A family favorite, this slow cooker chocolate lava cake is rich and incredibly moist. A dense cake floats on top of homemade chocolate pudding with minimal effort and no oven heat—your new go-to dessert. Free of: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut and tree nut; vegan; top 8 free.
First off: if you’ve been waiting since I posted that teaser on Instagram, thanks for your patience! This recipe is worth the anticipation.
A heads-up: the full recipe uses three and a half cups of brown sugar. I mention it up front so you know how indulgent it will be and so you don’t run out mid-recipe. Stock up before you start!
If the August heat has you avoiding the oven, this slow cooker dessert is ideal. You get a warm, fudgy cake without heating your kitchen. It’s also a great addition to any slow-cooker recipe rotation.
I first made this consistently a few years ago for family gatherings. It was always a hit—even with guests who don’t follow a restricted diet. A warm, fudgy cake with a pool of chocolate pudding underneath is a crowd-pleaser every time.
The memory of this recipe inspired me to dig it out and recreate it. When I told my husband, his reaction confirmed it was one of his favorites.
It’s extremely simple to prepare—only one bowl, then pour into the slow cooker. Serve with a scoop of safe vanilla ice cream to balance the richness; cold ice cream atop warm cake is irresistible. Every spoonful delivers puddles of chocolatey goodness.
The magic of this dessert is that a tender cake forms on top while a generous layer of chocolate pudding develops below. There’s plenty of lava to spoon over each serving.
This is my go-to dessert when hosting—because it impresses guests while freeing me to finish the rest of the meal. Pop it in the slow cooker and let it do the work; by dessert time you’ll have a homey, aromatic showstopper ready to serve.
Vegan Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake
Yield:
8 servings
8 servings
Prep Time:
15 minutes
15 minutes
Cook Time:
2 hours
2 hours
Total Time:
2 hours 15 minutes
2 hours 15 minutes
A simple, indulgent slow cooker dessert that yields a fudgy cake sitting atop a pool of chocolate pudding. Allergy-friendly and vegan, this recipe is perfect when you want a comforting chocolate treat without using the oven.
Ingredients
CAKE Ingredients:
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups gluten-free flour
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup rice milk
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already contains it)
LAVA (chocolate pudding) Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and set to high.
- In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups brown sugar, gluten-free flour, 6 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Stir in the rice milk, melted coconut oil and vanilla until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the slow cooker.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a full boil in a saucepan over high heat.
- While the water heats, mix the 1 1/2 cups brown sugar with 1/2 cup cocoa in the bowl you used for the cake mix. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the slow cooker.
- When the water reaches a full boil, measure out 3 cups (boiling 4 cups helps ensure you’ll have enough if some evaporates). Pour the three cups of boiling water evenly over the top—do not stir.
- Immediately cover and cook 2 to 2 hours 15 minutes. Slow cookers vary; the cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides and a rich pudding has formed underneath.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Adapted from: Life in the Lofthouse
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