Instant Pot Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

This chocolate chip pumpkin cake bakes up dense and moist—thanks in part to the ingredients (applesauce, Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree) and also because you make it in your Instant Pot pressure cooker. Yes, that’s right, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and bake delicious desserts right in your Instant Pot!

Come to think of it, you technically aren’t “baking” when using your electric pressure cooker. To bake something means that it is cooked using dry high heat in an enclosed environment, like an oven. The heat ends up cooking the food from the outside to the inside, giving you an exterior that is browner, firmer and drier than the inside.

How Oven Baking is Different than “Baking” in the Instant Pot

When “baking” with your Instant Pot, you are actually steaming the food and you will end up with much less browning on the exterior and an inside that is much more dense and moist than the same item that is baked in an oven (since there is no evaporation during the cooking cycle). This article on Salon goes into great detail about how cooking in the Instant Pot differs from the more traditional method of oven baking.

For more healthy pumpkin recipes with favorite fall flavors, check out Pumpkin Spice Cake, Slow Cooker Pumpkin Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Muffins, 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins and Cookies, Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake, or even No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crock Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

How Many Calories and WW Points in this Instant Pot Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake?

According to my calculations, each serving has about 162 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

To make this cake lighter, healthier and more Weight Watchers friendly I:

• Substituted the 1/4 cup canola oil called for with 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• Used half as many mini chocolate chips (which were still very plentiful)
• Used Truvia Baking Blend (affiliate link) in place of sugar

This cake can also be drizzled with simple glaze, if desired—just be sure to adjust your WW Points accordingly.

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake in the Instant Pot, Step-by-Step

Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients. Spray a 6-cup mini bundt pan (affiliate link) with non-stick spray and set aside.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl (affiliate link), whisk together all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sweetener.

Step 3: In a separate mixing bowl, stir together egg, yogurt, applesauce, milk, vanilla and pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined.

Step 4: Pour wet ingredients mixture into dry flour mixture and mix well, until all dry ingredients have been absorbed.

Fold in the miniature chocolate chips.

Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth top if necessary.

Step 6: Add 1 cup of water to inner pot of Instant Pot (affiliate link). Lightly cover bundt pan with aluminum foil, place on steam rack and carefully set in inner pot.

Step 7: Place lid on Instant Pot in locked position with the steam release valve in Sealing position. Select HIGH pressure and set cook time for 30 minutes.

Step 8: After cooking time finishes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then move steam release valve to Venting position and quickly release the remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.

Step 9: Carefully remove the wire steam rack and set the bundt pan on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Step 10: For best results, after the cake has cooled completely, place a large cake plate over the pan and invert to release the cake.

Step 11: If desired, lightly dust cake with powdered sugar before cutting into 8 equal pieces.

Step 12: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

The original recipe called for 1 cup of sugar which I replaced with 1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend (affiliate link). Truvia Cane Sugar Baking Blend bakes and browns like sugar, but with 75% fewer calories per serving than sugar. And you can use less because 1/2 cup Truvia Blend is equal to 1 cup of sugar.

And in an attempt to keep this cake low in fat, I also substituted the 1/4 cup canola oil called for with 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt and used half as many mini chocolate chips (which were still very plentiful).

I tend to like my desserts on the less sweet side and I prefer plain cakes to frosted (or iced) cakes. Given this, I kept it simple with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving. Because this is such a moist cake, the powdered sugar was absorbed almost immediately!

This cake can also be drizzled with simple glaze, if desired—just be sure to adjust your WW Points accordingly.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this cake plain, with a light dusting of powdered sugar or drizzled with your favorite glaze or icing. Serve with a dollop of lite whipped topping or scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Any leftovers should be kept in an airtight container.

If you’ve made this Low-Fat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Recipe source: The Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook: 100 great recipes with fewer calories and less fat (affiliate link) by Dana Angelo White MS, RD, ATC

If you like Instant Pot PumpkinChocolate Chip Cake, you may also like

• Deep Dish Instant Pot Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
• 3-Ingredient Instant Pot Hazelnut Fudge Cake
• Banana Oat Flourless Instant Pot Cake
• Homemade Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Puree