Easy Lava Cake Recipe with Peanut Butter
Rich and gooey, this Easy Lava Cake Recipe is stuffed with creamy peanut butter for a candy-inspired lava cake that couldn’t be easier to make. Unbelievably decadent, it’s guaranteed to become your new favorite treat!
Why We Love This Easy Lava Cake Recipe
If you know us, you know we love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. With countless recipes like our Peanut Butter Cookie Pie, Reese’s Peanut Butter Blondies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and more, it’s safe to say we’re obsessed. However, no matter how many recipes we make, we always find ourselves coming back to this easy lava cake recipe again and again and again. There are soooo many reasons why we love it. So, we’ll just name a few!
- 10 ingredients are all you’ll need.
- Baked to perfection, it features a gooey center that’s absolutely to die for.
- It bakes in the oven in just 10 minutes!
- It’s customizable and tastier than even your favorite restaurant’s version.
What’s the Difference Between Lava Cake and Molten Cake?
Wanna know a secret? There isn’t one! Molten cake is just another name for a lava cake. No matter what you call the recipe, it results in an absolutely scrumptious rich chocolate cake with a soft, oozing chocolate center.
Is Lava Cake Raw in the Middle?
A common misconception is that lava cakes are raw. However, if done correctly, this isn’t true! If baked properly, the internal temperature will reach 160° Fahrenheit, meaning the cake batter is cooked and safe to eat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this easy lava cake recipe, we kept things simple using 10 pantry and fridge staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Coconut Oil – Used to grease the ramekins and help melt the chocolate, creating a runny texture.
- Cocoa Powder – Helps contribute to the bold chocolate flavor. Make sure your cocoa powder is unsweetened!
- Chocolate Chips – We prefer to use dark chocolate, but semi-sweet would work, too. Just make sure you use a high-quality brand like Ghiradelli or Lindt! We promise you can taste the difference.
- Eggs – A single egg and an egg yolk are used to provide structure and help the cake rise while also creating a rich taste.
- Sugar – We use coconut palm sugar, but brown sugar would work, too.
- Coffee Extract – This helps enhance the chocolate cake and does not create a coffee flavor.
- Peanut Butter – We use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would work too if you want to add a bit of extra texture.
- Salt – Used to enhance the rest of the ingredients.
How to Make This Easy Lava Cake Recipe
Although commonly thought of as a difficult dessert to make, our version makes the process a breeze! All your guests are guaranteed to be impressed with your culinary skills. Just follow the steps below.
- Melt the Chocolate. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
- Beat the Eggs. In a second bowl, beat the egg and egg yolk, coconut sugar, coffee extract, and salt together until the ingredients are smooth and light in color.
- Combine. Gently pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the chocolate, stirring constantly. Once thickened, use a spatula to gently fold in the cocoa powder.
- Bake. Fill your ramekins ¾ of the way full, and place peanut butter in the center, making sure it is covered with the batter. Bake just until the outside of the lava cake is set. The center will still look underdone!
- Cool. Let the dessert cool in the ramekin. Then, flip it onto a plate, and dust it with powdered sugar or unsweetened coconut flakes. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned, we like to top our easy lava cake with powdered sugar or coconut flakes. However, the options are truly endless! If you want to mix it up, try using chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, peanut butter drizzle, fresh berries, or chopped peanuts.
Then, serve it alongside vanilla or coconut ice cream for the best combination of cold and warm temperatures and ooey-gooey goodness!
Easy Lava Cake Recipe Common Questions
This easy lava cake recipe is best served right away. However, if you want to plan ahead, the batter can be prepared and kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. We do not recommend baking lava cake ahead of time as the center will set, and you’ll no longer have the melty texture you’re looking for.
No worries! Use a muffin tin instead, and adjust the cooking time as needed, being careful not to overbake.
Sure! Feel free to swap out the peanut butter with a seed butter like sunflower butter, or leave it out completely.
More Drool-Worthy Chocolate Cakes
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or treating yourself, chocolate cake always hits the spot, and these recipes do not disappoint!
Easy Lava Cake Recipe with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + more for sprinkling
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons peanut butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease the ramekins with coconut oil, and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
- In a second bowl, beat together the egg, egg yolk, coconut sugar, coffee extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and lightens in color.
- Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate/oil mixture, stirring constantly until everything is well combined and the chocolate begins to thicken. Gently fold in the cocoa powder.
- Divide the batter between the ramekins, filling them 3/4th way full. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of peanut butter in the center of each ramekin, and cover the peanut butter with the batter.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Do not overbake! The outside should be set, and the center will look undercooked.
- Let cool for a minute. Loosen the sides carefully with a knife. Flip the lava cake onto a plate. Sprinkle organic powdered sugar or unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Plate with coconut ice cream or ice cream of choice, if desired. Enjoy!