Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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These easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes give the feel of a 5-star restaurant in the comfort of your own home. They’re delicious, indulgent, and shockingly simple! I’ve added another twist – peanut butter – and it’s so good!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes Recipe

Chocolate Lava Cakes– so what are they? They’re just the most intense and delicious chocolate cake you’ll ever eat, but with added peanut butter, that’s all!

These delectable desserts have a soft and spongey exterior and a gooey, molten-chocolate-peanut butter center; they’re so delicious!

Why You’ll Love this Peanut Butter Lava Cake Recipe:

  • Intense flavors: Rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter combine to make one decadent dessert.
  • Easy: They look gorgeous, with a melty middle, but are pretty simple to make. They go from pantry to table in around 30 mins.
  • Restaurant quality dessert: Single servings, great for impressing at dinner parties.
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Ingredients

  • Butter – unsalted.
  • Cocoa powder – unsweetened.
  • Flour – all-purpose.
  • Chocolate – chopped. I prefer German baking chocolate.
  • Peanut butter – creamy is best for a smooth cake filling. I went for low-fat peanut butter and it works great.
  • Sugar – powdered and granulated.
  • Eggs – large.

How to Make Chocolate Lava Cakes With Peanut Butter

You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!

  1. Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan; set aside to cool.
  2. Mix the peanut butter filling with powdered sugar and melted butter.
  3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and pale yellow.
  4. Stir in the chocolate until no streaks remain; then fold in the flour.
  5. Divide 2/3 of the mixture between four ramekins. Then add a big spoonful of peanut butter and top with the rest of the batter and bake.
  6. Once you take them out of the oven, try your best to refrain from eating them right out of the ramekins let them cool for about 10 minutes, and then flip them over. More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below, but they should come out pretty easily and create a nice little cake. So darn cute!
  7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or top with vanilla ice cream, and go to town! Inside this sweet little cake lies creamy, amazing peanut butter. It’s like a big peanut butter cup–heaven!
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How Do You Prep Ramekins?

Prepping the ramekins so you can easily remove the lava cakes is super important, I mean unless you plan on eating it straight from the ramekin (no judging here), you need the cake to come out easily.

To prepare the ramekins, simply lightly coat them in a little olive oil (you can also use butter) and grease the inside like you would any other cake tin– but keep it light!

Next, dust the inside with a mixture of flour and cocoa powder; you might have done this before when making cakes.

This gives the ramekins an extra lining to stop any cake batter sticking, they’ll slide right out (see photo below).

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How Do You Know When the Lava Cakes are Done?

These cakes don’t take long at all to bake (pretty much like cupcakes). Plan on about 14-16 minutes.

To tell if they are done, you should see a crispy and cracked top with a jiggly middle. If you stick a toothpick ½-inch into the cake it should come out clean (any deeper will be wet).

Should You Serve Them Warm or Cold?

Lava cakes should always be served warm to ensure that flowing ooey-gooey center. They are absolutely delicious and super decadent. Serving them cold just wouldn’t be the same!

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More Chocolate Desserts You Might Like

  • Easy Churros
  • Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Classic Chocolate Fudge
  • Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake Skillet
  • Velvet Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes

4.17 from 6 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 35 minutes minutes

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These mini chocolate lava cakes are filled with creamy peanut butter for an indulgent dessert that's easy to make.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (12)

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 5 grams
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 38 grams, divided
  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter 127 grams, room temperature and divided (1⅛ sticks)
  • 6 ounces German baking chocolate 170 grams, chopped (SEE NOTE)
  • 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 51 grams (SEE NOTE)
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 7 grams
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature
  • 1 pinch kosher salt

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.

  • Spray each ramekin with nonstick spray/olive oil. Mix 1 tablespoon of flour with the cocoa powder. Coat the inside of each ramekin with this flour mixture and tap off the excess.

    1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter with the German chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Once it is melted and mixed completely, take it off the heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes.

    9 tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 ounces German baking chocolate

  • In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, blend the peanut butter with the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.

    3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

  • In another bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the granulated sugar with the eggs and salt at medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, around 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate, using a spatula. Blend until no streaks remain. Fold in the remaining flour and salt, and mix until smooth.

    ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 pinch kosher salt

  • Spoon two-thirds of the batter into the prepared ramekins, then place a large spoonful of the peanut butter mixture into the middle. Top with more chocolate batter. Leave about 2 centimeters at the top of the ramekin to allow for the cake to rise.

  • Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the top is crispy/cracked and the middle is still slightly jiggly. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

  • Run the tip of a thin knife around each cake to loosen. Invert a small plate over each cake and using pot holders, invert again. Carefully lift the ramekins off the hot cakes.

  • Dust the warm cakes with powdered sugar and serve right away. These are also great with vanilla ice cream!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • German baking chocolate is already sweetened, so resist the urge to add more sugar to these cakes.
  • Low-fat peanut butter works fine in this recipe.
  • Prepare the ramekins as described to prevent the cakes from sticking.
  • Feel free to use a different nut butter for this dessert.
  • Make sure to let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the ramekins.
  • Serve with powdered sugar. (Ice cream is also a great option.)

Storage:Store chocolate peanut butter lava cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Gently reheat before enjoying.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cake Calories: 738kcal (37%) Carbohydrates: 60g (20%) Protein: 12g (24%) Fat: 52g (80%) Saturated Fat: 28g (175%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 16g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 210mg (70%) Sodium: 123mg (5%) Potassium: 398mg (11%) Fiber: 5g (21%) Sugar: 44g (49%) Vitamin A: 1011IU (20%) Calcium: 64mg (6%) Iron: 4mg (22%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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FAQs

What is the difference between molten lava cake and lava cake? ›

Lava cakes are typically small individual-sized cakes baked in a ramekin. In summary, molten cake is a broader term that can refer to cakes with a liquid center, whereas lava cake is a specific type of chocolate cake with a melted center.

Why is my lava cake no lava? ›

If the Lava Cakes are left in the ramekins any longer, you risk a nonexistent lava center. Gently loosen the cakes from the ramekins by sliding a knife around the edges of each cake, then invert the cakes onto serving plates.

What is the fancy name for chocolate lava cake? ›

Molten chocolate cake is a French dessert that consists of a chocolate cake with a liquid chocolate core. It is named for that molten center, and it is also known as mi-cuit au chocolat, chocolat coulant ("flowing"), chocolate lava cake, or simply lava cake.

Is chocolate lava cake just undercooked cake? ›

In the 2014 movie "Chef," chef Carl Caper, portrayed by Jon Favreau, argues that chocolate lava cake isn't just "undercooked chocolate cake." The "molten" aspect of the dessert comes from a disc of frozen chocolate ganache that melts in the center of the treat as the cake bakes around it. He's not wrong.

Should lava cake be eaten hot or cold? ›

Answer: While the lava cakes are at their best when eaten freshly baked. They can be re-heated in the microwave on a plate for 30 seconds. Be sure to remove them from the metal ramekins before heating in the microwave.

Should you refrigerate lava cake? ›

Absolutely! After making the Chocolate Lava Cake batter and filling the ramekins, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

What is the center of a lava cake made of? ›

Molten Chocolate Cakes, also known as Lava Cakes, are warm individual-size chocolate cakes with oozing chocolate centres. Most recipes will simply have you undercooking a chocolate cake batter, so the outside is set like cake but the inside is raw batter that pours out like lava when you cut into it. Hence the name!

What is lava cake kisses? ›

Just like the decadent dessert, HERSHEY'S KISSES Lava Cake Dark Chocolate Candies feature a dark chocolate exterior with a gooey center. It's a dessert you can split without two spoons! Perfect for baking, snacking and sharing.

What is a fun fact about chocolate lava cake? ›

Most would cite Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten as the creator of the cake, the story of how the chef accidentally pulled a chocolate sponge cake out of the oven before it was finished and discovered a runny center. Chocolatier Jacques Torres claims that the dish itself has been available in France before, by himself.

What is Dominos lava cake? ›

Today, it's a menu favorite. Imagine a rich chocolate cake with a slightly crunchy crust and a warm liquid chocolate center that flows out at the nudge of a fork. Now don't imagine it: Order it. Domino's Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes come in pairs for sharing — or for eating one now and saving one for later.

Does Pizza Hut make lava cakes? ›

Order Choc Lava Cake Online - Dessert Menu | Pizza Hut.

Can I substitute oil for butter in lava cake? ›

Traditionally you'll find that most lava cakes are made with butter, but for my version I wanted to use this wonderful Extra Virgin Olive Oil from La Tourangelle. Their olive oil is rich and delicate, which works perfectly in this recipe as it imparts a lot of flavor.

What country is lava cake from? ›

The history of chocolate lava cakes is a bit of a mystery. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claims to have invented it at his restaurant in New York City in the 1980s. However, fellow New York-based French chef Jacques Torres argues that this dish already existed in France.

What is the meaning of molten lava cake? ›

A molten lava cake, also known as a chocolate lava cake or a molten chocolate cake, is a popular dessert that features a rich, decadent chocolate cake with a gooey, melted chocolate center.

What is molten cake made of? ›

The ingredient list is short — butter, chocolate, eggs, sugar and flour — and the video that accompanies this recipe shows exactly how the magic of the chocolate-oozing molten cake comes to be.

Are molten lava cakes raw? ›

The molten centre isn't just raw cake batter, it's melted chocolate. No more stress about overcooking the molten centre – because chocolate will always ooze.

Is it melted or molten chocolate? ›

“Molten” is now usually used of hard materials liquified by very high heat, like lava, glass, and lead. Most other substances are “melted,” though some people like to refer to “molten cheese” and a popular dessert is called “molten chocolate cake,” perhaps to emphasize its gooey, lava-like character.

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