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Home » Blog » Recipes » Chocolate Lava Cake (Paleo, Gluten free)

Chocolate Lava Cake (Paleo, Gluten free)

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This decadent molten chocolate lava cake is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion with your favorite gluten-free loved one!

A shot of a white plate with a paleo chocolate lava cake with a bite taken out, exposing the gooey chocolate center. The plate has 2 small piles of raspberries next to the cake. There is a gold medal that says "Includes air fryer instructions". A red banner at the bottom says Paleo, Gluten-free, and Grain- free.

Chocolate lava cakes were all the rage at fine dining restaurants back when I was a college student, so this rich, decadent chocolate treat brings back so many warm memories of Henry and I irresponsibly blowing all of our student loan money on fancy meals.

I remember the first time I cracked open the delicate chocolate cake surface and a molten center oozed out like hot lava, I was instantly smitten. What is this culinary magic?

Although it’s been almost 30 years (!) since I first tried a lava cake, I still love to bake them for my friends and family. It’s an easy, show-stopping dessert that can be made deliciously gluten-free and nut-free! Plus, it’s so much cheaper to make at home—and you can eat them in your sweatpants.

A closeup shot of a white plate with a chocolate lava cake opened to show the gooey center. There is powdered keto confectioners sugar on top and raspberries on the side.

What is a molten lava cake?

Molten lava cakes were first introduced to the public back in the late 1980s, when famed New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten started serving them for dessert at his fancy-pants restaurants after a happy accident.

As legend has it, the chef pulled an undercooked chocolate sponge cake out of the oven and when he tasted the resulting cake with the gooey molten center, he knew he had a hit on his hands.

My adaptation of Jean-Georges’s classic recipe is a wee bit denser and more chocolate-y because, well, that’s how I like it. Although you can serve one of these little cakes per person (and that’s how the nutrition facts are calculated in the recipe card below), I normally share one because it’s a hefty, rich dessert. If you want a lighter, single-serve chocolate dessert, make a mug cake!

A person in a red apron tapping cocoa powder on top of a lava cake with whipped coconut cream on top.

What chocolate do you use?

These lava cakes are basically a death-by-chocolate type of dessert, so you should use the best chocolate you can find. I normally use two 3-ounce bars of my favorite 70% cacao chocolate—I like Green & Black, Alter Eco, or Guittard brands for this recipe. Yes, these chocolates do have cane sugar as the sweetener, but I don’t sweat it because I’m making dessert. If you want to use paleo chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar, use Hu Chocolate.

Can you substitute any of the ingredients?

As I’ve told you in the past, I’m not a paleo baking expert, so I have no idea if you can use an egg substitute or use another flour in place of almond or cassava flour recommended in this recipe.

In the past I’ve used 85% cacao chocolate in place of 70% cacao, but the kids didn’t think it’s sweet enough. I suspect you can use ⅓ cup granulated allulose in place of maple sugar to make it lower carb—but I haven’t tested it yet.

Please let me know in the comments section below if you have success with any ingredient substitutions!

Can you make it in an air fryer?

Yep! As I’ve told you before, an air fryer is simply a countertop convection oven so any of my oven recipes can be cooked (for the most part) in an air fryer. For these lava cakes, you can air fry them at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes or until the sides are set and the middle is still oozy.

How do you make it ahead of time?

If you want to make these lava cakes ahead of time, you can mix the batter up to a day in advance and store the covered ramekins in the fridge. Before you bake the cakes, bring them up to room temperature first by taking them out of the fridge about an hour ahead of time. If you’re eating them for dessert, just put them on the counter before you start dinner and you can bake them when you’re done eating!

Key tips for making perfect lava cakes

  • Use the same size ramekins for all the lava cakes so they cook at the same time.
  • Check on the cakes a minute or so before you think they’re done. That way, you won’t overcook them. If you’re serving them to company, bake a tester first to determine the perfect baking time for your oven.
  • Serve the cakes right away! They’ll keep cooking if you keep the cakes in the hot ramekins, and your lava won’t ooze properly.

Let’s make gluten free chocolate lava cakes!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup (4 ounces) ghee or coconut oil, plus more for greasing the ramekins
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup (36 grams) maple sugar or coconut sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon (7 grams) blanched almond flour or cassava flour (for nut-free)
  • Swerve confectioners sweetener (optional topping)
  • Whipped coconut cream (optional topping)
  • Raspberries (optional topping)

Equipment:

All my favorite kitchen tools are listed here.

Method:

Heat the oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle position. 

A hand is turning the dial on a wall oven to preheat it.

Lightly grease four 6-ounce ramekins with ghee or melted coconut oil…

A person in a red apron is brushing melted ghee into a white ramekin. There are three other ramekins in front of her.

…and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Make sure to tap out any excess powder!

A person in a red apron is tapping unsweetened cocoa powder from a small mesh sieve into a greased small white ramekin.

Set the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.

A brunette woman in a red apron is arranging four prepared white ramekins on a black rimmed baking sheet.

In a double boiler—a.k.a., a bowl that fits snugly over a pot of simmering water (but doesn’t actually touch the water), melt the ghee with the chocolate…

A red silicone spatula is adding ghee to a bowl filled with chocolate shards. The bowl is on top of a large saucepan.

…stirring frequently until smooth and shiny. Take off heat and set aside.

A bowl is filled with melted chocolate on top of a saucepan. A red silicone spatula is in the bowl.

Alternatively, you can use a microwave oven to melt the ghee and chocolate. Place them in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 30-second intervals…

Two hands are placing a glass bowl filled with chopped chocolate and ghee into a microwave.

…stirring in between, until smooth. It should take about 1 minute total. 

Someone stirring melted chocolate in a glass bowl with a red silicone spatula.

In a medium bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks, maple sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.

Someone in a red apron is adding salt to a glass bowl filled with eggs and maple sugar.

Beat with a hand mixer on high speed or manually with a whisk until slightly thickened and pale, about 2 minutes.

Closeup of a hand mixer blending the eggs, maple sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.

Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture…

Pouring a bowl of melted chocolate and ghee into the egg mixture.

…along with the almond or cassava flour. 

Someone adding almond flour from a small glass bowl into a large bowl filled with lava cake batter.

Mix well until uniform. The batter should thicken and take on the texture of chocolate pudding.

An overhead shot of thick chocolate lava cake batter in a glass bowl being mixed with a red silicone spatula.

Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins.

Someone in a red apron using a large ice cream scooper to divide the lava cake batter into prepared ramekins.

Flatten the tops of the cakes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft.  Start checking at 8 minutes to make sure you don’t overcook them!

Closeup of four chocolate lava cakes right out of the oven. The cakes are cooked but the center is sunken a little.

Cooking in an air fryer? Air fry at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes or until sides are firm and the center is jiggly!

An overhead shot of an open air fryer with a cooked lava cake inside.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool in the ramekins for 1 minute—no longer!

A hand in a kevlar glove is transferring cooked lava cakes onto a wire rack.

Run a butter knife on the inside edge of each ramekin. 

A woman in a red apron is using a butter knife to cut around the edge of a lava cake.

Then, cover each cake with a small plate and carefully turn each one over and unmold. 

A person in a red apron is removing a ramekin off a plate with a kevlar glove.

Dust with Swerve confectioners sweetener (or regular confectioners sugar)…

Someone in a red apron adding keto powdered sugar on top of a paleo molten chocolate lava cake.

…or serve with whipped coconut cream and/or berries. 

A person in a red apron is putting a large dollop of whipped coconut cream on top of a gluten-free paleo chocolate lava cake

Serve immediately!

Three plates of paleo chocolate lava cake: the one in front is topped with powdered sugar and next to raspberries, the one in the back is unadorned, and the one in the back on the right has melted whipped coconut cream on top.


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

A closeup shot of a white plate with a chocolate lava cake opened to show the gooey center. There is powdered keto confectioners sugar on top and raspberries on the side.
Print Recipe
4.88 from 16 votes

Chocolate Lava Cake (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

This decadent paleo molten chocolate lava cake is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion with your favorite gluten-free or nut-free loved one!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate dessert, gluten-free, grain-free, healthy dessert, nom nom paleo, nomnompaleo, paleo, paleo dessert
Servings: 4
Calories: 582kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

Chocolate Lava Cake

  • ½ cup ghee or coconut oil, plus more for greasing the ramekins
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao) finely chopped
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely ground almond flour or cassava flour

Optional toppings

  • keto confectioners sugar
  • whipped coconut cream
  • raspberries
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Heat the oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle position. 
  • Lightly grease four 6-ounce ramekins with ghee or melted coconut oil and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Make sure to tap out any excess powder!
  • Set the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • In a double boiler—a.k.a., a bowl that fits snugly over a pot of simmering water (but doesn’t actually touch the water), melt the ghee with the chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth and shiny.
    Alternatively, you can use a microwave oven to melt the ghee and chocolate. Place them in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. It should take about 1 minute total. 
    Set the melted chocolate mixture aside.
  • In a medium bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks, maple sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat with a hand mixer on high speed or manually with a whisk until slightly thickened and pale, about 2 minutes.
  • Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, along with the almond or cassava flour. 
  • Mix well until uniform. The batter should thicken and take on the texture of chocolate pudding.
  • Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins.
  • Flatten the tops of the cakes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft.  Start checking at 8 minutes to make sure you don’t overcook them!
  • Cooking in an air fryer? Air fry at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes or until sides are firm and the center is jiggly!
  • Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool in the ramekins for 1 minute—no longer!
  • Run a butter knife on the inside edge of each ramekin. Then, cover each cake with a small plate and carefully turn each one over and unmold. 
  • Dust with Swerve confectioners sweetener (or regular confectioners sugar) or serve with whipped coconut cream and/or berries. Serve immediately!

Video

Notes

Make ahead instructions:
If you want to make these lava cakes ahead of time, you can mix the batter up to a day in advance and store the covered ramekins in the fridge. Before you bake the cakes, bring them up to room temperature first by taking them out of the fridge about an hour ahead of time. If you’re eating them for dessert, just put them on the counter before you start dinner and you can bake them when you’re done eating!
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 47g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debb says

    February 9, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    Soooo good! I’ve made these ahead of time and frozen them unbaked. When I want some, I put them in the fridge overnight to thaw then bring to room temp prior to baking. Yummm

    Reply
  2. Kristen Truesdale says

    February 11, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    5 stars
    Made this last night, and it was delicious. I think I took it out of the oven a little too soon, but still tasted good. I only baked 2 so I will try again tonight, yum my mouth is watering already.

    Reply
  3. Laurie says

    February 14, 2021 at 11:53 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for Valentine’s Day. AMAZING! I substituted butter and Swerve brown sugar. I only have 3 ramekins so the serving size was quite large. 9 minutes in my airfryer. Thank you for this crazy easy recipe.

    Reply
  4. Michelle Rinaldi says

    February 15, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    I made this for Valentine’s Day and it was a huge hit with my family. We’ll definitely be making this one again! Thanks for all of your delicious recipes!

    Reply
  5. Lisa Nishimoto says

    February 17, 2021 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    yummy – used 70% dark chocolate. The lava had a very slow flow, I think I cooked a little too long but still tasted yummy. I halved the recipe.

    Reply
  6. Janine Snyder says

    February 18, 2021 at 10:32 pm

    5 stars
    These are amazing. Mine were super runny. Think I’ll leave in longer than 10 min next time and cool longer to allow them to set more. But I ate the extra one for breakfast.

    Reply
  7. Amanda says

    February 20, 2021 at 3:11 pm

    5 stars
    It was delicious!

    Reply
  8. Melissa says

    February 26, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    I only have 8oz ramekins, do you think this recipe will work if they are not as filled as 6oz ramekins would?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      March 1, 2021 at 2:20 am

      Wider ramekins will probably cook faster. Check on them sooner!

      Reply
  9. Theresa Jackson says

    March 4, 2021 at 6:53 pm

    5 stars
    Caution, do not try this recipe. I made it for the first time three weeks ago and have made it five more times since then. It is addicting.

    Reply
  10. Mirja says

    March 10, 2021 at 11:28 pm

    Can I make the double amount and then just leave half of them in the fridge before baking them the next day?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      March 18, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      Yep! Just bring the batter to room temperature before baking.

      Reply
  11. Syde says

    March 16, 2021 at 4:37 am

    5 stars
    It’s so delicious!! I really wanna cook this at home after work. So delicious.

    thanks for sharing this lava cake recipe! 🙂

    Reply
  12. Ritwika says

    April 10, 2021 at 2:01 am

    Can we have an eggless version too? I am allergic to eggs.

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      April 10, 2021 at 3:22 am

      Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with an egg alternative.

      Reply

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