Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes with Almond Flour (Gluten-Free)
These easy chocolate lava cakes are rich and fudgy with warm, molten centres. Made with almond flour, they’re gluten-free and ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Toppings: powdered sugar vanilla ice cream, and raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 4 small ramekins with butter or coconut oil and place them on a baking sheet.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil or butter with the chocolate chips in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until fully combined.
- Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, and sea salt, and stir until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared ramekins.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft and jiggly.
- Let cool for 1–2 minutes, then either serve straight from the ramekins or carefully run a knife around the edges and invert onto plates.
- Top with powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, and raspberries, and serve warm.
Notes
Ramekin size: Four approximately 6-ounce ramekins work best. The baking time may change if your ramekins are significantly smaller, larger, shallower or deeper.
For the molten centre: Start checking at eight minutes. The edges should be set, but the middle should still have a slight jiggle. The cakes will continue to cook as they rest.
Serving from the ramekins: You do not need to invert the cakes. Serving them directly from the ramekins is easier and guarantees you will not lose the molten centre during the flip.
Dairy-free option: Use coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate chips.
Gluten-free note: This recipe does not contain wheat flour. If you need it to be strictly gluten-free, check that your chocolate chips, cocoa powder and other packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free and avoid cross-contact in the kitchen.
Flour substitutions: Coconut flour is not a 1:1 substitute for almond flour. I have not tested this recipe with all-purpose flour or another nut-free flour, so I cannot guarantee the same texture or baking time.
Make-ahead: For the most reliable molten centre, prepare and bake the batter shortly before serving. These cakes are not ideal for baking in advance because the centres firm as they cool.
No ramekins? I have not tested this recipe in a muffin pan. Because the cakes are delicate and the baking time is so precise, ramekins will give you the most predictable result.
Food-safety note: Traditional lava cakes have soft, lightly cooked centres. Health Canada recommends that young children, pregnant people, older adults and people with weakened immune systems avoid raw or lightly cooked egg dishes. When serving someone in a higher-risk group, bake the cakes until fully set and the centre reaches 165°F/74°C. The centre will be fudgy rather than molten.
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