Banana Bread Cake [Instant Pot Pressure Cooker]

Banana Bread Cake

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Why do I call this Banana Bread Cake made in my Instant Pot both Cake and Bread?

Well, I honestly couldn’t decide… Was it more like cake? Was it more like bread? Truthfully, I make banana bread all the time in the oven, and I use a different recipe. It is typical banana bread, in taste and texture. This recipe is definitely different in texture — its much lighter & more moist. However, it is definitely denser than a light, fluffy vanilla cake.

This Banana Bread Cake is delightfully sweet, delightfully tender, delightfully dense, delightfully moist… delightfully everything!

This Banana Bread Cake is awesome and I made it without ever having to turn on my oven which in turn heats my always-hot-anyways Florida home - winning! Why use my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and not my oven? The prior sentence is good enough reason for me... Thanks, Instant Pot!

You can eat this plain, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a frosting of your choice — my fave being cream cheese frosting, but if you have chocolate lovers, go for chocolate; if you have cream cheese haters, go for vanilla — it’s ALL good!

You can make this Banana Bread Cake with a variety of mix-ins to switch it up, too! The world is your oyster; the world is your Banana Bread Cake!

Banana Bread Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup oil — I use vegetable or canola but you could use coconut, too

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

3 over ripened bananas, mashed — about 1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups flour, properly measured

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1 1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

Optional Mix-ins (1/2 cup of mix in of your choice):

cinnamon chips

chocolate chips

walnuts

pecans

shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups water for the bottom of the Pressure Cooker pot

Essential Tools

Bundt Pan, 6 cup — I use this Nordic Ware bundt pan

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer or hand mixer — you can also do this by hand

Short trivet or cooking rack

Directions

Grease and flour bundt pan — I use cooking spray and a couple tablespoons of flour to coat the bundt pan. This will ensure your banana bread cake won’t stick.

In medium sized mixing bowl, whisk all dry ingredients (properly measured flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder). Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, blend oil, butter and sugars until very well combined, about 45 seconds on medium speed. 

Add vanilla, bananas and sour cream; mix until combined, about 20-30 seconds on medium speed.

Add both eggs, blend until just combined, about 10-15 seconds on medium speed.

Add dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until just combined, perhaps 20 seconds.

Do not over mix!

Add optional mix-in, if desired. I added cinnamon chips!

Mix very lightly to avoid over-mixing batter.

Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan

Cover with foil

Place bundt pan in Instant Pot on trivet, over water.

Close lid and turn vent knob to “Sealing”

Press Manual (High Pressure), and adjust cook time using “+/-“ to 48* minutes.

I’ve tried 45, not quite enough; 50, a few too many; 48 is where I’ve decided the sweet spot is!

After pressure cooker comes to pressure, cook time countdown will begin.

When cook time countdown is complete, allow pressure cooker to naturally release pressure (NPR) for 5 minutes. Quickly release remaining pressure (QPR).

Open lid, and carefully remove bundt pan — it’s pretty snug in there! I solicit the help of my Silicone mitts and a hand towel. 

I grab a hold of one side of the bundt pan with a towel, and lifting/slighty tipping the pressure cooker inner pot until I can slide the bundt pan out. Be careful, there’s hot water under there!

Remove foil and allow Banana Bread Cake to cool for about an hour.

Look at this Banana Bread Cake!

Once cooled, run knife around the outside edge and inside edge of the cake to loosen. Place a plate over bundt pan, then lift bundt pan and flip over onto plate.

Serve plain, with powdered sugar, or frosting of your choice.

I like to serve a dollop of frosting on the side so the beautiful Banana Bread Cake is exposed in all it’s delicious glory!

Banana Bread Cake 

(with optional Cinnamon chip mix in and a dollop of cream cheese frosting)

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