Rhubarb Instant Pot Cake (or apple)
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Rhubarb Instant Pot cake became an instant favorite in our family and I know you’re going to love it too! Ultra-moist and super flavorful, it’s easy to make. If rhubarb isn’t in season, try it with apples.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: You won’t have to turn your oven on to make this unique rhubarb cake.
How long it takes: 1 ½ hours
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, electric mixer, 7 inch metal cake pan, Instant Pot
Servings: 8
I just adore rhubarb. It’s always been a favorite in my family. In fact, we always had a few rhubarb plants growing on the backyard. My mom cooked it into a sweetened sauce that we’d eat it with spoons. Tart but sweet, rhubarb sauce is a great springtime dessert. I love that rhubarb sauce so much that it is one of the first recipes I posted on my site.
About this Rhubarb Instant Pot Cake
- Rhubarb and cardamom go together perfectly. Ever since I paired rhubarb with cardamom in these rhubarb cardamom shortbread bars, I’ve been smitten with the combination. Try it in strawberry rhubarb crisp, too! The unique taste of cardamom is difficult to describe, but it has a warm flavor with hints of citrus that goes great with other warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
- The cake is very moist and rich. The cake is a dense cake, reminiscent of a great bread pudding. The rhubarb with the butter and brown sugar turns into a sauce that tastes like a rhubarb caramel. It’s perfect drizzled over the cake right before you serve a slice.
- You don’t have to turn on the oven. This unique cake “bakes” in just over an hour in your Instant Pot. You don’t have to heat up your kitchen which is nice for for these warmer days we’ve been having!
Try It With Apples!
If you don’t love rhubarb (I feel like it’s in the love-it-or-hate-it camp with cilantro and beets) or if rhubarb isn’t in season, make this recipe with chopped apples instead.
Suggested Toppings
This Instant Pot cake is great served with ice cream or whipped cream. Try making lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream with a touch of cardamom or cinnamon to perfectly complement this cake.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or full fat recommended)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (if you prefer, an additional ½ ground cinnamon can be substituted)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the topping:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (or ground cinnamon)
- 1 ½ cups chopped rhubarb (about 5 rhubarb stalks cut into ½ -inch pieces )
Instructions
- Spray a 7-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat again. Add eggs and egg yolk and beat until fluffy. Add yogurt and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Add dry ingredients on top (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ½ teaspoon cardamom, nutmeg) and mix them together gently before beating them into the wet ingredients, scraping down sides as needed. Set aside while you make topping.
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter with brown sugar, chopped rhubarb, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom. Spread mixture into the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
- On top of rhubarb mixture, spread cake batter into an even layer (batter will be thick). Cover pan with a paper towel and then wrap tightly with foil.
- In the bottom of a 6-quart Instant Pot insert, add 1 cup of cold water. Place covered cake pan on top of steamer insert and carefully place it in the Instant Pot. Cover the Instant Pot and turn valve to seal. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (or Manual, high pressure) for 60 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes. Carefully release remaining pressure (quick release) and remove the cake from the Instant Pot.
- Remove foil and paper towel and run a butter knife around the edges of the cake pan. Place a heat-safe plate that has a rim (not a cake stand!) over the cake pan. Holding the plate in place, carefully flip the plate and pan over. Slowly remove cake pan from cake.
Notes
- If rhubarb isn’t in season or you don’t like it, this recipe is also delicious with chopped apples.
- If your cake pan is tall like mine, you can make aluminum foil “handles” for your steamer basket to make it easier to remove the pan when it is finished cooking. Wrap a double-thick piece of foil around the handles of the steamer tray to make them longer so you can use those to lift it out when it’s done cooking.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Danielle says
My niece and I made this together tonight. She said that eating it was the best part of her whole weekend! Everyone in the family loved it.
A quick note that the cardamom has been left out of Step 4. It’s not a big deal, but my niece and I didn’t realize our mistake until we had already put the rhubarb mixture in the pan.
Rachel Gurk says
Oh thank you so much for pointing that out, sorry about that! Fixing now. I’m glad you liked it regardless! It’s great without it, but the cardamom does add a little something to the flavors.
Charlie says
Excellent recipe. I foolishly rushed the depressurization and the cake partly collapsed. It came back to some extent. FOLLOW THE RECIPE!
Rachel Gurk says
Oh no! Sorry to hear that but I’m glad you still liked it!
Cathy says
Just took it out and plated it..Looks delish! Smells Delish! Thanks!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Emily says
Hi! I’m planning to make this for a friend’s birthday celebration tonight. Wondering… is this better served hot/right out of the IP, cold, or room temp?
Rachel Gurk says
It’s great all three ways, but I love it warm. :) I hope you like it!
Reachkate says
I made this cake last night with frozen rhubarb I was gifted.
It is very tasty but super-dense, almost like a Chinese moon cake!
I used a spring-form 7″ pan and found it raw in the middle after 60min + 10 min NPR. I put it back in for 15min +10NPR and it’s fine.
If using frozen rhubarb, be sure to defrost and drain off the extra liquid before mixing the topping.
My first IP dessert so I don’t know of they are all this dense.
Rachel Gurk says
Hi! Thanks for the comment! I’m glad you liked it…I think all IP desserts are likely more on the dense side due to the nature of the cooking process. Thanks for the tips about using frozen rhubarb!
Heidi says
Has anyone tried frozen rhubarb?
Liren | Kitchen Confidante says
I have such a soft spot for rhubarb and LOVE that you made this cake in the instant pot! Brilliant!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Liren!
Jo says
Made following the recipe, was still raw inside after the instructed 60mins in the IP with release time. Put back in for 20mins high pressure with 20min NR, still questionable if cooked. :(
Rachel Gurk says
I’ve tested this cake multiple times and it’s always fully cooked! Are you sure you had the valve turned to seal and not vent, and was the cover securely latched on?
Theresa Dabrowski says
Hi Rachel, I don’t have an instant pot. Can you provide directions for baking in oven?
Rachel Gurk says
I have not tried this in the oven, but I anticipate it would take about 45 minutes to an hour in an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan at 350 degrees. I haven’t tested it, so I can’t make promises, but that’s where I would start if I were trying it out. Bake it uncovered (no paper towel or foil). Please let me know if you give it a try!
Theresa Dabrowski says
Thank you Rachel! Yes, I will let you know how it turns out!!
Jeri Elliott says
THe recipe looks FABULOUS!! If I don’t have an INSTANT POT, howcan I make it ?in the regular oven?Please advise to my email address
Rachel Gurk says
I have not tried this in the oven, but I anticipate it would take about 45 minutes to an hour in an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan at 350 degrees. I haven’t tested it, so I can’t make promises, but that’s where I would start if I were trying it out. Bake it uncovered (no paper towel or foil). Please let me know if you give it a try!
Cookin Canuck says
I still haven’t made a dessert in my Instant Pot, but am thinking this would be perfect for Father’s Day because my husband ADORES rhubarb. Great idea, Rachel!
Liz Della Croce says
This cakes look amazing! I’ll have to break out my Instant Pot and give this recipe a try.
Rachel Gurk says
I hope you love it! It’s so nice to not heat up the whole house with the oven on.
Bonnie says
This cake is really yummy. Very moist.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
This looks AMAZING, Rachel! And I love that you made it in the Instant Pot!
Thanks so much for sharing the link to my Whipped Cream! xo