Oozing with creamy peanut butter and melty chocolate, these Mini Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lava Cakes encompass all things decadent! Enjoy this dessert with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar!
Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes will be your new favorite dessert! These are incredibly soft and fluffy. The center oozes with warm peanut butter and chocolate, and just lightly seeps into the innermost portion of the cake, making for an extra moist and gooey treat!
These lava cakes seriously Can’t. Get. Easier! They’re made all in one bowl and within 20 minutes… how’s that for a quick dessert?? They also freeze beautifully and last a long time, well, if you can keep your hands off of them that is!
I’ve seen numerous recipes for mini chocolate lava cakes that use ramekins, but I know a lot of you may not own them. That’s why we will be using a muffin tin for this recipe. It’s much easier to batch bake them in a tray than to deal with the hassle of baking one lava cake at a time (it’s also a good excuse to make more lava cakes 😉 ).
Ingredients:
- Cocoa Powder: I like to use dark cocoa powder, but unsweetened will work as well.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour OR 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
- Sugar/Sweetener: White granulated sugar OR 3/4 cups honey.
- Butter: Melted. Can also use vegetable oil for a vegan version.
- Sour Cream: To keep these lava cakes moist. You can also use greek or dairy-free yogurt.
- Egg: You only need one egg. I also tested this recipe using a “flax egg” (1 part ground flax mixed with 3 parts water) and creates a similar result.
- Peanut Butter: Opt for natural if you plan on storing these in the freezer and reheating them in the microwave since they will be much easier to melt.
- Baking Chocolate: Optional, but if you want a hint of melted chocolate in the center, use chocolate meant for baking. Chocolate chips or Hershey’s candy bar won’t give the lava effect.
- Vanilla Extract, Water, Baking Soda, Salt
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes:
Despite looking gourmet, these mini lava cakes are ridiculously easy to make. in fact, they only require one bowl!
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add in melted butter and cocoa powder. Mix.
- Beat in sour cream (or yogurt), an egg (or flax egg), and vanilla extract. Small air bubbles are fine.
- Fill a muffin tin with a scoop of chocolate cake batter.
- Add a dollop of peanut butter in the center (if using baking chocolate or chocolate wafers, add them on top of the peanut butter). Cover with an extra scoop of chocolate cake batter, filling the muffin tins about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Note: Normally I suggest checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the baked good, but this method will not be an accurate measurement for this recipe since we’re filling with peanut butter and baking chocolate. Instead, gently tap the tops of the cakes to check for doneness.
- Allow the lava cakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before consuming or transferring to a cooling rack. Flip over, dust with powdered sugar, and drizzle with chocolate syrup!
Let’s talk chocolate
Adding extra chocolate to the center is completely optional, but is guaranteed to make your cakes extra delicious! If you decide to do so, make sure you use chocolate labeled as “baking chocolate” or “chocolate wafers”. Hershey’s Kisses or regular chocolate chips will NOT give you the same molten-lava-melty-goodness effect since they are not made specifically for baking.
Making Modifications:
This recipe is very easy to customize to fit different nutritional needs. Check out these modifications for equally tasty lava cakes!
- Make them egg-free: As mentioned above, you can easily substitute the egg for a flax egg. I have personally tested this and it works amazingly. See notes in the recipe card for more details.
- Substitute/Omit the peanut butter: Try substituting peanut butter for sunflower butter or even Nutella! For a pure chocolate lava cake, you can omit the peanut butter altogether and just use baking chocolate. This is the ultimate chocolate-lover’s dream!
- Make the batter sugar-free: You can substitute the granulated sugar for 3/4 cups of honey for a healthier, refined sugar-free option.
- Whole Wheat Flour: If using whole wheat flour, decrease the amount to 3/4 cup.
- Vegan: To make these vegan, substitute the butter for an equal amount of vegetable oil, use dairy-free yogurt in place of the sour cream, and use one “flax egg”.
How to Store Lava Cakes
These lava cakes freeze beautifully and are the perfect treat to make ahead. When you’re ready to consume, remove from the freezer and pop in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and the insides will be warm and melty.
More Dessert Recipes:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp Butter (Melted)
- 1/4 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 Cup Warm Water
- 1 Cup All-purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Egg (room temperature, can also use a "flax egg", see notes.)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1/4 Cup Baking Chocolate (optional, but adds an extra gooey factor)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a muffin tin with shortening and a layer of sugar.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, cocoa powder, and warm water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the cocoa powder mixture and mix until combined. Beat in the sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Fill each muffin cup halfway with the chocolate batter. Spoon a dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of peanut butter in the center and add solid baking chocolate if desired. Cover with more chocolate batter to fill each muffin cup 3/4 full.
- Bake the lava cakes for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before handling or transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Make this egg-free by substituting with 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water. Combine and let the mixture thicken in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
- Make this vegan by using vegetable oil instead of butter, non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt in place of the sour cream, and one “flax egg” in place of the egg.
- Make this refined sugar-free by replacing sugar for 3/4 cup of honey.
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