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    Home » Desserts

    Instant Pot "Boxed" edition: cake, brownies, and corn bread

    Published: Aug 28, 2017 · Modified: May 6, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 61 Comments

    12466 shares

    Instant pot cake, brownies, bread? Well yes!

    Do you think CAKE all the time? If you are a cake, brownie, or bread lover like me.. read on or even better rush to your pantry may be local grocery even. It's time to redefine baking with the ease of boxed cake mixes and the convenience of hands-off Instant Pot cooking.

    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    I recently got the new Instant Pot DUO-60 that comes with a preset cake program. I was excited to try some basic cakes and decided to put some of our favorite boxed mixes to test.

    I made Pillsbury funfetti cake,  Duncan Hines dark chocolate fudge brownies and Trader Joe's cornbread mix all in this 7 inch X 3 inch fat daddio's cake pan.

    Pillsbury funfetti cake was the very first cake I made because it is CAKE and it is FUN to look at and eat! This is one cake that always takes me back to my childhood. It's so similar to the vanilla cake my mom made with rainbow swirls on top!

    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    Funfetti Cake Mix

    Here is how to make the Funfetti cake in the Instant Pot

    1. Grease all sides of the cake pan.
    2. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert.
    3. Beat cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup oil, and 3 whole eggs in a bowl.
    4. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan.
    5. Gently cover the cake pan with a paper towel. Using a piece of aluminum foil, cover the paper towel and gently secure the paper towel around the rim of the pan.
    6. Place the cake pan on the trivet and carefully place the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
    7. Press the  "Cake" button and set the mode to "Less". Adjust the cooking time to 50 minutes.
    8. Allow Natural Pressure Release.
    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    Next, we made Duncan Hines dark chocolate fudge brownies with the brownie mix. Why? Because we get brownie requests at random times in my house! I must confess that I never turn down a brownie request. Instant Pot came in handy during hot summer evenings when heating up the entire kitchen was not a good idea.

    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    Chocolate Fudge Brownies

    Here is how to make the Chocolate Fudge Brownies in the Instant Pot:

    1. Grease all sides of the cake pan.
    2. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert.
    3. Stir in brownie mix, 1 egg, ⅓ cup water and ½ cup oil in a bowl until well blended.
    4. Pour the batter in the greased cake pan.
    5. Gently cover the cake pan with a paper towel. Using a piece of aluminum foil, cover the paper towel and gently secure the paper towel around the rim of the pan.
    6. Place the cake pan on the trivet and carefully place the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
    7. Press the  "Cake" button and set the mode to "Normal". Adjust the cook time to 46 minutes.
    8. Allow Natural Pressure Release.
    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    Third boxed cake mix put to test was Trader Joe's cornbread Mix! I always tell myself that this is a healthier bread{cake} and pretend to ignore the 15 grams of sugar per serving. I think this method is going to come in handy for Thanksgiving this year when the ovens are stuffed with turkey!

    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    Cornbread Mix

    Here is how to make the cornbread in the Instant Pot:

    1. Grease all sides of the cake pan.
    2. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert.
    3. Beat cornbread mix, 1 egg, ½ cup oil, and ¾ cup milk in a bowl until moistened. Do not over-mix.
    4. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan.
    5. Gently cover the cake pan with a paper towel. Using a piece of aluminum foil, cover the paper towel and gently secure the paper towel around the rim of the pan.
    6. Place the cake pan on the trivet and carefully place the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
    7. Press the  "Cake" button and set the mode to "Normal". Adjust the cooking time to 45 minutes.
    8. Allow Natural Pressure Release.
    Instant Pot cake, brownies, bread

    I hope you will enjoy the Instant Pot cake, brownies and bread!

    Boxed cake Times to Instant Pot

    Here is a rough formula for Instant Pot cake, brownies and bread:

    • For all three, start with the MAX cook time on the box for 8" X 8" pan. Since I am using the 7" X 3" cake pan,  add 5 mins to this cook time.
    • For lighter cakes like the funfetti,  add extra 7 mins since it is cooking under "Less" mode. So the total cook time is 38+5+7=50 mins
    • For fudge brownies, add extra 7 minutes of cook time. In my initial attempts, the brownie was bit moist and so adding the extra time helped. Brownies will not be crunchy but more moist/cake like. Total cook time is 34+5+7=46 mins
    • For dense breads just adding extra 5 mins to account for the cake pan size worked well. Total cook time 40+5=45 mins

    Hope this is a helpful guide for you to start experimenting with boxed mixed with the Instant Pot. Do you have better cook times for Instant pot cake, brownies, bread? Please let me know, I will try them for sure.

    Still hungry for more?  Try this delicious zucchini bread in Instant Pot and put those summers' best zucchinis to good use!

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. sri says

      September 05, 2017 at 11:24 am

      Hi, i have an instant pot duo 60 but i dont have a Cake function, can you share what instant pot model you have ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 05, 2017 at 9:02 pm

        Hi Sri! The new model IP DUO PLUS 60 has cake option

        Reply
        • Tam says

          January 31, 2018 at 10:48 pm

          Without the cake button, is it cooked on high pressure?

          Reply
          • Archana says

            February 01, 2018 at 11:30 am

            Yes!

            Reply
        • Spiced says

          December 19, 2019 at 9:23 am

          On Black Friday I ordered the Duo Plus 60 on Amazon ($70) for the cake & egg settings as shown in the ad. The unit I got ALSO had a "sous vide" setting. I had tried to cancel this order because the Duo 60 had accessories. I ordered the lesser Duo with 1 minute tio spare (i had no idea Amazon would hold that price an additional week). The Plus order had already been shipped so I now have the Duo & the Duo Plus & have to decide which one to return.

          Reply
          • Archana says

            December 19, 2019 at 10:13 am

            I would return the DUO. Also as far as I know they both come with the same accessories.

            Reply
    2. Megala says

      September 07, 2017 at 8:04 am

      Beautiful cakes !

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 07, 2017 at 8:10 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Katie Joy Newhouse says

      September 13, 2017 at 1:11 am

      I'm so excited to try this!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 15, 2017 at 3:39 pm

        Thank you Katie!

        Reply
    4. Tanya says

      September 28, 2017 at 9:16 pm

      If I only have the 7 in 1 instant pot, how would the time change considering I would use Manual setting? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 29, 2017 at 11:53 am

        Hi Tanya, You can use the same time and cook on Manual High pressure.

        Reply
    5. Amy P. says

      January 07, 2018 at 8:11 pm

      Is there a certain amount of extra water to use? I have other types of boxed cakes and I really want to try them in my instant pot. Should I otherwise just follow the directions? I've had lots of bad luck with it, so I need extra help.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 07, 2018 at 10:14 pm

        You do not need extra water, I pretty much followed the box directions but increased the cook times. Here is a summary of different boxed mixes i used - TO SUMMARIZE AND HERE IS A ROUGH FORMULA FOR INSTANT POT CAKE, BROWNIES, BREAD:
        For all three, start with the MAX cook time on the box for 8″ X 8″ pan. Since I am using the 7″ X 3″ cake pan, add 5 mins to this cook time.
        For lighter cakes like the funfetti, add extra 7 mins since it is cooking under “Less” mode. So the total cook time is 38+5+7=50 mins
        For fudge brownies, add extra 7 minutes of cook time. In my initial attempts, the brownie was bit moist and so adding the extra time helped. Brownies will not be crunchy but more moist/cake like. Total cook time is 34+5+7=46 mins
        For dense breads just adding extra 5 mins to account for the cake pan size worked well. Total cook time 40+5=45 mins

        Reply
    6. Cindy says

      January 22, 2018 at 11:37 pm

      I have an instant pot mini duo and a 6x 3 cake pan. How would I adjust the time and the amount of cake or brownie mix to put in my pan? Thanks for your help!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 23, 2018 at 9:17 am

        Hi Cindy! I do not have an Insant Pot mini to tell you the exact timings. If you send me the photo of the box mix and the timings on the box I might be able to help you with the timings.

        Reply
      • Kate says

        February 08, 2020 at 3:57 pm

        Followed the instructions, but when i flipped the cake over onto a cooling rack, i saw the center of the cake was still liquid. Then of course it started falling apart as i tried picking it up and putting it back in the cake pan.... I've tried box cake mix in a stackable insert (to make a layered cake) and encountered similar issues. Any ideas where I'm going wrong?

        Reply
        • Archana says

          February 10, 2020 at 9:07 pm

          I am sorry that it did not work. Looks like you need more cook time. Next time add extra 7 to 8 minutes of pressure cooking time

          Reply
    7. Angela says

      January 25, 2018 at 8:33 pm

      Did you use the family size box of brownies or the regular box?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 26, 2018 at 8:54 am

        Regular box

        Reply
    8. Jay says

      January 26, 2018 at 4:31 pm

      Thank you for the timing guide. I baked a german chocolate cake using following your algorithm, and it turned out wonderfully.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 26, 2018 at 11:36 pm

        That’s great! We would love to see your German cake recipe

        Reply
    9. Lee Buskey says

      February 19, 2018 at 9:26 pm

      So I have the new IP DUO 80, and it has a cake program. Is there anything wrong with just letting the program do its thing? I was a bit disappointed not to find any instructions for the various programs that the thing comes with. There a cook book, which is great, but that's specific recipes, and a user's guide that doesn't go over the programs (like ho much water to add for Steaming for example. There is a general cook time for grains, bean, vegetables and meats though. Have you ever just selected Cake and let it fly? (I'm 16 minutes form finding out myself for boxed carrot cake..:P )

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 19, 2018 at 11:19 pm

        Hi Lee, Yes, I have tried cake button and it works well for the most part, but depending on the cake mix you are using you will have to adjust the cook time. Here is my formula based on several mixes I tried:
        TO SUMMARIZE AND HERE IS A ROUGH FORMULA FOR INSTANT POT CAKE, BROWNIES, BREAD:
        For all three, start with the MAX cook time on the box for 8″ X 8″ pan. Since I am using the 7″ X 3″ cake pan, add 5 mins to this cook time.
        For lighter cakes like the funfetti, add extra 7 mins since it is cooking under “Less” mode. So the total cook time is 38+5+7=50 mins
        For fudge brownies, add extra 7 minutes of cook time. In my initial attempts, the brownie was bit moist and so adding the extra time helped. Brownies will not be crunchy but more moist/cake like. Total cook time is 34+5+7=46 mins
        For dense breads just adding extra 5 mins to account for the cake pan size worked well. Total cook time 40+5=45 mins

        Reply
    10. Krista says

      March 02, 2018 at 1:24 pm

      I have a 7” bunny pan I’m using for a binder cake, how would I adjust the cooking times. Would it be the box time for bunts cake + 5 minuets?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 02, 2018 at 2:47 pm

        For bundt pan you do not have to add extra 5 mins. Same cook time should work

        Reply
    11. Pahto Adams says

      March 11, 2018 at 2:41 pm

      what's the purpose of the paper towel? How do you keep it from sinking into the pan?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 11, 2018 at 4:37 pm

        It is to absorb any moisture. I use it with the foil secure so it does not sink in

        Reply
    12. Sidra Zuhair says

      April 25, 2018 at 12:12 am

      Hi Archana
      I’ve 7 in 1 Duo IP .. it doesn’t have cake button.. so can you please tell me how to make box cakes in my IP??
      Which button do I need to use and for how long specially for fudge brownie?
      TIA.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 26, 2018 at 6:16 am

        Hi Sidra, You can use the Manual/Pressure Cook button. For the cook time I follow the one on the box and add extra 5 minutes in instant Pot.

        Reply
    13. Nancy Frias says

      May 09, 2018 at 7:58 pm

      I have the 8 quart ultra. The cake function only has high or low pressure, not normal. So I'm cooking it right now and just used the high pressure and 46 minutes of cook time for the brownie mix. I'm hoping the size of the pot doesn't make that much of a difference.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 11, 2018 at 1:26 pm

        Sorry, just seeing this now! How did your brownies turn out. The size of the pot should not matter.

        Reply
    14. TK Ham says

      May 14, 2018 at 12:36 am

      What trivet did you use?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 15, 2018 at 11:51 am

        Hi! I use the stainless steel trivet that came with the Instant Pot.

        Reply
    15. mary Shryock says

      January 25, 2019 at 1:10 pm

      Is there a special cake pan for the Instant Pot or can I use any that I already have?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 28, 2019 at 6:41 pm

        Usually a 7-inch cake pan fits well in my 6-QT instant pot. So if you have one that fits you can use it 🙂

        Reply
    16. Debbie Pfaff says

      February 22, 2019 at 1:21 pm

      Do you use the whole box of cake mix for one 7 inch cake? Seems like a lot of cake mix for one small pan. What to make sure before I try this.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 24, 2019 at 1:11 pm

        Depends on which cake mix you are using. You can do half to be on the safe side.

        Reply
    17. Crystal says

      March 07, 2019 at 7:31 pm

      Do you have any suggestions how to make a sourdough bread using this function (or even if it's possible)? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 07, 2019 at 10:13 pm

        sorry, I have not tried sour dough bread in the Instant Pot.

        Reply
    18. Nina says

      June 01, 2019 at 10:26 am

      My funfetti cake mix box says I can substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil. Would this work in IP too? Also, what size was the funfetti cake mix box that you used in your recipe? Mine is 15.25oz and I plan to make it in the 8” push pan in the 8 quart IP. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 01, 2019 at 11:53 am

        I have not tried without oil but I think it will work. Also will work fine in 8” push pan

        Reply
    19. Gigi says

      July 21, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      I just bought my 6 quart instant pot and I really excited to try to make a cake with it. So thanks for all the guidance you gave. Two questions, why do you need to cover the cake pan with paper and foil? How full is your cake pan with the cake batter before baking?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 21, 2019 at 12:54 pm

        Congratulations Gigi! You will love cooking in the Instant Pot! Paper and foil prevents excess moisture from getting in the cake. And depending on the type of cake and how much it will rise you have to fill the cake pan. As a general rule I wouldn’t go more than 3/4th

        Reply
    20. cal says

      February 03, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      This is probably a stupid questions......for the brownies, do you follow the directions on the box for ingredient amounts, or what you have listed if they are different?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 07, 2020 at 12:13 pm

        I would follow instructions on the box and adjust the pressure cook time as per my instructions.

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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