Make a quick and delicious Instant Pot Apple Cake with a simple box mix and some fresh apples!
INSTANT POT APPLE CAKE
It’s my husband’s birthday tomorrow and I love him. But it’s also 100 degrees in Texas and I really didn’t want the oven on. So I made an apple cake in the Instant Pot. It was the perfect way to stay cool and still celebrate him with a delicious cake!
This recipe is not at all keto or low carb. I plan to try it that way. This time, however, I made this by just using a quick ready muffin mix. To make this Instant Pot Apple Cake, you will need to do the Pot-in-Pot cooking. More on that below!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT APPLE CAKE
- Oil a 6-inch round pan.
- Into the pan, layer thinly sliced apples along the bottom, and up the sides a little. Don’t worry about this being perfect, just make sure you’re overlapping slices so you have the bottom and a portion of the sides covered in apples.
- Sprinkle the apple pie spice on the apples.
- Prepare the muffin mix according to the directions, combining it with the milk.
- Pour the mix on top of the apples. Cover this bowl with foil or a silicone lid.
- In the inner liner of your Instant Pot, place two cups of water, and a steamer rack. Place the foil-covered pot on the rack.
- Cook the cake on high pressure for 20 minutes and let it NPR for 10 minutes.
- Remove the carefully and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before overturning carefully.
To brown the top of the cake:
- Turn on your oven broiler and sprinkle the overturned cake with sugar.
- Broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, about 5-7 minutes.
EQUIPMENT YOU MAY NEED
EXPERT TIP AND TRICKS
WHAT IS POT IN POT COOKING?
- This is just a fancy way of saying you’ll be placing some water in the inner liner of your Instant Pot.
- Then, you’re going to place a steamer rack in the liner, with the water below it.
- You’ll use a smaller pot that can fit inside your Instant pot to place the apples and the muffin mix into.
- You’re going to cover this cake pot with either silicone or foil to keep the condensation out and place it on top of the steamer rack.
- Now you have liner +water + steamer rack +cake pan+lid.
This is a very useful technique for either cooking multiple things together, or for slowing down cooking for things like Shrimp, fish or vegetables that might overcook if cooked directly in the pot.
MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS
- If you’re looking for more great apple recipes, check out my Air Fryer German Apple Pancakes!
- My Mulled Apple Cider in the Instant Pot is low in sugar but high on flavor!
- Looking for a healthier alternative to traditional apple pie? Try my Keto Apple Pie Filling. This sugar free recipe tastes just like the real thing-and you can feel good about eating it!
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! Just click on the stars in the recipe card to rate. Tag me with #TrustUrvashi if you post and I will share your post!
Ingredients
- 2 red apples sliced very thin
- 2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
- 1 7- oz muffin mix
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Oil a 6-inch round pan.
- Into the pan, layer thinly sliced apples along the bottom, and up the sides a little. Don’t worry about this being perfect, just make sure you’re overlapping slices so you have the bottom and a portion of the sides covered in apples.
- Sprinkle the apple pie spice on the apples.
- Prepare the muffin mix according to the directions, combining it with the milk.
- Pour the mix on top of the apples. Cover this bowl with foil or a silicone lid.
- In the inner liner of your Instant Pot, place two cups of water, and a steamer rack. Place the foil-covered pot on the rack.
- Cook the cake on high pressure for 20 minutes and let it NPR for 10 minutes.
- Remove the carefully and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before overturning carefully.
To brown the top of the cake:
- Turn on your oven broiler and sprinkle the overturned cake with sugar.
- Broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, about 5-7 minutes.
Notes
WHAT IS POT IN POT COOKING?
- This is just a fancy way of saying you’ll be placing some water in the inner liner of your Instant Pot.
- Then, you’re going to place a steamer rack in the liner, with the water below it.
- You’ll use a smaller pot that can fit inside your Instant pot to place the apples and the muffin mix into.
- You’re going to cover this cake pot with either silicone or foil to keep the condensation out and place it on top of the steamer rack.
- Now you have liner +water + steamer rack +cake pan+lid.
Nutrition
Don’t forget to check out my Instant Pot Fast & Easy Cookbook!
This book is full of all kinds of boldly flavored and internationally-themed recipes—Mexican, Thai, Moroccan, and more—with Instant Pot Fast & Easy, fully authorized by Instant Pot. Just like you have come to expect, my recipes will work perfectly every time, and of course taste great too. And because these are Instant Pot recipes, dishes like Japanese Chicken Curry, Chinese Steamed Ribs, and Mexican Pulled Pork are ready in a fraction of the time they would take using traditional cooking methods. As with all of my recipes, the focus is on whole foods instead of artificial convenience ingredients, so the recipes are delicious, easy, and healthful too.
Cindy
Have you seen a brownie mix done in the instant pot? Like a 10.25 bag of chewy fudge brownie mix use a 1/4 cup oil,2 tbs water, 1 egg. Use a 8 or 9 in pan. Do you think this would work in a cheesecake 7 x3 inch pan? Time? Thank you for your time,cindy
URVASHI PITRE
I think it would but I haven’t actually tried it. Do let me know if you give it a shot.
Cindy
Never heard of a silicone lid to cook with, I would like to know more about that please. Thank you for the muffin recipe and anymore you may have. Cindy
Liz
The hardest part of this recipe was finding a plain 7-oz muffin mix. In the end, I went with a blueberry muffin mix and blueberries. It was yummy!
I was a little confused by the line “Prepare the muffin mix according to the directions, combining it with the milk.” — the box directions included adding an egg, but you don’t mention it in your recipe. Would adding the egg have made a difference in the recipe?
URVASHI PITRE
Yes it would have. I will update that so it’s more clear!
Cindy
Liz what kind of pan did you use?
Liz
I used the pan that Urvashi recommended: Fat Daddio’s PRD-64 Round Cake Pan, 6 x 4 Inch, Silver. She has a link to it in her instructions under “1. Oil a 6-inch round pan.”
Liz
I wouldn’t use a cheesecake pan. The batter might run through.
retired
will be making this by chopping the apples and mixing in with the batter do I have to increase the cooking time also it will be done in the 3qt duo mini
thanks
URVASHI PITRE
I don’t think you’d need to increase cook times.
Lynn Ann Heath
Well written, easy to follow…can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Melissa Gentile
Made this a few times now, in both a bundt and a spring form pan. This is truly one of my comfort treats!
I tend to bake when I’m in pain to distract myself from my health issues. Unfortunately, I also tend to burn myself. This recipe is a quick simple way to make a sweet dessert or breakfast treat without risking burns from the oven.
I love it x
Thanks!
N S
yes please rewrite so we can understand bettter, thanks
Margie
Looks fabulous ! I would love the recipe when you are feeling better. Take care !
Matt
Looks delicious!
URVASHI PITRE
I need to write it up properly. Not feeling well today but it’s on my list to do.
Eddie
This is well written, always a complainer in a group. This is a not complicated. Keep up the good work!
URVASHI PITRE
Thank you!