Instant Pot Banana Bread Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure).
This Instant Pot banana bread is so moist, tender and full of banana flavor – it’s simply mouthwatering!
This is hands down the best Instant Pot banana bread recipe on the Internet! Before I invented this recipe, I’ve tried several popular Instant Pot banana breads recipes that I found online. I was super disappointed – those breads looked good on the outside, but when I cut into them, their texture was like a dense wet brick! I was about to give up on the idea of baking bread in the Instant Pot, but then decided to try my regular tried-and-true banana bread recipe that I usually bake in the oven, but this time in the Instant Pot. My “last try” turned out to be a success!
This Instant Pot banana bread is so soft and tender! Bite into it and taste the banana deliciousness, this is a true yummy goodness!
In order to bake banana bread in the Instant Pot, you need a baking dish that fits inside the pot. Any metal, ceramic or glass baking pan will do, as long as it fits inside the inner pot of Instant Pot!
I personally use a round 7 cup Pyrex dish – it fits into the Instant Pot perfectly! It’s so versatile too – you can use it in the oven, microwave, freezer, as a serving bowl, you name it! For more information and where to find it, see my article on Pyrex inside the Instant Pot.
Baking banana bread in the Instant Pot is really easy. First, mix the ingredients for the banana bread batter and pour into a baking dish. Cover the baking dish with paper towel (the paper towel absorbs the extra moisture), then cover it with foil (on top of the paper towel). Next, pour 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot and put in a trivet with the handles facing up (trivet is the metal rack that came with the Instant Pot). Put the banana bread bowl in the Instant Pot on a trivet. See the picture below of my Instant Pot baking setup:
See how the handles of the trivet are visible above the foil covered bowl. This way you can grab them (with baking mittens, of course) and lift out the baked banana bread out of the pot!
To bake banana bread in the Instant Pot, press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the time for 55 minutes on High pressure. When it’s done cooking, quick release (QR) the steam, then take out the banana bread, remove the foil and paper towel cover and invert the bread onto a plate.
Let the freshly baked banana bread cool for 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy!
If you like Instant Pot banana bread, you will also love these easy Instant Pot recipes:
Instant Pot Baked Apples – sweet and delicious, stuffed with cinnamon and raisins and baked in the Instant Pot to perfection!
Instant Pot Candied Orange Peel – these chewy candied citrus peels are so addictive! Perfect for homemade holiday food gifts!
Instant Pot Pumpkin – how to cook whole pumpkin in your Instant Pot and turn it into homemade pumpkin puree.
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli – tastes exactly like Chinese takeout! This easy Instant Pot dinner is always a hit!
Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes – so soft and creamy, these sweet potatoes are simply perfect!
Click here for more info on the Pyrex model that I used for this banana bread >>
Instant Pot Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana mashed with a fork
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp butter softened
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour make sure you do not pack the flour when measuring
- 2 tsp baking powder preferably aluminum-free
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup water for pressure-cooking only, do not add it to the banana bread batter
Recommended Kitchen Tools (click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe)
Instructions
- Grease a round baking dish that fits inside the Instant Pot with 1 tbsp of butter.
- Whisk the egg with sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add mashed banana, vanilla, milk and remaining 6 tbsp of butter and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix until combined.
- Pour batter into greased round baking dish. Cover the dish with paper towel and then cover with aluminum foil on top of paper towel. (The paper towel will be absorbing the moisture from the steam).
- Pour 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot and insert the trivet. Put the foil-covered baking dish with banana bread batter on the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot and turn the valve to a Sealing position. Press the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button and set the time to 55 minutes on High pressure.
- When the Instant Pot is done cooking, quick release (QR) the steam.
- Open the lid and carefully remove the dish with banana bread from the Instant Pot using potholders or baking mittens (I just grab the handles of the trivet and lift it out together with the banana bread dish).
- Remove the foil and paper towel cover and invert the banana bread onto a plate. Let the banana bread cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Hello! Like your recipes! I assume the banana bread can be made using a springform pan? I bought one for my I Pot. Do you think there would be a cooking time difference?
Yes, it can be made in a springform pan or any other dish that fits inside the Instant Pot, same cooking time.
If I use self rising flour do I still need baking powder?
No baking powder needed if you use self rising flour.
Can one substitute oil for the butter in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it with oil, but my guess is that it will work. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Is 1 tbsp baking powder correct? It just seems like a lot. Should it be 1 tsp? I look forward to trying this. It looks amazing!
Yes, 1 tbsp is correct!
What size instant pot did you use? I will be using the 3qt one. Do I need to make any changes? Thank you.
I used the 6qt Instant Pot. No changes needed for 3qt, as long as everything fits.
Hello, thank you for this recipe. I poured the batter into two 7″ bread loaf pans so I could add nuts to one of them. They both do not fit in the IP if I use a trivet so I’m baking them separately. Would I cook each one individually for the same 55 min. timeframe? (1/2 the batter in a loaf pan)
Yes, same cooking time. You can also put the second loaf pan in the 350F oven for the same time as well :)
The finished product in your photo has a nicely browned top. What did you do to achieve that? I made this recipe yesterday in the IP, and of course, did not expect it to brown (which it didn’t). Tried browning under the broiler for a few minutes, but it did not brown evenly. Thank you.
No I didn’t brown under the broiler. It just somehow came out like that in my Instant Pot :) The top that you see is actually the bottom of the banana bread, as it was flipped over when I took it out of the Pyrex dish.
So I made this yesterday and just enjoyed a slice with coffee this morning. It is very good but not baked in the middle of the cake. Suggestions for next time?
Next time increase the pressure cooking time by 10 minutes.
☆☆☆ Pretty good! Very moist! Could be more banana-na-ny. I made in an 8qt, wasnt done in the middle..I’m going to add maybe 5 min next time. But was good for something quick and easy
This has been my go-to recipe for years now! Simply delicious.