Instant Pot Lava Cakes

Low-carb chocolate lava cakes made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker

When you are looking for the perfect dessert for a special occasion or at-home date night, these rich chocolate lava cakes, served while still warm and gooey, are exactly what you need.

They require only 7 ingredients and, instead of using nut- or coconut-based flours, such as almond or coconut, this recipe uses ground sunflower seed meal instead. If you have a nut allergy like I do and cannot eat almond flour, ground sunflower seed meal is an amazing alternative when baking low-carb treats. It is almost always a 1:1 sub for almond flour in baked good recipes.

These mini cakes are delicious on their own, or you can garnish with yogurt, keto ice cream, raspberries, a sprinkle of powdered monk fruit sweetener, and/or a fresh mint leaf.

Instant Pot lava cakes FAQs

Here are answers to the most commonly asked question about this keto lava cake recipe:

Are there any ingredient substitution options?

• Dark Chocolate Bar: Sugar-free dark chocolate chips can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.
• Butter: Coconut oil can be substituted for butter at a 1:1 ratio. This substitution will make the recipe dairy-free.
• Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener: Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener, Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener, Swerve, or erythritol can be used here at a 1:1 substitution ratio.
• Ground Sunflower Seed Meal: You can make ground sunflower seed meal by pulsing raw sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor until they turn into flour (be careful to not over-blend, as doing this will lead to making sunflower seed butter, which has a consistency similar to that of peanut butter or almond butter). If you can eat nuts, you should be able to substitute in almond flour at a 1:1 ratio substitution.

How can I make these Instant Pot lava cakes dairy-free?

Substitute coconut oil for butter and the cakes will then be dairy-free.

Where can I purchase monk fruit sweetener?

I purchase mine from Lakanto and have it delivered. If you want to do this, you can use discount code REALBALANCED at checkout for 20% OFF your Lakanto order.

If you’d rather purchase monk fruit sweetener in a store, many grocery stores, especially specialty stores and Costco, carry Lakanto’s monk fruit sweetener.

What size Instant Pot should I use?

I personally use a 6 qt Instant Pot, but you can also make this in an 8 qt. I can’t say for sure if this recipe will work in a 3 qt mini.

Regardless of whether you use a 6 qt or 8 qt, do not change the cook time. That will remain the same.

How many net carbs per serving?

Per serving, the lava cakes contain 4.8 grams of net carbs. A serving size is 1 cake and the recipe, as written, yields 5 cakes. Net carbs are calculated by taking total carbs, subtracting fiber, and subtracting sugar alcohols.

The full nutrition information for this recipe, including the calorie content, total carbs, protein, and fat per serving, can be found in the nutrition label located below the recipe instructions.

What diets is this recipe compliant with?

• Keto and Low-Carb: Each lava cake contains only 4.8 grams of net carbs, which makes this a great keto dessert option.
• Nut-Free: There are no nuts or nut products in this recipe, making it perfect for those with nut allergies and intolerances.
• Coconut-Free: These cakes are free from coconut-based ingredients.
• Gluten-Free and Grain-Free: This recipe is both gluten-free and grain-free.
• Dairy-Free: Sub coconut oil for butter and then this recipe will be dairy-free.
• Primal: This recipe is compliant with a primal diet.
• Vegetarian: This recipe is compliant with a vegetarian diet.
• Refined Sugar-Free: This recipe does not include any refined sugar, and instead uses monk fruit sweetener.

How should this recipe be stored after preparing?

• Refrigerator Storage: These can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer Storage: After being cooked and cooled, the lava cakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place cakes in an airtight container or storage bag, then take out and thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying.

How to make these homemade lava cakes

To a small glass or stainless steel bowl, add dark chocolate bar squares. In a large pot over medium heat, using double boiler method (see note below), melt chocolate in bowl, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from stovetop and allow melted chocolate to cool slightly while moving on to next step.

Double Boiler Method: Instead of putting chocolate bar squares directly in a pot to melt, we want to simmer water in a pot and set a bowl atop the simmering water. This is to ensure the chocolate does not burn and melts evenly. To successfully melt chocolate using the double boiler method, to a large pot, add just enough water to fill the bottom of the pan, but not too much that the water will touch the bottom of the bowl you plan to melt the chocolate in. Over medium heat with the bowl of chocolate atop the water, simmer the water, which will lead to the chocolate melting.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, mix together butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and monk fruit sweetener until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add ground sunflower seed meal and salt and mix again until smooth.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, mix together eggs, butter, monk fruit sweetener, and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add ground sunflower seed meal and salt and mix again until smooth.

Pour melted chocolate into mixing bowl of egg mixture and, using an electric mixer with a clean whisk attachment, mix until combined.

Coat ramekins or non-stick pudding pots with cooking spray. Fill each ramekin about ¾ of the way full with prepared batter.

Place steamer rack on the bottom of Instant Pot pot and then pour in 2 cups of water. Place 4 ramekins directly atop the steamer rack and then place remaining 1 ramekin atop the 4 ramekins in the center to build a pyramid.

Secure Instant Pot lid and set to Manual setting (high pressure) to cook for 6 minutes.

After cooking has finished, quick-release pressure and, using a towel or tongs, quickly and carefully remove ramekins from Instant Pot pot.

As quickly as possible and while still warm, atop a plate, flip ramekins over to remove cakes from ramekins. Serve cakes warm on their own or garnished with yogurt, keto ice cream, raspberries, sprinkle of powdered monk fruit sweetener, and/or a fresh mint leaf.

Looking for more keto dessert recipes?

If you loved these keto lava cakes, be sure to check out more nut-free sweet treats:

• Low-Carb Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
• Nut-Free Keto Cheesecake
• Nut-Free Keto Chocolate Cookies