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Home » Instant Pot

Easy Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake

Published: Jan 17, 2017 | Updated: Jul 21, 2023 | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

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Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake pinterest pin with two images - one angled and one overhead - of chocolate lava cake with sprinkled powdered sugar in white ramekins on a black background. From Paint the Kitchen Red
Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake pinterest pin with two images - one angled and one overhead - of chocolate lava cake with sprinkled powdered sugar in white ramekins on a black background. From Paint the Kitchen Red
Chocolate lava cake with sprinkled powdered sugar in white ramekins on a black background and uncooked lava cake stacked in instant pot and text
Chocolate lava cake with sprinkled powdered sugar in white ramekins on a black background and text
Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake pinterest pin - chocolate lava cake with sprinkled powdered sugar in white ramekins on a black background. From Paint the Kitchen Red

Molten Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake has a gooey chocolate center and a hint of coffee. With minimal ingredients and short preparation time, this Instant Pot dessert is super quick and easy to make.  You don’t need to turn on your oven to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes in ramekins sprinkled with powdered sugar - Paint the Kitchen Red

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Table of Contents


  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. TIPS
  3. INGREDIENTS
  4. STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
  5. RECIPE CARD – PRINTABLE
  6. RELATED RECIPES AND GUIDES

Introduction

When I was looking for a dessert recipe to adapt to the Instant Pot, this lava cake recipe jumped out as the perfect candidate. The original oven recipe uses a bain-marie (water bath), and that made it ideal to adapt as an Instant Pot dessert.

One other reason I adapted this lava cake recipe from the oven to the Instant Pot is to avoid using the oven in the summertime when the air conditioning is on.

These lava cakes are such a wonderfully decadent treat. Everyone in my family loves chocolate and we love this recipe! The centers of these molten Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes are soft and gooey (hence the name ‘lava cake’!)

These lava cakes taste best when served warm. They don’t taste as good warmed up the next day.

Here are some other Instant Pot dessert recipes you’re going to love!
– Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake
– Instant Pot Cardamom Cupcakes

– Instant Pot Peach Crisp
– Instant Pot Brownie Sundaes

Tips and Substitutions


Sealing Ring Odors

I make a lot of curries and highly spiced dishes in the Instant Pot and one thing I’ve found is that the Instant Pot sealing ring retains the smell of whatever I cook. I’ve tried all kinds of tricks and although the smell can be reduced, they aren’t eliminated.

To solve this problem, you can purchase a second silicone sealing ring that you can use just for desserts. You can find multi-packs of sealing rings with different colors to keep track of them easily.


Equipment

You’ll also need some oven-proof dessert cups. I use small 3 ½ inch ramekins but you could also use glass Pyrex custard cups.  They’re a bit of a tighter fit, but you might already have them in your kitchen cabinet.

I use 6 oz. ramekins in a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo or Instant Pot Ultra for this lava cake recipe; if you’re using different size or type of containers or pressure cooker, your cooking time may need to change.

This recipe uses the Pot-in-pot method to cook the lava cakes, so you’ll need to use the trivet that was shipped with your Instant Pot.

[Read more about the Instant Pot Trivet types and how to use them.]


Coffee Flavor

This lava cake recipe uses instant coffee granules and I think it adds a nice counter-balance to the chocolate.  But I’m a coffee drinker and love to get my coffee fix!  

My kids, on the other hand, are not coffee drinkers and they like these chocolate lava cakes without the coffee. If you don’t care for coffee either, you can easily leave it out.


Chocolate

It’s important that you microwave the chocolate correctly: at medium (50%) power, in small bursts, stirring well every 15 seconds, and stopping when there are still a few pieces of chocolate still left, allowing the remaining chocolate to melt in the residual heat, stirring until smooth.

Overheating the chocolate can make this recipe not turn out right.


Cooking Time

This Instant Pot lava cake recipe can be tricky for some readers.  The reason could be altitude-related or slight variations in the measuring of ingredients.  Or it could vary based on the model of Instant Pot.

I’m sorry I can’t give any more guidance, so you might need to experiment a bit. The Instant Pot company changes the design frequently and each iteration can cause recipes to turn out differently.

If you’re making this Instant Pot lava cake recipe for the first time, you might want to try 7 minutes and if the lava cakes are undercooked, pressure cook them for another 1 to 2 minutes.


If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.

  • Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual

Instant Pot Lava Cake Ingredients

Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake Ingredients - semi sweet chocolate, all purpose flour, salt, powdered sugar, instant coffee, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, butter
  • Semi-sweet chocolate
  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Powdered sugar
  • Instant Coffee
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs
  • Egg yolks
  • Vanilla
  • Butter

How to Make Chocolate Lava Cakes in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)

  1. Melt Chocolate
  2. Add eggs and flour
  3. Fill containers and set on a trivet
  4. Pressure cook
  5. Quick-release pressure
  6. Cool on a rack
  7. Sprinkle powdered sugar

Melt Chocolate

Instant Pot chocolate lava cake Instructions collage - chocolate and butter in bowl, melted, flour in a bowl
  • In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate on medium (50%) heat for about 1 minute. Stir and repeat heating at 15-second intervals, until the chocolate is melted and smooth but a few small pieces of chocolate still remain.  Keep stirring to allow the chocolate to completely melt in the residual heat. *
  • Stir in confectioner’s sugar.

* Make sure you don’t over-melt the chocolate. See this article about melting chocolate in the microwave.

Add eggs and flour

Instant Pot chocolate lava cake Instructions collage - unmixed batter with eggs and coffee, mixed batter with whisk, flour added to bowl
  • Whisk in eggs, yolks, coffee and vanilla.
  • Stir in flour and salt.

Fill containers and set on trivet

Instant Pot chocolate lava cake Instructions collage - bowl of mixed batter, two ramekins with batter, Instant Pot with water and trivet
  • Grease the bottom and sides of four  6 oz. ramekins. Coat each with sugar.
  • Divide batter among the ramekins.
  • Pour 2 cups water into the Instant Pot’s main compartment (inner pot) and place the trivet in water.
  • Place 3 ramekins on the trivet and stack the fourth ramekin on top.

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 9 minutes

Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 9 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 9 - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in Sealing position.
  • Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 9 (9 minutes).

Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 9 minutes

Instant Pot Ultra pressure cook 9 minutes collage - open lid, select pressure cook and set time to 00:09, display says on - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Close the lid.
  • Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 9 minutes (00:09).
  • Press Start.

Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Instant Pot display will change to On.
  • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
  • The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00  or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.

Pro Tip


The pressure cook time for this recipe can vary based on model of Instant Pot.  If you’re doing this for the first time, you might want to try 7 minutes and if the lava cakes are undercooked, pressure cook them for another 1 to 2 minutes.

How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO

Instant Pot Quick Release collage - move handle to venting, float valve down, lid propped open - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
  • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
  • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA

Instant Pot Ultra Release Steam and Open collage - press steam release button, float valve in down position, Instant Pot Ultra is open - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
  • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
  • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]

Cool on a rack

Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake Instructions 6-2 collage - open Instant pot, remove trivet with ramekins, cool on rack - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Lift the trivet by the handles and carefully remove the ramekins from the Instant Pot. Use heat and steam-resistant gloves.
  • Place the lava cakes on a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes.

Sprinkle powdered sugar

Instant Pot chocolate lava cake gooey center - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • Dust the Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes with powdered sugar.
  • Serve warm!
Instant Pot Lava Cake on plate turned out of baking dish, with powdered sugar on top - Paint the Kitchen Red
  • If you want to turn the cake out onto a plate, run a knife around the edge of the baking dish to loosen the cake, place a small plate on top of the dish and holding both steadily, turn the dish upside down.  The cake should come apart from the dish and rest on the plate.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes in ramekins sprinkled with powdered sugar - Paint the Kitchen Red

Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake

These molten Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cakes have a gooey chocolate center and a hint of coffee; A delicious Instant Pot dessert that’s super easy to make.
4.44 from 30 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 560
Author: Paint the Kitchen Red
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Equipment

  • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
  • Medium Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Silicone gloves
  • Steam rack / trivet
  • Ramekins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick), cut into pieces
  • 4 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Grease the bottom and sides of four 6 oz ramekins. Coat each with sugar.
  • Melt the chocolate and butter: In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate on medium heat for about 1 minute. Stir and scrape sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and repeat heating at 15-second intervals, until the chocolate is melted and smooth but a few small pieces of chocolate still remain.  Keep stirring to allow the chocolate to completely melt in the residual heat.
  • Stir in confectioner’s sugar.
  • Whisk in eggs, yolks, coffee and vanilla.
  • Stir in flour and salt.
  • Divide batter among the ramekins.
  • Pour 2 cups water into the Instant Pot’s main compartment (inner pot) and place trivet in water.
  • Place 3 ramekins on the trivet and place 1 more on top of them, in the middle (staggered).
  • Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes. *
  • Do a quick release of pressure (QR) and open the lid.  [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
  • Use the trivet handles to lift the trivet out of the inner pot and carefully remove the ramekins. Gently dab off any condensation from the surface of the cake.
  • Dust the Insant Pot chocolate lava cakes with powdered sugar.
  • Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you have a larger Instant Pot, you might be able to fit all 4 ramekins in one layer.
  • I use 6 oz ceramic ramekins and a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo and Ultra for this recipe as written; if you’re using different size or type of containers or pressure cooker, your cooking time may need to change.  
  • * The pressure cook time for this recipe can vary based on model of Instant Pot.  If you’re doing this for the first time, you might want to try 7 minutes and if the lava cakes are undercooked, pressure cook them for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • See blog post for more details and tips.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 lava cake | Calories: 560 kcal | Carbohydrates: 58 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 36 g | Saturated Fat: 21 g | Cholesterol: 233 mg | Sodium: 80 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 49 g
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
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I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alain Rostain

    February 14, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    Neena, I was intending to make these lava cakes, but then read the comments and saw that quite a few people failed, some inexplicably. Since the last comments were in 2019, I wondered if you’ve had any insights since.

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      February 14, 2022 at 5:32 pm

      Hi Alain, yes this recipe has given some people trouble. I haven’t tried it in a newer model of Instant Pot so I’m not sure what the issue is. I believe other lava cake recipes have similar issues – i.e. some people have trouble with it upon pressure cooking.

      Reply
  2. Mary

    January 26, 2021 at 6:34 pm

    The link from your site to the Ramekins on amazon is for a 4 oz size. You say you use a 6 oz Ramekin in the recipe. What am I missing? I have an 8 quart Instant pot and I want to be sure that 4 will fit.

    thanks.

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      January 27, 2021 at 10:56 am

      Mary, sorry for the confusion. I have different types of ramekins. One kind that I use for this recipe are 3.5 inches outside edge to outside edge and 1.5 inches high. They accommodate 6 fluid ounces to the top lip (completely full) and 4 ounces to the inside lip. So the capacity is somewhere in the middle. They do fit in one row in an 8 quart. I’ve made sure the links to amazon are accurate.

      Reply
  3. Jackie

    May 22, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    This came out perfectly for me. The only difference was that I had to cook them for 13 min. I guess there
    really is a big difference in instant pots

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      May 23, 2020 at 9:22 pm

      Jackie – I’d love to know what model of Instant Pot you have. Thanks for sharing. Glad it worked for you.

      Reply
  4. Cliff

    January 24, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    4 stars
    I did a test run today (having company this evening!) Mine were not molten, and were a bit rubbery. Now I’m wondering – The recipe calls for 4oz of chocolate. At first I assumed that would be a 1/2-cup dry measure and that’s what I used. But I also have a scale, and for the next batch I’m planning to weigh it instead. Could that be the difference? Should the chocolate be weighed rather than measured in a measuring cup? Thx! Cliff

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      January 25, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      Cliff, I’m sorry to hear they didn’t turn out for you. I can’t say what could be the exact issue because there are so many variables. It could very well be the quantity of chocolate, but could also be the model of the Instant Pot – some come to a higher pressure level, the amount of time you microwave the chocolate. Since the lava cakes are so small, little variations can make a difference. If you try it again and still have issues, you might need to pressure cook for a bit less time. Thanks for your comment.

      Reply
  5. Cindy

    January 09, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    2 stars
    This didn’t turn out right AT ALL! It was more like a fudge cake….I was SO disappointed!! Followed directions to the “T”. It said for first time check at 7 min….I did and didn’t look right. Did it for another 2 min as directions said, too then out let them cool and was a small fudge cake. What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      January 09, 2020 at 9:56 pm

      Cindy, it could be a number of things. Since Instant Pots can vary from model to model and version to version, it could be a variation in the Instant Pot. Make sure you don’t overheat the chocolate because microwaving them for a tad too long can cause problems. I’m sorry to hear you had trouble.

      Reply
    • Breanna

      April 02, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      I thought lava cake was supposed to be fudge like in the middle.

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Neena and welcome! I am the creator, photographer, and author of recipes and tips at Paint the Kitchen Red. I live in the glorious west in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family.

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