The instant pot has become an incredibly popular kitchen appliance in recent years. Its versatility and ability to cook foods very quickly has made it a must-have item for many home cooks. One question that often comes up is whether you can use the instant pot to bake items like cakes, breads, casseroles and more. The short answer is yes, you absolutely can bake in an instant pot! While it may take some trial and error to get the timing and settings just right, the instant pot can be used as a small oven and steamer to create baked goods. With the right tools and techniques, you can make everything from cakes and breads to mac and cheese in the instant pot. Read on to learn more about how to bake in an instant pot and get some tips for success.
What is an Instant Pot?
The instant pot is a popular electric multi-cooker that serves many functions in one appliance. It can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, make rice, yogurt and more. The main components of an instant pot include:
- Inner pot – This removable pot goes inside the housing and is where the food cooks. It’s made from stainless steel.
- Housing – The exterior plastic housing contains the electronic control panel, heating element, sensors and more.
- Lid – The lid seals the instant pot for pressure cooking and locks into place.
- Steam release valve – This releases excess pressure and steam before opening the lid.
- Electronic control panel – Lets you select different preset programs and adjust time and pressure settings.
The instant pot works by trapping steam inside the inner pot, allowing the pressure to build up and rise to high temperatures above 240°F. This allows food to cook very quickly and evenly. While the instant pot wasn’t designed specifically for baking, it can still achieve the dry heat and steam environment necessary for baking.
Tips for Baking in an Instant Pot
Baking in an instant pot is possible with the right tools and techniques. Here are some tips:
- Use oven-safe pans or dishes – You need something that can withstand the high heat, so metal, ceramic or glass pans work best.
- Don’t fill the inner pot – Insert a pan into the instant pot inner pot rather than putting food directly into the pot.
- Add steam release valve – Put a steam rack/trivet in the bottom below your pan and add 1 cup of water to create steam.
- Adjust cooking time – Food may cook faster so reduce baking time by 25% and check doneness early.
- Allow pressure release – Quick release pressure after cooking then remove food immediately.
- Use pot-in-pot method – Place a second smaller pan on a trivet inside the instant pot inner pot.
- Avoid covering food – Do not use a lid or foil over items being baked.
Having the right pans along with the trivet and steam release accessories will help immensely when baking in the instant pot. Be prepared to experiment and adjust both cook times and pressure settings until you get it right.
What Can You Bake in an Instant Pot?
While baking large dishes like whole casseroles or loaves of bread can be tricky, there are many delicious baked goods and dishes you can make in the instant pot:
- Cakes – Cheesecakes, mug cakes, lava cakes and simple round cakes turn out moist.
- Breads – Quick breads like banana bread, pumpkin bread and zucchini bread bake up nicely.
- Muffins and cupcakes – The steam keeps them light and fluffy.
- Mac and cheese – Cooked pasta and cheese sauce becomes ooey-gooey delicious.
- Meatloaf – Mini meatloaves come out juicy and savory.
- Lasagna – Cook noodles first then layer and bake lasagna according to recipe.
- Eggs – Make individual baked eggs in ramekins for a fun breakfast.
More complex layered cakes with frosting or items that require a crust like quiche or pie are more difficult. Stick to simple recipes without yeast for best results. Test out baking times starting at 25% less than the recipe states.
Instant Pot Baking Tips and Tricks
Follow these useful tips to help ensure your baked goods come out perfectly cooked using the instant pot:
- Grease pans well – Coat pans thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray so items release easily.
- Elevate pans – Use a trivet or steam rack in the bottom of the pot to elevate pans.
- Preheat – Press “Sauté” and preheat your pan before adding batter.
- Quick release – Quick release pressure as soon as done cooking time is up.
- Check doneness – Use a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness and bake longer if needed.
- Allow resting time – Let items sit for 5-10 minutes before attempting to remove from the pan.
- Use foil sling – Make a foil sling to help carefully lift out cakes or loaves.
- Adjust cook time – Start with 75% of recipe time and add 5-10 minutes as needed.
Be prepared to experiment with cook times, pressure levels, pan placement and other factors. Write down what works to replicate it next time. With practice, you’ll be churning out amazing baked goods with ease.
Instant Pot Baking Time Chart
Use this time chart as a starting guide when baking in the instant pot:
| Food | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| Cakes | 20-25 minutes |
| Quick breads | 40-45 minutes |
| Yeast breads | 50-60 minutes |
| Muffins | 15-20 minutes |
| Meatloaf | 35-40 minutes |
| Lasagna | 20-25 minutes |
| Mac and cheese | 15 minutes |
Remember to reduce the stated cook time in most standard recipes by 25% when baking in the instant pot. Check for doneness early and add more time in 5 minute increments as needed.
Common Baking Problems and Solutions
Even with the best techniques, you may encounter some issues when baking in the instant pot. Here are some common problems and troubleshooting tips:
- Cake sinks in the middle – Too much baking time. Take cake out 5 minutes sooner.
- Bread is too dense – Didn’t allow it to rise sufficiently before baking.
- Muffins are mushy – Too much moisture in the pot. Use less water next time.
- Bottom burns – Place trivet or rack underneath pan to elevate.
- Lasagna noodles uncooked – May need more moisture. Add an extra 1/2 cup water to pot.
- Cakes stick to pan – Always grease pans very well before baking.
Don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t come out perfectly. Baking in the instant pot often requires some trial and error. Take notes so you can adjust times, pressure and moisture levels to get ideal results.
Conclusion
While the instant pot wasn’t designed specifically for baking, you’d be surprised at how many delicious baked treats you can make using this handy appliance. With the proper tools and techniques, it’s possible to bake cakes, breads, muffins, lasagnas and more in your instant pot. Be prepared for some trial and error as you figure out the ideal times and pressure levels that work best for your model. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll never look at your instant pot the same way again. So don’t be afraid to experiment and turn out tasty baked goods with your instant pot.