This Instant Pot Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe tastes like a fudgy, molten cake, especially when topped with decadent homemade chocolate ganache. Easy, delicious, and perfectly moist every time!
Love easy Instant Pot desserts? Be sure to add our Instant Pot cheesecake and Instant Pot Peach Cobbler to your baking list next.
Why You’ll Love Chocolate Cake
News alert: Rich, moist hot fudge cake can now be made in your pressure cooker.
Yes, you heard me right! Your Instant Pot isn’t just for mongolian chicken, Instant Pot Pot roast and Instant Pot Pork chops. It’s also for easy desserts!
Today’s decadent chocolate cake recipe is made in a small (half size) bundt cake pan. I topped it with an easy chocolate ganache and sprinkles—of course!
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- This is the best dessert when you want a sweet treat after dinner, without having to eat leftovers the rest of the week. The smaller portion is perfect for a weeknight!
- Because it’s made in the Instant Pot, it doesn’t take up space in your oven. That means you can have Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken in the oven, while dessert bakes up on the countertop.
- The steam in the Instant Pot means this cake is supremely moist and tender. It’s seriously the best!
- Homemade chocolate ganache is the perfect finishing touch, adding just the right amount of richness and decadence.
Important Ingredient Notes
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Either Dutch process or natural cocoa powder will work here. Just don’t use hot cocoa mix, which is sweetened!
- Eggs – It’s not critical, but if you can remember, let the eggs sit on the counter a bit before you start the recipe. Room temperature eggs hold more air when beaten, so you’ll get a lighter texture in your cake.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Along with the steam from the Instant Pot, yogurt helps form a tender, moist crumb. Sour cream also works.
- Vegetable oil – Or another neutral-flavored oil you have on hand, like canola.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – You’ll need some mini chips for the cake and regular size chips for the ganache.
- Heavy whipping cream – Don’t try to substitute something lighter—it won’t work for making the ganache!
How to Make Instant Pot Chocolate Bundt Cake
Mix the Batter:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water with the cocoa powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda, kosher salt, and eggs.
- Whisk in the Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour until fully combined, then add the cocoa mixture and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
Prepare:
- Pour the batter into a greased 6-cup bundt pan and cover it with foil.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Set the bundt pan on a trivet with handles and lower it into the pressure cooker.
Bake the Bundt Cake:
- Secure the lid and turn the valve to “SEALING.”
- Select “HIGH PRESSURE” for a cook time of 32 minutes.
- When the cook time ends, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release and remove the cake pan from the pressure cooker.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate.
Finish:
- Add the chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream to a glass bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each.
- Once the ganache is smooth when stirred, pour it over the Instant Pot bundt cake and add sprinkles.
Tips and Tricks
- Store this chocolate cake covered in a cake server or with loose plastic wrap at room temperature.
- This cake will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
- To freeze this cake, after cooling and allowing ganache to set up, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then wrap it again in a layer of foil. Store in freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight on the counter and enjoy.
- Make sure you have a bundt pan that fits in your Instant Pot before starting this recipe. I found that a small 6-cup pan was perfect for mine.
Recipe FAQs
What is the cake setting on Instant Pot?
You should always consult the recipe you’re making, but most Instant Pot cake recipes use the High Pressure setting.
Can you put a cake pan in an Instant Pot?
Yes, you can put a cake pan in your Instant Pot! You can buy the “official” Instant Pot round cake pan, which is designed specifically for using in Instant Pots, or you can simply use any pan that fits inside your pressure cooker.
Why bake in the Instant Pot?
Using an Instant Pot frees up space in your oven and it also results in moist, delicious desserts. I also love it for Instant Pot Apple Crisp, Instant Pot Blueberry Cobbler, and Instant Pot Eggnog Cheesecake!
More Instant Pot Desserts
- Cheesecake Recipe
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Apple Cake
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Chocolate Brownies
- Apple Pie Cheesecake
Instant Pot Chocolate Bundt Cake
Instant Pot Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe tastes like a fudgy, molten cake when topped with homemade chocolate ganache. Easy and delicious!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup hot water
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the ganache
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine hot water with cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, baking soda, kosher salt, and eggs. Add in plain Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until smooth. Stir in flour until fully combined. Add cocoa mixture and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into a 6 cup bundt pan (that has been greased with baking spray). Cover with foil.
- In the bottom of the Instant Pot add 1 1/2 cups of water. Put the bundt pan on a trivet with handles and lower into the pressure cooker.
- Secure the lid and turn the valve to "SEALING."
- Select "HIGH PRESSURE" for a cook time of 32 minutes.
- When cook time ends, allow to naturally release for ten minutes, then do a quick release and remove the cake pan from the pressure cooker.
- Allow cake to cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate.
- For the ganache, add chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream to a glass bowl. Heat for 30 second intervals in microwave stirring between each interval. My ganache took 90 seconds.
- When smooth, pour over cake and add sprinkles. ENJOY.
Notes
- Keep this chocolate cake covered in a cake server or with loose plastic wrap at room temperature.
- This cake will stay fresh for about 3-4 days, or you can freeze chocolate cake.
- To freeze, after cooling and allowing ganache to set up, wrap cake in plastic wrap, then wrap completely in foil. Store in freezer for up to one month.
- Thaw overnight on counter and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 489kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 383mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 44g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!
Absolutely the moist and chocolatisty(sp?) cake I’ve ever enjoyed! OMG! Used 6qt IP. AMAZING & DELICIOUS!!!!
Even with adding 10 minutes it was only baked on the outside. When I turned it out on a plate, it completely fell apart. There wasn’t enough cooked that I couldn’t salvage any of it.
Did you cook this in a 6qt or 8 qt instant pot?
Mine turned out great. I used light cream cheese instead of Greek yogurt because I didn’t have the yogurt. Made in 8 qt pot.
Mine turned out OK. Its very dense so if you’re looking for fluffy this isn’t it. I will play with it to make it fluffier. I did add expresso powder and my husband loves it. I added expresso powder to the icing also.
I think some people had issues because they didn’t follow instructions. You need to wait for it to release for 10 minutes and then let it sit for 5 minutes and then take the cover off and invert it. You also need to make sure there’s foil on it while it’s cooking and that there’s enough space around it in the pot. I did mine in the espresso Cooker.
Mine turned out great and it was delicios!😃😃
Mine turned out fine, I added 1minute to cook time. I am at high elevation.
Mine turned out excellent! I did have to put it in for another 10 mins. After the initial 32 it wasn’t quite done.
Followed the recipe to the letter….and the middle of the cake was not cooked and the outer portion is super dense like fudge. There is something off as a majority of the comments say the same thing.
To salvage this birthday cake, that I’m giving it to a friend at lunch tomorrow =(, I first scooped out all the middle uncooked parts. Next I made double the ganache and then poured it inside. We’ll see how it turns out tomorrow I guess……not looking very promising.
Mine came out way under cooked in some spots. What was cooked tasted fabulous. Gonna tweak the time since this is pretty yummy.
I’ve made this cake twice. The first time was awesome. The 2nd time the end result was more dense and gel like. No one liked the 2nd one. 🙁 I don’t know what I did different. Any thoughts?