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Air Fryer Lava Cakes are a decadent chocolate dessert with a warm, gooey center. They are so easy to make and is the perfect dessert for any occasion or as a special treat!

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air fryer chocolate lava cake with ice cream on top and raspberries on the side.

Air Fryer Chocolate Lava Cakes

You won't believe how easy it is to make these lava cakes in the Air fryer. If you're looking for a perfect dessert for a special occasion or to surprise a loved one, you should definitely give this a go.

These chocolate cakes have a warm gooey center in a cake base. They need just a few regular ingredients and nothing fancy, except the chocolate. Use good quality chocolate, around 60% to 75% cocoa and that makes all the difference.

These lava cakes are dangerously easy and fast to make. I used 4oz ramekins and they were done in about 7 minutes. The prep time was longer than that. These are the perfect last-minute dessert.

Serve them with Vanilla ice cream, shaved chocolate, and raspberries for an elegant dessert.

Apart from Air fryer Brownies, this is one of my favorite desserts to make in the Air fryer. I love all things chocolate and cookies so I make Chocolate chip cookies in the Air fryer too.

Check out my favorite recipes here in our Air fryer Recipes collection. If you're looking for more dessert recipes, I've collected 15 Air fryer dessert recipes for Valentine's Day. Check it out here.

Why we love to make Chocolate Lava Cakes in the Air fryer:

So fast
Easy to make
Absolutely delicious!
Elegant

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted Butter
Chocolate pieces
Eggs
Caster sugar or super fine sugar
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Vanilla extract

How To Make Chocolate Lava Cake In Air Fryer

You'll find a fully printable version of this recipe with ingredients and measurements at the bottom of this post.

Add butter and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 seconds increments stirring until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside.

Beat eggs with an electric beater until frothy. Add sugar and beat till dissolved. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture to the beaten eggs and stir to combine.

Add the baking powder, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and all-purpose flour. Stir until well combined.

Preheat Air fryer at 375F. Grease 4 4oz ramekins with butter. Fill the ramekins with the batter until ¾th full. Place the ramekins in the Air fryer basket and bake for 7 minutes for a gooey center and around 9 minutes for a thick center.

Remove the ramekins from the Air fryer. The ramekins will be really hot. Use oven mitts or a folded kitchen/dish towel to lift the ramekins. Allow to cool for 2 minutes.

As you can see from the photos, the cake tops might crack and ooze out or not crack and puff up like a souffle. This is normal.

Now, gently run a knife around the cake to loosen it and invert it onto a plate. Serve immediately with ice cream and berries with chocolate shavings. Or use whipped cream and berries on top.

air fried lava cake with rasperiies and shaved chocolate on a plate with a spoon.

Best Tips For Air Fryer Lava Cakes

Use a good quality chocolate bar, ideally 60% to 75% cocoa.
Don't forget to grease the ramekins so the lava cake can be easily removed.
Keep an eye on the cook time. We want the outside of the cake just cooked and inside still molten and gooey. Cook for 7 minutes for a runny, gooey center and 1 or 2 minutes extra for thick center.
Take care when removing the ramekins from the Air fryer as they will be hot. Use oven mitts or a thickly folded kitchen towel. Or any other safe methods to lift the ramekins.

Substitutions and Variations

Butter - If using salted butter omit the salt.

Chocolate - I've used a semi-sweet baking chocolate bar that has 60% cocoa for this recipe. You can use chocolate chips for this recipe too.

Sugar - has to be really fine sugar or baker's sugar. Avoid using large granulated sugar.

Flour - Self-rising flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour. If using self-rising flour omit the baking powder. Use your choice of gluten-free baking flour for gluten-free lava cakes.

What Air Fryer to Use

Best Basket Type Air Fryer: Cosori 5.8 quart

Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer: Power Air Fryer

air fried lava cake with ice cream on top and a bite taken.

Can You Bake Cake In Air Fryer?

Yes, absolutely. Air fryer works like a mini oven moving hot air around to bake. Using an Air fryer is faster than the oven. These chocolate lava cakes cook faster in the Air fryer in about 7 to 9 minutes.

Also, you can use any cake pans you use in the oven in your Air fryer. I've used oven-safe 4oz ramekins.

How To Store And Reheat

To store leftover chocolate lava cake, place them in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Reheat in the microwave.

More Dessert Recipes You'll Enjoy:

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Recipe

Air Fryer Lava Cakes

air fried chocolate lava cake with ice-cream.

Air Fryer Lava Cakes are a decadent chocolate dessert with a warm, gooey center. They are so easy to make and is the perfect dessert for any occasion!

4.72 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

3 oz unsalted butter
4 oz semi sweet chocolate bar (60% cocoa)
2 eggs
3.5 tablespoon sugar
1.5 tablespoon all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

To serve

vanilla ice cream, raspeberries, choclate shavings

Instructions

Add butter and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 seconds increments stirring until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside.
Beat eggs with an electric beater until frothy. Add sugar and beat till dissolved. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture to the beaten eggs and stir to combine.
Add the baking powder, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and all-purpose flour. Stir until well combined.
Preheat Air fryer at 375F. Grease 4 4oz ramekins with butter. Fill the ramekins with the batter until ¾th full. Place the ramekins in the Air fryer basket and bake for 7 minutes for a gooey center and around 9 minutes for a thick center.
Remove the ramekins from the Air fryer. The ramekins will be really hot. Use oven mitts or a folded kitchen/dish towel to lift the ramekins. Allow to cool for 2 minutes.
Now, gently run a knife around the cake to loosen it and invert it onto a plate. Serve immediately with ice cream and berries with chocolate shavings. Or use whipped cream and berries on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 380 kcalTotal Carbs: 30 gProtein: 4 gFat: 29 gSaturated Fat: 17 gSodium: 65 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 25 gVitamin A: 650 IUCalcium: 40 mgIron: 1 mgNet Carbs: 28 g

Keyword air fryer, cake, chocolate, easy, quick

Tried this recipe?If you like this recipe, I’d love if you can give me a rating and comment! Share this with your family and friends!

Farwin Simaak

Comments

Kerrie says

February 02, 2022 at 10:03 pm

If your got a oven type at what shelf would you put it on my elements are on the top please thankyou

- Farwin says
  
  February 03, 2022 at 10:32 am
  
  Hi Kerrie, I'd put it in the middle rack. Hope this helps.
  
Sabra says

February 14, 2022 at 3:24 pm

Super easy and it was delicious we all loved it

- Farwin says
  
  February 15, 2022 at 9:08 am
  
  Thanks for letting me know Sab!
  
Arlene says

April 23, 2023 at 10:50 am

Can I use cocoa powder instead of a chocolate bar

- Farwin says
  
  April 24, 2023 at 1:44 pm
  
  Hi Arlene, I don't recommend using cocoa powder as it's different from a chocolate bar.