A perfectly light and fluffy cake with a melt-in-your-mouth gooey center, these gluten-free chocolate lava cakes are easy to make and incredibly fun to eat! 

Let’s go back down memory lane for a second. Did you ever have the chocolate molten lava cake at Chili’s?! Tell me if I’m wrong, but that’s what teenage dreams were made of. 

Now, I didn’t go out trying to recreate this teenage fantasy but I might have outdone myself with this Upside Down Gluten-Free Molten Lava Cake.  

Well, actually all credit is due to my mother-in-law. She makes it in an 8×8 pan, but I love making it in ramekins.

That way everyone has their own little lava cake to enjoy and there is no fighting over who gets to indulge in the ooey, gooey center. 

This healthier version is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free AND it comes together in one bowl. 

Talk about an easy but downright decadent treat! So whether you want to relive your childhood or simply impress your guests, give this cake a try and let me know how it turns out on Instagram @olivia.adriance. Cheers! 

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Lava Cake

Molten lava cakes sound fancy but they’re not that hard to make! Here are the few ingredients that you’ll need. 

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: @bobsredmill is one of my go-to flours of choice for baking. If you aren’t gluten-free, you can use regular all-purpose flour. 
• Coconut Sugar: Similar to brown sugar, coconut sugar gives baked treats a caramel-like taste. Regular sugar is a fine substitute as well. 
• Raw Cacao Powder: This unsweetened ingredient helps create a super fudgey interior.  

• Baking Powder: This critical ingredient helps the cakes rise in the oven. 
• Unsweetened Almond Milk: This is my nut milk of choice, but you can use any type of nut milk here or even oat milk. Also, regular milk works too if you aren’t dairy-free. 
• Avocado Oil: This healthier oil is a good substitute for typically used canola oil in desserts. 
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Boiling Water: To create the fudgey center, you’ll need to pour hot, boiling water over the batter to moisten the cake. Of course, be careful during this step! 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Chocolate Lava Cake

Let’s get started by preheating the oven to 350°F. 

To a medium-sized mixing bowl add the gluten-free flour, 3/4 cup coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon cacao powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. 

To the same bowl, add the almond milk, avocado oil, and vanilla. Mix until just combined and no lumps remain.

Pour the chocolate cake batter into 3 un-greased 12-ounce ramekins or one 8×8 un-greased cake pan.

Spread the batter evenly (it will be quite thick). Set aside.

To the same mixing bowl used for the batter, (that’s right, we’re only dirtying ONE bowl — no need to even wash it in between usages, just make sure you scraped most of the batter out of it) whisk together the remaining coconut sugar and cacao powder.

Pour the boiling water into the bowl and stir to combine.

Slowly and carefully, pour the hot chocolate mixture over the chocolate cake batter.

If using ramekins, carefully transfer the ramekins on a cookie sheet. If using a cake pan, place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

If using ramekins, you can turn the cakes out by placing a plate on top of the ramekin and flipping it upside down so that the plate is on the bottom.

Remove the ramekin and watch as the molten chocolate runs out of the cake.

If using an 8×8 pan, use a spatula to remove a slice of cake, ensuring that you get plenty of the sauce at the bottom.

Enjoy!

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes: 

• Healthier Carrot Cake Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
• Gluten-Free Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
• Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)