Grease your 7-inch cake pan lightly with oil or non-stick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal. Pour about 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot’s inner pot, place the trivet inside, and set your prepared cake pan on top of the trivet.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients well to combine evenly. This step ensures a smooth batter without lumps.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy. The room temperature eggs help the batter mix uniformly and rise better during cooking.
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula or whisk until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender. Finally, carefully add the boiling water to the batter and mix until smooth. The hot water intensifies the chocolate flavor and creates a luscious texture.
Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent condensation from dripping onto your cake while it cooks.
Place the covered cake pan on the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before carefully quick-releasing any remaining steam.
Remove the cake pan from the Instant Pot and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cooled, carefully remove the foil and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and enjoy!
