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!
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Table of Contents
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
- 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)
- Melt Chocolate
- Add eggs and flour
- Fill containers and set on a trivet
- Pressure cook
- Quick-release pressure
- Cool on a rack
- Sprinkle powdered sugar
Melt Chocolate
- 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
- Whisk in eggs, yolks, coffee and vanilla.
- Stir in flour and salt.
Fill containers and set on 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
- 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
- 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 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Dust the Instant Pot chocolate lava cakes with powdered sugar.
- Serve warm!
- 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 Cake
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
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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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Lovella
So, I made this tonight exactly as written, except I used four 7 1/2 oz. ramekins, instead of the 6 oz. (It’s what I have). I have a 6 qt. Instant Pot Ultra. Three on tbe bottom and one on top. Well….they turned out perfect!!! Wish I could post a picture! Thanks for the delicious recipe. Will definitely make again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
That’s so great – thank you for sharing, Lovella.
Megan
Thanks for the recipe. These were a big hit with my kids!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Megan – glad they liked it and thanks for your comment!
Rachel Fichter
Would it be ok to make the batter up ahead of time (the night before)?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Rachel, I’ve never tried that. Since the recipe doesn’t have baking soda or powder in it,you might be able to do that. Let me know how it goes, will you? Thanks for your question.
Cathy Eads
Can you cook this in one dish instead of the four?
Thank you
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cathy – thanks for your question. I suppose you could, but you’d have to change the cooking time since the cake will be so much bigger – rough guesstimate would be 30 minutes, but I really don’t know. And you probably wouldn’t want a lava cake consistency, since that would be a mess – you’d get more of a brownie cake.
Angelica
How did you get the ramekins out with out burning yourself?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Angelica, I have a trivet with handles which was shipped with my Instant Pot and I usually have no trouble removing it from the Instant Pot if I wait a minute or two after opening. If you have silicone gloves, those could help remove the individual ramekin. There are also canning jar lifters (just search for those words on amazon). Thanks for your question.
Sonia
I find that measuring flour by the gram can be more precise, maybe eliminating that as a factor for a denser middle of the cake. Would you mind providing us with a gram measurement next time you make yours? Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sonia, great point. Next time I make it, I’ll make a note of weights. It appears this recipe needs some precision 🙂 Thanks for taking a moment to comment!
Michelle
Any way you can convert this to low carb with almond flour?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Michelle, thanks for your question. I’m sorry, but I’ve never tried ‘baking’ in the pressure cooker with almond flour. I’m not sure whether you can do a 1 to 1 substitution. Would love it if you can let me know if you try it out.
SR
I was very excited to try this recipe – unfortunately, like a few others posted, I did not get the molten center! It did taste good, however.
Paint the Kitchen Red
When it comes to this recipe, I think there are individual differences: whether it’s ingredient brand, measurement of flour, altitude, or type of Instant Pot. I would suggest that if you wanted to try it again, reduce the cooking time by a minute. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
sher
Made this tonight. Came out perfectly, but didn’t really have much chocolate flavor. I think I’ll try it with dark chocolate next time and see how it goes. Otherwise, comments ranged from “eggy” to “floury”. Go figure. 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Sher – I do use dark chocolate at times and it’s quite rich – I use Ghirardelli brand. Some people have had issues with them over or under cooking so you at least had that problem covered 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Kelly Smith
Where would I find the trivet you used? The one that came with my instant pot doesn’t have long handles like that. Thanks!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Kelly – the trivet with the handles don’t come with the LUX, if that is the model you have. You may want to check the IP company website: https://store.instantpot.com/ Also check out amazon.
Lifesastitch
Followed the recipe and added 50% more to get six servings, without the coffee, using an 8qt IP., four on the bottom and two on top. It came out a little soupier than I like. Next timewould add an additional minute to the pressure cooking time. Thanks for an amazing treat.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for commenting and giving your feedback. I feel that every Instant Pot has its own personality 🙂
Victor
I tried this today in a 3 qt instant pot. I live in Manhattan. First try, my lava cakes turned out very spongy and solid. It’s like an overcooked brownie with a lot of bounce. This was using 8 minutes high pressure in three 3 oz ramekins.
I tried a second batch with leftover batter and instead cooked it for 5 minutes. The outside skirts was again very spongy and solid. The inside however was decently molten but still a tad overcooked.
So the issues I am getting with this recipe are:
– texture is very spongy.
– inside is getting overcooked in a 3oz ramekin.
I think I might have to reduce the cooking time down to 4 minutes, and perhaps add 1 less tablespoon of flour and maybe 1 less egg yolk?
Do you have any suggestions? I’m in the process of buying larger ramekins (4 oz), but I want to see if I can make this work with these 3 oz that I have.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Victor – I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. I think the 3 quart is just fine for most recipes, but this recipe which does require some precision, the 3 quart may be overcooking the lava cakes because of the smaller size of the pot, plus the smaller size of the ramekin. FYI, the cake is actually more dense than if you baked in an oven. I think it wouldn’t hurt to try out the ideas you mentioned. Also, I wonder if refrigerating the batter for a bit might make a difference? Good luck.
Karen
This looks absolutely delicious! I need to make 8 of them, so I’m wondering if I put the first patch in a hot water bath, would they keep the original consistency until the others are done? Thanks in advance.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Karen, they should be fine because your second batch will take a bit less overall time since your IP and water will be hot already. Hope you like them!
Anuradha
Looks yum! Can these be made in advance or they’ll dry out?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Anuradha, They become more like a truffle or brownie upon cooling. I have made them and reheated them the next day in the microwave, and it’s still good. But I think they taste best right away. Thanks for you question!
Jason
Any idea if this would work with a non-dairy non-margarine substitute (like coconut oil)? If so, would you adjust anything else?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi there Jason – I am so sorry, but I really have no idea how it would turn out. I’ve never had experience with desserts using coconut oil. I only use coconut oil for cooking. Good luck.
Barbara
followed directions to a T but no lava……hubs still liked the taste as they were fudge like brownies…..
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Barbara. Hmmm. This is a recipe that confounds me. It works for me every time and there are many people who make it and get that molten lava center. Then there are some people for whom this recipe produces more of a fudgy cake like you say. I suspect it’s altitude or slight variations with different Instant Pots or pressure cookers. I’m glad the taste was good still! If you ever choose to make it again, can you try with 7 minutes and report back? Thanks for commenting!
Brian
Followed recipe fairly closely, but not crazy OCD. 9 minutes. Perfectly molten in the middle. Outside was a little more spongy than I am used to for lava cake, but bang for the buck – it’s a no-brainer. Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Brian, You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting, and I’m so glad it worked out for you.
Mark
I cooked these today, following the recipe, they didnt turn out very good to tell the truth. Kind of gelatiny, rubbery, no molten center, no cake texture. I wonder what happened?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Mark, I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you. So because of your comment, I made the lava cakes this morning – just to make sure I hadn’t made a mistake with the recipe. I made it in white ceramic ramekins and glass pyrex custard cups for 9 minutes. Both worked out about the same, with the ramekins being slightly more ‘done’. They all had the molten center. I was able to turn them onto a plate intact. The cake surrounding the molten part is not a ‘fluffy’ type of cake – it’s a bit dense because of pressure cooking. The filling is gooey and molten when the cake is hot. Once it cools down it does have a thick pudding consistency. It’s possibly matter of taste, but it could also be slight variations in quantity or specific brand of ingredients. I’m sorry I have no answer for you. Thanks for trying it out.
Paul Hickman
I am giving my feedback after trying out this recipe. It’s just wonderful and I loved it. The chocolate cake is as yummy as it looks. I am glad I found this recipe. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Paul, I’m really glad you liked the recipe. Give the Instant Pot brownies a try too – minty and chocolatey!
Vic
I made this recipe and mine turned out more gelatinous than cakelike. It still tasted good, bit there was no molten component. Any ideas what happened? Overstirred, too much liquid stirred in, didn’t cook long enough?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Vic, it’s possible you needed to cook it for longer and it was undercooked. That would be my first guess. If you are up for trying it again, increase the cooking time to 9 minutes and see how that works for you. Good luck!