We’re continuing my love of apricots with this absolutely amazing Instant Pot cake! It’s an Apricot Upside Down Cake made in the Instant Pot. This can be made with fresh apricots, which are getting harder and harder to come by, or with canned apricots. This post contains affiliate links.
I used up our entire tree of apricots over a month ago with apricot pie filling, apricot jam, and apricot butter. So, my cake was made with canned apricots, which I love almost as much as fresh apricots. But, I’ll explain how to easily make this with fresh apricots.
Table of Contents
Instant Pot Cake Pan
I have an 8 qt Instant Pot. When I bake a cake in the Instant Pot, I use a 7-inch springform pan that fits just perfect on the trivet in the Instant Pot. I actually got one of my springform pans in this Instant Pot kit that includes a ton of extras. It is totally worth it. I use so many of these things when I cook in the instant pot.
Making a Cake in the Instant Pot
I used a yellow cake box mix to make this cake. When you make a cake in the instant pot, you’ll only use half the batter since you can only fit that 7-inch cake pan in the instant pot.
I recommend only cooking one cake at a time in your instant pot. I honestly haven’t seen anyone cook more than one at a time in one instant pot. If you have two instant pots, you can cook two at a time, but I do not. So, I ended up cooking two cakes, one right after the other, so I wouldn’t waste half my cake mix.
Making an Apricot Upside Down Cake in the Instant Pot
I buy the “lite” canned apricots that are in water or a lite syrup because I substitute the syrup in the canned apricots for the water in the cake mix. I would probably avoid using canned apricots in heavy syrup and using the syrup because it will probably make the cake too sweet.
First, I like to spray the pan liberally with nonstick spray. Then, I think the secret to a delicious upside down cake is a mixture of brown sugar and butter on the bottom. This a secret I have done with a few things to prevent burning the bottom like french toast breakfast casseroles and upside down cakes. Sometimes I layer it first and other times I put the fruit and then pour a melted version over the fruit.
Next layer the apricots with the halved side down. With canned apricots, just layer as many as you can place. I found 12 halves was the perfect number, and that took about 1 1/2 cans of apricots.
If you are using fresh apricots, they are not as squishy, so it make take a few less. I’d start with 6 apricots, halve them, and remove the pits. Then, put them half side down. The cool thing about using fresh apricots is you don’t have to remove the skin like with other stone fruits.
Next, make the yellow cake mix. If using canned apricots skip the water and add the same amount of the canned apricot juice/syrup to the batter. Then, follow the directions for making the cake batter. When you’re reading to add the cake batter, fill the pan just half way. I gently tapped the pan to make sure the batter went all the way down to the apricots, and then added additional batter if it wasn’t quite up to the halfway mark.
Baking an Apricot Upside Down Cake in the Instant Pot
Next, if your springform pan has a metal lid use it. If not, then just cover the top of your pan with foil.
Add one cup of water to the instant pot. Then, set your trivet in the bottom with the sides up (so you can easily pull out the cake when it’s done) and set the cake pan on the trivet. I found it easier to put the cake pan on the trivet first and then lower them together into the instant pot.
Set the Instant Pot to manual (with high pressure) and set the time for 45 minutes. When the time is up, do a natural release and then when the pressure is down, remove the cake. Remove the foil and open the springform ring and remove it. You’ll notice the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan while cooking.
Topping an Apricot Upside Down Cake
Then, use a plate that is large enough and lay it over the top of the cake. Using a pot holder, hold onto the bottom of the springform pan and flip everything over. Then, gently see if the bottom will release. I found sliding a sharp knife near the edge easily released the pan bottom. Cut into 8 slices.
I’ve made these a few times, and I’ve never had a problem with it sticking. They come this beautifully every time. There’s a few ways I’ve served them.
- fresh whipped cream
- sifted powdered sugar
- dulce de leche sauce
- turbinado sugar
It tastes amazing with any of these toppings, and it tastes amazing just plain as well. It’s a wonderful sweet tart flavor, and the way the cake cooks in the instant pot gives it almost like a custard look to it. This is the perfect cake to serve with coffee or tea.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Jumbo Baked Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Healthier Refried Beans in the Instant Pot
- How to Cook Frozen Tamales in an Instant Pot
More Cake Recipes
Apricot Upside Down Cake in the Instant Pot
Make an Apricot Upside Down Cake in the Instant Pot for a delicious sweet tart treat using canned or fresh apricots.
Ingredients
- non-stick oil spray
- 1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cans of apricots
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup liquid from apricot cans
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Spray the 7-inch springform pan with non-stick oil spray.
- Mix together brown sugar and butter. Then, spread it over the entire bottom of the springform pan.
- Place about 12 canned apricot halves (1 1/2 cans) with half side down on the bottom of the springform pan.
- Make the yellow cake mix with eggs, oil, and the syrup from the canned apricots instead of water.
- Pour the batter over the apricots in the pan. Fill the pan halfway.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil.
- Place 1 cup water in the bottom of Instant Pot.
- Set pan on trivet and carefully set both down in the Instant Pot.
- Set Instant Pot to manual (with high pressure chosen) and then set time to 45 minutes.
- Allow natural release and then remove cake from Instant Pot.
- Remove foil and springform ring immediately.
- Place plate over cake and flip over on plate with bottom of pan still on cake.
- Gently loosen the bottom of the pan with a knife if needed and remove bottom of pan to reveal cake.
- Top with whipped cream, powdered sugar, turbinado sugar, or dulce de leche sauce.
- Cut into 8 slices for serving.
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.
- Use the second half of the batter and rest of the canned apricots to make an additional cake.
Notes
If using fresh apricots, slice in half and remove pits. Then place up to 12 halves in bottom of pan when canned apricots are called. Instead of using canned apricot juice, just use a cup of water in place for the cake batter.