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Chocolate Lava Cakes

5 from 2 votes

Weekdays were meant for rich and delicious homemade molten chocolate lava cakes. And this decadent chocolate dessert recipe can be made in a muffin tin!

chocolate lava cakes
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These hot-fudge-filled chocolate lava cakes will absolutely obliterate even the most intense chocolate craving.

Soft chocolate cake surrounds luxuriously dark chocolate lava hidden inside. Just when you think it can’t get any darker, it surprises you.

I adapted the recipe from my 100 Calorie Chocolate Cake.

And while they were originally just going to be plain-jane chocolate cakes, who would ever choose a plain chocolate cake over one filled with chocolate lava?

chocolate lava cupcakes

The nutrition stats for these homemade lava cakes are unbelievable:

Under 200 calories for the entire chocolate lava cake, including the molten chocolate lava filling!

While an equal serving size of most chocolate lava cake recipes will clock in at around 400 calories with an appalling 45 grams of sugar or more, these decadent healthy chocolate lava cakes have less than half the fat and calories, with a third of the sugar or even an option to make them completely sugar-free.

I feel like they’d be the perfect dessert for a sleepover party. Top them with any of the ice cream recipes linked below and round up your favorite film noir crime or detective dramas to fit with the classically dark and mysterious mood.

Coconut Ice Cream

Keto Ice Cream

Almond Milk Ice Cream

Banana Ice Cream

Step-By-Step Instructions:

lava cakes recipe

Step One:

Make up the chocolate cakes, and melt the chocolate filling in a separate bowl while you’re waiting for the lava cakes to bake.

It is completely okay if they sink in the middle – these aren’t cupcakes, and you’ll be removing the middles in the next step anyway.

cupcakes

Step Two:

Using a spoon or knife, cut out the center of each lava cake—making sure to not go too far down—and set the tops aside.

Divide the melted chocolate evenly among the cakes.

vegan chocolate lava cakes

Step Three:

Place the set-aside cake centers back on the cakes.

Top with frosting, or whipped cream, or a small scoop of ice cream to cover the seams.

vegan lava cake

Steps four, five, and six: Devour!

The eating part is definitely a three-step process; consuming the molten chocolate lava filling is a step all to itself.

Also try this Vegan Chocolate Cake or the low carb chocolate Keto Cake.

Soft chocolate cake surrounds luxuriously dark chocolate lava hidden inside these secretly healthy chocolate lava cakes
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Chocolate Lava Cakes

These rich and decadent chocolate lava cakes will satisfy any chocolate craving and can be made in a muffin tin!
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Yield 9 – 10 lava cakes
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp dutch or additional unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 cup spelt, white, or gf ap flour (Low carb option: Keto Cupcakes)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar or xyiltol
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or yogurt
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp white or cider vinegar
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 2 tsp vegetable or coconut oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with liners. Mix all ingredients except the 2 tsp oil and 1 cup chips. Pour into the tins. Bake on the center rack 20 minutes or until cakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool. For the filling: very carefully melt the 1 cup chips, then stir in the 2 tsp oil for a thinner consistency. Use a spoon or knife to cut the center out of each lava cake, making sure to not go down too far. Set tops aside. Divide the filling among the cakes, then place tops back on. Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or frosting if desired to cover the seams. Enjoy!
    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

Also be sure to make this Chocolate Banana Bread.
 

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram

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Published on October 20, 2016

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23 Comments

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  1. Rosie says

    Yum! Thanks for sharing this Katie – they sound divine and it’s great that they’re baked in muffin tins. Much simpler to clean, and no extra individual tins to buy either

  2. Lena says

    Hi Katie! These look delicious I absolutely need to try them! However I’m only baking for myself, so is there a chance to store the baked molten cakes and reheat them later (freezer maybe?)
    Thanks!

  3. Lir says

    Hi Katie,
    It’s taste delicious!! one question where should I keep them ? If I don’t top it can I leave them out side in a storage container or should I put them inside the refrigerator?

  4. Alpine Pedestrian says

    Well, the joke’s on me. I made these today and only put in 1/4 C flour instead of 1-1/4 C. I wondered why they seemed so underdone in the middle. No way was I going to be able to cut out the middles to add melted chocolate chips. So I just sprinkled some chocolate chips directly onto each muffin and let them melt from the heat of the hot muffins. The muffins never really set up, even though I put them in the refrigerator, but they certainly were “molten” in the middle! They were difficult to get out of the muffin pan, but they certainly were gooey and good. I may make them that way again!

  5. Isabel says

    I made these a couple different ways at first:

    1) I didn’t realize I did not have enough yogurt (only about 1/4 cup), so I panicked and threw in almond milk and applesauce. I don’t know the exact measurements of what I added–I added until the batter “looked right.” They came out tasting very good, with the somewhat gummy texture that is to be expected with applesauce. I used leftover vegan hot fudge for the filling.

    2) I made one big lava cake in a casserole dish. It took about 50 minutes to bake. I stirred the melted chocolate into the still-gooey center about 40 minutes in. The result was very tasty and the center , though it was not liquid, was still lava-y.

    3) I made these following the recipe and without cupcake liners, and served them flipped over to hide the seams.

    This recipe is definitely a winner!

  6. Seth B says

    Well it may be 8pm, but my fiancee and I decided that we have to make these lava cakes tonight, so we are headed to the store to pick up ingredients! Hope ours come out as picture perfect as yours!

    Thanks for sharing such a yummy dessert recipe Katie!

  7. Holly Rostkowski says

    Can not wait to make these- so glad you added ingredients such as GF flour and dairy free yogurt in the recipe. Question tho- do you think I could use vanilla coconut milk yogurt? I have it on hand and would love to surprise the kids with lava cakes when they get home from school…thanks a bunch xo Holly

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