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Vegan Chocolate Cake Made in the Instant Pot — Moist & Quick

If you want more than 90 incredible vegan Instant Pot recipes, be sure to order my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!

Woman placing berries all over chocolate cake on a white table.

I adore dessert and am always experimenting with new ways to enjoy it. For this recipe I kept things classic and simple: a rich vegan chocolate cake made in the Instant Pot. I considered brownies, but decided a moist chocolate cake would be universally welcome and a fun way to show how versatile pressure cookers can be.

INSTANT POT VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE | vegan Instant Pot recipes

Why I love this Instant Pot Vegan Chocolate Cake:

  1. Baking a cake in a pressure cooker is a fun, unexpected technique that yields excellent results.
  2. The water in the Instant Pot creates steam that gently cooks the cake, giving a moist, tender crumb.
  3. You don’t need to babysit an oven or worry about overbaking—the pressure cooker maintains consistent heat.
  4. This method is perfect when you don’t have access to an oven or when it’s too hot to turn one on.
  5. If you prefer a fudgier texture, reduce the cook time by a few minutes for a slightly underbaked, gooey center.
  6. The vegan chocolate ganache that tops this cake is fast and simple—just two ingredients and a few minutes to prepare.
  7. If you don’t own an Instant Pot, the same concept works in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker.
Chocolate Cake with berries on white plate on a white table with rose petals.
Chocolate cake with berries on white table next to roses and bowl of berries.

Here are some practical tips for baking this cake. If any steps are unclear, watch the video for a visual walkthrough.

  • You’ll need a steamer basket or trivet to lift the pan above the water in the inner pot. The Instant Pot often includes one, or you can buy one separately.
  • Use a 7-inch springform pan or a 7-inch cake pan so it fits comfortably inside the Instant Pot. A 9-inch pan is too large.
  • To make removal easy, trace the pan base onto parchment paper, cut out the circle, and line the bottom of the pan.
  • When the cooking time ends, allow a natural pressure release. Press Cancel, wait 10 minutes, then check the floating valve. If it has dropped, switch the vent to Venting and open the lid.
Chocolate caked topped with berries on a white plate next to rose petals.

Do you have an Instant Pot? Tell me below if you’d like more vegan recipes adapted for the Instant Pot—I’d love to hear what you want to see next. I hope you try this easy, impressive cake.

Hugs,

Nisha

 

Instant Pot Vegan Chocolate Cake

By Nisha Vora
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 10 slices
5 from 3 votes

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Instant Pot Vegan Chocolate Cake
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Chocolate cake made vegan in the Instant Pot—great if you don’t have an oven or it’s too hot to bake.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut yogurt
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk
  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil (or vegetable oil or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water (measure after the water boils)
  • 2/3 cup chopped dark chocolate (or vegan chocolate chips)
  • Vegan Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)

Vegan Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

  • 6 ounces dark chocolate (chopped or dark chocolate chips)
  • 1 cup coconut milk (from a can of full-fat coconut milk)

Instructions

Chocolate Cake Directions

  • Trace the base of a 7-inch springform pan onto parchment paper, cut out the circle, and use it to line the bottom of the pan. Grease or spray the pan sides.
  • Prepare the vegan chocolate ganache (directions below).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut yogurt, almond milk, oil and apple cider vinegar until smooth, about one minute. Stir in the vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Gradually add half the dry mixture to the wet and stir until nearly smooth. Add the remaining dry mixture and the boiling water, then mix until the batter is smooth and thick. Fold in the chopped chocolate or chips.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
  • Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot inner pot and set the steamer basket or trivet with the legs facing up.
  • Place the springform pan on the steamer basket/trivet. Seal the lid, set to High Pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Ensure the vent is in the Sealing position.
  • When the timer ends, press Cancel and allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then switch the vent to Venting to release any remaining steam.
  • Using oven mitts, carefully lift the steamer basket by its legs to remove the pan. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Unclasp the springform pan, transfer the cake from the parchment to a cutting board or cake plate, and spread with the vegan chocolate ganache.

Vegan Chocolate Ganache Directions

  • Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.
  • Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth and fully melted.
  • Use the ganache immediately for a pourable glaze, or let it cool and thicken for 1–2 hours if you prefer a spreadable frosting-like texture.

Video

INSTANT POT VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE | vegan Instant Pot recipes

Nutrition

Calories: 414 kcal | Carbohydrates: 47 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 25 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

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