This is only the second time I’ve tried baking a cake in the Instant Pot, and I’m really happy with how it turned out. My first version was way too moist—not in a good way—but this one hit the right balance.
It’s tender, holds together well, and has that comforting banana flavor without being overly sweet. The texture lands somewhere between banana bread and cake, making it perfect for frosting or serving as a snack cake.
If you’re looking for a healthy Instant Pot dessert or want to avoid heating up your kitchen, this cake is a great option. It’s also ideal for small-space cooking, like in an RV or dorm room.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1½ cups almond flour
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Chocolate chips (optional if included in your diet)
What You’ll Need
- 7-inch springform or cake pan (fits in your Instant Pot)
- Instant Pot with trivet
- Mixing bowls and whisk or hand mixer
- Parchment paper and foil
- Coconut oil or butter for greasing the pan
How to Make It
(Be sure to check out my YouTube tutorial video below!)
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients
In a bowl, beat the bananas, eggs, honey, melted butter, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth. I used a hand mixer for about 2 minutes to incorporate air.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine salt, baking soda, coconut flour, and almond flour. Gradually add to the wet mixture to form a thick batter.
Step 3: Prepare the cake pan
Grease a 7-inch pan and line the bottom if desired. Spread the batter evenly. Cover first with parchment, then foil.
Step 4: Pressure cook
Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot, place the trivet inside, and set the cake pan on top.
- Cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes
- Let the pressure naturally release for 10–15 minutes, then quick release
Step 5: Cool and frost
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then release and finish cooling on a rack before frosting.
The Frosting
I used my Vanilla Cashew Butter Cream Frosting, which I also demo in the video. It’s light, creamy, and sweetened with honey—without any refined sugar.
You can find the full recipe in my book Don’t Skip Dessert Volume 2. One batch is enough to generously cover the top (and maybe the sides, depending on how you like it).
Want to Use the Oven Instead?
This recipe also works great as a baked cake. The texture will be slightly different—less like a steamed cake—but still delicious.
- Cupcakes: Divide into 9–10 muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 20–22 minutes
- Snack bars: Bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan at 350°F for 25–30 minutes
- Loaf cake: Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes
Optional Add-ins and Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt to your taste:
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon for a spiced banana flavor
- Mix in chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch
- Stir in chocolate chips for a treat (if they’re part of your diet)
- Use a larger pan in the Instant Pot for thinner, snack-style bars
This Instant Pot almond flour banana cake is a great way to use ripe bananas without turning on your oven. Whether you’re baking in a small kitchen or just curious about steamed cake recipes, it’s a simple, reliable option that you can customize and enjoy in lots of ways.
Let me know if you try it. Comment or tag me with your version!
Instant Pot Almond Flour Banana Cake
Equipment
- 1 7" Springform Cake Pan (or other Instant Pot size cake pan)
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1½ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add bananas, eggs, honey, melted butter (do not pour hot butter directly onto the eggs), vanilla, and lemon juice into large mixing bowl
- Beat on medium speed for two minutes until slightly foamy on top
- Add coconut flour, baking soda, and salt to wet mixture
- Beat on low speed until just mixed
- While beating with mixer on low speed, gradually add in the almond flour
- Beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined, scrape down sides as needed
- Grease your cake pan with coconut oil or butter
- If using a springform pan, line the outside of the bottom with aluminum foil
- Pour batter (it will be thick) into prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer
- Place piece of parchment paper on the top of the pan and then loosely cover with aluminum foil (it doesn't have to be tight, just covered)
- Pour one cup of water into the Instant Pot inner pot and place trivet
- Place your covered cake pan on the trivet
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure it is set to sealed on the release
- Use cake button set to 40 minutes or pressure button set to 40 minutes
- When pressure time is up, allow to natural release for 10 – 15 minutes and then quick release (also okay to let natural release the entire time)
- Carefully remove cake from pot and cool in pan on wire rack for 10 – 15 minutes
- Remove from pan and allow to cool completely before frosting
- Frost cooled cake with Vanilla Cashew Butter Cream Frosting or frosting of choice
- Store in air-tight container for up to five days or freeze for up to four months
Video
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