Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes are easy yet impressive! Molten chocolate and peanut butter spill out of this epic gluten free dessert.
My Grandma turns 100 years old next week! It’s incredible to think about all the things she’s seen and experienced thus far in her life. From men landing on the moon, to living through the great depression, world wars, prohibition, and even the invention of the iPad, which she is undoubtedly reading this recipe on.
All that said, I baked a little cake in her honor — Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 2. I wish I could share these individual-sized cakes with molten chocolate and peanut butter centers with her in person, but for now a virtual date will have to do!
What are Lava Cakes?
Lava cakes are individual-sized cakes – chocolate in this case, of course – that are baked until the outer shell is tender and moist, but the inside is still molten.
Hence – LAVA cakes!
We’re spiking them with peanut butter because OF COURSE, and the result is pure decadence. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes taste like melty peanut butter cups and. although they look fancy, they’re so so simple to make.
Is it Safe to Eat Lava Cake?
Lava cakes typically include eggs so a common question, given that the center is molten, is if Lava Cakes are safe to eat.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes are baked at 425 degrees so the batter is able to reach 165 degrees in the center, rendering them safe to eat.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
Start by adding butter or vegan butter and semi-sweet semi chocolate chips (or regular-sized chocolate chips) to a medium-sized bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir, and then microwave in 10 second increments until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted.
Add powdered sugar then stir to combine.
Next add a whole egg plus an egg yolk and vanilla then stir to combine.
Add gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour plus a pinch of salt and stir to combine. I like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour blend.
What to Bake Lava Cakes In
I recommend baking Lava Cakes in 6oz Pyrex custard cups because they have the added benefit of being able to be used for kitchen prep, etc.
Divide the batter between two, nonstick sprayed, 6oz custard cups then place onto a foil-lined quarter or half sheet pan in case of spillovers.
Lastly, dollop a heaping teaspoon peanut butter into the middle of each cup then use your finger to sink it into the center of the batter.
Bake the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 12 minutes at 425 degrees, or until the middle is soft but not jiggly.
Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cups onto plates then carefully pull them off. Top with fresh berries and powdered sugar for a gorgeous presentation. The berries add a pop of freshness that I really love in contrast to the rich and fudgy dessert. Highly recommend!
However you serve it, I hope you love this DECADENT, seriously delicious dessert recipe for 2 — enjoy!
More Irresistible Chocolate Treats
- Gluten Free Scotcheroos
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
- Buckeyes (Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls)
- Oreo Mousse
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 1/3 cup gluten free semi sweet chocolate chips, 2oz, mini or regular-sized, Enjoy Life brand recommended
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- pinch of salt
- 2 heaping teaspoons creamy peanut butter
- Fresh berries for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a half sheet pan with foil in case of spills then set aside. Spray two, 6oz ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray then set aside. Whisk together the whole egg plus egg yolk in a small bowl then set aside.
- Add butter and chocolate chips to a medium-sized bowl then microwave for 30 seconds. Stir then microwave in 10 second increments, stirring between increments, until chocolate is smooth and melted. Add powdered sugar then stir to combine. Add whisked eggs and vanilla then stir to combine. Add flour and salt then stir to combine. Divide batter between prepared cups (about 1/2 cup batter each) then scoop 1 heaping teaspoon peanut butter into the middle of each cup. Use your finger to help sink the peanut butter into the center of the batter.
- Place cups onto sheet pan then bake for 12 minutes or until tops are soft but not jiggly. Let lava cakes cool for 10 minutes then overturn onto plates and serve with fresh berries.
Notes
- The longer the cakes sit, the more the “lava” firms up. I like a 10 minute resting time before overturning.
- I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Hi Kristin!! First, I love your blog. I am sure it’s not always easy, especially with kids, so I just want to know I appreciate the work you put in! I will be in Des Moines this summer for my grandmother’s 100th birthday, too funny that your grandmother is turning 100 too! Are there any must eat at restaurants or workout classes in DM?! Thanks in advance! And happy birthday to your grandmother, it truly is an accomplishment! Best wishes, Mackenzie
Thank you so much, Mackenzie! I appreciate your kind and supportive words. :) I’m not the best person to ask about the most popular restaurants in town since I can only eat at a few, but here are some to consider. Happy early birthday to your amazing Grandma, too! :)
– The Riverwalk Hub – our favorite place to start a night downtown, especially in the summer. Grab a drink right on the river.
– Malo – amazing tacos (Al Pastor and Chorizo are my favorites,) fun drinks and a great patio. Service can be a little slow but the food/atmosphere is worth it.
– Black Cat Ice Cream – haven’t eaten here bc it’s not gluten-free, but people love this little hole in the wall
– Horizon Line – people seem to really love their coffee, teas, and homemade milks.
– RoCA – Great GF menu and drinks.
– Miyabi 9 – great sushi!
– Wasabi Tao – more great sushi!
– Dumpling Darling – haven’t eaten here but people seem to love it.
– Bubba – not GF so haven’t eaten here but again people rave.
– Harbinger – fancier dinner recommendation, mostly vegetarian and so so good.
– St Kilda – a super cute breakfast/brunch spot.
– La Mie – another very popular brunch/bakery spot.
– Eatery A. Really fun menu and great patio in the summer.
Favorite/popular bars/places to get a drink:
– The Republic on Grand – cool 6th floor bar. They open up a wall of windows when the weather’s nice and you have a great view of downtown DSM!
– Peacetree Brewing Taproom – love the laid back vibe here
– The Iowa Taproom – serve food here too
– Exile Brewing Company – really cool taproom
– Confluence Brewing – their Des Moines IPA is winning tons of awards
– Juniper Moon – fun, interesting vibe. Really good margaritas.
Your original lava cake recipe is our Valentine’s Day tradition! We’ve made it every year since you posted it. Tonight is our “feast”. Table cloth, candlesticks, Steak, Caesar salads, French bagette. Switching out to these instead.
FANCY!!! Hope you enjoyed your meal, Jenn!
I like desserts like this that are yummy and I can whip up and bake quickly. And since it only makes 2, I won’t eat 10 of them. LOL.
Off topic, sorry. I wondered what size plates you eat your meals from. Are they the salad size? If so, do you think it helps with portion control? Where did you find them? Thanks for your help and so many great recipes!
Hi Christine! I use regular sized dinner plates for meals. I often use salad plates for photos on the blog because they fit better in the camera frame and look better styled then dinner plates. :)
Hi! Looks delicious. If I want to make this with regular flour, do I need to add anything? Thanks!!
I was going to ask the same question! We’re not gluten free, but these look amazing and I would love to try them without having to buy a special flour blend.
You can just replace the gf flour with all purpose flour! :)
lava cake, yaa! what a great idea and GF to boot, with peanut butter, wow, thank you for another wonderful recipe!
These look amazing!!!!!!!!! I need to make them ASAP. My mom and grandma’s bdays are also close to Valentine’s Day and my great-grandma lived to be 108, so I really enjoyed hearing about your grandma :)
Wow – that is incredible!!! Wonder what she would say her secret to a long life was?
Happy Birthday to your grandmother!
Our school does non-food treats only for birthdays – I think the primary motivator was to limit sweet treats, but it takes care of allergen issues too.
Ugh, I so, so wish the school districts around here would do the same. The amount of sweets these kids eat on a daily basis for snacks and celebrations is insane.
Our grandma’s are almost the same age! Mine turned 100 in December. She’s such an inspiration! Happy Birthday to your grandma! Blessings and good health to her!!
Love it!! H(belated)BD to your Grandma too! <3
My girlfriend’s son had many allergies, so at class celebrations she had a some frozen cupcakes the teacher could thaw that morning of the celebration so he wasn’t left out. Just fyi, maybe your school would let you keep a small stash of treats for your son?
He’s got a box of individual sized bags of oreos that his teacher keeps for him in the classroom. Don’t get me wrong, he likes oreos, but wants to eat what all the other kids eat and not feel like the odd man out! :/
I saw the photo and said outloud to no one “yeah, get it girl.”????. In other words, it looks spectacular?
Hahahaha – drippy chocolate and peanut butter will do that to a girl! ;) Hope you get a chance to try the recipe, Donna!
Made it tonight…probably will make it again tomm??. It was PERFECT!!!❤️?
My Great Grandmother was born in 1898 and passed away in 2001 when I was 18 years old. I always in awe of the things she experienced and the fact that she lived in THREE different centuries. Happy 100th Birthday to your sweet Grandma! What an accomplishment that is! :)
That is remarkable – so much to learn and listen to from our grandparents and great-grandparents!
This looks so yummy! If I doubled or tripled this recipe to make it as a special treat for my family, do you think that I would need to adjust the baking time at all?
You might just want to tack on an extra minute or two (assuming you’d just put all the custard cups on the same baking sheet?)
Thank you. Yes, I was thinking that I would put them all on the same baking sheet and bake them all at the same time. Just tricky to tell for sure when they are “done” since they aren’t like a normal cake. Can’t wait to try them!