Molten chocolate cake or lava cake is a small or individual serving of chocolate cake that is served warm and oozes out melted chocolate from the inside.
It is a delicious dessert and is perfect to make for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine's Day, or just to indulge in to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can just make a small batch or even serve a crowd!
If you are looking for an air fryer dessert recipe, this one is a must-try as it takes under 30 minutes to make. This air fryer lava cake for two is easy to make, and comes out moist, delicious, and fudgy. It oozes out melted chocolate when you cut it.
You might also like this air fryer chocolate cake and air fryer cheesecake recipe.
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Ingredients
Only a few basic ingredients are needed to make these eggless air fryer chocolate lava cakes. Along with cocoa powder, you will need all-purpose flour, oil, water, sugar, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and chunks of good-quality baking chocolate bar.
As this is a no-eggs recipe a little baking powder is added as a leavening agent.
Ensure that you use good quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. You can also use cacao powder. Olive oil or grape seed oil works well for this recipe.
Instructions
Making lava cakes in the air fryer is easy. It is really useful when you want to make a small batch or if the oven is busy. This air fryer lava cake is perfect for two.
It is highly recommended to weigh dry ingredients like flour and cocoa powder with a digital food scale. A packed cup can have much more flour than needed and can end up in a thicker batter.
If you do not have a digital food scale, you can sift the flour and lightly spoon the cup.
Add all the dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Now with the help of a whisk, stir all the ingredients. Add the wet ingredients gradually and mix everything into a smooth batter ensuring there are no lumps.
Step 1: Add all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients and mix well.
Grease the ramekins with butter and dust them with some all-purpose flour. This helps in removing the lava cakes smoothly once they are baked.
Pour the batter into the ramekins till about â…”rd its capacity. Place a large chunk of the baking chocolate bar inside the batter and let it immerse completely.
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Place the ramekins in the air fryer basket carefully. Air fry the lava cakes for 12-14 minutes at 360°F. When the lava cakes start leaving the edges, they are done.
Step 3: Pour the batter in ramekins and insert a chocolate piece. Air fry for 12-14 minutes at 360°F.
Step 4: Once the lava cake starts leaving the edges, it is done.
Take out the ramekins from the air fryer and allow them to cool down for a minute or so. Then run a butter knife around the edges and invert the lava cake onto a serving plate.
When you cut the cake with a spoon, molten chocolate will ooze out. You can sprinkle some icing sugar on top of it and enjoy the warm cake.
Serving suggestions
Lava cake is a decadent chocolate dessert and is best served warm as the melted chocolate oozes out only when it is warm.
You can enjoy it as is or sprinkle some icing sugar on it. You can also serve it with some vanilla ice cream, ginger ice cream, or chocolate ice cream. A dollop of whipped cream with some caramel sauce or chocolate sauce over it tastes great as well.
A chocolate ganache made with heavy cream and chocolate chips or fresh berries like raspberries and strawberries is also a quick and easy topping.
Substitutions
These air fryer lava cakes are made with basic ingredients found in the pantry. A few substitutions can be made.
- Butter - instead of oil, you can use melted butter, however, they will turn out a little dense.
- Chocolate chunks - you can use peanut butter chocolate chunks, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate ones.
- Vegan - all ingredients to make the lava cake are vegan, just ensure you are using vegan chocolate chunks.
- Cocoa powder - cacao powder or cocoa powder can be used to make this recipe.
Equipment
I have made these chocolate lava cakes in the Instant Vortex Plus air fryer and they can be made in any air fryer, basket style, or with a tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer and ramekins, you may have to bake the lava cakes in multiple batches.
Also, I have used 10-ounce ramekins but you can use a smaller size of 6-ounce ramekins or 8 ounces.
A whisk comes in very handy to mix all the ingredients into a smooth batter. It is not recommended to use a hand blender or a stand mixer to blend as it will make the batter airy which will not make the lava cake fudgy.
Storage
Chocolate lava cakes can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can wrap them individually in cling wrap or store them in an airtight container.
When you are ready to eat, reheat the lava cake in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Top tip
Weighing the dry ingredients using a digital food scale will give consistent results.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like
- Air fryer chocolate chip cookies
- Air fryer brownies
- Bread machine chocolate cake
- Cake pops
- Air fryer cupcakes
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Lava Cake
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Equipment
- 2 Ramekins (8-10 oz capacity, or 3 ramekins of 6-8 oz capacity)
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup Water
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup All purpose flour (60 grams)
- ½ cup Organic cane sugar (100 grams)
- â…› teaspoon Baking powder
- â…› teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder (24 grams)
Add-ins
- 2 piece Baking chocolate
For dusting ramekins
- 1 teaspoon All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Sift the all-purpose flour and cacao powder.
- Place all the "wet ingredients" and "dry ingredients" from the list, in a mixing bowl and mix well using a whisk.
- Grease the ramekins with butter and dust them with flour.
- Fill the ramekins with the cake batter to about â…”rd its capacity.
- Dip in a baking chocolate piece completely in the batter in the ramekins.
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
- Place the ramekins in the air fryer.
- Air fry the lava cakes for 12-14 minutes at 360°F.
- Once the lava cake starts leaving the edges, it is done.
- Remove them from the air fryer basket carefully.
- Allow the cake to cool down for a minute and then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it.
- Invert the lava cake onto a plate.
- Dust it with some icing sugar, top it with whipped cream or serve it with ice cream.
Notes
- I have used 10 oz. ramekins. You can use smaller ramekins and make 3-4 lava cakes depending on the size of the ramekins.
- Do not over-whisk or use a hand blender, else it will create air in the batter and it will become cakey instead of fudgy.
- Use baking chocolate pieces to ensure they melt properly.
- Weighing the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, and cocoa powder - gives consistent results.
- These molten lava cakes can also be baked in the preheated oven at 425°F for about 15-18 minutes.
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