Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes for Two
Decadent and dairy-free, these chocolate lava cakes are the perfect addition to your date night in! A moist chocolate cake surrounds a rich and chocolaty interior that cascades out as you break in. Top these mini molten cakes with fresh fruit, dairy-free ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
I’m going to give you a minute to think to yourself what could possibly be better than a rich chocolate cake surrounding a molten chocolate center. If you said top it with ice cream then you might just be right, but I dare say these chocolate lava cakes are the best thing to happen to dessert since the invention of dessert.
If you have never indulged in a chocolate lava cake it’s everything you are imagining and then some. With a moist chocolate cake exterior and a delightfully fudgy interior that comes cascading out when you pop into it, this dairy-free chocolate lava cake recipe is just what your date night in needs.
Why We LOVE these Molten Lava Cakes
If the words chocolate and cake do not immediately set your trajectory to the kitchen to begin baking, then here are a few more reasons to whip up a batch of these molten lava cakes.
- Simple steps. These lava cakes are as easy as melt, mix, fold, and bake.
- The WOW factor. Get the restaurant quality wow factor with this easy homemade dessert. I swear the joy watching chocolate pour out of the cakes is enough reason for me to make these time and time again.
- Ready in under 30 minutes. They are not only easy to assemble but they bake quickly making them perfect for an after dinner treat.
- Rich, chocolaty goodness. What more could you want??
How to Make Dairy-Free Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips– Melted to give the batter a rich chocolaty flavor.
- Plant-based butter- Melted with the chocolate chips, moistens the batter for a gooey molten center.
- Eggs– To bind the batter together.
- Sugar– For a little sweetness.
- Vanilla– A little boost of flavor.
- Flour– I used all-purpose flour to give the cakes a little structure.
Step-By-Step Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Prepare two 10-ounce ramekins by spraying with non-stick spray or greasing with vegan butter.
- Melt chocolate and butter: In a medium sized bowl, melt together dairy-free chocolate chips and vegan butter.
- Allow to cool before adding additional ingredients.
- Add remaining liquid ingredients: Once cooled, whisk in eggs, sugar, and vanilla.
- Fold in the flour until just combined.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Cool + serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool about 2 minutes before flipping on to a plate to serve.
How to Know The Chocolate Lava Cake is Baked
*** The center will NOT look set *** If you tap your finger to the center it will have a slightly sticky finish but should not feel like uncooked batter. You aren’t trying to bake these all the way through, you want that molten center. Check these two things to know your lava cakes are baked.
- The cake around the edges is fully cooked. Feel free to insert a toothpick to see if the edges come out clean.
- The center is glossy and is slightly sticky to touch but does not leave batter on your finger.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Lava Cakes
After many failed attempts at making dairy-free chocolate lava cakes, here are a few tips you might find helpful as you make your own.
- Cool between melting the vegan butter and adding eggs.
- Grease the ramekins generously.
- Wait at least 2 minutes before flipping.
- If you want a less molten center, wait longer to flip out of the ramekin. This allows the center to continue to bake.
- Flip carefully. See steps for the perfect flip below.
How to Flip the Lava Cake out of the Ramekin
- Place a plate upside down, on top of the ramekin.
- Carefully pick up the ramekin with one hand (using an oven mitt) and have your other hand on top of the plate.
- Flip the plate and ramekin together so that the plate is now face side up and the ramekin is bottom side up.
- Using two hands (in oven mitts) carefully lift the ramekin and behold your chocolate beauty.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
A few tools that might help you be successful with these molten chocolate lava cakes include:
- Ramekins– I used 10-ounce ramekins to bake these chocolate lava cakes.
- Glass Mixing Bowls– These mixing bowls are great for going from the microwave to the counter and also make a great double broiler for melting chocolate.
- Oven mitts– While handling the hot ramekins you will want to be able to easily use your hands while keeping them covered from the heat.
Dairy-Free Changes to Chocolate Lava Cakes
There are two main swaps you will want to keep in mind as you make these dairy-free chocolate lava cakes.
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips– Be sure to use a dairy-free chocolate chip such as Enjoy Life, Simple Truth Organic (Kroger Brand), or Great Value Free From Chocolate Chips (Walmart Brand). If you have found other dairy-free chocolate chip brands, feel free to drop a comment below to share!
- Plant-based butter– In place of butter, I used a plant-based alternative (Country Crock’s Plant Butter Sticks).
Serving Suggestions
I am of the opinion that there is honestly no wrong way to go about serving these dairy-free chocolate lava cakes. But here are just a few of my top favorite ways to dress them up.
- Fresh fruit– Sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries pair nicely with these mini cakes.
- Dairy-Free ice cream– This recipe was photographed with Oatly Vanilla Ice Cream, pure and simple.
- Dusted with powdered sugar.
- Drizzled with extra chocolate.
- Dolloped with vegan whipped cream like Truwhip Vegan.
Tips for Melting Chocolate
There are two methods I have used to melt the chocolate and the butter for this easy lava cake recipe. I found the microwaving method to be quicker as the wait time after heating is much shorter.
- Microwave– In a microwave safe bowl, heat dairy-free chocolate and plant-based butter in 30 second intervals. I found 45 seconds to be the sweet spot but every microwave is different. Once melted mix together and allow to cool 2 minutes before moving the the next step.
- Double broiler– Heat a glass bowl with dairy-free chocolate and plant-based butter over a small sauce pan with a shallow amount of water (not so much that when it boils, it touches the base of the glass bowl). Stir the mixture until completely melted and remove from heat. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes, but up to 10 minutes depending on how hot the mixture got.
Molten Lava Cake FAQs
Why is is called a lava cake?
The name comes from the cascading flow of chocolate that pools out of the center when you break into the middle, resembling lava flowing from a volcano (but far more delicious).
How long do chocolate lava cakes last?
In my house, probably 5 minutes… (no shame here) I would recommend making them at the time you plan to eat them but I understand that is not always the most feasible option.
We have made these a day in advance and then reheat them in the microwave for about 20 seconds and found that they still worked. They won’t have as much of a fudgy outpouring of chocolate but it can be done.
More Chocolate Treats to Try next
- Chocolate Chess Pie
- Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- No-Bake Mini Chocolate Tarts
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you tried these dairy-free chocolate lava cakes feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Chocolate Lava Cakes (Dairy-Free)
With a moist chocolate cake exterior and a rich molten chocolate interior, these decadent and dairy-free chocolate lava cakes are the perfect addition to your date night in.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
- ½ cup Plant-based Butter
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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Prepare two 10-ounce ramekins by spraying with non-stick spray or greasing with vegan butter.
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In a medium sized bowl, melt together ⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips and ½ cup vegan butter.
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Allow to cool before adding additional ingredients.
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Once cooled, whisk in 2 eggs, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
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Fold in 2 Tablespoons flour until just combined.
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Divide the batter between the two prepared ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool about 2 minutes before flipping on to a plate to serve.
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