Instant Pot Lava Cakes are a chocolate lovers dream! This indulgent dessert may seem too fancy to make at home, but it is so easy!
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Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes are a delicious, chocolate cake with a gooey molten center. They pressure cook for just long enough to set the outer layer of cake while keeping the center melted. You may have seen or tried them at restaurants and thought they must be difficult to cook yourself. But they are so easy!
The cake batter is made with just a few simple ingredients. Pressure cooking time is quick too, at just 7 minutes. This decadent dessert will impress whoever you're making it for, so don't let them know how easy it really is!
Instant Pot lava cakes are best served immediately after making for the best molten "lava" experience. So let's get to baking!
Ingredients
This recipe makes four 6-ounce lava cakes and can be made using any size Instant Pot. Pot size will determine how many lava cakes will fit inside at once. The bowls can be stacked to allow for more room.
Equipment Needed
- Pressure cooker: any size will work but more than one bowl likely won't fit in a 3 quart pot at a time.
- Three 6-ounce ramekins: or other oven-safe bowls
- 3 mixing bowls
- Trivet
- Oven mitts
Helpful Cooking Tips
- I prefer not to cover the ramekins with foil while they pressure cook. In experimenting with this recipe, the cakes that were covered took longer to pressure cook and had a center that was not as gooey. While keeping the lava cakes uncovered while they cook will cause a little bit of condensation to form on the top, it can easily be blotted off with a paper towel. There was also still some condensation on the cake even when covered.
- Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for only 1 minute so the center doesn't set. They will continue to cook a little as they cool, so the quicker you remove them from the bowls, the more gooey the center will be.
- Carefully remove the lava cakes from their bowls by first taking a knife and gently running it between the cake and the bowl to release the cake. Then cover the top with a small plate and flip upside down. Tap on the bottom of the bowl and lift up, gently shaking it so the cake easily slides out and onto the plate below.
The best chocolate to use is high quality chocolate baking bars. Semisweet, bittersweet, milk, and dark chocolate are all perfect- it just depends on your flavor preference. The key is to use chocolate baking bars that are sold in the baking aisle. I recommend brands such as Baker’s, Ghirardelli, Nestle, or Lindt. Avoid using chocolate chips, as they won't melt as well and you won't get much "lava" from them.
Lava cakes are baked just long enough for the outer layer to set but for the center to stay soft. This results in a melted gooey center similar to the way molten lava flows down a volcano!
Yes, ramekins can go under pressure in the Instant Pot. Any oven-safe jar or bowl will withstand being pressure cooked.
Molten lava cakes are best right after they are baked, but should be stored in the fridge if you're making them ahead of time or have leftovers. Cover in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Take note that the melted chocolate interior will set when cooled so storing them in the fridge wont give you the same result as when enjoying them fresh out of the pressure cooker.
Yes, you should warm up the cakes in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This should melt the chocolate inside and turn it back into that delicious molten chocolate cake (although it won't be as much as when first cooked).
Instructions
STEP 1: Spray four 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder. Hold upside and shake gently to remove excess powder. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker and place a trivet inside.
STEP 2: Break the chocolate bar into small pieces. Add to a microwave-safe bowl with the butter. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between increments, until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.
STEP 3: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until fluffy. Pour eggs and flour mixture into the bowl of melted chocolate and butter. Mix until smooth.
STEP 4: Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and place on the trivet in the inner pot, stacking if necessary. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook/manual on high for 7 minutes.
Complete a quick release of pressure when finished and carefully remove the ramekins from the pot using oven mitts. Gently blot away any condensation that has formed on top with a paper towel.
STEP 5: Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted plate. Carefully turn over, let stand for 10 seconds and shake gently to unmold.
Serve immediately, topped with ice cream, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and chocolate sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Lava Cake Variations
Chocolate lava cakes can be made with any type of baking chocolate. I primarily use dark chocolate for a rich tasting cake, but have also used a combination of dark and milk chocolate. I have even used a mint chocolate baking bar which was delicious! The flavor of chocolate used won't change the recipe instructions or outcome. It will only subtly change the flavor profile of the cake.
Your options are (but are not limited to):
- Dark chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- White chocolate
- Mint chocolate
- Bittersweet chocolate
- Semisweet chocolate
Serving Lava Cakes
Instant Pot lava cakes are fantastic topped with:
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh fruit, especially raspberries and strawberries
- A drizzle of chocolate syrup or caramel syrup
- Vanilla ice cream (or any flavor for that matter!)
- Fresh mint leaves
Recipe
Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
Equipment
- 3 mixing bowls
- oven mitts
Ingredients
- 6 oz chocolate bar *see notes
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Spray four 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder. Hold upside and shake gently to remove excess powder. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker and place a trivet inside.
- Break the chocolate bar into small pieces. Add to a microwave-safe bowl with the butter. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between increments, until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until fluffy. Pour eggs and flour mixture into the bowl of melted chocolate and butter. Mix until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and place on the trivet in the inner pot, stacking if necessary. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook/manual on high for 7 minutes. Complete a quick release of pressure when finished and carefully remove the ramekins from the pot using oven mitts. Gently blot away any condensation that has formed on top with a paper towel.
- Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted plate. Carefully turn over, let stand for 10 seconds and shake gently to unmold. Serve immediately, topped with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and chocolate sauce if desired.
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