Lava air fryer cake will become your new favorite dessert! Ooey gooey chocolate lava cake made in ramekins inside your Ninja Foodi or other brand.
Have you tried an air fryer cake yet? Not a normal cake, but individual lava cakes that are pure bites of heaven I tell you. If you love chocolate and want to try a new air fryer recipe this week, this is it! (originally published 11/19, affiliate links present)
Cake in Air Fryer
These are just heavenly. Good thing they’re made portioned out in ramekins or I might go overboard for sure. Add lots of chocolate in the center and oh my you’re in for a treat.
We first made a Ninja Foodi cake using just a box of cake mix. That turned out well and you can do that as well if you want a quick dessert.
If you love air fryer recipes too, here are some resources to start with:
- My Favorite Air Fryer is a Cosori or for a dual machine, the Foodi.
- You can find more easy air fryer recipes here, we have Ninja Foodi recipes as well; bookmark them both!
- This is the best air fryer cookbook. It’s important to know and remember how to preheat air fryer for best results.
- Here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
- It has temp. and times for making the best frozen foods for air fryer too.
- Then join our Facebook page below where you can share and find more ideas you’ll love.
Air Fryer Lava Cake
It’s called this because it’s so ooey gooey when it is done a bit like a volcano that flows out when it erupts. I you haven’t “baked” in this hot air machine yet you might be questioning things. Here are a few common questions I thought I’d answer before moving forward.
I wasn’t so sure how well it would work to be honest. If you follow this cooking method though, it works great! I like how they’re already portioned out and come out super moist too.
Can you use ramekins in an air fryer?
It is a convection oven after all so yes! Don’t forget you probably have some in your cabinet already you can use. Tea cups work great too if they are oven safe. The size of your air fryer will determine what size ramekins you get. Here’s a peek of this being made in the kitchen. I know, midway it even looks irresistible, but just keep reading.
How to Bake a Cake in an Air Fryer
I suppose you could use boxed cake mix for this but the homemade chocolate cake recipe below is better and super easy.
When making a boxed cake in air fryer that way I used the bake function. If your machine doesn’t have that, this method won’t work.
Is air fryer better than oven?
- While a convection oven and an air fryer both use a fan to move hot air around, an air fryer circulates the it more rapidly.
This speeds up the cooking process for everything you cook in this thing I swear. Air fryers are healthier than deep frying and there’s no risk of an oily mess.
It’s also nice because if you want to make a small batch of air fryer banana bread or cake you can! It won’t heat the whole house up either.
Lava Air fryer cake
4 ounce ramekins were used for this. I like how it was just the right amount for one person so you didn’t have to serve anything other than the dish.
- if using different sizes the cooking timing will just need to be adjusted more or less
- non stick cooking spray is very helpful if you want to serve on plates
- Butter
Lots of Chocolate chips of course. Dark or semi sweet are best if you ask me.
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Self rising flour – remember to measure flour properly
You can add more chocolate chips on top if you want them to be really ooey gooey and wet when they’re done. Of course adjust things as you go but for your first batch I’d follow the instructions as written.
Experiment from there and make a few other air fryer dessert recipes too!
Air Fryer Lava Cake for Two
This is the air fryer we used for this batch. Some air fryer baskets are rather small so you may only be able to fit 2 or 3 of them at a time. Just cook in batches until you have as many as you’d like.
Time needed: 12 minutes.
Air Fryer Cake
- Mix ingredients
Melt butter and chocolate chips until smooth. Can be done in a microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between sessions.
Whisk together sugar and eggs, then combine the two.
Fold in flour until well combined, then add into greased ramekins. divide between 4 equally. - Preheat
Preheat air fryer at 370 for 5 minutes.
- Bake
Put baby cake pans into air fryer basket and cook at 370 degrees for 10 minutes, take out once toothpick comes out somewhat clean when pushed into the middle (you want a bit of gooey)
- Cool
Allow to sit on cooling rack for 2-4 minutes to solidify if you want to flip on to a plate and stay in tact.
This whole process will take about 15 minutes before your dream dessert is done! Since they are already in small individual containers there is NO messy slicing or additional plates required to enjoy them. 😉
Can I bake in my air fryer?
Hope in this post, this question will be answered for you. YES you can! It is just one of the many ways we’ve made desserts at home. Here are a few other delicious ideas you might want to try after this one:
- Pressure cooker chocolate lava cake is ooey gooey like this is but larger in size.
- Crockpot lava cake with cherry pie filling is heavenly and feeds a crowd for sure.
If you want another great one person simple dessert, this is how to make a brownie in a mug!!
Air fryer cookies are fabulous and you can really use whatever type you love best.
Boxed cake in air fryer
Bake a cake per the cake mix instructions on the back of your package. Then set the air fryer safe pan with the cake mix inside of it into the air fryer. Set the time for 20 minutes at 320 degrees F.
You can bake other things in it as well like air fryer cornbread and homemade or refrigerated cinnamon rolls in air fryer.
Use boxed muffin mix to make air fryer muffins now too.
Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!
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Air Fryer Cake
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp butter
- 1 c chocolate chips used dark chocolate
- 2 eggs
- 3.5 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp self rising flour not all purpose
Instructions
- Melt chocolate chips and butter together in the microwave. Put in for 30 sec., stir, 30 sec. until it is melted and smooth.
- Whisk together eggs and sugar in separate bowl. Then whisk egg mixture and chocolate together until combined and smooth.
- Then mix in flour until smooth.
- Pour batter equally into 4 oven safe ramekins. Fill 3/4 full.
- Put in air fryer basket for 10 minutes at 370 degrees, then allow to cool for 2 minutes before flipping over on to plates (or eat right out of them but they will be hot).
Video
Christine
Sunday 20th of November 2022
Followed the directions & timing exactly as per the recipe in my 8 quart Ninja Foodi and the cakes were rich and delicious, perfectly cooked while still lava on inside. I preheated the air fryer for about 10 min with the lid closed while mixing the batter. Also made my own self-rising flour (1/3c flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, pinch salt gave me enough for a few batches). Thank you for the recipe, I'll make it again for sure!
TP
Wednesday 13th of January 2021
Delicious!
Cindy
Friday 31st of January 2020
Very good,came out perfectly. I used a 6.5 quart Ninja!!
Kathy Soule
Friday 24th of January 2020
Not near enough time. I did 370 for 10 min and was totally raw. Just the edges were done. Put in for another 10 and the top was charred. Just scrapped the top off. Was much better. Maybe 5 min instead of 10. Made my own Sr flour.
Kathy Soule
Thursday 13th of February 2020
Made them again this time A Success. Used by air fryer this time I used my Ninja Foodi I think there is more air flow. The Foodi doesn't have a 370 it has 365 and a 375. I did 360 for about 12 minutes. Crispy around the and a small puddle at the bottom 483 Calories
Kim
Thursday 6th of February 2020
That is not the recommended temp or time. That is probably the problem.