• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Subscribe & Get My Free Ebook!
Top 10 Instant Pot Dinners

Subscribe & Get My Free Ebook!

Cooking with Gadgets
  • About
  • Video Library
  • Shop
  • My Saved Recipe Box

The Recipe Pot

Cooking with Gadgets

  • All Recipes
  • By Course
    • Appetizers & Party Fare
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Desserts & Sweets
    • Cocktails & Beverages
    • Sauces & Condiments
  • By Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Grains & Legumes
    • Pasta & Potatoes
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Eggs & Dairy
  • By Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Bread Machine
    • Pressure Cooker
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sous Vide
    • Microwave
Home Dessert Recipes

Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

3.75
/5
1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
2 Comments
Jump to RecipePrint
By: lalainePosted: 01/01/2023Updated: 01/02/2023
212 shares
  • Share
  • Email

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Instant Pot Carrot Cake is unbelievably moist and the easiest thing to make. The prep time is only 15 minutes because you start with a boxed cake mix, but everyone will think you made it from scratch. I promise!

Instant Pot Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting on a white cake stand
Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Table of Contents hide
  • 1 Ingredients
  • 2 Equipment you’ll need
  • 3 Make it better
  • 4 Quick tip
  • 5 Serving suggestions
  • 6 Storage instructions
  • 7 More pressure cooker recipes
  • 8 Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

You should have seen the looks I got when I told people that I made this carrot cake in my Instant Pot. Yes, most people don’t realize that the amazing kitchen tool that makes dinnertime a breeze can also bake seriously delicious desserts.

It’s the perfect option for those “oh shoot” moments when you realize you need a dessert but don’t have time to make anything complicated. It’s a great treat to whip up on Sunday afternoons to go with a big family meal.  A true crowd-pleaser!

spice cake mix, grated carrots, cream, cheese, powdered sugar, pecans, eggs, vanilla extract, water

This cake is ready in an hour using a boxed mix yet tastes like you slaved all day long in the kitchen, making it from scratch!

All you’ll do is make the spice cake batter by adding the eggs and butter that the recipe on the box calls for. Then, you’re going to toss in some shredded carrots and pop the batter in your pressure cooker. Sounds pretty simple, right?

cooking carrot cake in pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • Spice Cake Mix– including the ingredients on the box, which are 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 3 eggs)
  • Grated carrots– you can use storebought grated carrots for convenience, but freshly grated taste better.
  • Cooking spray – avocado oil is our favorite, but any type will do
  • Cream cheese– make sure it’s at room temperature to ensure a smooth frosting
  • Powdered sugar– feel free to adjust the amount according to taste but note that the sugar helps thicken the frosting; you can add cornstarch to thicken consistency with no impact on flavor.
  • Vanilla extract – use real vanilla extract for the best flavor
  • Chopped pecans – for garnishing the cake. You can swap with walnuts or skip them altogether, and the cake will still be delicious!

Equipment you’ll need

  • 6- qt. Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • 7” spring release cake pan
  • Trivet that came with the Instant Pot
  • Aluminum foil – wrap the cake while it’s cooking to prevent any condensation from dripping into the batter
cake cooked in Instant Pot inverted on a white serving platter
cream cheese frosting

Make it better

  • For extra nutty flavor and aroma, toast the pecans by tossing them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
  • Grate the carrots finely so they’ll be evenly distributed in the cake.
  • You can swap 1/2 of the water with orange or pineapple juice to boost flavor.
  • For extra texture and crunch, stir in crushed pineapples, raisins, or coconut flakes to the batter along with the carrots.
  • Add orange zest to the cream cheese frosting to give it a refreshing layer of flavor.
serving slice of pressure cooker carrot cake on a cake stand

Quick tip

The cake will have a slight dome when cooked. For easy frosting, you can slice the dome off to level the cake or invert it with the flat side up on a serving platter.

eating a slice of Instant Pot carrot cake on a white plate

Serving suggestions

  • Instant Pot carrot cake is delicious as a midday snack or after-meal dessert. Moist and tender, it’s amazing as is, but generous dollops of cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans take it over the top!
  • Enjoy it with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or apple cider!

Storage instructions

  • Cover tightly with plastic film and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze, place the frosted cake on a baking sheet and freeze for about 4 hours or until firm. When solid, wrap with two layers of plastic film and finally with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

More pressure cooker recipes

Instant Pot Caramel Popcorn

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Instant Pot Baby Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter

Instant Pot Hamburgers

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @TheRecipePot on Facebook and Instagram!

serving slice of pressure cooker carrot cake on a cake stand
3.75 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pressure Cooker Carrot Cake is so easy to make in the Instant Pot with a boxed cake mix. It's so moist and delicious everyone will think it's from scratch!
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 50 minutes mins
Cooling: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Author: lalaine
Course: Dessert
Print Pin It Email Recipe
8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 box (15.5 ounces) spice cake mix
  • water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups grated carrots

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

  • 6 qt- Pressure cooker
  • 7-inch springform cake pan
  • trivet
  • aluminum foil

Instructions

  • Spray the inside of the cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 cup water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Prepare according to the package.
  • Add the grated carrots and stir to evenly distribute.
  • Pour into the prepared cake pan until almost ¾ full. Do not overfill the pan, if there is extra keep for another use.
  • Add 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot and place trivet.
  • Wrap the cake in aluminum foil and place on the trivet.
  • Close the lid and set the valve to the SEALING position. Pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 50 minutes.
  • When the cooking time is done, do a QUICK RELEASE, and carefully open the lid.
  • Remove the cake from the Instant Pot and unwrap the foil. Allow the cake to cool for 25-35 minutes and release from the springform pan.
  • When the cake has fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of the cake evenly.
  • Sprinkle the chopped pecans across the cream cheese layer. Slice into serving portions.
  • For the cream cheese frosting
  • In a bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla using an electric mixer at low speed.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.

Notes

The cake will have a slight dome when pressure cooked. For easy frosting, you can slice the dome off to level the cake or invert it with the flat side up on a serving platter.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 693kcal, Carbohydrates: 87g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 493mg, Potassium: 351mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 68g, Vitamin A: 4479IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 3mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

Did You Make This?

Mention @TheRecipePot and hashtag your photo with #TheRecipePot

Share

Save Recipe Saved! Rate It

About lalaine

Welcome to The Recipe Pot where we make cooking easy with kitchen gadgets. You'll find tasty recipes for busy weeknights using pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, and more! Read More

garlic parmesan chicken thighs in a white serving bowl
Previous Post
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin in a serving plate with bread and potatoes on the side
Next Post
Air Fryer Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Reader Interactions

3.75 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Kitten says

    Posted on 3/5/21 at 7:21 pm

    I did this EXACTLY the way the recipe says… But the cake was not done. It was wet on the whole top 😢

    Reply
  2. Catherine Franz says

    Posted on 10/20/21 at 4:03 pm

    2 stars
    I did this recipe twice and both times the middle didn’t cook with your recommended cook time. Very disappointed. I have the new Instant Pot Pro, 6 qt with the pan you recommended. Soo disappointed.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bio
Welcome!

Welcome to The Recipe Pot where you’ll find easy and tasty slow cooker, pressure cooker, and air fryer recipes for busy weeknight dinners.

Read More
Top 10 Instant Pot Dinners

Subscribe & Get My Free Ebook!

Get My Copy!
Top 10 Instant Pot Dinners

Subscribe & Get My Free Ebook!

Popular Recipes

eating pressure cooker tuscany soup with a spoon from a white bowl

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

dipping corn chips in slow cooker queso dip

Slow Cooker Beef Queso Dip

Instant Pot Ribeye Steak on a white plate

Instant Pot Ribeye Steak

Slow Cooker Ranch Potatoes in white bowl

Slow Cooker Ranch Potatoes

Holiday Favorites

hot apple cider in a crockpot

Slow Cooker Wassail

Air Fryer Herbed Turkey Breast

pressure cooker pumpkin macaroni and cheese in a white bowl

Instant Pot Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower in a white bowl

Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower

More Popular

Dessert Recipes

Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin in a serving plate with bread and potatoes on the side

Air Fryer Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin

serving slice of pressure cooker carrot cake on a cake stand

Instant Pot Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

garlic parmesan chicken thighs in a white serving bowl

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Pressure cooker green beans with bacon in a serving bowl

Instant Pot Balsamic Bacon Green Beans

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce in a bowl with a herb sprig

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Instant Pot Roast Turkey over mashed potatoes on a white serving platter

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Browse All
Top 10 Instant Pot Dinners

Get a Free e-Cookbook!

Join our newsletter to get new recipe updates, a free copy of our Top 10 Pressure Cooker e-Cookbook, exclusive meal plans, and more.

As Featured On:

parade
sheknows
Back to Top
Back to Top
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Contact
© 2025 The Recipe Pot
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.