Carrot Cake
A moist Instant Pot carrot cake with pecans, topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting. Ready in about 1 hr 30 min.
⏱️ Prep: 20 min🍳 Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
| — | cooking spray | |
| 3 | large eggs | |
| 2/3 cup | 160 ml | white sugar |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | all-purpose flour |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | half-and-half |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | canola oil |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | baking powder |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | vanilla extract |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | ground cinnamon |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | ground nutmeg |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | packed shredded carrots, plus more for topping |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | chopped pecans |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | water |
| 4 ounces | 115 g | cream cheese, room temperature |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | unsalted butter, softened |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | confectioners' sugar |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | vanilla extract |
| 1/8 teaspoon | 0.6 ml | salt |
Instructions
- Spray a 6-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
- Beat eggs and white sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth; add flour, half-and-half, canola oil, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir the mixture until a fluffy batter forms; fold in carrots and pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan; cover with aluminum foil.
- Pour water into the inner steel pot of pressure cooker. Place trivet over the water. Gently lay cake pan onto the trivet.
- Lock pressure cooker lid in place and set steam vent to Sealing. Select Cake and cook for 40 minutes on High pressure.
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then set steam vent to Venting to quick-release remaining pressure.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a mixing bowl until frosting is smooth; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Remove cake from the pan and place on a cooking rack to cool completely.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake; top with shredded carrots.
Mealthy Tip: For a nice boost of flavor, toast whole pecans before chopping. You'll love the flavor they lend to the cake. Using a springform pan can help make removing the cake easier.