Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake – they’re cakey on the outside with an irresistible center of warm, decadent chocolate flowing through the middle. These molten lava cakes are incredibly easy to make using only 6 ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes.
BEST CHOCOLATE FOR LAVA CAKE IN THE INSTANT POT?
I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for an extra rich and decadent chocolate lava cake. It has the right amount of sweetness. Dark chocolate will also work if you don’t want it as sweet. Just be sure to use premium chocolate chips or chocolate bars to get the “lava” effect.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE?
You’ll start by adding butter and semi-sweet chocolate into a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute and stir. Then, do 30-second intervals in the microwave, if needed, until completely melted.
Once the chocolate is melted, whisk in 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Then, add the confectioner’s sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Stir until combined but do not over mix.
I used four 6-ounce ramekins to make these and they worked perfectly for this recipe. Grease the ramekins with butter or non-stick cooking spray to prevent the lava cake from sticking.
Fill the ramekins 2/3 full with the chocolate batter mixture. Pop any air bubbles with a toothpick.
Place a trivet at the bottom of the inner pot and add 1 cup of water. Then, place the ramekins on top of the trivet.
Manually set the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 8 minutes. When it is done cooking, do a Quick Release.
Carefully flip the warm lava cakes upside down onto a plate. Serve it with fresh berries, ice cream, and magic shell chocolate fudge.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST MOLTEN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE IN THE INSTANT POT
- You will need 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks. It is best to break the eggs in a separate bowl in case some eggshells fall into the batter.
- Remember to grease the ramekins with butter or cooking spray before adding the chocolate lava mixture. This will ensure that the lava cake can easily come out when you invert it.
- If you live in an area of high altitude, you may need to add a minute of cook time or allow it to slow-release for 1-2 minutes.
WHAT SIZE RAMEKIN SHOULD I USE?
This recipe uses four 6-ounce ramekins. I found that it is perfect for this recipe and it is the perfect serving size. If you used a different size ramekin, you may need to adjust the time.
CAN I USE A PYREX GLASS BOWL IN THE INSTANT POT?
The older PYREX (all capital letters) can be used in the instant pot. The newer Pyrex (lower-case letters) is made with a different material and it might shatter in the instant pot. Some Pyrex bowls might be oven safe but not pressure cooker safe. Use it at your own risk, some people have had good luck with it, while others have reported that it has exploded in the instant pot.
HOW DO I GET MY CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE TO HAVE A BROWNIE OR CAKE-LIKE TEXTURE?
The Instant Pot cooks the chocolate lava cake by using pressure and steam. This makes the texture of the lava cake really moist when you first take it out. If you wish to have a brownie or cake-like texture, invert the chocolate lava cakes onto a plate and leave it in the fridge (unwrapped) for a few hours or overnight. This will dry out the outside of the lava cake and it’ll seem like it was baked in the oven. Once you are ready to eat it, just put it in the microwave and reheat for 20 seconds. This step is totally optional. I think it tastes amazing either way.
CAN I MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes! You can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Allow the batter to come to room temperature before placing it into the ramekins.
You can also refrigerate or freeze the baked lava cakes. It will last 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. Once you are ready to eat, just put it in the microwave and reheat.
Have you made this? Be sure to leave a review below!
Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (approx. 1 cup)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place semi-sweet chocolate and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it up in the microwave for 1 minute and stir. If needed, heat it up at 30-second intervals until it is completely melted.
- Whisk 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla extract into the mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, confectioner's sugar, and a pinch of salt. Do not overmix.
- Grease the ramekins with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Pour the chocolate batter into the ramekins until it is 2/3 filled. Pop any air bubbles with a toothpick.
- Place a trivet at the bottom of the inner pot. Pour 1 cup of water inside. Then, place the ramekins on top of the trivet. (You can stack 3 at the bottom and 1 on top if it doesn't fit)
- Manually set the instant pot on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Once it is done, do a Quick Release.
- Serve it with ice cream, chocolate fudge, and fresh berries.
Notes
- Remember to grease the ramekins with butter or cooking spray before adding the chocolate lava mixture. This will ensure that the lava cake can easily come out when you invert it.
- If you live in an area of high altitude, you may need to add a minute of cook time or allow it to slow-release for 1-2 minutes.
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