Chocolate Lava Cakes
‘My chocolate lava cakes are the definition of melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, with their rich chocolate sponge and gooey molten cores. My recipe is fairly easy to make, and I’m sure you’ll absolutely ‘lava’ the mouthwatering result! You can serve them with your favourite dairy-free cream or ice cream and fresh berries. These are great for a crowd: simply double the recipe if you have more people to feed.’
Serves 3 For the cakes:
● Coconut oil, melted, for greasing
● 120g plain flour
● 110g icing sugar
● 30g cocoa powder, plus extra to decorate
● ½ tbsp instant ground coffee
● ½ tsp baking powder
● ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
● 1 small ripe banana
● 120ml dairy-free milk
● ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
● ½ tbsp vanilla bean paste
For the chocolate filling:
● 120g dairy-free chocolate, broken into chunks
1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C, 180°C fan, gas mark 6. Grease three individual
10 x 7.5cm ramekins with coconut oil. Sift the flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a mediumsized bowl and mix to combine.
2 In a separate bowl, mash the banana, then add the milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla bean paste. Whisk to combine.
3 Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together – don’t over-mix! Divide half of the batter between the ramekins, then carefully press 40g of the chocolate chunks into the centre of each ramekin. Spoon the remaining batter over the chocolate chunks until they are completely hidden. You don’t want to overfill them as the sponge will rise in the ramekins.
4 Transfer the ramekins to a baking tray and place the tray in the centre of the oven. Bake for 20–25 minutes. Once baked, carefully run a knife around the edge of each ramekin to help loosen the sponge.
5 Place a plate on top of each ramekin in turn, flip upside down, then lift off the ramekin. Serve the cakes with a dusting of cocoa powder, along with dairy-free cream or ice cream and fresh berries. The chocolate will be runny while the sponge is hot, but will become less so as it cools, so these are best enjoyed straight from the oven.