Need a healthy, whole grain, protein loaded breakfast to start the day? Look no further! This Instant Pot Blueberry Breakfast Cake is your new breakfast hero! Soft, fluffy cake, bursting blueberries, and a Honey Lemon Yogurt sauce to top it all off. You're gonna love this one!
As a kid, my breakfast typically involved a bowl of Rice Krispies, plus or minus a chopped up banana.
To be fair, my mom offered to feed us a more hearty breakfast, but my sisters and I refused it because we didn't want to be the kids that smelled like bacon on the bus. #kidprobs
It's no surprise that by the second hour my stomach was growling relentlessly. I can remember so vividly squeezing my belly so hard during reading time so that everyone in the class didn't giggle when my belly growled. Again, #kidprobs.
I've made it my life's mission to ensure that my kids get a breakfast every morning that is packed with long-lasting, wholesome ingredients and have built up quite the repertoire of recipes over the years.
Sometimes I stare longingly at the boxes of “2 for $5” cereal and think, “Oh that would be so much easier,” then images of 10 year old Marci squeezing her stomach underneath her jacket in English class yells at me, “NO! Don't do it!”
So I carry on, making homemade breakfast every day of my life and missing out on an extra 20 minutes of sleep.
I do it for the kiddos.
This Blueberry Breakfast Cake is a recipe I've made weekly for the past 4 years. My family still loves it and it still proves to keep them satisfied for hours, no matter what crazy growth spurt they're going through.
Today's recipe is the first version of many Breakfast Cakes that I've created over the years, and it continues to be my family's favorite.
If you've never tried any of my other breakfast cakes before, let this Blueberry Cake be your first!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE
- THAT GLORIOUS TEXTURE: Instant Pot Breakfast Cake is unlike any cake you've ever eaten. I always tell people it's like a cross between muffins, german pancakes, and a souffle. Light and spongy, yet surprisingly filling.
- BURSTING BLUEBERRIES: The blueberries burst while cooking and act like a syrup that runs throughout the cake.
- MAKES YA FEEL GOOD: Be gone sugar-loaded breakfasts that leave you feeling foggy and tired! My kids even recognize how good this cake makes them feel!
- PROTEIN BABY: The base of this cake is primarily eggs, yogurt, and whole wheat flour making it one of the highest protein breakfasts I serve my family.
- HONEY LEMON YOGURT SAUCE: Instead of drowning all this goodness in syrup (which admittedly is also yummy), whip up this quick and easy yogurt sauce. The lemon/honey/blueberry combo is simply unreal.
HOW TO MAKE BREAKFAST CAKE IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
- Whisk together the wet ingredients
- Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Toss the blueberries with a little flour
- Pour batter into a springform pan
- Place them on top of the cake and use a knife to gently cover them with batter
- Place on a trivet or use a silicone sling to lower the cake into the pot and cook
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BREAKFAST CAKE
- DON'T OVERMIX: Like any muffin or pancake, if you overbeat the batter once you add the flour, it will result in a dense cake. I use a whisk and mix just until all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. If you're worried that you might be a chronic over beater, perhaps try using a spatula instead.
- SINKING BLUEBERRIES: Despite every trick in the book, the blueberries still want to sink to the bottom a bit. I've discovered that if I toss them in a bit of flour, then place them on top of the cake instead of stirring them into the batter, the results are MUCH better. I know the flour dusting step is a little extra, but it really does help.
- USE SMALL BLUEBERRIES: This is a bit of personal preference, but the large blueberries seem to have a tougher skin and create large puddles of juice in the cake. It's not exactly a bad thing, but the small blueberries just seem to taste better and make less of a mess.
- SUGAR OPTIONS: The entire cake only contains 1/4 cup of sugar. I've always used white sugar, but recently I've been using coconut sugar, and other than making it darker in color, it seems to work great as a more natural alternative.
- SKIP THE HOMEMADE YOGURT: For whatever reason, my homemade yogurt seems to make this cake very dense. Fage 0% or 2% Greek yogurt gives the cake a much lighter, spongy texture.
- THE LEMON SAUCE: Not to get picky here, but I actually prefer homemade yogurt for this sauce. Homemade Yogurt is much more mild than store bought so it really lets the honey and lemon flavors shine through.
- PLAN AHEAD: This cake is thick and it takes time to cook. I plan for at least an hour for it to pressure cook, naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then cool for a few minutes so it doesn't burn everyone's taste buds off after the first bite.
HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE BREAKFAST CAKE
- Store: Let cake cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Gently reheat the cake for about 30 seconds in the microwave.
- Freeze: Wrap cooled slices of cake in plastic wrap, and place inside a freezer-safe ziptop bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, or gently reheat in the microwave for 30-second increments while flipping until heated through. We also throw them frozen into lunch boxes and they are thawed by lunch.
MAKE AHEAD TIPS FOR BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE
The night before, prepare wet ingredients and store them in the fridge. Whisk together the dry ingredients in another bowl.
In the morning all you need to do is whisk them together, fold in the blueberries, and breakfast is ready to cook! Aside from the waiting for it to cook part, that's just as easy as pulling out cereal and milk for breakfast in the morning!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BREAKFAST CAKE
Since this Breakfast Cake contains most food groups all in one cake, I simply serve it with a glass of milk, chocolate spinach smoothie, or whatever fruit I have in the fridge.
VARIATIONS OF BREAKFAST CAKE
- Instant Pot Gluten-Free Peach Melba Breakfast Cake
- Instant Pot Strawberry Lemon Poppy Seed Breakfast Cake
- Instant Pot Blackberry Almond Breakfast Cake
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Breakfast Cake
- Instant Pot Berries and Cream Breakfast Cake
I sincerely hope this helps put an end to hunger pains, especially in your hard-working, school-age children who should be able to worry about more important things than embarrassing tummy growls in a painfully quiet classroom.
When you can start your day off right by eating cake, it's safe to say you're gonna rock whatever obstacle stands in your way.
Enjoy!
MORE INSTANT POT HEALTHY BREAKFAST RECIPES
- Instant Pot Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
- Instant Pot Giant Oatmeal Pancake
- Instant Pot Carrot Cake Oatmeal
- Instant Pot Blueberry and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE
PrintInstant Pot Blueberry Breakfast Cake with Honey Lemon Yogurt Sauce
Healthy, whole grain Breakfast Cake to keep you fueled and focused all day long!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- ¼ cup sugar (coconut sugar also works well)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 ½ cups 0% or 2% greek yogurt
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon white whole wheat flour
For the Honey Lemon Sauce
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 7 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the butter, yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla; whisk until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine with egg mixture and stir just until combined – do not overmix!
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Place blueberries in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour to lightly coat. Use a slotted spoon to place them on top of the batter, letting excess flour remain in the bowl. Use a knife to just barely fold blueberries into the batter until they are covered. This will prevent all of them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while it cooks.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker pot and place a trivet inside. Carefully set the springform pan on the trivet. Alternatively, use a silicone sling as pictured in the step by step collage above.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 40 minutes.
- While the cake cooks, prepare the Honey Lemon Sauce: Whisk ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
- When pressure cooking is complete, use a natural release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove pan from pressure cooker. Carefully remove the springform ring. If it is sticking, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen.
- Serve warm with a spoonful of Honey Lemon Sauce.
Notes
- Tossing the blueberries with flour will help keep all of them from sinking to the bottom.
- Frozen blueberries slow down the cooking process of this cake and seem to make it a bit denser. If using frozen, add 5 minutes cook time.
- For a fancy touch, after the cake is cooked, sprinkle it with turbinado sugar and place under the broiler until caramelized.
- To speed things up in the morning, mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl the night before, cover and refrigerate. Place dry ingredients in a quart size resealable bag. In the morning, dump dry ingredients into the wet, mix, and then stir in blueberries.
- Note: Cook time can vary depending on pressure cooker model and elevation. If the cake is underdone, cook it for another 5 – 10 minutes and make a note for the next time you make it.
Keywords: Instant Pot Breakfast, Breakfast Cake, Blueberry Cake
Welcome! I’m Marci, wife to my motorcycle dream man and mother of 3. I have a passion for creating and cooking delicious masterpieces in my kitchen and am ecstatic to share my discoveries on TIDBITS! I like my food tasty, wholesome, memorable, and always, ALWAYS followed by dark, salty chocolate.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I made it this morning for breakfast with freshly picked blueberries and it was delicious!
★★★★★
Donna, I’ve never in my life had fresh picked blueberries, sigh. I bet they’re glorious! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Worked great for me. My family really enjoys this recipe. I’ve made it multiple times. Thanks
★★★★★
Katherine, That’s so good to hear. We love it so much. Try the newest chocolate swirl one if you haven’t yet!
I was so excited to make this recipe, but…..it came out truly awful. Heavy, wet, dense. I tried another 6 minutes in the instant pot, but if anything, it was worse. It was inedible and went in the garbage. I followed the recipe precisely but it was a complete fail for me.
★
Glese, oh no, that makes me so sad. This recipe is frustrating me so much! I’ve been successfully making some version of it weekly for years so I can’t figure out what it is that makes it not work for others. I’m so sorry it was such a disappointment for you!
I was so excited to try this recipe as we love blueberries but I’m disappointed that, as others have commented, mine turned out dense, not cake-like, with little flavor. It’s very heavy and tho it came out puffed up on top, it soon flattened in the center after removing it from the pot. I’m very disappointed that it didn’t turn out and I have made several recipes that came out perfectly. Will not be making this again. ☹️
Lonna, Oh I’m so sad this didn’t work out for you! I can’t figure out what the difference is, why it works great for some and heavy for others. I’ve been making this exact cake since my daughter was little, it’s one of our favorites. Do you mind me asking what flour you used and what brand of baking powder you have?
Can I make this cake in the oven? What temperature and for how long?
Thank you
Olga, yes, I think it would work great. I’d try 350 for 30 minutes, check it, and add more time if it’s not done.
I have made this twice and both times they came out wet and dense. The second time, I used a spatula and mixed. There were clumps everywhere but it just until the flour was incorporated. It doesn’t rise at all and it absorbs all the moisture from pressure cooking. What went wrong??
Jackie, how strange, I wish I knew what was going on. Is your baking powder especially old by chance? What flour and yogurt are you using?
I want to love this recipe but both times I made them, they always collapsed and become very dense. The second time I used a spatula and mixed the wet and dry ingredients. The mix was clumpy when I put it into the pan. What went wrong??
I printed out the recipe. There is a major typo or mistake, it says “Cook at high pressure for 40 minutes.” Unfortunately I followed the printed directions (exactly) and my Breakfast Cake came out totally raw in the center. I re-read the whole post, and there is says it will take 60 minutes to cook at high pressure.
Marlena, I had to reread the post to see what you were referring to. Do you mean the part where I said I plan on an hour from start to finish? I was meaning that included the coming to pressure and release pressure part. I’m sorry it was undercooked! I’m curious, do you have an older or newer Instant Pot?
I have an Instant Pot Duo (6 quart) that I’ve had for about 1 1/2 years. I used fresh blueberries, not frozen, so didn’t add any extra cook time.
Well, dang, I wish it would have been perfect for you. I love this cake so much. Next time add 5 – 10 minutes depending on how underdone it was.
I started having issues with things not cooking thoroughly in some recipes using the given time and it turned out I needed a new silicone seal. Once I replaced the ring, I had no problems. I see below you’ve had the Instant Pot for 1 1/2 years. Have you replaced the ring? Here’s what the site says: Under normal conditions it (sealing ring) should be fine for 18 – 24 months. If you notice cracks, leaking or deformation in the sealing ring, it should be replaced immediately. However, the sealing ring is porous and may absorb odors and become discolored. To avoid discoloration and odors, you may wish to change the sealing ring every 6 – 12 months.
Susan, thank you, that’s a great point!
Thank you for your reply about my question with the flour. I received an email that you answered the question but I did not get to read it because both my question and your answer disappeared, along with the answer to the first person’s question.
Can I make this gluten free?
Lisa, I’ve used Bob’s Redmill 1:1 flour replacement before and that worked really well. I haven’t played with other brands, but I think any of those would work great.
I only have white flour and whole wheat stone ground flour that I use to bake bread, do you think it would work to use some of both, if so what ratio, like 50/50? Thanks
Linda, I think a 50/50 blend would be perfect. Let me know if you try it! I haven’t bought red wheat for a long time so I’m curious how it would do here.
This recipe is delicious!
I couldn’t find my springform pan so I placed the batter in my silicone muffin cups, using your blueberry muffin recipe, but just added the lemon zest with it. I’m not sure if I over mixed it, but the texture was a bit rubbery, although the flavor made up for it! Another thing I did differently was I added more lemon zest to the sauce… yummmmmm!!!
Judie, First, let me clarify: so you used this recipe, but cooked it with the same time as a different recipe?
I love the small version idea, I’m going to try that! Over mixing is likely the reason for a dense outcome. I’ve also found that 0% or 2% Fage greek yogurt works the best for texture. I just bought a new baking powder brand that I’m convinced makes everything better too! And now I want this for dinner 🙂
I tried the 50/50 blend of flour and the recipe was delicious. However, it only raised to 1.5″ tall. It was dense, but very moist. My baking powder was fresh, so I suspect it was the flour. I will try the hard white wheat flour next time.
★★★★★
I’m glad you still enjoyed it! Yes, it should rise taller than that. It gets a little dense after it has cooled, but when it’s hot and fresh, it’s more of a bouncy omelet/cake texture. Let me know if you try it with different flour and be careful not to overmix. Thanks for reporting back!
Can I use frozen blueberries for this? Looks yummy!!
Roxanne: yes, just add an extra 5 minutes and you’ll be good!