This easy chocolate lava cake recipe is a tasty hot fudge cake that is quick and easy to make and you’ll love it! This is sometimes called chocolate lava cake or molten lava cake. It is easy to bake in the oven, but you can also make it in a single serving mug or as a crockpot lava cake!
All of us love this chocolate lava cake recipe! It’s usually gone within about 10 minutes after it’s made because the kids love it so much. You can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream on top. There’s no need for chocolate sauce since it makes its own!
The mixture of rich tasty cake with the yummy decadent fudge sauce makes it the perfect sweet treat when you’re having a chocolate attack!
This chocolate lava cake recipe is so easy to make that our older kids sometimes make their own. It’s easy to adapt if you want to make it in a crockpot or in a mug in the microwave!
Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe (Hot Fudge Cake)
- Yield: 9 servings
Ingredients
Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix all the ingredients.
- Pour into a buttered deep casserole dish.
- Mix the cocoa and sugar for the topping.
- Sprinkle on top of the batter.
- Pour hot water over the top and bake 30-35 minutes.
This has a delicious fudge sauce in the center when baked. Serves 9.
You can also find our gluten free lava chocolate cake recipe here!
This easy lava cake recipe is from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1 (where it is called Hot Fudge Cake):
Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!
Cheryl
Anything chocolate is good. My mother used to make this type of cake. A week ago I was craving it and found a similar recipe online and it turned out well. Maybe not just like how mom used to make, but good enough. This recipe looks just as good. Will give it a try later this month. I never really thought about putting nuts in before. Yummy!
Linda Certuche
I make this recipe but add a little salt to the hot water/cocoa/sugar combo. I think it taste better with just a 1/4 tsp. of salt.
Nancy
I saw part of this recipe on your live show recently (I try to catch the live show when I can, but my family doesn’t seem to cooperate :) mom sitting to do anything isn’t met well lol). Trying this recipe tonight ~ last night I tried your brownie recipe, it was a hit with my family :)
I’ve been trying out the recipes here on your site – the book sounds great, but we’re in debt pay-off mode, so buying it will be my reward when we reach our goal :)
Jill
Lol You got that right on all accounts :) and I am so proud of you for having self control on buying the book because that means you are really serious about getting out of debt. One day you will be able to get a book. Keep up the good work and glad you liked the brownie recipe. :)
Michele Stavola
This is my favorite recipe in the Dining on a Dime cookbook. I like it because it’s delicious and easy to make. I put the extra in cupcake papers and put them in a container to freeze. Then I can pull one out anytime I want a treat. It even tastes good half-frozen.
Charlene
I want to make this in the crockpot but saw no indication (other a note saying easily adaptable). Can you give me a hint about cooking in crockpot? High or low and an approximate cooking time Thanks so much
Jill
I am not sure Charlene because I have never made it in the crock pot. I think usually it takes about 2 1/2 hrs- 3 hrs – the recipes are all over the place on crockpot cooking because some say low and some say high. If possible I would stick with baking in the oven if you can because it only takes 30 mins in the oven. I usually would whip it up, stick it in the oven and by the time we finished dinner it was ready to eat. Also even though you can do these things in the crock pot the texture does not always come out the same.
Sheri
All you said was “deep casserole dish”
Could you please look on your deep casserole dish and let me know the size please?
Jill
The thing is Sheri it depends on the pan but I use a 1 3/4 – 2 qt size casserole – this will rise up around 3-5 inches so it needs to be deep is the main thing
Eileen
Please list ingredient quantities plus any tips for making a single serving in a mug in the microwave.
Jill
Yes Eileen in about a week Tawra is going to post the recipe with the mug ingredients
Pat
did she do this? cannot find it
Jill
I don’t know if she has it posted yet Pat some times it will take a bit to get it done and edited
Pearl
Thank y’all so much for the recipes, and have a blessed day.
Jill
You are welcome Pearl and hope you enjoy them
Kay
Can you use almond milk or oat milk??
Jill
Yes you can Kay
Debrah Allen
Hi Jill,
I just received your two Dining On A Dime cookbooks last week and have been reading through and tabbing what I want to try. Yesterday I was making shrimp for my husband and discovered we had no tartar sauce. I wondered?… Yes! You have an amazing recipe for tartar sauce and it saved our dinner. Thank you. My goal this summer is to learn how to cook a full week’s food in the solar cooker. My next recipe will be this fabulous chocolate lava cake recipe. Thank you for teaching me about saving, cooking and prepping. And, I love Jesus, too.
Jill
Oh Debrah you are so welcome. Am glad the book is already helping you. You know I can’t believe it but I fixed some fish last week and had no sauce for it – I totally forgot we had it in the book duhhhh! I have proof read and gone through that book so many times you would have thought I have it all memorized. LOL
Sue in New York
This is the strangest cake I’ve ever made and it’s delicious. My son asked for lava cake for his birthday. I made this recipe and was afraid to pour hot water on the cake but voila!…perfect. I made it tonight for the second time and my son requested I use milk instead of water which I did. What have I got to lose except a ruined cake? But it turned out great with the sauce a little thicker and creamier. Still a winner. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Jill
Yes Sue this have been a favorite in our family for about 50 years now and this is what my son in law requests for his birthday all the time. So glad you enjoyed it.