Air Fryer Lava Cakes – Decadent chocolate cakes filled with a warm and gooey liquid chocolate center, made right in the air fryer!

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I’m super excited today to share one of my favorite dessert recipes of all time. Who can resist chocolate molten lava cakes? Certainly not me.

If I EVER order dessert in a restaurant (and it’s not very often) it would always be a lava cake with a side of vanilla ice cream.

It’s the ultimate indulgence to me and such a treat.

I figured with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the timing was spot on to share this decadent recipe.

And this one is extra special, because you can make these lava cakes right in your air fryer!

Ready to get started? Good. Here’s what you’ll need!

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER LAVA CAKES

To make these lava cakes, you’ll need:

Bittersweet chocolate
Butter
Whole eggs
Egg yolks
Powdered sugar
Flour
Fresh raspberries or strawberries, optional
Vanilla ice cream, optional

You’ll want to start by microwaving the chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until the butter is melted. I use a bowl like this.

Stir until the chocolate is melted. You can always microwave for an additional 30 seconds if needed.

Add the powdered sugar and the flour.

Then whisk in the eggs and egg yolks until well-combined.

Go ahead and pour the batter into the ramekins, filling them about 3/4 full.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE RAMEKINS?

If you don’t own any ramekins, you could always use silicone baking cups like these or these.

Place the ramekins into the air fryer basket. Depending on how large of air fryer you have, you should be able to fit about four ramekins at a time.

When the cakes are done, let them set for about a minute.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THE LAVA CAKES ARE “DONE”?

The recipe uses both whole eggs and egg whites. Safe-to-eat eggs should be cooked to 160° Fahrenheit. If you’re concerned about whether or not the cakes are “done,” you can use a digital thermometer to take their temperature to be sure!

To loosen the cakes, gently run a knife around the edges of the ramekins.

And invert them onto a serving plate. I like to sprinkle on some powdered sugar and top with raspberries, strawberries or both.

Since I had some fresh raspberries in the fridge, that’s what I ended up using.

I adore molten lava cakes because of the warm dark chocolate that flows out when you cut into them. It’s quite magical, really. Don’t you think? They’re so pretty.

Just look at that fudgy chocolate that just oozes out of the cake! Oh man. I should have made a double batch.

For the ultimate indulgence, top with some vanilla ice cream.

I know I said it’s optional in the recipe card, but I lied. It’s really not. You NEED the ice cream.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE CHOCOLATE CHIPS FOR THE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE?

No, I wouldn’t. You’ll find that chocolate chips won’t “ooze” as much as higher quality chocolate like Baker’s or Ghirardelli. For the recipe, you’ll need two 4 ounce bars.

CAN I PREPARE THE LAVA CAKES AHEAD OF TIME?

Prepare the batter through step 5, pour into a covered storage container and place into the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Allow the batter to come to room temperature before continuing with step 6.

CAN I FREEZE LAVA CAKES?

Yes! Make sure you allow the baked lava cakes to cool completely and then freeze them for up to 3 months. Your best bet is to reheat them in the microwave.

HUNGRY FOR MORE AIR FRYER DESSERTS?