Make a delicious chocolate zucchini cake (Instant Pot) for a dessert or snack that serves 8. Instructions for icing (optional) are included.
If you’ve got an Instant Pot and are looking for a yummy cake recipe, may I suggest this one for chocolate zucchini cake?
That’s right… the cake has fresh grated zucchini in it too, so it MUST be healthy, right? Ha Ha. I found the original recipe online and made only a couple small changes to it.
This cake can be enjoyed as a snack or a dessert and you can also add icing to the finished cake (optional), if that’s what you would prefer.
I’ve included the ingredients for the icing, as well in the printable recipe, so if that’s what you want to do, go for it. Here’s how to make chocolate zucchini cake in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare The Cake Batter
Whisk the “dry” ingredients together in a medium bowl until combined. The “dry” ingredients are flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the “wet” ingredients until fully combined. The “wet” ingredients are 2 large eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
Once they are combined, add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir well until combined into a thick batter.
Finish The Cake Batter
The final step is to add grated zucchini (undrained) and semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cake batter. Stir well, until they’re incorporated because the cake batter is quite thick!
Prepare The Pan For Baking
Grease and lightly flour an 8″ push pan (or springform pan). It must be able to fit inside the inner cannister of your Instant Pot.
Wrap the bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil because this will help keep the batter IN the pan with no leakage while cooking.
Spread the chocolate zucchini cake batter evenly in the prepared pan. Cover the top of the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot, then place the trivet onto the bottom of the pot. Carefully lower the covered push pan with a sling down into the pot, placing it on top of the trivet.
Use a sling made of heavy foil or a silicone sling (as shown below) to lower the pan onto the trivet. The one I use remains in the Instant Pot during cooking.
Cooking The Cake In An Instant Pot
Lock the lid in place and then flip the toggle switch on top to SEALING. Press the MANUAL setting and set the cooking timer for 65 minutes on High PRESSURE.
It will take the Instant Pot 10-15 minutes to reach full internal pressure, then the pressure gauge on top will pop up and the cooking program timer will start.
When cooking program has finished, flip the toggle on top to VENTING (for a natural release of internal pressure).
Once all steam (and internal pressure) has been released, the pressure gauge button on top will drop back down and it will be safe to open the Instant Pot.
Carefully remove the pan from the Instant Pot and then remove the aluminum foil wrap from the pan. Let the pan cool on a wire rack (with the cake still in the pan!).
After the cake has cooled completely, open the latches on the springform pan, push up the bottom of the cake to release the cake.
Let the cake finish cooling on the wire rack (I leave the bottom tray of the pan still under the cake).
Serve The Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to be enjoyed. Slice the cake into 8 wedges and serve!
The cake is delicious, dense, moist and very chocolatey in flavor! You will hardly even notice the zucchini (you can sneak it in so little kids don’t even notice)!
This cake tastes very good, served just as it is, or you may want to add an “optional” icing on top to make it sweeter, if that is your preference (see below).
Optional Icing
The chocolate zucchini cake tastes wonderful “as is” so go ahead and enjoy a slice! However, you might also enjoy drizzling the cake with a simple powdered sugar icing, as shown below.
This adds a bit more sweetness to the cake, if that is what you would prefer. I have included the ingredients and instructions for this optional “add on”. They are listed at the bottom of the printable recipe card, for your convenience.
I hope you have the opportunity to make this versatile, delicious cake for a snack or to serve to those you love as a dessert.
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.
Looking For More CAKE Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful cake recipes to choose from, including:
- Apple Cider Bundt Cake
- Mom’s EASY Chocolate Cake
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Edie’s Carrot Cake
- Glazed Butter Cake
Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!
I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.
Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks
Recipe adapted from: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Aileen Cooks
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Make a delicious chocolate zucchini cake (Instant Pot) for a dessert or snack that serves 8. Instructions for icing (optional) are included.
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini do not drain
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil and vanilla until fully combined. Add this to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir well until combined (thick batter). Stir in grated zucchini and chocolate chips until incorporated into batter.
Grease/lightly flour an 8" push pan (or springform pan). It must fit inside the inner cannister of your Instant Pot. Wrap the bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan. Cover the top of the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
Place trivet on bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant pot. Carefully lower pan with a sling down into the pot, placing it on top of the trivet.
Lock lid in place; flip toggle switch to SEALING. Press MANUAL setting; set cooking timer for 65 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. It will take 10-15 minutes to reach full pressure, then pressure gauge on top will pop up and the cooking program will start. When cooking program has finished, flip toggle on top to VENTING (for a natural pressure release). Once all steam (and internal pressure) has been released, pressure gauge on top will drop back down, indicating it's safe to open the Instant Pot.
Carefully remove pan from Instant Pot; remove foil. Transfer pan to a wire rack (cake still in the pan). After cake cools about 10 minutes, open latches on the pan; push up the pan bottom to release the cake. Let cake finish cooling on wire rack. Once cake has cooled to room temperature, slice and serve! (see below for instructions for icing the cake, if desired-optional). Enjoy!
FOR OPTIONAL ICING: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 3-4 tsp. water and ¼ tsp. vanilla. Drizzle over surface of cake.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! 