Molten Nutella Lava Cakes {flourless}
Decadent. Gooey. Stress-free. If you’re a Chocolate Lava Cake lover and are looking for a fun, delicious, and gluten-free lava cake idea for Valentine’s Day – look no further! This Molten Nutella Lava Cake recipe only requires 5 simple ingredients, less than 10 minutes to prepare, and is oozing with molten…chocolate…hazelnut…perfection!!
Made with a generous serving of rich and silky chocolate-hazelnut spread – this gooey lava cake is the sweetest treat for your next romantic date night for two!
Can these lava cakes be prepared in advance?
Yes they can! Simply refrigerate the ramekins (with lava cake batter inside!) covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. On the day of desired use, return lava cakes to room temperature, and bake.
I don’t have chocolate-hazelnut spread. What can I use as a replacement?
If you don’t have 1/3 cup of Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread on hand for this recipe you can easily use the same amount of melted chocolate. Other fun variations could be to replace Nutella for a cookie butter or creamy peanut butter.
Are Molten Nutella Lava Cakes gluten-free?
Yes! Unlike traditional lava cake recipes that are made with the addition of flour, these lava cakes use cocoa instead of flour. If you have a gluten allergy, please make sure that the chocolate-hazelnut spread or melted chocolate you are using is gluten-free as well.
I don’t have 4 oz ramekins. What can I use instead?
The best part of this recipe is that it can be easily made in whatever oven safe, small, ramekins/containers you have! I would just recommend that you check your lava cakes for readiness at the 10 minute mark (note: you are looking for set, slightly raised edges, and a slightly sunken, wobbly centre). The cakes will continue to cook slightly during the 3-5 minutes that they are resting on your counter so under baked is much better than over baked here!
How can I make sure my lava cakes slide out of their ramekins.
Generously butter each crevice of each ramekin! Now…if inverting this lava cake causes you *even an ounce* of stress, simply decorate your lava cake inside your ramekin and spoon out that delicious molten chocolate pot!
TO MAKE THIS RECIPE YOU WILL NEED:
- Butter (unsalted)
- Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)
- Eggs (Egg + Egg yolk)
- Sugar (granulated sugar)
- Cocoa (unsweetened)
- Any type of salt – I like to use flaked Kosher salt or sea salt)
- Optional: Icing sugar, crushed hazelnuts, ice cream, extra Nutella for drizzle, or berries as garnish
Let’s make my Molten Nutella Lava Cakes!
Preheat your oven to 450F. Generously butter, two 4 ounce ramekins (or similar size, oven safe and small containers) and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt Nutella and butter (Note: I use the microwave for this step – heating in 15-30s increments between stirs).
‘In a medium sized bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, and sugar until egg mixture is a slightly paler colour, and frothy (2-3 mins). Slowly mix warmed Nutella/butter mixture into the egg mixture.
Add 1 tsp of cocoa and a pinch of salt to the batter. Stir mixture together one final time and divide equally, into your two prepared ramekins.
Bake at 450F for ~11 min or until edges are set and the middle is still slightly sunken in/wobbly. Remove from oven and allow the lava cakes to cool for 3-5 min in the ramekins. (Note: ramekin will be hot – be sure to use a towel/oven mitt to handle the hot ramekins!).
Gently loosen the edges of each ramekin with a knife and invert onto a plate. After a few seconds, remove ramekin from lava cakes using a towel/oven mitt.
Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar, crushed hazelnuts, drizzled Nutella, berries, or ice-cream.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Also check out:
Easy Chocolate Lava Cake
Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies
Molten Nutella Lava Cakes {flourless}
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56g) Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cups, approx 3 oz (98.6g) Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread
- 2 tbsp (25g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg large, room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk large, room temperature
- 1 tsp Cocoa Unsweetened, dutch processed
- pinch of salt
- crushed hazelnuts, icing sugar, ice cream, berries, or extra Nutella for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Generously butter two 4 ounce ramekins (or similar size, oven safe and small containers) and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt Nutella and butter (Note: I use the microwave for this step – heating in 15-30s increments between stirs).
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, salt, and sugar until egg mixture is a slightly paler colour, and frothy (2-3 mins). Slowly mix warmed Nutella/butter mixture into the egg mixture.
- Add 1 tsp of cocoa and a pinch of salt to the batter. Stir mixture together one final time and divide equally, into your two prepared ramekins.
- Bake at 450F for ~11 min or until edges are set and the middle is still slightly sunken in/wobbly. Remove from oven and allow the lava cakes to cool for 3-5 min in the ramekins. (Note: ramekin will be hot – be sure to use a towel/oven mitt to handle the hot ramekins!).
- Gently loosen the edges of each ramekin with a knife and invert onto a plate. After a few seconds, remove ramekin from lava cakes using a towel/oven mitt.
- Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar, crushed hazelnuts, drizzled Nutella, berries, or ice-cream.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t forget to generously grease your ramekins!! To allow lava cakes to slide out from their moulds without sticking, make sure to grease your ramekins!
- Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe? These Molten Chocolate Pots are purposefully quite sweet to taste like a bowl of melted chocolate! If you are looking for a slightly less sweet alternative, simply half the sugar in the recipe and omit the icing sugar garnish!
- Timing is everything with these Lava Cakes! For best results, be ready with your serving plate once you take your ramekins out of the oven so that the lava cakes do not continue to cook for too long in the ramekins.
