Molten Lava Cakes are one of those desserts I like to have when I want to give myself a nice treat. It’s fudgy, decadent, and the rich chocolate center is to die for. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream, and this recipe won’t let you down!
You’ll get all the same characteristics of a normal molten lava cake, but vegan! And even if you’re not vegan, I can guarantee that you’ll enjoy this recipe because it’s chocolate...who can really turn down a chocolate cake with a melting chocolate center?
One thing to note about molten lava cakes is that they are not your normal cakes. Normally, a lava cake is a combination of a flourless cake and a soufflé. When I was testing these, I made sure that I didn’t treat them as a regular cake. I’m happy to say that it turned out pretty good (otherwise this recipe wouldn’t be up, am I right?).
How to make vegan chocolate lava cakes:
- Make the chocolate ganache and chill it to solidify.
- Prep the ramekins or muffin pan by generously greasing them with butter or spray oil. And when I mean generously, I mean, GENEROUSLY. You want these to slide out when you flip them over so you don't have to worry about trying to pry them out of the ramekin/cupcake pan.
- Make the cake batter.
- Evenly distribute the batter into each ramekin.
- Remove ganache from the fridge and divide it into 4. Roll them up into balls and gently insert them into the center of the cake batter. Try not to touch the bottom of the ramekin/cupcake pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes only! Do not overbake!
- Let the cakes cool for about 5 minutes, then invert them onto the serving plates.
- Add toppings and enjoy!
What if you don't have a ramekin?
First of all, I highly recommend using ramekins for lava cakes. They're the perfect size and you can easily invert the cakes onto a plate. However, if you don't have ramekins, you can use a cupcake tin. The size will be a bit smaller, so you might have to adjust the filling as it might be a little too big. Once they're done baking, carefully use spoon or offset spatula to release them and to place them onto a plate.
I thought that this recipe would be perfect for Valentine’s day. Obviously, you can eat this whenever you want. It’ll be perfect for an at-home date night or even a nice celebration with friends! Top it off with powdered sugar, ice cream, or even some berries. Either way, you’ll definitely impress your guests with this yummy chocolate dessert.
If you’ve tried this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Share and tag me on Instagram @flouredframe. I would love to see your recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Molten Lava Cakes
Equipment
- Food scale highly recommended
- Heatproof mixing bowls and regular mixing bowls
- Whisk
- 4 6 ounce ramekins
- Measuring spoons
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- 56 grams Semi-sweet Baker's Chocolate (see notes)
- 30 grams Non-dairy milk ( I used soy)
Chocolate Cake
- 56 grams Semi-sweet Baker's Chocolate (see notes)
- 28 grams Vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon Espresso powder (optional (See notes))
- 128 grams All-purpose flour
- 50 grams Granulated sugar
- 35 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- 240 grams Non-dairy milk, warmed, I used soy
- Melted vegan butter (to grease the ramekin)
Optional Toppings
- Vegan vanilla ice cream
- Powdered sugar (sifted over top)
- Berries
- Cocoa powder (sifted over top)
Instructions
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the roughly chopped semi-sweet chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl. Place in the microwave and heat in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until all the chocolate is melted in the milk. Whisk them together until they're fully emulsified. Allow the chocolate ganache to cool at room temperature. Cover and transfer it to a fridge to solidify, about an hour or two.
- Remove the ganache from the fridge. It should have solidified or soft enough to divide into four. Scoop out the ganache and roll it into a ball. Set aside until ready to use.
Cake
- When the chocolate has been solidified, preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Generously grease the ramekins with a layer of melted butter.
- Next, combine the roughly chopped semi-sweet chocolate and softened butter in a heat proof bowl, and place in the microwave. Using the same method as the ganache.
- Then add in the warm soy milk and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture, and mixed until well combined.
- In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, instant espresso (if using), salt, and baking powder. Then pour in the melted chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. You should get a fairly runny consistency.
Assembly
- Pour the batter, equally, into 4 ramekins and insert the balls of ganache into the center of the batter. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake it at 425° Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cake onto a serving plate. Add your favorite toppings! These are best eaten when freshly baked.
Notes
- Baker's Chocolate - Baker's bar is the best for this recipe in particular because, unlike chocolate chips, they do not have stabilizers in them. This is why chocolate chips have that unique shape, these stabilizers are what keeps them from melting when baked in cookies. When you use a Baker's bar or something similar, they melt easier and smoother. They are also very readily available at the grocery stores in the baking aisle.
- Espresso powder - Instant espresso or espresso powder will help give the chocolate a better depth of flavor. No, it won't taste like coffee.
- Baking sheet? Placing ramekins on a baking sheet makes it easier to transfer the lava cakes in and out of the oven.
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