Gluten Free Chocolate Lava Cake

This gluten free chocolate lava cake is the single-serve dessert for chocolate lovers! Craving that ultimate chocolate dessert for Valentine’s Day, date night or have a sweet tooth? Look no further than this incredible gluten free chocolate lava cake! These decadent single-serve little cakes boast a warm, rich chocolate cake encasing a gooey center filled with nut butter or sunflower seed butter–  a guaranteed explosion of deliciousness in every bite.

Made with love, these beauties are the perfect dessert to celebrate any occasion.  Whether you’re whipping them up for a romantic evening or a solo Netflix date, these lava cakes are sure to satisfy.  Plus, they’re vegan-friendly too! The best part is they take under 30 minutes to make!

What Is a Lava Cake?

A lava cake, also known as a chocolate lava cake, molten chocolate cake or mi-cuit au chocolat (French for “half-cooked chocolate”), is a decadent, single-serve dessert with a rich, gooey chocolate center. Instead of chocolate, I added sunflower butter to the middle of my gluten free chocolate lava cake to give it a fun twist!

Why You’ll Love This Dessert

It’s so easy to whip up!

This dessert is made with simple ingredients.

It is the perfect decadent chocolate treat for a special occasion!

This single-serve cake is gluten free and dairy free.

It is a super fun recipe to make.

This dessert is kid-friendly!

It takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Equipment Needed

All you need to make this gluten free chocolate lava cake is a small ramekin, small bowl, measuring cups and spoons and a piece of parchment paper.

Ingredients Needed

Sunflower Seed Butter or Nut Butter: I used sunflower butter in this gluten free chocolate lava cake because it is allergy-friendly, creamy and so delicious.

Milk: I used dairy free milk in this recipe because I am dairy free. Feel free to use regular milk if you are not dairy free.

Vanilla Extract: I love the flavor that vanilla extract adds to baked goods.

Gluten Free Flour: My favorite gluten free flour is Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour, which is an almond flour blend. If you are nut free, feel free to use any gluten free all purpose flour.

Coconut Sugar: I love using coconut sugar in my recipes because it has a lower glycemic index but you can also use cane sugar.

Cacao Powder: Cacao powder gives this lava cake a delicious flavor. You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder. Using cacao powder will give this recipe a richer flavor.

Coconut Oil: I used melted coconut oil for this recipe! You can also use melted butter.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent, which means it creates gas bubbles within the batter. These bubbles expand during baking, causing the cake to rise and become fluffy.

Mini Chocolate Chips: My favorite mini chocolate chips are Enjoy Life Foods because they are dairy free.

Salt:  My favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt because it is high-quality and made with zero fillers. If you use my discount code LESSWITHLAUR you can get 15% off Redmond’s website.

Sprinkles: I love adding sprinkles on top to give this gluten free dessert a fun twist!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Gather your ingredients and preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Place nut butter or sunflower butter on a piece of parchment paper and put in the freezer until hardened. This is a really important step so don’t skip it!

Step 3: Combine milk and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Step 4: Pour half of chocolate batter into the mini ramekin.

Step 5: Add the frozen nut butter or sunflower butter on top.

Step 6: Cover with remaining batter and bake for 20 minutes or until set.

Step 7: Add sprinkles on top and serve!

Storage

I doubt you will have any leftovers, but if you do or you want to make this single-serve dessert ahead of time, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Variations

Nut Butter: I used sunflower butter in my lava cake, but feel free to use any type of nut butter. Some great options include peanut butter, almond butter, macadamia nut butter or pecan butter.

Toppings: I topped my lava cake with sprinkles! Another great addition is vanilla ice cream or fresh berries. You could also drizzle melted chocolate on top!

Chocolate Chips: Try switching it up from your typical chocolate chips! You can use mint chocolate, white chocolate or peanut butter chips instead.

How to Serve

Serve this gluten free chocolate lava cake at your next dinner party or get together! It is also the perfect addition to a dessert bar.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or fresh berries are classic accompaniments that complement the warm chocolate cake and add a textural contrast. A drizzle of caramel sauce, chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce can also be delightful.

Recipe FAQ

What is the lava center in the lava cake?

The lava center in my lava cake is sunflower butter!

What can I serve with my lava cake?

Serve this gluten free chocolate lava cake with fresh berries, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, chopped dark chocolate bars and/or sprinkles!

Can you make it in an air fryer?

I have not tried, but I don’t see why not!

Can I use vegan butter instead of coconut oil?

Yes! Feel free to swap melted vegan butter in for melted coconut oil.

Can I make these in a muffin tin?

I have only tried making this recipe using ceramic ramekins!

Can I use maple syrup instead of sugar?

I have not tried swapping the sweetener and it will likely change the texture of the recipe!

Is this lava cake vegan?

Yes, this is also the perfect vegan dessert option!

Related Recipes

Be sure to try these fun dessert ideas next:

Air Fryer Peaches

Viral Date Bark with Ice Cream

Patriotic Cake Bites

Birthday Cake Protein Bites

Samoa Ice Cream Stuffed Dates

If you make this gluten free chocolate lava cake and love it, I would really appreciate a 5 star review! I also love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram or Tik Tok.