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My gluten-free chocolate lava cake recipe makes for a rich, decadent chocolate cake with molten fudge baked right in. It’s super moist, rich, and moreish.
Craving more gluten-free desserts? Try my sticky date pudding, gluten free blueberry cobbler, and almond flour cake next.
Nothing is quite as impressive as a molten chocolate lava cake, especially when it’s made from scratch.
From the outside, it looks like a moist, albeit simple chocolate cake, but when you dig deeper, it releases a pool of melted chocolate that’ll instantly captivate everyone you share it with!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Uses 9 pantry staples. And zero hard-to-find or niche ingredients are required.
- Surprisingly easy to make. It’s as easy as any chocolate cake recipe I’ve shared, but with one simple addition that really takes it over the top.
- Perfect for special occasions. It’s one of my favorite Valentine’s Day desserts, and it works equally well for date nights, anniversaries, or weeknights when you feel like going the extra mile.
- Diet-friendly. In addition to being gluten-free, these lava cakes are accidentally dairy and egg-free, too!
Ingredients needed
- Gluten-free flour. I always suggest sifting your flour first to remove any clumps. If you’re not strictly gluten-free, you’re welcome to use regular AP flour.
- Sugar. Use either white sugar or brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even a brown sugar substitute.
- Cocoa powder. I used unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder. For a richer flavor, you can use dark cocoa powder.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Both give rise to the lava cakes but also keep them fluffy and moist in the middle.
- Oil of choice. Use a neutral flavored oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake recipe!
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk.
- Chocolate. Use a dark chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips so the center filling will ooze out smoothly. I used Lindt 78% chocolate and really loved the balance of sweet and rich flavor.
How to make gluten free lava cakes
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease 4 ramekins or 4 parts of a 12-count muffin tin.
Step 2- Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Whisk in the oil and vanilla extract. Slowly add the milk and stir until the batter is smooth.
Step 3- Assemble the cakes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the ramekins. Place one piece of chocolate in the center of each.
Step 4- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, then let them sit for 15 minutes. Using a sharp knife, run it around the rim of the molds, then flip them onto a plate and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Grease the muffin tins very generously to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides. Trust me, the last thing you want is for the melted chocolate to ooze out too early!
- Don’t use chocolate chips. I tested this recipe with chocolate chips, and they didn’t melt nearly as smoothly or evenly as chocolate from a bar.
- Serve the gluten free lava cakes with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh berries, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
Variations
- Add even more chocolate to the center. The amount I added is the minimum, but you can never go wrong with too much chocolate!
- Or make chocolate peanut butter lava cakes instead. Swap the chocolate bar for drippy peanut butter and press it lightly into the cakes.
- Garnish the lava cakes with a dash of coarse sea salt for a salty/sweet flavor combination.
Storage instructions
To store: Gluten-free lava cakes can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. Make sure to remove them from the ramekins before refrigerating.
To freeze: Place individual lava cakes in shallow containers and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat: Lava cakes are best enjoyed warm, so the chocolate oozes out of the center. Heat lava cakes in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm on top. Let sit for a minute before cutting into the middle so the chocolate oozes out.
Frequently asked questions
Molten cakes simply refer to cakes with a gooey center, whereas lava cakes are a specific type of chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center.
It’s important to have enough moisture in your gluten-free cake and to remove it from the heat when the center is just barely done. Otherwise, the cake continues to cook as it cools and can easily dry out.
I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour, so I can’t say whether it will work. If you go this route, add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to the flour so the cake develops a soft, cakey texture.
More gluten-free chocolate desserts
- Almond flour chocolate cake
- Keto brownies
- Flourless brownies
- Almond flour coffee cake
- Coconut flour brownies
Gluten Free Lava Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour gluten free, if necessary
- 1/2 cup sugar of choice white, brown, or sugar free sub
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup oil vegetable, canola, etc. * See notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 4 pieces chocolate scant 1/4 cup of chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease 4 aluminum muffin molds or 4 parts of a 12-count muffin tin generously. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in the oil and vanilla extract. Slowly add the milk until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter amongst the molds/ramekins. Place one piece of chocolate in the center of each mold.
- Bake for 20 minutes, before removing from the oven and letting sit for 15 minutes. Using a sharp knife, run it around the inside edge of the molds, before flipping onto a plate and serving.
I baked this recipe. But for me it needed to be longer in oven. You think that is still okay?
Wow this recipe my friend will like so much. I want to make for her.
Can I also use protein milk with flavour to be more protein?
I see someone else had the same problem, but I don’t see a reply. The cake is good, but “no lava”. Any idea why that would happen? It’s moist and very good, but no lava. Would appreciate any ideas.
Did you add enough chocolate?
Possibly not, there’s NEVER too much chocolate. Thank you for the reply, will definitely try again.
Hi
For some reason, my chocolate square seemed to be absorbed into the cake. Please can you tell me why this could be?. I used a fan oven, should I have maybe lowered the temperature and/or the time?.
Thanks Kath 🙂
The amount milk was not included in this recipe.
Hi sorry it has been updated now- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
Sounds yummy, but the recipe is incomplete. How much milk for the recipe?
Hi sorry it has been updated now- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
You mention milk in the instructions but there is no milk listed in the ingredients???
Hi sorry it has been updated now- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
Sounds great…..you mention milk in the instructions but there is no milk in the ingredients????
Hi sorry it has been updated now- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons