Vegan Chocolate Lava Cake
Any time I think of lava cake I think of Jon Favreau in Chef screaming “IT’S F*CKING MOLTEN!!!” at a food critic while squeezing one in his hand. Great movie. Lava cake is one of those classic desserts that’s on a lot of restaurant menus but is actually quite easy to make at home too! It’s comforting, decadent and warm, with a gooey chocolate center. So it was only appropriate that I make a vegan chocolate lava cake.
How to make chocolate lava cake
There are two main ways to make lava cake.
One way is simply undercooking the cake so the center remains raw (but safe to eat) batter. It’s a milder version since you don’t get a puddle of pure chocolate but rather spoonfuls of chocolate cake batter. It can be tricky to time depending on the strengh of your oven. Just a few minutes too long and you’ll end up with chocolate cake. A few minutes less and it won’t hold it’s shape because the outside hasn’t set enough.
The other way is the more foolproof method of making it. It’s done by placing a ball of frozen chocolate ganache in the middle so it melts in the oven and creates the molten effect once you dig into it. You’re guaranteed to get a melted center regardless if you have a crappy oven like mine or a great one.
In this recipe I sort of combined the two methods to get the best of both worlds. A soft center from the slightly undercooked cake but also pieces of melted chocolate to intensify the flavour and loosen it up.
the batter
The batter is fairly straightforward to make. It’s all mixed by hand and the only “out of the ordinary” ingredient is almond powder. Toasted almond powder adds some depth of flavour to the cake and rounds out the chocolate flavour, along with the instant coffee granules. It also contains both cocoa powder and melted chocolate to hit alllll the chocolate notes.
The batter is also on the thicker side, like brownie batter rather than cake. This helps to prevent the chocolate pieces from sinking to the bottom of the ramekin during baking and causing the cake to stick.
The molten center
After lots of trial and error (more than any other recipe), the best result I got in terms of flavour and molten center was simply with pieces of chocolate. Yup, that easy. Just underbaking the batter can be tricky since the outside can’t set enough without eggs while also keeping a molten center. And since the batter is thicker than a traditional lava cake batter, it ends up being more goopy than molten with this recipe.
With a ball of ganache, there’s the added step of having to freeze it until solid. Plus, the most accessible way of making vegan ganache is by using coconut milk or cream instead of heavy cream, and I wanted to avoid imparting a coconut flavour to the recipe. Ganache also results in a more liquid center because of the added cream, and I personally prefer a slightly thicker/creamier one.
The key to that is using a couverture chocolate or good quality chocolate bar. The reason being that they have a higher content of cocoa butter so when they melt they’re very fluid, but still creamy. I don’t recommend using chocolate chips for the center! They contain stabilizers and a lower cocoa butter percentage so they hold their shape during baking. Not ideal for the molten center, but fine to use in the batter.
Can i make vegan lava cake ahead of time?
This vegan chocolate lava cake (and any lava cake really) is best enjoyed fresh and warm so the center is molten. If left to sit, the center will solidify. Yes, you could probably microwave it, but it won’t be exactly the same.
The best way to have it fresh but still make it in advance is to make the batter ahead of time, portion it into the greased and dusted ramekins, cover them and refrigerate for up to a day. At least one hour before baking, take them out and let the batter come to room temperature. Then bake them following the same instructions.
If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!
Vegan Chocolate Lava Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ tbsp almond powder
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g cocoa powder, sifted
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- 11 g dark chocolate bar or chips
- 50 g unsweetened plant based milk
- pinch of salt
- 18 g white granulated sugar, make sure it’s vegan
- 18 g brown sugar
- 20 g neutral oil, (grapeseed, canola, vegetable…)
- ¾ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
- ⅛ tsp instant coffee granules, optional
Center
- 30-40 g dark chocolate bar or couverture chocolate
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 200°C/400°F. Sprinkle the almond powder on a baking sheet and when the oven is ready, toast it for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on it as it burns easily. Then set aside to cool.
- Grease (very well) two 4 oz ramekins with refined coconut oil. Liquid oil might bead up and it will be harder to get an even coat of cocoa powder inside the whole ramekin.Then sprinkle cocoa powder inside to coat entirely. Make sure to tap all the excess out, you can do this by hitting the ramekin once firmly upside down onto your counter. Not hard enough to break it, obvioulsy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the dark chocolate bar or chips with the salt and milk and heat in the microwave in 15 second bursts, whisking in between each one until the chocolate is fully melted and you get a smooth mixture.
- Add in the sugars, oil, vinegar, vanilla and coffee granules and whisk until well combined. Then whisk in the slightly cooled almond powder. Line the sheet that had the almond powder with a silicone mat if you have one and set aside.
- Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter forms and no lumps remain, but don’t overmix.
- Fill the ramekins with 1½ – 2 tbsp of batter and place 15-20 g of the chocolate pieces in the center of each one. Then cover entirely with the remaining batter making sure both ramekins have an equal amount of it.
- Place them on the lined baking sheet and bake for 11-12 minutes.
- When you take them out, let them sit for 1-2 minutes before running a knife all around the cake to separate it from the ramekin and to ensure it comes out cleanly. Then place a plate upside down over the ramekin and (using an oven mitt) flip it over onto the plate. Enjoy while they’re warm!
Notes
- *Disclaimer: I have a tiny not-so-great oven, so your bake time may vary from mine.
- I strongly suggest making recipes by weight, if you make them by cups I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results.