Instant Pot Cupcakes

The Instant Pot is a game changer in the kitchen. If you haven’t figured it out yet the Instant Pot pretty much does everything, and then some more. 

Pressure cooker baking is a thing, and these Instant Pot Cupcakes are the perfect recipe to prove it. Baking in the Instant Pot is easy peasy, and bakes incredibly delicious and fluffy cakes. 

These Instant Pot cupcakes come out moist, and full of banana and peanut butter flavor. The best part is they are free from refined sugar. I love the better balance of eating healthy cupcakes for a treat after dinner. 

This recipe is a great way to enjoy cupcakes, with out all the added ingredients and processed sugars associated with a traditional cake mix. As written, our instant pot cake is vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free.  They can be easily adapted to fit the ingredients you already have in your pantry, or around any food allergies or other preferences that you may have.

This delicious cupcake is a special treat with simple ingredients. Our healthy twist on the classic cupcakes is loaded with delicious flavors that the whole family will absolutely go crazy over. 

Where’s the Recipe?

To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts. 

If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, ingredients, and diet information, please simply scroll to the bottom of this post, where you will find the easy to print Instant Pot Cupcakes recipe!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Cupcakes

• Bananas: Bananas add a natural unrefined sweetener to the recipe. 
• Almond milk: A vegan alternative to cow’s milk. 
• Maple Syrup: All delicious desserts should be sweetened with maple syrup. It’s a fantastic unrefined sugar that is perfect in many different recipes. 
• Egg: If wanting to make this recipe vegan, read more about our recommended egg substitute. 
• Vanilla Extract
• Flour: Rice flour, if looking for gluten free, or whole wheat flour.
• Baking Powder: You can thank baking powder for your fluffy cupcake. Baking powder helps provide little air bubbles when baking and that helps give it the fluffy texture we all love and enjoy. 
• Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the rising of the baked good. Baking soda and baking powder are not the same thing, be sure to be mindful when adding these two ingredients. 
• Salt
• Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is one of my favorite flavors in a dessert. I love knowing there is a boost of protein and a ton of delicious flavor. 
• Cocoa Powder: Who doesn’t love all chocolate recipes? The cocoa powder is the perfect addition to the flavors in the frosting.  

How to make Instant Pot Cupcakes in the Instant Pot

Time needed: 35 minutes

If you don’t have silicone molds, you can use ramekins or even oven safe coffee mugs for this recipe.

1. Prepare your pot: Place a trivet in the bottom of the pot and add 2 cups of water.
2. Make your batter: Mash two large bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir in the wet ingredients: almond milk, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Next, add the dry ingredients: rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Now is the time to add any optional mix-ins.
3. Fill your cupcake liners: Lightly spray silicone muffin cups with cooking spray and fill each cavity ¾ full with batter. You can use ramekins, mason jars, or a springform pan as well.
4. Cover: Tightly cover the cupcakes with aluminum foil, and place your cupcakes onto the trivet. You may have to make two rows. If so, rotate the liners slightly to keep the cupcakes from stacking directly on top of one another.
5. Pressure Cook: Close the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 25 minutes. If making a cake, cook for 35 minutes.
6. Make your frosting: While your cupcakes are cooking mix peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and there are no remaining lumps of cocoa powder.
7. Natural Release: When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure valve drops, remove the lid and gently remove your cupcakes.
8. Cool your cupcakes: Remove the aluminum foil covers from your cupcakes and let them cool to room temperature.
9. Frost: Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to spread 1 tbsp of frosting on top of each cupcake.

How to make Instant Pot Cupcakes in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Mash two large bananas in a large bowl. Gently stir in almond milk, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and any optional mix-ins. 
4. Fill each muffin cup ¾ full with batter. 
5. Cook for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. 
6. While your cupcakes are cooking, mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder. 
7. Allow your cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin to room temperature.
8. Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to cover each with 1 tbsp of frosting.

Recipe Tips

• If you don’t like bananas, or have an allergy, you can replace them with one cup of unsweetened applesauce.
• A handheld potato masher works perfectly to mash your bananas.  
• Sometimes I like to omit the cocoa powder from the frosting. The sweet peanut butter frosting is amazing without the chocolate. 
• Rice flour can be substituted in equal amounts for whole wheat flour, or gluten free flour. 
• This works well as a cake too! Just add your batter to sprayed springform pan, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
• Adding in chocolate chips is an easy way to sweeten these up a bit! I’d add 1/4 cup to the batter.
• Our Instant Pot Cup cakes store well in an airtight container. 
• I love leaving the frosting off these and leaving them as banana bread muffins!
• Cooking time might be different if baking at a higher altitude. 

Healthy Eating Plans

These are the counts I’ve figured for specific diets based on the recipe as written, with no additional or optional ingredients.

21 Day Fix

One of these 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Cupcakes counts as a Yellow Container treat swap. 

2B Mindset

This counts as a “silly” carb or treat.

Weight Watchers

Our Weight Watchers Instant Pot Cupcake version is just as delicious.

Want more Instant Pot recipes?

• Instant Pot Brownies
• Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Starbucks Espresso Brownies Copycat