Instant Pot Berry Upside-Down Cake
This four-ingredient recipe uses up fresh summer berries that are just past their peak freshness. It's fast, it's easy, and thanks to the pressure cooker, it's ultra moist and tender.
Serves8 to 10
Prep10 minutes
Cook50 minutes
If you make just one dessert in the Instant Pot this summer, let it be this simple upside-down cake. This four-ingredient recipe is my favorite way to use up farmers market berries that are just past their peak freshness. It’s fast, it’s easy, and, thanks to pressure steaming, it’s ultra moist and tender.
Why the Instant Pot Makes a Great “Summer Oven”
Yes, you can and totally should be taking advantage of baking in your Instant Pot — especially in the heat of summer when berries are ripe but you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Although Instant Pot baking doesn’t cut down on bake time — this cake still takes about 50 minutes — it lets you churn out cakes, brownies, cheesecakes, and pies without heating up your kitchen. You’ll need a cake sling, like this one, to lower the pan in and out of the Instant Pot. Or, you can create one using a a strip of aluminum foil folded into a band.
More Instant Pot recipes for summer: These 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Sides Practically Make Themselves
Tester’s Note
Thank you to everyone who made this cake and gave their comments and feedback. We’ve retested the cake and have increased the pressure cooking time to 50 minutes and clarified the cake pan size — you’ll need a 6 or 7-inch round cake pan that’s 3-inches tall. We’ve also updated the raspberry, water, and fat amounts. This is an impressively tall cake that’s a cinch to make, we hope you’ll try it!
– Christine, September 2020
Instant Pot Berry Upside-Down Cake
This four-ingredient recipe uses up fresh summer berries that are just past their peak freshness. It's fast, it's easy, and thanks to the pressure cooker, it's ultra moist and tender.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 50 minutes
Serves 8 to 10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Cooking spray
- 6 ounces
fresh raspberries (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
- 1 (15-ounce) box
yellow cake mix
- 4 cups
water, divided
- 2
large eggs
- 1/3 cup
vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
Whipped cream or powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
Coat a 6 to 7-inch round, 3-inch high cake pan with cooking spray. Arrange 6 ounces fresh raspberries in the pan. Place 1 (15-ounce) box yellow cake mix, 1 cup of the water, 2 large eggs, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter in a large bowl and whisk until combined and smooth. Pour over the berries.
Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Place spray-side down onto the cake pan and crimp the edges to tightly seal. Pour the remaining 3 cups water into a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Add a trivet. Fold a long piece of aluminum foil lengthwise a few times, then place under the cake pan and use it as a sling to lower the cake pan onto the trivet (keep the sling there).
Lock the lid on and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set for HIGH pressure for 50 minutes. When the cook time is up, quick release the pressure. Using the sling, gently remove the cake pan and place on a wire rack. Uncover and let cool 15 minutes. Run a thin knife or spatula around the edges of the cake, making sure to reach down to the bottom of the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate and serve with more berries and whipped cream or powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.