What matters
Place the skewer beside the centre to distinguish melted chocolate from raw batter.
Everyday cooking Recipe
Air fryer chocolate cakes with melted centres
Air fryer chocolate cakes with a dark chocolate centre. Bake the cake batter through; a piece of chocolate, not raw egg batter, makes the soft middle.
Total time
41 min
Calories
224 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
Melted chocolate rather than raw batter
Four small heatproof moulds about 7 cm across fit with gaps in a wide basket. Timing assumes this; smaller appliances need extra batches. Five minutes cooling are included.
Air Fryer Recipes
Recipe
Air fryer chocolate cakes with melted centres
Air fryer chocolate cakes with a dark chocolate centre. Bake the cake batter through; a piece of chocolate, not raw egg batter, makes the soft middle.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
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1
Prepare
Grease four stable heatproof moulds with 5 g butter. Melt remaining 25 g butter and cool slightly. Divide chocolate into four equal-weight pieces. Use a heatproof dish suitable for the appliance, leaving space around it for airflow. Do not preheat with loose paper.
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2
Mix and season
Mix egg, sugar, milk and melted butter. Briefly fold in flour, cocoa and baking powder. Divide half the batter, add a chocolate piece each and cover with the rest. Fill no more than two-thirds.
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3
Cook
If required by the manufacturer, preheat for 3 minutes at 160 °C. Bake about 18 minutes at 160 °C. Test the cake ring beside the chocolate with a skewer: no raw egg-flour batter should cling. Soft chocolate alone does not prove doneness. Check that the thickest part reaches at least 70 °C for 2 minutes; continue cooking if needed.
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4
Check and serve
Cool about 5 minutes, then serve in moulds. Chocolate centres remain very hot. Do not deliberately serve raw runny batter as a lava centre.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Air fryer chocolate cakes with melted centres
Serving guidance
One cake per dessert serving, without ice cream or cream.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Milk chocolate also melts but adds sweetness and changes nutrition.
Add a little orange zest to the cocoa.
Nutrition per serving
224kcal
24.8 gCarbohydrates
4.7 gProtein
11.3 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Air fryer chocolate cakes with melted centres
No, the inserted chocolate melts. The surrounding egg-flour batter must bake fully.
Not at the expense of doneness. Chocolate provides softness, not deliberately raw batter.
For the stated total time, yes. Otherwise bake consecutively and allow extra cooking time.
Warm crumb is fragile. Serving in heatproof moulds is safer; warn about the hot centre.
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