot really excels at!

Jeanie said...

Posts like this make me really want to get an instant pot!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeanie, I think you should go for it! Your resident chef will have fun with it too!

Jaki said...

It's a good job I'm not keen on carrot cake as being in the middle of a diet would have made this a tricky read! Thanks for joining #TriumphantTales.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jaki, if you're in the middle of a diet, please read these two posts of mine:
https://www.delightfulrepast.com/2016/09/sugar-toxin-or-treat.html
https://www.delightfulrepast.com/2018/04/intermittent-fasting-168-its-not-just.html
You'll never need to diet again!

Treat and Trick said...

Your cake turned out awesome that too made using Instant Pot. Am also like you, love to experiment with uncommon gadget. Actually I have tried baking Raisin Bread on stove top..

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks Treat and Trick. Baking on the stovetop is a fun thing to experiment with, too!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

So many of your recipes sound so delicious but this cake in an instant pot captured my attention right away! So easy and when the warm weather happens I know I'll be wanting to make this one. Have a great day

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Vickie, thank you! Yes, I'm going to be baking in the Instant Pot a lot when the weather gets too warm for me.