These Instant Pot lava cakes are the ultimate in decadence. They have a gooey chocolate center that oozes molten chocolate with every bite. With minimal ingredients and short preparation time, this easy Instant Pot dessert is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth or impressing dinner guests! [Oven instructions also provided.]
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When searching for a dessert recipe to adapt to the Instant Pot, this lava cake recipe stood out as the perfect choice. The original oven recipe uses a bain-marie (water bath), making it an ideal candidate for a quick and easy pressure cooker version.
Another reason I made this switch is to avoid heating up the kitchen during the summer months when the air conditioning is running.
These lava cakes are a wonderfully decadent treat that my whole family loves. With rich chocolate flavors and soft, gooey centers—true to their name—these molten lava cakes are always a hit.
I also love that I always have all the ingredients on hand and I can make them whenever I’m craving a chocolate treat.
They taste best when served warm, making them the perfect dessert for any occasion!
➡ I have many other desserts for you to try, like Instant Pot Oreo cheesecake, cupcakes, Instant Pot apple crisp, or peach crisp!
Ingredients and Tips
🧂 Instant Pot Lava Cake Ingredients
💡Ingredient and Recipe Tips
Here are some tips to help you make perfect Instant Pot lava cakes.
🥣 Equipment: Use 3 ½ inch ramekins or glass Pyrex custard cups. The recipe is for 6 oz. ramekins. Adjust cooking time for different containers or pressure cookers. Use the trivet that came with your Instant Pot.
☕ Coffee Flavor: Instant coffee granules add a nice balance to chocolate. Omit if you don’t like coffee.
🍫 Chocolate: Microwave at 50% power for a minute. Stir and repeat in 15-second bursts, stirring well between bursts. Stop when a few pieces remain unmelted. Let residual heat melt remaining chocolate. Overheating can ruin the recipe. Use the best quality chocolate you can afford to get.
⏱️ Cooking Time: May vary due to altitude, ingredient measurements, or Instant Pot model. If you’re a first-timer: Try 7 minutes, then add 1-2 minutes if undercooked. Experiment to find the perfect time for your setup.
❓ FAQS
You can cover them to prevent condensation from dripping in but I generally don’t.
These lava cakes taste best when eaten fresh. However, you can refrigerate them and warm them in the microwave. You may not have any molten lava, though.
I’ve found that different Instant Pot models cook these lava cakes at different rates. I would suggest cooking for two fewer minutes next time.
Again, it probably comes down to your specific Instant Pot model. If you see that the cake looks too jiggly, pressure cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
How to Make Chocolate Lava Cakes
⏲️ Instant Pot Method
- Melt Chocolate
- Add eggs and flour
- Fill containers and set on a trivet
- Pressure cook and quick-release pressure
- Cool on a rack
- Sprinkle powdered sugar
- Microwave butter and chocolate in medium bowl at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir. Heat in 15-second bursts, stirring each time, until mostly melted with a few small pieces remaining. Stir until completely smooth. Stir in confectioner’s sugar. *
- Whisk in eggs, yolks, coffee and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt.
- Grease the bottom and sides of four 6 oz. ramekins. Coat each with sugar. Divide batter among the lava cake containers.
- 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 container on top.
* Make sure you don’t over-melt the chocolate. See this article about melting chocolate in the microwave.
✏️ Pro Tip
- Pressure cook time varies by Instant Pot model. First time? Try 7 minutes. If undercooked, add 1-2 minutes more.
- Close the lid.
- Program the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 9:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes. The display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a quick release of pressure. Once the float valve goes down, the lid can be opened.
- Lift the trivet by the handles and carefully remove the ramekins from the Instant Pot. Use heat-resistant gloves.
- Place the lava cakes on a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes.
- Serve warm. To plate: Loosen cake edges with a knife. Place a plate on the ramekin. Flip both. The cake should release onto the plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
♨️ Oven Method
- Follow the same directions to prepare the batter as the Instant Pot version
- Bake the lava cakes at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for about 12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C)
- Remove ramekins to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes
- Invert warm cakes onto serving plates and dust with powdered sugar
Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter – 1 stick, cut into pieces (4 oz. or 113 grams)
- 4 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped (113 grams)
- 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.
Instant Pot Instructions
- 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!
Oven Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius)
- Bake the ramekins for 12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), and the cake sides are set and the centers are soft.
- Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them. Invert the warm cakes onto serving plates and dust them with powdered sugar.
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.
Nutrition
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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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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.
Did you know that the best way to support your favorite bloggers is to comment and rate recipes, and share on social media? If you loved this recipe, please comment and give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below. If you’re a pinner, pin this post using the Pin buttons at the top and bottom of this post and in the recipe card above. Thank you for your support!
Alain Rostain says
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
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.
Mary says
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
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.
Jackie says
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
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Jackie – I’d love to know what model of Instant Pot you have. Thanks for sharing. Glad it worked for you.
Cliff says
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
Paint the Kitchen Red says
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.
Cindy says
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?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
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.
Breanna says
I thought lava cake was supposed to be fudge like in the middle.