Instant Pot Lemon Bundt Cake

I managed to shock my husband when I told him I was baking a cake in the pressure cooker. But he sure loved eating my instant pot lemon bundt cake! It’s soft, dense, zesty, and you can make it without heating up the house.

Besides letting us enjoy a dessert that keeps our kitchens cool, the instant pot comes with another benefit. It basically steams the cake so it turns out super moist and tender.

If your oven baked version always turn out too dry, cooking it in the instant pot will be a revelation! And yes, it’s just as easy!

🥄 What Tools Do You Need?

This is a low-effort recipe and the ingredients and equipment are the most important aspects. Let’s talk about the equipment first:

✔️Instant Pot This is obvious but I feel the need to put it there anyways. This is the one I use at home. 

✔️7” Bundt Pan This size fits perfectly in the Instant Pot.

✔️Disposable Icing Bag I love these as they are a little bit tougher material and can handle thick icing. You can use a large Ziploc bag in a pinch as well, but when you go to squeeze the icing out, don’t push too hard or you will have a blow out.

✔️Mixer

🍋 Ingredients

It’s amazing how quickly and easily you can make this cake. This isn’t a long and drawn out process, and it tastes incredible. Here are the ingredients you need:

✅Lemon cake mix: We always use the Betty Crocker Lemon Cake Mix, but you can swap it for another brand.

✅Eggs

✅Oil

✅Icing: The icing is made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. It’s literally so yummy I could eat it with a spoon…okay, I admit – I have eaten it with a spoon.

🍽️ Instructions 

Be warned, I told you this is easy! If the ease of this recipe doesn’t kick start you to bake in your Instant Pot, nothing will.

👉Step 1: Combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

👉Step 2: Spray the bundt pan and fill it 3/4 of the way full with the batter.

Cover with foil. You may have extra batter. You can use that in a small pan and bake it separately in the oven, if you like.

👉Step 3: Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place the TRIVET in the IP. Make sure that the TRIVET’s handles are upright and not hidden underneath. You will use them to pull the bundt pan out when it’s done. (OOHHHHH, that’s why the handles are there! Yep, there are times like this when they are needed!)

👉Step 4: Place the covered pan in the IP and put the lid on. Double check that you will be able to lift the handles of the TRIVET. It will be tight but you should be able to get your fingers and a thin pot holder in there to pull it out.

⚙️ Instant Pot Settings

👉Step 5: Make sure the VALVE is in the CLOSED POSITION. Look in the manual if you are unsure how to do this. Mine has to be turned all the way to the left but check your model. If you aren’t sure, here is the link to Instant Pot’s Manuals so you can verify. 

👉Step 6: Place on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. When you hear the beeper, manually release the pressure by turning the valve.

⚠️ Be careful of the steam. I usually like to use a wooden spoon to push the valve so my fingers are far away from that steam.

👉Step 7: Open the lid and lift the handles of the TRIVET to carefully remove the bundt pan and allow it to cool completely. 

👉Step 8: After it cools, carefully turn the bundt pan upside down and the cake will easily come out. The bundt cake pan is what is making this look fancier and harder than it is.

🥣 Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

👉Step 1: Use a mixer to beat together the butter and cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. This will take a couple of minutes. Don’t skimp on time here. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until it is well combined. I add a little powdered sugar at a time, or my kitchen looks like January ❄️ in Minnesota real fast! Scoop into the piping bag and cut the tip off.

👉Step 2: Pipe the frosting onto the cake. This is a nice and casual piping. It is meant for all skill levels (which is why we do it that way!) and everyone will shine. At the end of the day, everyone loves the taste of the icing, and we aren’t too concerned how pretty it was, right?

Cut and serve.

📌 Freezing/ Meal Prep Instructions 

🔸Make the cake as above and after it has cooled, place it on a sheet pan for 8-12 hours to freeze. Remove from the freezer and then double wrap it up really well with Press ‘N Seal and then a good layer of quality foil. If you wrap it well, it can keep for 4-6 weeks, no problem. 

🔸Take the cake out of the freezer and defrost it in the refrigerator the night before you want to put the icing on. Remove from the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes to bring to room temperature before adding the icing. Serve! 

🍋 Variations

Here are a few additional ideas I have for you:

✔️Add grated lemon peels – If you have them, use them. If not, learn how to peel and store lemon peels. Use a few of these in this recipe to make the flavor of this cake even more fresh.

✔️Change the cake mix – Try a funfetti cake mix to make a great kid’s birthday party cake and any other flavor you want. The rest of the recipe stays the same.

✔️Add mix-ins – Add fun ingredients like chocolate chips, craisins, dried fruit, and others. You could also use the lemon/orange/cranberry mix that we use in then cranberry bliss cake mix cookies.

❓ FAQ

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