Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

Instant Pot Strawberry Cake is a super moist, decadent cake made with boxed cake mix, fresh strawberries, and topped with fresh homemade whip cream. Made with a simple, handful of ingredients, this Instant Pot Strawberry cake is perfect for your summer birthday bash! Use any boxed cake mix of your choice, use any fresh berries, or even a combination, for a delightful berry cake. 

INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CAKE

Honestly, I was quite skeptical at first, about the idea of making a cake in an Instant Pot. I always thought that cakes needed to be baked, and the only way it was possible was to make them in an oven. Finally, I convinced myself to give this Instant Pot recipe a try. With the scorching heat, it is just not advisable to crank up the oven, and heat my entire home. So, I decided to try it in the Instant Pot. And O Boy!! This Instant Pot Strawberry Cake is so moist, and decadent, it is so much better than the one baked in the oven. I think I will be making Instant Pot cakes more often now.

This Instant Pot Strawberry Cake is such a simple, and flavorful cake, made in under an hour. With a simple, handful of ingredients, you can make a moist, decadent cake. I love these boxed cake mixes, they are absolutely a time saver. I always keep some in my pantry, and when I just need something quick and delicious, I just use one of the cake mixes. And it tastes amazing!!!

This recipe uses boxed cake mix, but you can make one using from scratch. I have tried this recipe with white and yellow cake mix, my family loves yellow cake mix with strawberries. However, feel free to use any boxed cake mix of your choice, or any berries of your liking. Fresh or frozen both will work in this recipe.

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

INGREDIENTS FOR INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CAKE

Please refer to the ingredients, listed on your boxed cake mix. The recipe uses Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix, Yellow, 15.25 oz, you can use any cake mix of your choice (white or yellow) for this recipe. 

FOR STRAWBERRY CAKE BATTER

1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix, Yellow, 15.25 oz

1 cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs at room temperature

4 oz or 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped

FOR WHIP CREAM FROSTING

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar, adjust to taste

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR GARNISH

Few fresh strawberries

FOR PRESSURE COOKING

1 ½ cup water

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CAKE

One of the easiest and most amazing strawberry cakes made in Instant Pot. This is one of my go-to recipes, to make cake in Instant Pot. It is so easy and tastes amazing. I have used Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix, Yellow, 15.25 oz for this recipe, however, feel free to use any variety of your choice (white or yellow).

I love the addition of fresh strawberries to the cake. Feel free to use berries of your choice. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, one or a combination of berries would go great in this recipe. I like to use fresh berries, when in season. However, this recipe will work with frozen berries as well.

Follow the package instructions, and gather all the ingredients required to make the cake. I have used Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix, Yellow. As per this boxed cake mix instruction, you will need, 1 cake mix (15.25 oz), 1 cup of water, ½  cup vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs. In addition to the ingredients listed on the box, you will also need 4 oz or a cup of fresh strawberries.

DIRECTIONS FOR INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CAKE

You will need INSTANT POT 

Wash and chop the strawberries. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cake mix over the strawberries, and toss them to coat evenly. Keep it aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs into a smooth cake batter.

Fold the strawberries into the cake batter. 

Take a 7 or 8-inch, cake pan. Grease the pan with some cooking oil.

Note: I used a CorningWare dish for this recipe.  

Pour the cake batter into the pan. Cover the pan with some aluminum foil. 

Add 1 ½ cups of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place a trivet. 

With the help of the foil sling, gently lift the cake pan, and place it inside the inner pot. Fold the foil sling over the pan.

Close the Instant Pot lid, and vent to sealing. Turn ON Instant Pot to MANUAL / PRESSURE COOK (high), for 60 minutes. Followed by 20 minutes, of natural pressure release.

Carefully, lift the pan out using the foil sling. Remove the foil, and let the cake cool completely. 

Run a knife through the edges of the pan, and carefully invert the cake onto a plate.

FOR WHIP CREAM FROSTING

To make the whip cream frosting, you can use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a handheld beater. In a bowl, add chill heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla extract. 

Start whisking at low speed, for 3-5 minutes. Gradually, increase the speed, and whisk the mixture, until medium to stiff peaks form. Stop mixing once the mixture reaches a firm stage. Over beating the mixture will result in grainier cream frosting. 

Frost the cake with fresh whip cream. Decorate with a few fresh strawberries. Enjoy this moist, decadent Strawberry cake!!

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

TIPS FOR THE BEST INSTANT POT STRAWBERRY CAKE

Do not overbeat the cake batter.  Simply mix, fold in berries, and pressure cook.

Toss the berries with some dry cake mix, this helps spread the berries evenly into the cake batter and also prevents the berries from sinking into the bottom.

Allow natural pressure release, around 20 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure. 

Instant pot cake is slightly dense as compared to oven-baked cake. Use oil instead of butter to make the cake. 

Use chill heavy cream for making homemade whip cream frosting. Chill cream whips better and holds longer.

Do not overbeat the icing, it will curdle, and turn watery. Stop whisking the cream, once it reaches stiff peaks. 

Since berries are sweet, I prefer to keep icing mildly sweet, it helps balance the flavor of the cake. 

Try to consume the cake on the same day, as berries and icing, release moisture, and lose their texture. 

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT CAKE MIX TO USE

We love the white or yellow cake mix for this recipe. I have used Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix, Yellow, 15.25 oz for this recipe. Feel free to use any cake mix (white or yellow) of your choice.

BUTTER vs OIL

Instant pot cake is slightly dense as compared to oven-baked cake. I have tried this recipe with butter and oil, to see if it makes any difference in the consistency of the cake. The cake batter with butter turns out quite dense as compared to the one with oil. I would suggest using oil for cake batter, for less dense cake.

WHAT SIZE CAKE PAN TO USE

Cake pan sizes 6-inch or 7-inch work best for most Instant pots. I have used 8-inch corning ware, that easily fits into my 5 quarts Instant Pot. 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE CAKE IN AN INSTANT POT

Depending upon what cake mix you are using, the cooking time may vary a little. Since I have used one 8-inch pan for this recipe, I doubled the suggested cooking time on the box for "TWO 8-INCH" pans.

I have used different boxed cake mixes, and the cooking time in Instant Pot is somewhere around 50-60 minutes. Also, depending upon the type of pan used, the cooking time will vary. For round cake pans, it takes around 50-60 minutes, for the Bundt cake pan, it takes slightly less, around 40-45 minutes.

CAN I SKIP THE STRAWBERRIES

Yes, you can skip the berries, and just make a plain cake with whip cream frosting.

CAN I USE SOME OTHER BERRIES

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, or even a combination of berries taste great.

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE WHIP CREAM FROSTING

It takes around 7-8 minutes to make a whip cream frosting. In a bowl, pour chill heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk at a low speed initially, and then on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form. Whipped cream is ready when the peaks hold their shape firmly. Do not overbeat the mixture.

HEAVY CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Whipping cream and heavy cream are the same except, heavy cream has higher fat content than whipping cream. Heavy cream whip holds shape better and longer than whipping cream.

To make whip cream frosting, you need full fat or Heavy cream. With whipping cream or light whipping cream, you will not be able to achieve firm peaks.

If you prefer soft peaks, you can use whipping cream, instead of heavy cream and also keep it light.

WHY IS MY WHIP CREAM FROSTING WATERY

The whip cream frosting turns watery in only two conditions - either the cream is mixed too little, or too much. You know when the whipped cream is ready when you lift the whisk out, the cream holds a firm shape without falling back into the bowl. Beating the whipping cream, will separate the fat content, curdling the cream and turning it watery.

WHY ISN'T THE WHIP CREAM FROSTING THICKENING

If you start with a warm or room temperature cream, it will be difficult to achieve stiff peaks. Always start with the chill cream. You can also refrigerate the mixing bowl and whisk it before you start whipping the cream.

HOW TO STORE WHIP CREAM FROSTING

Whip cream frosting stays good for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Even refrigerated, the cream does start to lose its texture and turn a bit watery. The best is to use it immediately or within a couple of hours.

HOW LONG DOES THE STRAWBERRY CAKE STAY FRESH

It is advisable to consume the cake within 24 hours. The recipe, uses fresh strawberries, and whip cream frosting. Even refrigerated, they both start to lose their texture, and turn watery, resulting in a more dense cake.

CAN I SKIP THE WHIP CREAM FROSTING

This cake tastes great even without any frosting. Feel free to skip the frosting and keep it light.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OVEN-BAKED AND INSTANT POT CAKE

The baked cake is more porous, less dense, less moist or you can say more on a drier end. Whereas, the Instant Pot cake is less porous, comparatively dense, and is quite moist. 

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Strawberry Cake

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