How to Reheat Lava Cakes - The Nessy Kitchen (2024)

Next time you have some leftover molten chocolate lava cakes, use one of these reheating methods to restore them to their just-baked state. I've tested 5 methods and am sharing it all so that you can determine the best option for you.

Learn about the fastest reheating process, the best way to preserve the gooey chocolate center and everything in between.

My chocolate molten lava cake recipe is one of my all time favorite desserts.

From the gooey center to the deep chocolate flavor and the way a scoop of ice cream just melts into it, this decadent dessert is one which always impresses.

The molten center is the result of baking a chocolate mixture with extra egg yolks at a fairly high temperature so that the outside sets while the warm center stays liquid like a melted chocolate ganache.

While I don't always have leftover lava cake when I make them (a single batch only makes 2-3), it does happen from time to time, so I've experimented with different methods of reheating.

But I wanted to settle it once and for all so I made a triple batch (okay quadruple... I wanted to be able to eat some fresh!) and then packed them up for the night.

The next day, I tested and perfected different methods and now I'm sharing them with you.

Storage

Before we get started about how to reheat molten chocolate cakes, we should discuss the best way to store your leftovers.

How to Store

1.Cool. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before packaging, otherwise, the outer cake portion may become soggy from the trapped heat.

2.Package. Once cooled, store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.

3.Store.Place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating in the Microwave

Time: 1 Minute
Results: Average

How to Reheat

1. Place the leftover cake on a microwave-safe plate.

2. Microwave in 20 second bursts until heated.

3. Enjoy.

Pros, Cons and Notes on This Method

Pros:

• Very Fast

Cons:

• Cooks the molten center (no longer lava-like)

Takeaway:

If the main thing that you are in need of is a shorter time, this method is very fast.

But it comes at a cost- it is essentially just a warm chocolate cake- you will lose the liquid center.

If you're planning on serving it with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, you might not find it too bad, but otherwise, this would be my last choice of method if you want the best results.

Reheating in the Oven

Time: 10 Minutes
Results: Good

How to Reheat

1. Preheat a conventional oven to a temperature of 400 F degrees.

2. Place cake on a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper (in case some lava leaks) and bake in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes.

3. Enjoy. Remove from the oven with an oven mitt and serve hot.

Pros, Cons and Notes on This Method

Pros:

• The center of the gooey chocolate cake is maintained

Cons:

• The outside can become slightly dried out
• You have to wait to preheat the oven

Takeaway:

I was overall happy with the oven method for maintaining the gooey center and the texture of the cake stayed pretty good too- maybe slightly dried on the edges but nothing a scoop of ice cream and some fresh berries can't fix!

The worst part is waiting for the oven to preheat- and it also seems a bit excessive to preheat an oven for reheating one lava cake. I would probably only use this method when I was reheating multiple at once.

Reheating in the Toaster Oven

Time: 20 Minutes
Results: Good

How to Reheat

1. Preheat the toaster oven to 400 F.

2. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper (for easy clean up) and bake in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes.

3. Enjoy.

Pros, Cons and Notes on This Method

Pros:

• Maintained the gooey center
• Quicker than preheating a large oven

Cons:

• The outside can get slightly dried out
• Still requires some time to preheat the oven

Takeaway:

I slightly prefer this alternative method to a conventional oven as, although the baking time is about the same, it takes less time to preheat. The results are pretty good- you maintain the fudgy center and the cake was only very slightly dried out.

Reheating in a Double Boiler

Time: 20 Minutes
Results: Good

How to Reheat

1. Fill the base pot of a double boiler (or a pot which will fit a metal bowl on top) with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a simmer and place the top pot/bowl on top.

2. Place the lava cake in the top pot/bowl and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for up to 15 minutes, checking after 8-10 minutes.

3. Enjoy! Move to a serving plate and serve hot.

Pros, Cons and Notes on This Method

Pros-

• Best overall texture; soft cake and gooey center

Cons-

• This method takes the longest

Takeaway-

Overall, I liked the texture best of this method as the cake stayed very soft and the center was fudgy. However, it does take considerably longer than most of the other methods and therefore, I would be more likely to reheat it another way in most cases.

Reheating in the Air Fryer

Time: 5 Minutes
Results: Good

How to Reheat

1. Place the lava cake in the center of a piece of aluminum foil with the edges bent up to prevent leaking and air fry at 375 F for 4-5 minutes.

2. Enjoy. Remove from the basket with plastic or silicone tongs and serve hot.

Pros, Cons and Notes on This Method

Pros:

• The gooey center is maintained
• It is fairly quick and doesn't require any preheating

Cons:

• Not everyone has access to an air fryer
• The outside can get slightly crispy

Takeaway:

If you have access to an air fryer, this is an excellent way to reheat lava cakes. While I found the outside could get slightly crispier than being fresh baked, I found that I liked the texture contrast with the liquid center.

Tips

Rescue an Over Heated Cake

If you followed one of these methods (or didn't) and your lava cake ends up cooked all the way through, you can somewhat revive it by:

• Serving it with chocolate ganache: duplicate the lava by serving some chocolate ganache over the cake.
• Or for a quicker method, melt chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave and pour it onto the cake.
• You can also serve it with other garnishes such as ice cream, whipped cream or salted caramel.

Eat it Cold

You can skip the reheating altogether if you prefer and enjoy your lava cake cold. I honestly really like it this way- the inside hardens a bit and reminds me of eating the inside of a truffle.

Summary

Quickest

• Microwave (<1 minute)
• Air Fryer (5 minutes)

Best Results

• Double Boiler (best)
• Air Fryer (good)
• Oven/Toaster Oven (pretty good)

Best Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

Made with just 3 ingredients- semisweet chocolate, eggs and butter- my go to recipe for molten cakes is baked in a standard muffin tin and just makes a small batch.

If you have never made lava cakes before, I promise it is easier than it looks.

Find the full recipe here!

I hope this post helps you to reheat your leftover lava cakes so that they taste freshly made!

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