Who can resist a lava cake? Soft cake gives way to a molten chocolate center and it’s just divine. If you want to save some time and get to the sweet treat sooner, start with a premade version. A Trader Joe’s lava cake in the air fryer is both delicious and convenient!
Starting with a pre-made frozen chocolate lava cake from Trader Joe’s means you don’t need to do any mixing, measuring, or even cleanup! These delicious cakes feature a moist, chocolate cake outside with a decadent chocolate souffle within.
They’re a dessert that’s elegant enough for date night, Valentine’s Day, or an anniversary, but delicious enough to satisfy that chocolate craving anytime it strikes. That’s the benefit of having them in your freezer!
I prefer the texture of a baked cake to that spongy consistency you get from the microwave, and your air fryer does it in half the time of a traditional oven. In under 10 minutes you have a warm chocolatey cake with a gooey souffle center. Amazing!
Additional toppings as desired (see suggestions below)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Even though I’m working with Trader Joe’s chocolate lava cakes, you can use other brands as well and they’ll still work great. That includes Omaha Steaks, Favorite Day (Target), Godiva, Specially Selected (Aldi), and probably some others as well. Just check and make sure the packaging is oven-safe before you put it in your air fryer. Otherwise, discard it and cook the cake on a piece of parchment or foil instead
How to Make Trader Joe’s Chocolate Lava Cake in the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
Remove your lava cakes from the box, and remove the plastic outer wrapping. Leave them in the dish
Place the lava cakes with their dishes into your preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 6-7 minutes at 400°F until tops begin to brown
Remove the lava cakes from the air fryer and invert onto a plate
With a spoon, or with an oven mitt on, press down on the middle of the dish until the cake releases onto the plate
Top with your favorite toppings and serve!
What to Serve With Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
Ice cream
Chocolate sauce
Caramel sauce
Raspberry sauce
Strawberry sauce
Powdered sugar
Whipped cream
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Maraschino cherry
Crumbled cookies
Shaved chocolate
Sliced almonds
You can’t go wrong with even more chocolate I always say. I often pair my Trader Joe’s air fryer lava cakes with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of my easy Microwave Chocolate Sauce!
Recipe FAQs
How Long Do You Cook Trader Joe’s Lava Cakes?
You should cook Trader Joe’s lava cakes for 6-7 minutes in an air fryer.
Alternatively, cook for 20 minutes in a 400°F oven, or about 45 seconds in a microwave on high.
Should Lava Cake Be Eaten Hot or Cold?
Lava cake is best eaten hot. When eaten cold, the middle does not flow like lava, thus defeating the namesake.
That said, if you want a cold chocolate cake with a solidified fudge interior, it is safe to eat it cold.
Is Lava Cake Supposed to Be Refrigerated?
Any leftover lava cake should be refrigerated. It should be consumed in 5 days or less.
Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or oven before consuming.
How Do You Reheat Lava Cakes in an Air Fryer?
Reheat lava cakes in an air fryer by cooking for 3-5 minutes at 350°F.
Once they are warmed through, they are ready to eat.
How Do You Eat Lava Cake?
You eat lava cake traditionally on a plate with a spoon. Most often, it is topped with ice cream, whipped cream, or other sauces that melt into the cake as it is eaten.
However, it may be served alone as well.
Recipe Expert Advice
If you don’t want to flip them out of the containers, you don’t have to. However, it’s a much more elegant and traditional presentation to eat a lava cake from a plate instead of scooped from a cup
I found the cups to be both hot and less rigid after cooking, so use caution in removing them from your air fryer
Storage and Reheating Tips
While TJ’s frozen lava cakes are considered single serving, if you have leftovers, you may store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Do not refreeze once they have been cooked once
To reheat lava cakes, place them in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through. If you have removed them from their tray already, I recommend using a piece of foil or parchment underneath the cake in the air fryer. This should help make transferring them without breaking open easier!
Skip dessert at the restaurant and enjoy an almost as good version straight from your freezer. While they cost a lot less, a Trader Joe’s lava cake doesn’t sacrifice any flavor.
Your air fryer makes it easy to prepare your molten chocolate cakes quickly, in about half the time as in the oven. Plus, you’ll get a better cake texture than the microwave can produce while the chocolate souffle middle comes out warm and perfectly gooey.
These frozen lava cakes are perfect to have on hand for anytime you’ve got a chocolate craving and only want one portion. However, they’re elegant enough to dress up for date night or company. You can’t go wrong!
If you want to try your hand at making your own cake, though, make sure to check out my Box Cake Hacks to make it taste homemade. Your cake is sure to impress!
Dessert has never been easier thanks to air fryer Trader Joe’s lava cake. This decadent chocolate cake features a souffle middle and is ready in just 6 minutes!
Remove your lava cakes from the box, and remove the plastic outer wrapping. Leave them in the dish
1 Box of 2 Trader Joe's chocolate lava cakes
Place the lava cakes with their dishes into your preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 6-7 minutes at 400°F until top edges begin to brown
Remove the lava cakes from the air fryer and invert onto a plate
With a spoon, or with an oven mitt on, press down on the middle of the dish until the cake releases onto the plate
Add your favorite toppings and serve!
Additional toppings as desired
Notes
Even though I’m making Trader Joe’s lava cakes, you can use other brands as well and they’ll still work great. That includes Omaha Steaks, Favorite Day (Target), Godiva, Specially Selected (Aldi), and probably some others as well. Just check and make sure the packaging is oven-safe before you put it in your air fryer. Otherwise, discard it and cook the cake on a piece of parchment or foil instead
If you don’t want to flip the cakes out of the containers, you don’t have to. However, it’s a much more elegant and traditional presentation to eat a lava cake from a plate instead of scooped from a cup
The cups will be both hot and less rigid after cooking, so use caution in removing them from your air fryer
Pictured with powdered sugar, raspberries, and pistachios for toppings
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients, any toppings added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
