Instant Pot Lava Cake

We’re a chocolate-loving family! No celebration is complete without one of us baking a decadent chocolate dessert. Lava Cakes are a regular in my home on Valentine’s Day, our wedding anniversary, and sometimes on Mother’s day too 🙂

Hubby loves it with French vanilla ice-cream, my girls’ latest favorite is to have with Salted Caramel Ice Cream, and me, just give me a spoon and I’m good to go!  The BEST part of this easy chocolate lava cake recipe is that it takes very little time to make and only 5-6 ingredients.

What is Chocolate Lava Cake

Also called Molten Lava Cake, this popular dessert is an ‘almost’ flourless cake that is cooked like a soufflé. Its brownie-like batter is assembled with only 5 basic ingredients- Chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar and flour.
It is baked till the outer walls of the cake bake, but the center is still wet. As a result, when you cut into a molten lava cake, the center flows out resembling a volcanic lava flow.
Fun Fact: It is claimed to have been invented by a french pastry chef in New York City in 1987, when he pulled out a chocolate sponge cake from the oven well before it was done. He found that the center was still runny, but had great taste and a warm luxurious texture. 

Molten Lava Cakes- Perfect Dessert for Two (or Four)

The quantity in this recipe makes two-4 ounce portions of Molten Lava Cake. It can be made using two ramekins. This quantity also fits 4 silicone cupcake molds. Since this is a decadent dessert, I like to make smaller individual portions using these Silicone Cupcake Liners.  These liners serve three great purposes in my home:

First, the silicone molds don’t get hot to the touch after baking, so handling is super easy, my kids bake with these often.Second, taking the lava cakes out of these molds is a breeze. Simply, invert them on to your serving dish, and they slip out nice and easy.Third, it does portion control for me. I take one, finish it and feel satisfied that I had a full dessert. This single serving cake looks tiny, but it is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. 

I prefer to make these lave cakes in my 6 qt Instant Pot Lava Cake as they come out really moist and gooey. But you can easily make them in the oven as well and get the same results. It all depends on how many cakes are you making. This recipe includes instructions for both methods!

Different Size Ramekins & Cook Times

The quantity of batter in this recipe will make:

4 Silicone Cupcake molds; Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven time: 8 mins2 3.5 oz. ramekins;  Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven time: 10 mins2 4 oz ramekins; Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven time: 10 mins2 6 oz. ramekins.  Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven time: 10 mins

Tip: These cook times are based on what works for my family. If you like a more cooked center, you can add another minute or two to get that consistency.

Ingredients for Chocolate Lava Cake

How to Make Chocolate Lava Cake in Instant Pot

How to Prepare the Ramekins for Baking

Spray your ramekins with any non-stick baking spray (like Pam). Using a kitchen towel dab the excess oil away. For extra insurance, add 1 teaspoon of flour and swirl it around, dusting it until it coats the ramekin. Your ramekins are now ready for baking.Skip this step if using silicone molds. Those are ready to go and do not need any greasing.

Lava Cake Batter

Melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments. It takes around 1 minute or a few seconds longer depending on the quantity you are using. Using a whisk, mix well till smooth. Sift in confectioners sugar and mix again. Add eggs, vanilla and salt, and mix again.  Sift in flour and whisk till everything is incorporated.Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the batter in the greased ramekins (or silicone cupcake molds), leaving ¼ inch space from the top. Cook the lava cakes in an Instant Pot or Oven as follows:

Instant Pot Method for Choco Lava Cakes

Put 1 cup water in the Inner pot of the Instant Pot (2 cups for 8 qt), and place a trivet with handles. Place cakes on the trivet. If doubling this recipe, you might have to place 3 ramekins and stack the 4th one on top. Loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent any excess condensation from getting in. Lock lid in sealing position.Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook (high pressure)for 7 minutes. If you like a less gooey center, increase time to 8 minutes. (see notes for more textures)When cooking is done carefully release pressure manually (QR), and remove the cakes. Cool for 1 minute.

How to Make Molten Lava Cake in the Oven

Pre-heat oven to 425°F. Follow the steps and prepare the lava cake batter and divide in ramekins or silicone cupcake molds. Place the cakes on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes if using silicone molds, or 10-11 minutes if using ramekins, depending on how gooey you want the center to be.

Serving Suggestions for Chocolate Lava Cake

Cool the lava cakes for 1 minute. Invert them into the serving plate and dust with confectioners sugar (optional).  Serve warm as-is, or with a scoop of vanilla or your favorite ice-cream. Enjoy!

Can I double this Recipe

Yes, you can easily double or triple this recipe based on the number of portions you’re making.
You can fit up to 8 ramekins easily in a 6qt or 8qt size Instant Pot, with the same pressure cooking time. If cooking a larger batch, I would recommend baking these cakes in the oven.

Recipe Tips & Notes

The quantity in this recipe makes two-4oz portions or 4-mini (silicone cupcake liners) size molten lava cakes.Here are the cook times for different size ramekins and silicone liners:4 Silicone Cupcake molds; Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven: 8 mins2 3.5 oz. ramekins;  Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven: 10 mins2 4 oz ramekins; Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven: 10 mins2 6 oz. ramekins.  Pressure Cooking Time: 7 mins; Oven: 10 minsIf using ramekins, don’t forget to grease them. For extra insurance, add 1 teaspoon of flour and swirl it around, dusting it until it coats the ramekin.These cook times are based on what works for my family. If you like a more cooked center, you can add another minute or two to get that consistency.To make ahead, assemble the batter, pour into individual baking ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till later. Pull them out 30 minutes before baking. These lava cakes are best right after baking. If you’re storing a cooked lava cake for later, you may lose the gooey center or lava texture upon re-heating.When multiplying this recipe, you can fit up to 8 ramekins easily in a 6qt or 8qt size Instant Pot, with the same pressure cooking time. If cooking a larger batch, I would recommend baking these cakes in the oven.

Common Question for Chocolate Lava Cake

Flavor Variation: Salted Caramel Molten Lava Cake

If you haven’t tried out Salted Caramel Molten Lava Cakes yet, you’re missing out big time! Try them, it’s hard not to fall in love with that melted flowing slated caramel!

More Chocolate Desserts on the Blog

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Other Popular Instant Pot Desserts

Blueberry Bread PuddingTiramisu without EggsRice PuddingMango CheesecakeCarrot Halwa (Indian Carrot pudding)Moon Dal Halwa (Indian Sweet Lentil pudding)Apple Cinnamon Cake

📖 Recipe

This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been republished in 2020 with updates recipe measurements, photos and tips.