Peanut Butter Lava Cakes are soft chocolate cakes with molten chocolate and peanut butter centers. They are made with six simple ingredients and can be ready to eat in less than 25 minutes! They are a great easy, quick, and satisfying dessert.
Chocolate Lava Cakes are one of my favorite dessert recipes. They come together really easily, require very few ingredients, but they don't skimp on flavor. When you add peanut butter into the mix you get a simple twist that makes a delicious difference.
If you're looking for more tasty chocolate recipes check out these Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chocolate Pots de Crème, or S'mores Hand Pies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The delicious chocolate and peanut butter flavor. It is like Reese's in cake form! If you want more Reese's recipes you should try my Reese's Skillet Cookie.
- The warm chocolate and peanut butter center is irresistible.
- They are quick and easy to make. Just like my Fudgy Brownies!
- The cakes can be topped with a variety of things. Like ice cream, caramel, or whipped cream.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- I used semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use whatever you prefer.
- Adding sugar to the ramekin will add a slight crunch and some extra sweetness to the lava cakes.
- Be sure to use creamy peanut butter. You can find more peanut butter in my No-Bake Cookies with Peanut Butter Glaze.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- The flour can be left out to make the chocolate lava cake gluten-free. It will affect the texture of the cakes, but they will taste the same.
- You can make one large lava cake in a large ramekin or small baking dish. The baking time will be longer.
- The peanut butter can be swapped out for almond butter, cashew butter, or the nut butter of your choice.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Scoop heaping teaspoons of peanut butter onto a small plate. Place in freezer until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
STEP 2: Prepare 4 small ramekins by spraying them with non-stick spray. Then pour a couple of spoonfuls of sugar into one of the ramekins and spin around until the bottom and sides are coated. Pour the remaining sugar into the next ramekin and continue until all 4 are coated. This will make a crunchy sugar crust on the outside of the cakes.
STEP 3: In a small saucepan combine the chocolate and butter. Place over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
STEP 4: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until the mixture is slightly thickened.
STEP 5: Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until thickened. Add flour and mix until combined.
STEP 6: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared ramekins. Place one ball of peanut butter in the center of each lava cake and press it down so it is covered by the chocolate batter.
STEP 7: Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the outside is set and just the very center is jiggly. The frozen peanut butter will cool down the cakes so they may take a little longer to bake.
STEP 8: Remove from oven and serve in the ramekins or turn the ramekins over onto a plate. The easiest way to do this is to place a ramekin on a potholder in your hand, flip a plate over on top of it and then turn the whole thing over. You might have to lightly shake the ramekin in order to get the cake out.
Expert Tips
- Watch the lava cakes closely while they bake. They can go from underbaked to overbaked quickly and you will lose the gooey chocolate center.
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold. Using an oven thermometer ensures that you are baking your chocolate lava cakes at the perfect temperature.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your lava cakes. The ingredients will combine much easier.
- Weigh your ingredients. One of the most common baking mistakes that I see is measuring incorrectly. The best way to get accurate measurements every time is to weigh them with a kitchen scale.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! But I wouldn't recommend baking them ahead of time. You can prepare them up to the point of baking and the refrigerate them for a couple of days or freeze for up to two weeks. If you freeze you will need to allow them to thaw before baking.
Yes and no. While it is liquid at the center and technically unbaked the internal temperature still reaches 160 degrees (F), so it is safe to eat!
You can. I think they taste better warm, but you really can't go wrong with chocolate lava cake!
You can use a muffin tin instead of ramekins. Just be aware that the chocolate lava cakes may bake faster because a muffin tin is thinner than a ramekin.
There are lots of simple additions you can make to peanut butter lava cakes when serving to amp up the flavor. You can dust the lava cakes with powdered sugar, top with whipped cream or ice cream.
I have never tried this, but I definitely think it could work! I would put the batter into a mug and microwave for 1 and a half minutes, check the cake and then add another minute or 2 accordingly.
Room Temperature: The cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container the Peanut Butter Lava Cakes will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: I wouldn't recommend storing these in the freezer after baking, but you can freeze the batter in the ramekin. Store the ramekins in an air-tight container and they can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Peanut Butter Lava Cakes or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
Ingredients
For Lava Cake:
- 4 teaspoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (113 grams) chocolate I used semi-sweet
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour
Instructions
For Lava Cake:
- Scoop heaping teaspoons of peanut butter onto a small plate. Place in freezer until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare 4 small ramekins by spraying them with non-stick spray. Pour a couple of spoonfuls of granulated sugar in the sprayed ramekin and roll around so that it coats the bottom and sides. This will create a sugar crust on the lava cake.
- In a small saucepan combine the butter and chocolate. Place over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until slightly thickened. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until thickened. Add the flour and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared ramekins. Place one ball of peanut butter in the center of each lava cake and press it down so it is covered by the chocolate batter.
- Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the outside is set and the very center is jiggly.
- Remove from oven and carefully flip the ramekins over onto a plate or serve in the ramekins.
Notes
- Watch the lava cakes closely while they bake. They can go from underbaked to over baked quickly and you will lose the gooey chocolate center.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your lava cakes. The ingredients will combine much easier.
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Desirée Wagoner says
Excellent recipe! Super easy my family loved it!! 😋