Description
Indulge in these rich and gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Lava Cakes, featuring a decadent molten chocolate center paired perfectly with creamy peanut butter. These individual-sized cakes are baked to perfection with a soft outer shell and a molten core, ideal for an impressive dessert that’s quick to prepare and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Mixture
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 Tbsp; 113g)
Dry Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (31g, spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (60g)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Eggs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
Additional
- 8 teaspoons creamy peanut butter (42g, about 2 teaspoons per cake)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Cocoa powder for dusting
- Optional for serving: ice cream, melted peanut butter, and/or chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Prepare Ramekins: Spray four 6-ounce ramekins lightly with nonstick cooking spray and dust the insides with cocoa powder to ensure easy release of the cakes after baking.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) to get it ready for baking.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Coarsely chop the semi-sweet chocolate. Place the unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped chocolate on top, and microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each until the mixture is completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Eggs: In another small bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks until fully combined.
- Make Batter: Add the dry ingredient mixture and the eggs to the melted chocolate and butter bowl. Gently fold everything together using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until smooth and slightly thick, removing any lumps by gently whisking.
- Fill Ramekins: Spoon the chocolate batter evenly into the prepared ramekins. Add 2 teaspoons of creamy peanut butter on top of each and gently press it down into the batter, leaving some exposed.
- Bake: Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 13 minutes until the edges appear firm but the tops are still slightly soft.
- Invert Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool for 1 minute. Then, carefully cover each ramekin with an inverted plate and turn over using oven mitts. The cakes should release easily from the ramekins.
- Serve: Serve immediately, topping with ice cream and drizzles of melted peanut butter and/or chocolate syrup if desired. Enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth lava cake experience.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The batter can be prepared through assembling and mixing up to step 6 ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before continuing to fill ramekins.
- Peanut Butter: Use commercial creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy for best results. Avoid natural, crunchy, or other nut butters.
- Ramekins: 6-ounce oven-proof ramekins are recommended for optimal bake time and cake size. Muffin pans can be used as a substitute but will produce smaller cakes.
- Muffin Pan Alternative: Grease and dust 6 muffin cups, bake at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then invert onto plates for serving.
- Plain Lava Cakes: To make without peanut butter, omit it entirely and bake for 12 to 13 minutes as directed.
- Careful when inverting the hot ramekins to avoid burns.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
