Description
Delight in rich, molten Peanut Butter Chocolate Lava Cakes that combine smooth semi-sweet chocolate with creamy peanut butter, baked to gooey perfection. Perfect for an indulgent dessert, these cakes feature a luscious peanut butter center and a fudgy chocolate exterior, ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Lindt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 8 teaspoons (42g) creamy peanut butter (about 2 teaspoons per cake)
Optional for Serving
- Ice cream
- Melted peanut butter
- Chocolate syrup for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare Ramekins: Spray 4 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (218°C) to make sure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking lava cakes.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Coarsely chop the chocolate and place it together with butter in a medium heat-proof bowl. Microwave on high in 10-second increments, stirring after each until smooth and fully melted. Set aside.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and eggs into the melted chocolate, stirring slowly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Use a whisk gently to remove any lumps; batter will be slightly thick.
- Fill and Add Peanut Butter: Spoon the chocolate batter evenly into the prepared ramekins. Top each with 2 teaspoons of creamy peanut butter, pressing it slightly into the batter. Some peanut butter may still be visible.
- Bake: Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 13 minutes until sides are firm but tops remain slightly soft.
- Invert and Serve: Let the cakes cool for 1 minute, then cover each ramekin with an inverted plate and carefully flip using oven mitts. The cakes should release easily. Serve immediately with optional ice cream and drizzled melted peanut butter or chocolate syrup.
Notes
- You can prepare the batter through step 4 up to one day ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before filling ramekins.
- Use creamy commercial peanut butter like Jif or Skippy; avoid natural or crunchy types and other nut butters for best results.
- If you prefer plain lava cakes without peanut butter, omit the peanut butter and bake the same amount of time.
- Use 6-ounce oven-proof ramekins for consistent baking results; alternate sizes may change baking time.
- If ramekins are unavailable, use a muffin pan greased and dusted with cocoa powder; bake for 10 minutes and yield will be 6 smaller cakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
