I can’t resist sharing my Homemade Chocolate Lava Cake, with a gooey chocolate core tucked inside a tender sponge made in the Instant Pot or oven.

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I never thought an Instant Pot could turn into a dessert magician, but these molten chocolate lava cakes do exactly that. The sponge shell gives way to a gooey center that oozes out, and a combo of semisweet chocolate and unsalted butter makes every bite feel like a tiny, reckless gift.

It looks fancy, but it forgives mistakes, so you can totally wing it at a dinner party or when you’re desperate for something impressive fast. I mess up timings all the time and still get that runny core, so trust me, this one keeps secrets.

Molten Lava Cake

Ingredients

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Melted chocolate gives deep cocoa flavor and fat, adds richness and that oozing center.
Butter adds silkiness, satiety and calories, helps texture and glossy sheen.
Eggs provide protein and structure, plus yolks make the custard-like interior.
Sugar sweetens, lifts flavor, and helps set the edges while keeping center gooey.
A little flour gives body and crumb, but not too much or it firms.
Vanilla rounds bitterness, boosts aroma and makes chocolate taste warmer and more complex.
Cocoa or sugar dusting adds contrast, slight bitterness or sweet finish, looks bakery-fancy.

Ingredient Quantities

4 oz (115 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch fine sea salt

1 cup (240 ml) water for the Instant Pot

cocoa powder or powdered sugar for dusting

4 small dark chocolate squares, optional (for extra molten centre)

nonstick spray, optional (or extra butter for greasing)

How to Make this

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1. Place chopped semisweet chocolate and 1/2 cup butter in a heatproof bowl and melt together either over a simmering pan of water or in 20 second bursts in the microwave, stirring till smooth, then let it cool a bit so it isnt hot enough to cook the eggs.

2. In a medium bowl whisk 2 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until pale and slightly thickened, you want it to ribbon a little when the whisk is lifted.

3. Stir the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture, add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of fine sea salt and mix gently, dont overbeat.

4. Sift in 1/4 cup all purpose flour and fold just until combined, a few streaks of flour are okay but dont overmix or the cakes will be cakey.

5. Grease four small ramekins with extra butter or nonstick spray then dust with cocoa powder (or flour), this helps them release; if you want an extra molten centre press a small dark chocolate square into the middle of each ramekin before pouring batter.

6. Divide batter between the ramekins (about 3/4 full), wipe rims clean and cover each ramekin tightly with foil to keep condensation out.

7. Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot, place the trivet inside and lower the ramekins onto the trivet (you can stack with a folded towel between layers or use a sling if needed), close lid and set to HIGH pressure for 8 minutes.

8. When the cook time ends do a quick release immediately, carefully remove the foil and let the ramekins sit in the pot 1 to 2 minutes to settle, dont leave them longer or the centre will firm up too much.

9. Run a thin knife around the edges, invert each ramekin onto a plate, dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and serve right away while the centres are gooey.

10. Oven option: preheat oven to 425 F, bake uncovered ramekins on a tray for about 12 to 14 minutes, edges should be set and centres still soft, then cool 1 minute and invert.

Equipment Needed

1. 4 small ramekins (6 to 8 oz)
2. Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
3. Small saucepan for simmering water or a microwave (for melting)
4. Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) or a regular oven
5. Trivet for the Instant Pot or a baking sheet for the oven
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula (for folding and scraping)
8. Measuring cups and spoons
9. Fine mesh sieve or sifter (for the flour and dusting)

FAQ

Q: How long do I cook these in the Instant Pot and at what setting? A: Cook on High Pressure, usually 8 to 10 minutes. 8 min gives a very runny center, 9 min is reliably gooey for most ramekins, 10 min is more set but still soft. Use a quick release after a short 1 minute natural rest so the tops don't get overcooked.

Q: How can I tell if the cakes are done without ruining the molten center? A: The edges should be set and pulling slightly away from the ramekin, the center will look a bit wobbly. If the whole top jiggles like jelly it's underdone, if it looks firm all the way through it's overcooked. You can also gently tap the ramekin top to feel give.

Q: Do I need to cover the ramekins or use foil? A: Yes cover each ramekin loosely with foil to keep condensation from dripping on the cakes. Grease the ramekins well and dust with cocoa so cakes release easier, or use nonstick spray. If you're worried about water in the batter, add a towel under the lid or use silicone covers made for steaming.

Q: Can I add a chocolate square or change the chocolate type? A: Definitely. Tucking a small dark chocolate square in the center before sealing makes the core extra molten. Use good quality semisweet or bittersweet for best flavor, milk chocolate will be sweeter and softer. If you swap to chopped chocolate, weigh it to match the recipe amount.

Q: Can I prep these ahead or freeze them? A: You can assemble and refrigerate the batter in the ramekins for a few hours up to overnight, then cook straight from the fridge adding 1 extra minute. For freezing, flash freeze in ramekins, wrap tightly and thaw in fridge before cooking; expect to add a couple minutes to cook time.

Q: Mine turned out dry or not molten enough. What went wrong? A: Most likely overcooked or batter was too cold when cooked. Reduce cook time by 1 minute, or let batter come closer to room temp before pressure cooking. Also don't skip the brief natural rest before quick release, that helps the center settle without baking fully.

Instant Pot Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chocolate: swap the 4 oz semisweet/bittersweet for 4 oz chocolate chips or another chopped baking chocolate (same weight). If you only have cocoa powder, mix about 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa with 3 tbsp extra melted butter to approximate the chocolate, but texture and sweetness will change.
Butter: use equal weight melted coconut oil or a vegan stick butter 1:1. Coconut oil gives a faint coconut note, vegan sticks give a very similar texture.
Eggs: for egg-free, replace the 2 whole eggs + 2 yolks with ~3/4 cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) whipped to soft peaks; the cakes will be a bit lighter and less rich. For a single-egg swap (if needed), 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg, but that makes the crumb denser.
Flour: replace the 1/4 cup all-purpose with the same volume of a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (best to measure by weight). Do not substitute straight almond flour 1:1, it will be too crumbly.

Pro Tips

1) Let the melted chocolate cool until it’s just warm to the touch, not hot, before you add the eggs. If it’s too hot you’ll start cooking them and end up with grainy or scrambled batter.

2) Fold the flour in gently and stop while there are still a few streaks left. Overmixing makes the cakes cakey instead of gooey, so be okay with a little imperfection.

3) Grease and dust ramekins with butter and cocoa powder (not flour) for easiest release and no weird white residue. If you want an extra molten centre, press a chilled dark chocolate square into the batter so it melts slower and stays gooey.

4) For the Instant Pot use 1 cup water, seal and cook on high for the time given then do a quick release right away. Let the ramekins sit only 1 to 2 minutes after removing foil before inverting, any longer and the centre firms up too much.

Instant Pot Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I can’t resist sharing my Homemade Chocolate Lava Cake, with a gooey chocolate core tucked inside a tender sponge made in the Instant Pot or oven.

Servings

servings

Calories

517

kcal

Equipment: 1. 4 small ramekins (6 to 8 oz)
2. Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
3. Small saucepan for simmering water or a microwave (for melting)
4. Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) or a regular oven
5. Trivet for the Instant Pot or a baking sheet for the oven
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula (for folding and scraping)
8. Measuring cups and spoons
9. Fine mesh sieve or sifter (for the flour and dusting)

Ingredients

4 oz (115 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt
1 cup (240 ml) water for the Instant Pot
cocoa powder or powdered sugar for dusting
4 small dark chocolate squares, optional (for extra molten centre)
nonstick spray, optional (or extra butter for greasing)

Directions

Place chopped semisweet chocolate and 1/2 cup butter in a heatproof bowl and melt together either over a simmering pan of water or in 20 second bursts in the microwave, stirring till smooth, then let it cool a bit so it isnt hot enough to cook the eggs.
In a medium bowl whisk 2 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until pale and slightly thickened, you want it to ribbon a little when the whisk is lifted.
Stir the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture, add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of fine sea salt and mix gently, dont overbeat.
Sift in 1/4 cup all purpose flour and fold just until combined, a few streaks of flour are okay but dont overmix or the cakes will be cakey.
Grease four small ramekins with extra butter or nonstick spray then dust with cocoa powder (or flour), this helps them release; if you want an extra molten centre press a small dark chocolate square into the middle of each ramekin before pouring batter.
Divide batter between the ramekins (about 3/4 full), wipe rims clean and cover each ramekin tightly with foil to keep condensation out.
Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot, place the trivet inside and lower the ramekins onto the trivet (you can stack with a folded towel between layers or use a sling if needed), close lid and set to HIGH pressure for 8 minutes.
When the cook time ends do a quick release immediately, carefully remove the foil and let the ramekins sit in the pot 1 to 2 minutes to settle, dont leave them longer or the centre will firm up too much.
Run a thin knife around the edges, invert each ramekin onto a plate, dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and serve right away while the centres are gooey.
Oven option: preheat oven to 425 F, bake uncovered ramekins on a tray for about 12 to 14 minutes, edges should be set and centres still soft, then cool 1 minute and invert.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.