Instant Pot Apple Cake
This Instant Pot Apple Cake is not only super easy, but super delicious! Four layers of moist cake and juicy apples in every bite!
Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cake
It’s still warm here in Texas, but with a new school year starting in the next week or so, I’m already feeling the itch for Fall recipes! (I’d love it if the weather would follow suit!)
Apples are one of my favorite fruits year-round, but something about that combination of warm apples and cinnamon just screams Fall. So I just can’t wait for cooler weather to try out some of our new Fall themed recipes.
This Instant Pot Apple Cake is super easy to make (who doesn’t love recipes that you can just set and forget?) Plus this cake is super moist since all the moisture is locked in while it “bakes.”
I could eat this Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cake for breakfast, snack, dessert – ok I could pretty much eat it any time. It’s crazy good stuff!!
And when you enjoy this Instant Pot Apple Cake with a PSL (try our healthy homemade pumpkin spice latte here!) you’ve got the ultimate Fall pairing!
Hope you love it too!
Related: For a lighter apple treat, try our gluten free Quinoa Apple Cake!
Ingredients
- Apples
- Ground Cinnamon
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Oil
- Sugar
- Orange Juice
- Vanilla Extract
- Large Eggs
Kitchen Supply List
For your convenience in re-creating this Instant Pot Apple Cake recipe, I’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used. Read our full disclosure policy here.
What is the Best Type of Apple to Use?
For baking recipes, Granny Smith Apples work well because their tartness balances out the sweetness from the rest of the recipe. That way it is no overly sweet.
However, you are absolutely welcome to use any type of apple you like or have on hand! I like a sweet cake, so Gala or Fuji apples are my favorite varieties.
Why Use the Instant Pot to Bake a Cake?
One of the reasons the Instant Pot is so great for baking is that it keeps the inside of the cake super moist. Because there’s nothing that makes me sadder than putting all that effort into baking a cake…only for it to turn out dry!
How does it work? The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker and uses steam to cook foods. This steaming process is what helps keep the food so moist and ensures that it cooks evenly.
How to Make Instant Pot Apple Cake
Combine diced apples, cinnamon, and 2 tbsp sugar in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
TIP: We used Granny Smith Apples (my husband’s favorite), but you can use any variety of apple that you have on hand.
Sift together dry ingredients in one large mixing bowl and combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
Coat your springform pan with non-stick baking spray.
Pour half the cake batter into the springform pan, then layer half of the diced apples on top of the batter.
Pour the remaining batter on top of the apples, then finish with the other half of the apples, so that you have 4 layers. Here’s a look at the layering process:
Cover the springform pan with foil like so:
Add 1 cup of water into the insert of the IP and place the trivet inside. Set the springform onto the trivet and close the lid.
Select manual (high) and set the time for 60 minutes cook time. Allow natural pressure release before removing lid.
Allow the cake to cool completely (out of the Instant Pot) before removing the springform.
This cake is lovely topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, or even a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.
PS- Be sure to check out how we used the Instant Pot to make Pumpkin Apple Butter too!
More of our favorite Instant Pot desserts:
- Instant Pot Godiva Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Angel Food Cake
- Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Instant Pot Apple Dumplings
- Instant Pot Red White and Blue Cheesecake
- IP Mango Bundt Cake
- Instant Pot Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Grab a free printable copy of our Instant Pot Apple Cake Recipe:
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Instant Pot Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups Granny Smith Apples diced (about 4 apples)
- 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup sugar + 2 Tablespoons
- 2 Tablespoon pulp free orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Combine diced apples, cinnamon, and 2 tbsp sugar in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In separate mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, sugar, vanilla and eggs until well combined. Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
- Coat your springform pan with non-stick baking spray.
- Pour half the batter into the springform pan, then cover with half of the diced apples. Repeat with the rest of the batter and diced apples so that you have 4 layers.
- Cover the springform pan with foil.
- Add 1 cup of water into the insert of the IP and place the trivet inside. Set the springform onto the trivet and close the lid.
- Select manual (high) and set the time for 60 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, allow to natural pressure release before removing the lid.
- Carefully take out the trivet and remove the foil from the springform pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before removing the springform.
- Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to pin this Instant Pot Apple Cake on Pinterest:
More of our favorite apple desserts:
Oatmeal Apple Bombs with Candied Pecans
- 4th of July Pretzel Bites - June 3, 2026
- Celery Bug Snacks - June 2, 2026
- No Bake Cookie Dough Pie - May 28, 2026
Did you use the trivet that came with the IP or was it a taller one?
I have just made this its cooking at the moment followed the ingrediants to tee is the batter surpose to be so thick there was no way i could get 3 layers of batter i even added some water to thin it down and used a smaller pan
How long should the Natural Release take?
Hi Andi – Depending on which type of Instant Pot you have, it can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes – but likely around 10 minutes.
This cake was delicious, but when I made it, it fell in the middle and was a little raw. What did I do wrong? Would putting more time in the instant pot help it?
I made your apple cake in my new instant pot. When I shared it with friends and family they ALL wanted the recipe!! I was a HIT!!
I made your cake it tasted very good. I live at 7000 ft it came out rather doughy, the crumb was not like yours. Any suggestions?
Hi Louis – You might need to increase the cook time in the future. I live very close to sea level, but what I’ve read suggests increasing pressure cooking time by 5% for every 1000 ft above 2000 ft elevation.
Plain or self raising flour?
Regular all purpose flour is what we used
What size springform pan? Did I miss this in the recipe?
Hi Nancy – we used a 7″ Instant Pot springform pan. I linked to it in the supply list. Hope this helps!
Is it white sugar you use or brown? Looking forward to giving this a go 🙂
We used regular white sugar. Unless I specify otherwise in my recipes, that’s what I mean. Hope you love it too! 🙂
Can you substitute apple juice for the Orange juice?
I think you probably could, though I haven’t tried it myself.