So… I’m ditching the “M” word for this beautiful, grain-free cake.
You know, the cringe-worthy word that means damp and watery and isn’t really the best way to describe an amazing texture?
After all, who wants to eat a soggy cake? Not me!
Instead, let’s say that this easy Instant Pot Zucchini Cake has a soft, spongy crumb. Once slathered with luscious cream cheese frosting, it is pure BLISS! If you’re not a frosting person, by all means dust the cake with cinnamon or enjoy it à la mode.
The Best Way To Use Up Summertime Zucchini Abundance Is A Healthy Instant Pot Zucchini Cake!
Summertime is right around the corner, and zucchini will be in abundance before we know it. So much zucchini that we won’t know what to do with all of it!
Roasted zucchini, bacon-wrapped zucchini, grilled zucchini, zucchini soup, stuffed zucchini, zucchini fritattas, zucchini muffins, zucchini waffles … you get the picture. There are so many ways to use up this versatile veggie!
But hands down, my favorite way to us up summertime zucchini is in CAKE! Extra bonus? Let your Instant Pot cook the cake for you — no oven and no heating up the house. Don’t make your air conditioning work harder than it needs to.
You’ll have the best grain-free Instant Pot zucchini cake in no time, with quality, Real Food ingredients. You won’t find any refined flours, packaged cake or pudding mixes, or vegetable oils in this cake.
Head to your local farmers market (or maybe your own backyard if you have some growing!) and grab yourself a few zucchini. Then treat yourself to this delicious summertime classic.
The Best, Healthiest, Easiest Instant Pot Zucchini Cake {grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free}
Got an abundance of summer zucchini? Use them up in this cake: The Best, Healthiest, Easiest Instant Pot Zucchini Cake! This healthy summer cake is grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free and made from scratch with Real Food ingredients! Make this Instant Pot Zucchini Cake today!
Ingredients
- 7 fresh or dried Medjool dates halved and pitted
- 1/4 cup avocado oil ghee, or grass-fed butter (melted if necessary)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or coconut syrup
- 3/4 cup cassava flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 organic or pastured eggs room temperature
- 1 cup zucchini finely grated, about 2 medium-size zucchini
Instructions
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If using dried dates, submerge and soak them in 1 cup very hot filtered water for 20 minutes. When they're done soaking, discard the soak water.
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If using fresh dates, proceed to next step. They're soft and ready to use right away.
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Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish that fits in your pressure cooker (preferably one with a glass lid).
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Line bottom of dish with parchment paper. It just needs to cover most of the bottom. Set dish aside.
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Add dates, fat of choice, and sweetener of choice to a high-powered blender such as the Vitamix.
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Blend until the dates are pureed.
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Add remaining ingredients in the order listed except for zucchini.
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Blend on low speed for a few seconds, then scrape down the sides and blend once more for a few seconds, just until combined. Do not over mix. Remove lid.
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Add zucchini, using a spatula to gently fold it into the mixture.
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Pour cake batter into the greased, parchment-lined dish.
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Add 1 cup of water to insert pot of pressure cooker and place the trivet inside.
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Cover the casserole dish with fitted glass lid or a piece of parchment paper that covers the top, then a layer of foil to secure it. Carefully place the casserole dish on top of the trivet.
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Cover the pressure cooker, checking the seal and components to make sure all is well.
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If using an electric cooker, set to high pressure for 20 minutes. If using a stove-top cooker, bring to high pressure and maintain for 20 minutes.
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When cycle is complete, turn off (if electric cooker) or remove from heat (if stovetop cooker).
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Allow to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes. Then quick release any remaining pressure.
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Carefully remove the cooker lid. Be careful not to drip condensation on the cake.
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Test cake for done-ness with a toothpick. It should come out clean with no more than a few moist crumbs. If not done, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes on high pressure, then quick release pressure.
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Carefully remove the casserole dish. Let the cake cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour or until cooled before frosting and serving.
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Finally, frost with cream cheese frosting or serve with ice cream (vanilla or cinnamon are especially lovely!).
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Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.
Recipe Notes
- No oven and no heating up the house! Let your Instant Pot cook the cake for you.
Want More Real Food Instant Pot Desserts?
- 22 Real Food Instant Pot Desserts
- Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake With Probiotic Blueberry Sauce
- Instant Pot White Hot Chocolate
- Chai-Spiced Apple Cake in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Lemon Pudding Cups
- Instant Pot Paleo Apple Pear Fennel Crisp
- 5-Minute Healthy Instant Pot Chocolate Pudding
What is your favorite dish featuring zucchini?
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Always have oodles of zucchini and this sounds yummy good … and, yes, healthy!! Thank you for your amazing recipes and website!
Thanks so much for the kind words! I hope you enjoy all of the zucchini you have this summer and that you get to make this cake too.
Has anyone tried just baking this cake instead of pressure cooking? What were the results, I wonder? Thanks! Erica
Hi Erica, I haven’t tried baking it but I’d love to hear how it does baked. I would suggest trying at 350 degrees F in a 8 or 9 inch round and make sure to check it around 20 minutes to gauge how much longer you’d need baking it. I’m guessing it would take about 25-30 minutes, but again I haven’t tried it this way so I’m not positive. It’s just my best guess 🙂 I hope that helps some. Let us know if you give it a try baked.
Can a different type of gluten free flour be used?
Hi Jennifer, I didn’t test this recipe with another gluten-free flour so I can’t say for sure. It’s possible an all-purpose gluten-free flour would work though. If you give it a try with a GF flour, let us know how it turns out. 🙂
Can I use a cake pan instead? I have a 7” x 3” pan or a bundt pan. Would either of those work?
Hi Crystal, as long as you have a pan that fits inside the Instant Pot that is safe for the Instant Pot, it should work fine. Metal, glass, silicone and ceramic seem to work well in the IP – I would personally stay away from plastic though. Hope that helps! 🙂
I can’t do eggs, I wonder if a gelatin egg would work here or if the eggs are essential…
Hi Angie, I didn’t test this cake with gelatin eggs, so I can’t say for sure. I’ve found in baking that sometimes gelatin eggs work really well and other times I haven’t had success with them at all – I haven’t tried “baking” with them at all in the IP yet though. If you end up giving it a try, let us know how it goes. 🙂