Single Serve Molten Lava Cake (Air Fryer or Oven)

This Single Serve Molten Lava Cake recipe is perfect to serve just 1-2 people and it can be baked in the oven OR the air fryer! It's a perfect small batch dessert recipe to satisfy your chocolate craving.

⭐Why I Love It:

• Molten Lava Cake for One - I love that this recipe makes just one chocolate lava cake that is the perfect size for one or two people.
• Air Fryer OR Oven - I love that this individual chocolate lava cake bakes up perfectly in the air fryer or the oven. It's a perfect recipe when you don't want to preheat the oven and heat up the house for a small batch dessert.
• No Mixer Needed - Because it's such a small amount of batter, you can easily mix it all up by hand instead of needing to use an electric or stand mixer.
• Molten Lava Center - The center stays perfectly molten and it is a chocolate-lover's dream! For other ways to get your chocolate fix, try this Single Serve Chocolate Cake or Single Serve Double Chocolate Cookie.

🥘Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter - I used unsalted, but if you use salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt by half. When measuring the butter, I prefer to cut from the middle of the stick since the tablespoon markers at the ends of the stick can be off. For a small recipe, it's extra important to be accurate with measurements.
• Semisweet or Dark Chocolate Chips - You can also swap in chopped chocolate. This will be melted along with the butter then folded into the batter.
• White Granulated Sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla Extract - For flavor!
• All-Purpose Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
• Kosher Salt - I like the Diamond Kosher Salt. A small amount of salt is so important to balance the sweetness in cookies. If you use table salt, then I would cut the amount by half.
• For Serving - I like to dust my lava cake with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries or even a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!
• For Greasing the Ramekin - Softened butter and cocoa powder for dusting the butter.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🔪How To Make a Single Serve Lava Cake

This recipe for Single Serve Molten Lava Cake is not only easy to mix up but can be baked in the air fryer OR the oven.

Photo 5 - Bake In the preheated oven OR the air fryer. The edges will be set and it will be slightly puffed in the middle but the middle will still feel soft if you gently press on it. Do not over bake or the molten center will cook and lose that ‘lava’ texture.

Photo 6 - After baking, run a knife around the edges to loosen it and let it rest for 3-4 minutes before trying to remove. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully flip it upside down. Wait for about 20-30 seconds before lifting up the ramekin and the cake should remain on the plate.

💭Recipe Tips

• Ramekin Size - I used one large ramekin (10 ounces to the rim and ~4.25 inches wide) but you can use a bigger ramekin or smaller ramekins and just adjust the bake time. This is the large ramekin I use (note - it is labeled as a 7 ounce but it is 10 ounces to the rim).
• Well Grease the Ramekin - In order to remove the lava cake from the ramekin after baking, make sure to grease it very well. I like to use softened butter to do this and for extra measure I recommend dusting with cocoa powder, if you have on hand. If you don't have cocoa powder, just make sure to use lots of butter to grease.
• Use 'Spoon and Level' Method When Measuring Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
• Carefully Melt Chocolate - This is a small amount of chocolate, so it melts fast! Especially in the microwave. Make sure to warm it in short intervals, stirring in between, and be careful to not over heat it or it can seize up.

👩‍🍳Recipe FAQs

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