Air Fryer Lava Cakes are a rich, chocolatey dessert with a molten center made quickly in the air fryer — perfect for when you want an impressive treat without a lot of fuss.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic pairing.
With just a handful of ingredients and a short air-frying time, these lava cakes come together easily and taste like a special occasion dessert.
How to make Air Fryer Lava Cakes
Use any dark chocolate you prefer; in this recipe I used individually wrapped Dove chocolates, but 4 ounces of chopped dark chocolate works just as well.
Other ingredients include a stick of butter, powdered sugar, flour, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Begin by unwrapping 16 of the small chocolate squares (or measure 4 ounces of dark chocolate). Place the chocolate and one stick of butter in a heatproof bowl.
Microwave for about one minute, then stir until the chocolate and butter are fully melted and smooth.
Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the melted chocolate.
Crack two whole eggs into the bowl, then add just the yolk from a third egg — discard the extra white. Stir until the batter is smooth and combined.
Spray four ramekins or small oven-safe glass bowls with nonstick cooking spray and divide the batter evenly among them.
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (about 200°C). Place the bowls in the air fryer and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, depending on your model and how set you like the cake exterior.
When done, let the ramekins cool for a few minutes. Carefully invert each ramekin onto a plate using a towel or oven mitt to protect your hands — the dishes will be hot.
For the best results, leave the ramekin upside down on the plate for a few minutes before lifting it off. This helps the cake hold its shape, but if a cake falls apart it will still be delicious.
Dust with powdered sugar and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired, and enjoy immediately while the center is molten.
Just look at that chocolate flowing out of Air Fryer Lava Cakes!
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If you like Air Fryer Lava Cakes, you might also like these air fryer recipes…
Air Fryer Nutella Churros
Air Fryer Breakfast Biscuit Bombs
Air Fryer Pizza Tortilla Wraps
Air Fryer Game Day Snacks
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Air Fryer Lava Cakes
Air Fryer Lava Cakes are a quick and indulgent chocolate dessert with a molten center that pairs beautifully with ice cream.
Dessert
American
Air Fryer, Chocolate, Dessert, Easy
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (or 16 small wrapped chocolates)
- 1 stick butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 eggs (use 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- nonstick cooking spray
- Optional: powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
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Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Microwave about 1 minute, then stir until completely melted and smooth.
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Add powdered sugar, flour, two eggs plus the yolk from the third egg, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
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Spray four ramekins or small oven-safe bowls with nonstick spray. Divide batter evenly among them.
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Air fry at 400°F for 12–14 minutes. Allow the ramekins to cool for a few minutes, then invert each onto a plate (use a towel, the bowls will be hot).
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Leave the inverted ramekins on the plates for a few minutes, then lift them off gently. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Tip: Generous nonstick spray and the short upside-down rest help the cakes release intact, but they’ll taste great even if they break apart.
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